In the Sound

I was just about ready to puke.

Seeing Daryl made me realize something sickening.

The bike roared out of Herschel’s driveway, into the clearing of the highway. Daryl’s hands were wrapped around the handles, squeezing tightly. My heart thundered hard inside my chest, fingers tingling. My stomach fluttered. I needed to puke. I needed to jump up and down, and spin around shouting ‘Woolaboolah.’

Cause when I saw Daryl this time, it was different. I saw sparks. I saw birds whistling sweet tunes. I saw hillbillies dancing around a ritual pyre. I saw my Dad when he talked about my Mum. I saw fireworks. I saw dead squirrels.

And I think these weird hallucinations meant one of two things.

I was fucking crazy.

Or I was in love with hicky Dixon.

I shook my head. No- I couldn’t be. That was stupid. Think of other things.

Following closely behind Daryl were the other cars. White, black and blue. I guessed Kit was probably in one of them. Eager faces were pressing against the windows. Rocks and pebbles skipped up beside the tires. All four of them pulled up against the grass beside the highway.

Rick grasped Daryl’s hand in mutual respect, their lips shut tight like they were having some kind of telepathy thought sharing moment. I felt Carl duck from under my grasp. Lori squealed.

I ushered over to Daryl awkwardly, not really knowing what to do. He looked at me instantly, dark beady eyes narrowing onto mine. His cheeks were dirty and hallow. His expression was dead. I glanced down, pretending to brush something off of my thigh.

Daryl was still sitting on the bike, waiting until it was his turn to get off. It was the first time I noticed Carol on the back, her arms clutching around his waist. She swung her leg over and landed with a gentle plop on the floor.

In that moment, the strangest thing happened.

My nervous, fluttering heart was consumed by heat. I wasn’t gonna be in love with him- there was no way. The desperate one running up to his side and waitin’ on him. Hell, I was Nora Foster. I wasn’t waitin’ on anyone. And I sure as hell wasn’t waiting on some dumb hick.

Heatedly, I swiveled away from them. His eyes were probably on my back. I ambled over to the rest of the group. Herschel was cradling the heads of Beth and Maggie in each of his hands. His eyes brimming in water. Glenn stood a ways back from them, clutching his hat and eyes fixed on the ground. His brows were knotted in deep thought.

Noticing Carol, T-Dog rushed by her side and enveloped her in a tight hug. Lori was on her knees, arms wrapped fiercely around Carl. Rick’s fingers tangled into her beautiful brown curls. They were so damned happy to be together again.

And that was when I noticed it.

I took a few cautious steps towards the Grimes, placing my palm on top of Carl’s ragged Sheriff’s hat. His parents’ warm eyes glossed over me. They smiled. They welcomed me. I couldn’t force a smile onto my lips.

“Where’s Kit?”

I was met with silence.

In panic, I glanced over everyone’s faces. Their eyes flickered down away from mine, one at a time. Frowns deepened on their jaws. The red was washing over me now.

“Lori, was Kit with you? Is he in the car?”

With that, I started to rush to the car on my tiptoes. My eyes were lulling over with red. Legs aching, I tried to peek in through the windows to see a sleeping Kit on the chair. Lori’s lean fingers snaked around my pants and pulled me back.

I paused, looking down at her in frustration. I just wanted to go see Kit. That’s all.

Lori’s face morphed into a pained expression. Her eyes were wide. Just popped on out of her pretty head. “Nora-”

“Lemme go,” my tone was gruff, and I shook her hand off of my leg. Her thin, pale hands slithered back over Carl’s back.

“Nora, Kit’s- listen sweetheart. Kit is-,” Lori was talking in hushed tones.

I whirled now, seeing endless cars and cars. I opened my mouth to shout, but there was nothing left in my throat. Lori’s voice was ringing against my ears.

My breathing was growing ragged now. Somehow I mustered everything I had into stepping over to the car. I imagined Kit’s body in there. He’d be sleeping. His little breaths would make his fur go up and down. He’d look super soft. When I rapped my knuckle against the window his ears would twitch.

One. Two. Three.

I peered inside. An empty seat stared back at me.

Kit was gone.