Hope Is a Waking Dream

Chapter 4

That stupid old man and that stupid old woman were trying to get to her, trying to get her sympathy. She had no sympathy for anyone. These people probably lived wonderful lives before all this. They had families, pets, and dinner at the table together every night. She had no idea how that felt. That fucking moron with the bow probably even had a good old country family lifestyle growing up in some shack in the woods. She sat under that tree long after she had skinned her squirrel. She would make her own fire soon; she would not share with them, that would give the wrong impression. She looked around at the other people, just milling around. Maybe they’ll forget she even exists, everyone else had been able to do that. She saw that kid walking around alone, the mother nowhere in sight. The others just standing around and didn’t notice he was there. She just watched him; he had no weapon that she could see. How are these dipshits still alive? She stood and walked toward him. She may not give a shit about the adults, but the kid is a different matter. “Hey, you.” Carl turned at the sound of her voice. “Where the hell do you think you’re going without a weapon? In case you don’t know, there’s danger in the woods.” Melissa said handing him the knife she didn’t use to skin the squirrel. “Take this with ya. Do you have a purpose to going out there or are you just wondering around?” Before he could answer, she heard, “I’m gonna give him a tracking lesson. He’ll be just fine, he’ll be with me.”
“Does his momma or daddy know that?” She tried, so hard, to be civil.
“His pops does, ain’t none of your business though. Didn’t think you gave a shit about any of us anyway.” The redneck said harshly.
“You? No, I don’t, but he’s an unarmed kid. You, of all people, Mr. High and Mighty, should know better than to let a kid loose unprotected.” She tried, so hard, to stay calm.
“His momma don’t think he’s old enough to handle a weapon.” That’s why I brought him this.” The redneck produced a nice size hunting knife, almost like her own. “I ain’t stupid, no matter what you think. I ain’t gonna risk losing him or getting him hurt. Damn been through that already. I can keep him safe. Gonna teach him how to take care of himself in case something happens.”
“Fine. He’s in good hands. I’ll leave ya to it.” As she turned around to go back to her tree, she heard, “My name’s Carl. You can come with us, if ya like. I’m sure there’s something you can teach me too. I mean, you’ve been out here by yourself for a long time and you’re still alive. There’s gotta be something ya know.”
She turned around and saw the annoyed look on the rednecks face. “Well, Carl, my name is Melissa and I do have some advice for you. Be very afraid of strangers, and don’t get lost in the woods with crazy people. You never know what they’ll throw at you.”
Daryl looked at her and couldn’t decide if she was being a bitch or a smart ass. He decided the latter because she wasn’t screaming. “That’s right, Carl. Ya might be trying to nail a squirrel running up a tree and almost get stabbed by someone instead. That’s why I’m taking ya out, instead of some crazy person.”
“Melissa’s not crazy. She‘s just not used to all of us yet.” Carl said to Daryl. “She can come with us, please?” Daryl looked to him, exasperated. He loved Carl; he was a good kid, and he’d had a lot of shit piled on top of him. “If she wants ta. Don’t much care. Her decision.”
“Please, Melissa?” Carl begged.
Damn, she thought, this day just gets better and better. They’re all ganging up on me. She had no problem putting an adult in their place, but not a kid. She couldn’t hurt a kid’s feelings. “Don’t really know why ya want me to go, but okay, I’ll go. I don’t know how in the hell I’m gonna enhance your little lesson, but I’ll do it.”
They headed out through the woods, Daryl in front, Carl behind him and Melissa in the back. They walked for about five minutes before Daryl stopped them. He bent down on one knee and motioned for Carl to join him. “What do you see?” he asked the boy. Carl just looked at the ground for a few seconds and then said, “The leaves look messed up and a little flat. Something walked right over them.”
“Yep,” Daryl replied. Melissa went over to look. Standing above them she looked at the ground and said, “It’s a deer, baby probably. Only parts of the leaves are crushed flat. An adult deer would’ve crushed the whole thing.” Carl and Daryl looked at each other, Carl waiting for Daryl to confirm or deny. “She’s right kid. She knows her shit.” He said to the boy. He looked at her and shook his head, little smirk on his face. “Okay, let’s follow the tracks; see what we can get for dinner.”
They continued for a good two hours until they found a small creek. Their steps light, they approached with little noise. Carl was the first to spot it, drinking from the water. Daryl turned to them and put his finger to his mouth as if neither Melissa nor Carl knew to stay quiet. They crouched down behind the trees and Daryl got into position with his crossbow. He aimed carefully, studying the deer for sudden movement, breathed in deeply and released the bolt. A perfect, silent kill, a heart shot. The deer fell where it stood and Daryl released the breath he had been holding. Looking around the three hunters stepped from behind the trees and approached the animal.
“Now what do we do?” asked the boy.
“We gut it and drain the blood from it. We’ll bury the innards so it won’t attract no walkers.” Daryl replied as he took his hunting knife from its sheath.
“Walkers?” Melissa asked.
“That’s what we call them; the dead things.” Carl said to ease her confusion.
“That’s about the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.” She looked right at Daryl. “You do know that not all of them walk, right? You’ve seen them without legs, right? That’s not a very good description on the whole. Bet you came up with that one, didn’t ya hick?” She said laughing.
“Dumbass bitch. I knew it was a bad idea to bring you with. Don’t ask again Carl, ‘cause she ain’t coming out here with us.” He finished gutting the deer and handed the parts to Melissa. “Bury these. Make yourself useful.” She bit her tongue and went to dig a hole. She didn’t know that Carl had followed her. “I think my dad came up with that name, but I don’t remember, it was a long time ago. Daryl’s a really cool guy once you get to know him and he’s a lot friendlier than he use to be.”
“That’s the second time today I’ve heard that,” Melissa said and turned to Carl. “I don’t think he wants me to know him. What I’ve met of the rest of ya’lls group seems nice, but he’s a loose cannon.”
“Do you think my dad would trust me with a loose cannon? Daryl is the most stable person I know aside from Hershel. He’s saved us all over and over. He hunts for us, makes sure that Carol eats, and that my mom is take care of. My dad doesn’t talk to her anymore, so Daryl makes sure she’s eating too and Hershel watches the baby.” Melissa didn’t know what to say.
“He’s known ya’ll for a long time. Hershel told me ya’lls like family. Those are the things family is supposed to do for one another. I’m not good with people, Carl. I don’t know what to say or how to act. Everything I do and say pisses that hick off. You seem okay though and so does your dad.”
An hour after the deer gave its life for their dinner, they headed back to the cabin. Daryl was carrying it on his shoulders, each hand holding a set of legs. The walk back was quiet, but Melissa was beginning to think about what Carl, Carol and Hershel had said to her today. The things they had told her about him kinda made sense and kinda didn’t. The others had seemed nice; she couldn’t understand why they would want him around if he were just an angry dick all the time. They wouldn’t expose the kid to that, would they? He had seemed to get along with him and the kid had seemed comfortable and familiar with him. Maybe, he was just conning them all. He wouldn’t be the first person to pretend to be something he’s not to get something he wants. She would keep an eye on him. If he was going to be staying in her home, she needed to know who he really was.