Spitfire

"Aw, I see lil' princess decide ta join us, now, did she." Donny slurred." Ya gon eat with us or ya gon be a lil' bitch and glare at as all night."

I glared, walking straight to the prick, "Fuck you, you old drunk bastard."

"I'd really enjoy that, princess, I really would. Too bad tha shit don' work like it should down a'there." I wrinkled my nose in disgust, I shoved him, which only caused him to snicker and laugh his drunken ass off.

Doc narrowed his eyes, "Quit it, Donny." She spat.

Donny shrugged, laughing his damn annoying wheeze. "Wha? Sum one needs ta get her off her high horse. It a'been too long. Too long for her ta be actin that a'way." He pointed a wrinkled finger in my direction, "If ya stop bein' a lil' bitch, we'd all appreciate ya more."

I scoffed, slamming my bowl down on the makeshift table. Storming out onto the balcony, I slammed the screen door shut. Pulling out a cigarette, I took a relieving puff. I slumped in the chair and glared down at the world below me. I closed my eyes as I listened to their murmurs behind me.

I could hear Doc getting angry, "Sometimes, Donny, sometimes!" I heard clanking of bowls and then I heard nothing from her.

I could hear his voice, Daryl that is. "If she such a bitch, why keep her 'round?" I wanted to jump out of my seat and nail him right in the mouth. Even though I knew I wasn't a favored member out of this group, I didn't want anyone to confirm it.

Tess piped up, leave it to Tess to add her two sense. "Hey, quit that talk, ya hear? Now, I know she ain't someone ya can really talk ta. But, she been through a lot within the time this all broke out, okay? I know it ain't givin' her a reason to act all rude and hostile, but..." I could her suck in air, "she ain't always use ta be like this. Anabel never liked me much ta begin with, but, she was real nice to me in the beginnin'. She used ta be real sweet, and real carin'."

I heard a soft voice pipe up, I was assuming it was the older woman Carol that asked. "What happened, if I may ask?"

"Oh. Well, before ya'll were ever close to findin' us here. Nate and Shaun ran the joint. Nate was Anabel's older brother, by seven or so years. They were real close 'n not in tha sick kinda way. He protected her. Her momma left the minute she was born and left her with Nate and their daddy. Guess her momma slept 'round and Anabel turnt out to be someone else's kin and Nate's daddy dint take that lightly. He beat her. Real Bad. Ya'll will see the marks eventually. It breaks ya heart, really. Nate always protected her, she was real dependent on him. He taught her to always smile and look at life in tha best light." I was beginning to feel my blood boil, she had no right to explain my life story to these people. "Well, right before this outbreak one of Nate's daddy friends snuck his way into Anabel's room and..." She trailed off, "I don' think I need ta say it. Les just say..nine months later, a bundle of joy appeared. And that was a few months after tha breakout. She was beautiful, dint look anythin' like the man. It was all Anabel. Well, Nate's daddy called her a whore and took the baby." I could hear Tess tearing up, it only made me angry. She didn't know what that felt like.

"He took that baby and tossed it out the window..." She stopped short when she heard gasps, "We all watched in horror as all those things came and tore it apart. She broke then, but Nate helped her. Nate put a gun to his daddy's head and said goodbye. It was the right thing to do."

"What happened to Nate?" Rick asked.

"A few months ago, he went out to get more supplies. We all begged him not to. We were more than good with what we all had, but he insisted. He dint have anyone to back him up and three or four swarm'him. Anabel was devastated, and before he even turned. He begged her to kill him. So she shot an arrow in his head, quick and painless. She were never the same after that. Somethin' in her went dark."

I could hear Daryl yawning, "So what? I stabbed my brother in the head and I moved on."

"That may be true, but I reckon ya were always a hardened soul. Anabel wasn't."

I didn't hear a reply, instead I heard the screen door opening, revealing him walking out onto the balcony. He glanced at me, before muttering under his breath. He chose the seat on the other side of me, staring off into the darkness. At this point, everyone else had made mindless chatter and I couldn't quite pick up on all their conversations.

"Tess telling everyone my life story?"

He shrugged, "S'pose so."

I shook my head, I didn't know why I was expecting a different reaction. I stood up, wiping a tear, I held the cigarette in between my mouth. Picking up my bow and arrow, I starting shooting the randoms that had made their way at the bottom of the hill. We'd still get a few strays stuck at the bottom. I was just hoping that the day wouldn't come when a swarm of them would come. But, we all knew that was inevitable.

"Ya gon' waste arrows like that?" I could hear the concern in his voice. I looked back him, noticing his quick look down of me. I didn't blame him, the group of woman he was traveling with didn't even look remotely in his age park. He probably hadn't seen a woman my age in months.

"I'll get them tomorrow on my rounds." I motioned towards the house, "I've got tons more. Different kinds too." I lowered my voice, "Nate and I used to make them whenever we were bored."

"Sorry 'bout ya brother." He cleared his throat, staring hard at me with that hard expression.

I smiled slightly, "Yeah, I guess he's better now."

"Ya don' know that. If it's all true, what she said back there. He prolly worried damn sick 'bout ya. Worried that he ain't 'round to keep ya safe."

I titled my head slightly, "In case you haven't noticed, I've done a pretty damn good job at keep myself and this whole group of cracker jacks safe." I put the cigarette out, staring at it, "You'd think with this world, I'd be more concerned about that then thinking I should quit these sons of bitches."

Daryl snorted, "Why? It ain't hurtin' ya more than this fucked up world is." He muttered a few words under his breath, he hoisted his crossbow and shot an arrow clean in the damned creature's head.

I smirked, "Ain't bad."

He scoffed, returning a smirk, "Best there is."

"Conceited bastard." I clicked my tongue, leaning over the railing, I sighed, "I never got into a crossbow. Nate wouldn't let me, said I'd lose my skill on the bow and arrow and be completely dependent on the easy one."

Daryl scoffed again, "He ain't know nothin' then. It's harder than it looks."

I turned to him, catching him once again staring me down. Not that I minded, it was nice to have someone appreciate what was in front of them. I straightened up, "Can I see?"

He gave me a crazed look, "Ya crazy? Hell no I ain't lettin' ya touch this."

I rolled my eyes, "If I break it, I'll replace it. But, I'm not going to break it." I held out my hand again, a smile breaking onto my face the moment he handed it over. I pressed my lips at the weight, "No wonder you're arms look amazing." I froze at what I said, I clearly boosted his confidence, judging by that smirk on his face.

"Didn't think ya liked me much."

"Don't flatter yourself." I snapped. I hoisted up the crossbow and questioned if I was able to hold it up. I felt him stand behind me, his arms guiding me, his rough calloused hands felt somewhat nice on my skin. I tried to shake the feeling of desire running through my body. He helped me line up my shot, he nodded for me to go ahead and let the arrow lose, I did so, missing by a long shot. I sighed, "Guess we know I won't ever touch your weapon."

"Know how to use a gun?" He mused.

I scoffed, "You're kidding, right?" I rolled my eyes as he didn't reply, "Of course I do. Every gun that's here on this property." I shook my head as I saw a glimpse of him being impressed. "I'm not just a pretty face. I pack a punch. Like I said before, if I wanted to kill you, I would have." I lined up my shot again and nailed the son of a bitch I couldn't get with Daryl's bow.

He rubbed his nose, looking out there and than at me, "I was beginnin' ta wonder why ya got that red mark on your cheek. Why ya hold the arrow so close ta ya face?"

My hand instinctively reached my cheek, he was right. "I don't know." I've always felt the arrow graze my cheek on it's way out. It was how I taught myself, it was comforting. I couldn't imagine it not touching my face.

"Whatever floats ya boat." He sighed, rubbing his eyes, he yawned.

I looked up at the stars, swallowing hard, I asked him a question I was too afraid to bring up to Shaun or Mattie. "Do you ever wonder why we're still alive?"

He groaned, "Cause we tryin'. We ain't givin' up like most people did. We keep on fightin'. I ain't know 'bout ya. But, I ain't dyin' anytime soon." I was beginning to get in tune with his weird attitude.

I nodded, "I don't plan on it either. But, sometimes I feel like I should throw myself over. Just to get it over with. It's inevitable, right? I'm sure everyone in there would be happy. I know Donny would."

He squinted his eyes towards me, his expression changed, almost as if he had figured me out. Figured out that I was just a soul trying hard to fight but was losing hope. "Ya know that ain't true. They all depend on ya. And fuck that old bastard, he ain't shit to ya and ya shouldn't waste ya time on that old drunk."

I snorted, "Is that what they said?" I turned my head, biting down on my lip, I smiled slightly. "You aren't so bad when you aren't acting hard and dick like."

He snorted and smirked back, "And neither are ya when you ain't actin' like a stuck up bitch with a stick up your ass."

I smiled slowly towards him, catching his eyes, "Asshole." We both chuckled in silence, I was beginning to feel a little different about this world. Maybe them coming here would be good, maybe, they were just the kind of people who could change my ways. But, I wasn't so sure at the same time.