Status: active;♥
New Beginnings
2.
“How many walkers have you killed?”
Cherry scoffed with impatience as she narrowed her eyes at Rick, trying to intimidate the man who clearly had the fear drained out of him over the course of the outbreak. He crossed his arms, waiting for an answer as Cherry looked to Eve with an annoyed glance. Eve chuckled slightly, knowing Cherry didn’t trust Officer Grimes or the other two men that were with him.
“We’ve put down more than our fair share.” Cherry spoke, breaking her glance with Evelyn, looking back at Rick, meeting his eye to let him know he could trust her. She wasn’t dangerous, and she certainly wasn’t a killer unless it was absolutely necessary to kill.
“How many people have you killed?”
Cherry’s eyebrows knitted together, and her lips pursed into a thin line, internally debating whether or not she should lie or tell the officer the truth.
“A few.” Cherry shrugged, swinging her icepick back and forth, not giving Eve a chance to stick up and defend Cherry’s choices. “Actually, more than a few. Five or six.”
“Why?” Rick asked, testing Cherry’s conscience with every opportunity he had. Cherry bit down on her lower lip to the near point of blood, but she answered dutifully and honestly, because she and Eve had an opportunity to get their group to safety, and that meant more to Cherry than anything. She was the protector of the group, always putting them first and ensuring that they were kept safe and well against the harsh realities of the new world.
“Because they put me and my group in danger.”
Rick nodded, looking past Cherry and Eve to the vulnerable group of people huddled together behind them. Beatrice had turned significantly paler and was leaning on Todd for support. Dean clung to Amanda, his freckled face hidden into the crook of her neck. All were underweight and clearly frightened, having not known security and stability like Rick and his group.
“We’re at the prison.” Rick spoke, running his hand through his hair with certainty, confidence that he was making the right call. “We’ve got food there, but it’s limited. As long as you promise that you’ll be gone by morning.”
Eve nodded. “Of course, Officer Grimes. We just need something to keep us going, we haven’t eaten in days.”
Rick nodded. “Come on, it’s not far from here.”
Cherry nodded and followed with Eve, stopping to make sure that the group were okay, noticing Dean’s limp and Amanda’s hunched back, and Beatrice’s chesty cough. The Autumn hadn’t been easy on them, but they had to keep moving, keep living; keep fighting.
“Is this really a good idea?” Cherry asked Eve as she caught up, keeping a low voice as she tread over the bandits’ bodies without a second look, they had deserved every ounce of pain they’d suffered, and Cherry knew that Eve and the group agreed.
“I know it is.” Eve smiled, clasping her hand into Cherry’s reassuringly. Since meeting, the two had grown to be like sisters. There was no Cherry without Eve, they worked as a team, and always would. Cherry squeezed Eve’s hand before walking ahead, her ice pick at the ready for any man or monster alike; although the man that had grabbed her, the man with the crossbow, was in a fighting stance, taking wide strides to ensure the safety of his group, and Cherry couldn’t help but respect that, knowing the feeling quite well.
Through a clearing in the trees, was the sight of the magnificent prison, stood against the grey sky with mighty pride. Rick was a smart man for finding this refuge away from the monsters that roamed the woods and the roads just on the outskirts of the trees.
“Wow,” Cherry mumbled, stopping to admire the view as the group caught up. She carefully wrapped her arm around Dean’s shoulders. “Don’t worry, buddy. We can get you something to eat, build your strength, yeah?”
Dean nodded, his limp worsening with each step. Cherry frowned, hanging back for a second or two to see how broken her group truly was, and how little there was to do to fix it.
Cherry scoffed with impatience as she narrowed her eyes at Rick, trying to intimidate the man who clearly had the fear drained out of him over the course of the outbreak. He crossed his arms, waiting for an answer as Cherry looked to Eve with an annoyed glance. Eve chuckled slightly, knowing Cherry didn’t trust Officer Grimes or the other two men that were with him.
“We’ve put down more than our fair share.” Cherry spoke, breaking her glance with Evelyn, looking back at Rick, meeting his eye to let him know he could trust her. She wasn’t dangerous, and she certainly wasn’t a killer unless it was absolutely necessary to kill.
“How many people have you killed?”
Cherry’s eyebrows knitted together, and her lips pursed into a thin line, internally debating whether or not she should lie or tell the officer the truth.
“A few.” Cherry shrugged, swinging her icepick back and forth, not giving Eve a chance to stick up and defend Cherry’s choices. “Actually, more than a few. Five or six.”
“Why?” Rick asked, testing Cherry’s conscience with every opportunity he had. Cherry bit down on her lower lip to the near point of blood, but she answered dutifully and honestly, because she and Eve had an opportunity to get their group to safety, and that meant more to Cherry than anything. She was the protector of the group, always putting them first and ensuring that they were kept safe and well against the harsh realities of the new world.
“Because they put me and my group in danger.”
Rick nodded, looking past Cherry and Eve to the vulnerable group of people huddled together behind them. Beatrice had turned significantly paler and was leaning on Todd for support. Dean clung to Amanda, his freckled face hidden into the crook of her neck. All were underweight and clearly frightened, having not known security and stability like Rick and his group.
“We’re at the prison.” Rick spoke, running his hand through his hair with certainty, confidence that he was making the right call. “We’ve got food there, but it’s limited. As long as you promise that you’ll be gone by morning.”
Eve nodded. “Of course, Officer Grimes. We just need something to keep us going, we haven’t eaten in days.”
Rick nodded. “Come on, it’s not far from here.”
Cherry nodded and followed with Eve, stopping to make sure that the group were okay, noticing Dean’s limp and Amanda’s hunched back, and Beatrice’s chesty cough. The Autumn hadn’t been easy on them, but they had to keep moving, keep living; keep fighting.
“Is this really a good idea?” Cherry asked Eve as she caught up, keeping a low voice as she tread over the bandits’ bodies without a second look, they had deserved every ounce of pain they’d suffered, and Cherry knew that Eve and the group agreed.
“I know it is.” Eve smiled, clasping her hand into Cherry’s reassuringly. Since meeting, the two had grown to be like sisters. There was no Cherry without Eve, they worked as a team, and always would. Cherry squeezed Eve’s hand before walking ahead, her ice pick at the ready for any man or monster alike; although the man that had grabbed her, the man with the crossbow, was in a fighting stance, taking wide strides to ensure the safety of his group, and Cherry couldn’t help but respect that, knowing the feeling quite well.
Through a clearing in the trees, was the sight of the magnificent prison, stood against the grey sky with mighty pride. Rick was a smart man for finding this refuge away from the monsters that roamed the woods and the roads just on the outskirts of the trees.
“Wow,” Cherry mumbled, stopping to admire the view as the group caught up. She carefully wrapped her arm around Dean’s shoulders. “Don’t worry, buddy. We can get you something to eat, build your strength, yeah?”
Dean nodded, his limp worsening with each step. Cherry frowned, hanging back for a second or two to see how broken her group truly was, and how little there was to do to fix it.
♠ ♠ ♠
Hope you've enjoyed! Effy xx