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// Jade //
Lori gave me the lists of items she wanted, I just put them in my pocket, not bothering to look at the personal list she gave me. Just as Maggie and I began to get on the horses, Dale approached, "We, uh, have a bit of a problem." Dale gave us this looked that only meant something bad. We tied the horse to the fence and followed Dale to the well.
Lori, Maggie, Andrea, Shane, T-Dog, Glenn and I all walked over to the well. I peered down it and saw a walker. It was bloated from sitting in the water all day. It looked up and growled, probably seeing the first food it had seen in months, "Looks like we've got us a swimmer." I muttered, "How long to you think it's been down here?" Glenn asked, shinning the light inside, "Long enough to grow gills." Andrea said. I smiled at the sarcastic tone in her voice, "We can't leave it in there. God knows what it's doing to the water." Lori said, letting out a sigh, "We got to get it out." Shane said, putting his hands on his knees, "Easy; put a bullet in its head." T said with a smirk, "Woah woah, guys. No." Maggie said, looking at us as if we were crazy, "Why not? It's a good plan." Glenn said, "It's a stupid plan." I scoffed, "If that thing hasn't contaminated the water yet, blowing its brains out will finish the job." I said, looking at the walker, "She's right. Can't risk it." Shane said, removing his hat, "So it has to come out alive." T-Dog said, taking in a deep breath, "So to speak." Shane said, glancing up at him, "How do we do that?" Glenn ask.
We tied a ham on a string and dropped it into the well. It didn't gain the walkers attention. I held the noose in my hands, waiting for him to slid into it, "He isn't buying it." Dale said, peering over my shoulder, "Maybe 'cause a canned ham don't kick and scream when you try to eat it." T-Dog said, getting glances from everyone, "He's right. There's a reason the dead didn't come back to life and start raiding our cupboards." Lori said, getting a small smile out of everyone, "We need live bait." Andrea said. She looked up and smiled at Glenn, who then started to catch on to the idea that it was him.
"Have I mentioned that I really like your new haircut?" Glenn said as he tried to persuade Shane as he tied a rope to his waist, "You have a nice shaped head." I smiled at this, but quickly went back to chewing on my nails. I didn't want Glenn going down there. What if he got bit?! Wait, why did I care? Shane patted his shoulders, "Don't worry about it, bud." Shane said, "We're gonna get you outta here in one piece." Shane smiled, "Living piece; the living part is important." Glenn said, grabbing the rope. T-Dog let out a deep breath, as did I. We had the rope laced around the water pump, and everyone held the rope on the other end, "Nice and slow, please." Glenn said, sounding detestable. I chewed on my lip, "We got you." Lori said to him, "Oh, you people are crazy." Maggie said, standing to the side, "You want to get it out of your well or not?" I spat at her, "Give us an eye there, Maggie." Dale said. She hesitated, but walked over to the well. He got lowered into the well, and the rope tightened. Maggie leaned over the side, "Doing okay?" she ask, her voice sounding panicky, "Yup, doing great." Glenn replied, sounding distant, "Little lower. Little more." Maggie called out to us. The growls of the walker became louder, as the pressure on the rope did. As we did this, the water pump broke, "Shit." I muttered as we all crashed to the ground. Glenn was screaming, "GET IT! GRAB IT!" I screamed, suddenly worry and fear washed over me. The rest of the water pump broke off, leaving Glenn to probably fall to his doom, "GET ME OUT OF HERE!" Glenn was screaming. I was almost in tears as we struggled. T-Dog grabbed the rope and the rest of us filled in behind him. We were all on the ground, and Glenn's death was now definite if we didn't pull him up. After what seemed like hours, Glenn came out of the well. Shane pulled him on the ground, and I pounced on him. I held him in the tightest hug I could, "Don't EVER scare me like that again, Glenn!" I hit him lightly on the chest. He looked at me for a moment before kissing me. It was interrupted by everyone else, "Are you okay?!" Lori ask him, pulling the both of us up, "Back to the drawing board." Dale sighed. Glenn looked up from me and smiled, "Says you!" I scrunched my eyebrows together at Glenn's words. Glenn handed him the extra rope that was supposed to be used to put around the walkers neck. While everyone was pulling the walker out of the well, I was consumed in Glenn's shirt, "I'm so sorry." he kept saying to me, "It's okay. Just... stop trying to get yourself killed." I quickly changed the subject. He smiled at me and kissed my forehead, "C'mon. Let's go help." I said, smiling at him. He nodded and followed me, "Come on, y'all." Shane said. We all pulled as hard as we could. Maggie had brought one of our horses to help with the labor. The walker poked out of the top of the well and I smiled at the sight. All though it was disgusting, we had got this walker out. Just as it got halfway out, it snapped in half. Maggots crawled out of the walkers body. I bent over immediately and vomited, not much coming up. Glenn patted my back and, once I had removed any excess, buried me in his chest. The top-half of the walker remained, it's spinal cord and intestines hanging out. I closed my eyes and let Glenn sit his head on mine, "We should seal off this well." Dale said, causing me to open my eyes, "Yeah, might be a good idea." Shane said, rubbing his head, "So what do we do about--" I was cut off by T-Dog taking the broken pipe to the walkers head, hitting it over and over. I watched as Maggie turned in disgust and walked away, "Good thing we didn't do anything stupid like shoot it." T-Dog said, his words hanging in the air. He tossed the pipe aside and walked away, as did I.
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Maggie and I tied our horses up on the pole outside of the pharmacy, "I saw the way you looked at that walker." I said, recalling the way I saw her look at it as T-Dog killed it. I mean when it fell apart, I threw up. That's not the point. Just the generalized look on her face as the whole thing happened, "It was just a walker." I scoffed. She completed her knot and looked up at me, "Don't call them that." she said, throwing her lead over the side of the horse, "What do you call them, then?" I ask, also throwing my lead over the side of my brown horse, "Mom. Dad. Shawn." as she said this, she walked inside the pharmacy, leaving me frozen on spot. I pulled the list from my shorts and read it over. After viewing the one for the group, I pulled Lori's from my pocket. I read it and froze once more. A pregnancy test? I had to remind myself that it was her business, not mine. I trailed inside the pharmacy. I discreetly grabbed the test from the shelf, and spotted a box of condoms beside it. I laughed a little at the ironic scene, but grabbed the condoms as well. I put the test and condoms inside the bag and then put the Lori's list away and grabbed the other list. As I gathered medicine, Maggie looked over to me, "So. You and Glenn?" she ask. I nodded, "I watched the whole thing with you two on the porch. I know you like him, Maggie, I'm not stupid." I said, putting some aspirin in my bag. She sighed, "I didn't really know you two were an item. I'm sorry. Is that why you ran off?" she ask, looking away from me, "Yeah. It was stupid." I said, letting her know that I acknowledge my mistake, "I hope you can forgive me, Jade." she smiled at me, "And I saw you grab those condoms." she winked at me. I stifled a laugh and continued to grab items off the shelf.
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"Everything go okay?" Hershel asked Maggie as I trailed behind her, "Fine. Nothing happened." she smiled and walked inside. Hershel looked at me, nodding, and followed her. Lori fastly walked outside, and I knew what she was coming to get. I grabbed my backpack, "Here," I handed her the box, "Thank you." she hurried and put it in her waistband. I nodded, not bothering to ask about her personal information.
I met Daryl walking out of the RV, "Hey. I'm back." I said to him, "Good. How was the run, Jay?" he ask, "Good. No walkers. Made up with Maggie, too." I said. He looked at me, "Please tell me no hitting was involved." he groaned. I laughed, "No, Daryl. Hitting wasn't involved." I let out a breathy laugh while walking away from him.
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Carol and I were hanging up laundry on the line when Lori walked over to us, "I can't believe I slept in." she took in a deep breath. Now the pregnancy test was really running through my mind, "You must have needed it." I said, giving her a look of curiosity, "You feeling alright?" I ask her, searching her eyes for an answer, "Next time, one of you wake me, alright? Especially on laundry day." Lori said, dismissing my question, "We can manage." Carol said, taking one of Dale's shirts and hung it up, "I had an idea I wanted to run by you." Carol said, "What's that?" Lori ask, hanging up Andrea's shirt, "That big kitchen of their's got me thinking. I wouldn't mind cookin' in a real kitchen again." Carol smiled, "Maybe we all pitch in and cook dinner for Hershel and his family tonight." I smiled at Carol's words, "Kind of looking for things to keep my mind occupied." Carol said, her voice tone going dull, "After everything they've done for us, seems like the least we can do." Lori said, "You mind extending that invitation?" Carol ask, looking at Lori with long eyes, "Would just feel more right coming from you." Lori wasn't answering Carol's questions, "How so?" she finally replied, "You're Rick's wife. It sort of makes you our unofficial first lady." I smiled at the look on Carol's face, "Morning guys, let's get going." we all turned our attention to Rick. Daryl looked at me and I shook my head. He nodded, understanding that I wasn't going. I would rather pull my weight with cooking the dinner and laundry, surprisingly. I didn't even have my machete or rifle strapped on me. I smile as I hear the chupacabra story Daryl is telling, but get back to hanging laundry. This place was safe, and I hope it stays this way.
Once I was done hanging up clothes with Carol, I spotted Glenn on the porch with the guitar he had gotten from on the highway. He saw me walking over to him and put the guitar down. I walked up on the porch and sat beside him, "Jade. I have a question." Glenn asked, "What's that?" I smiled at him, "How was the run?" he asked me. I took in a breath, "Good. Maggie apologized." I said, bringing my knees to my chest. He nodded, "I got you something." I said, smiling, "What?" he looked at me, obviously confused, "Come on!" I grabbed his hand and pulled him along behind me and to the tent Daryl and I share. We walked inside and I zipped it behind us. I was looking through the bag and found the box of condoms, handing them to him, "Tada!" I said, putting my hands on my hips. He smirked at me and kissed me. You can imagine where it went from there.
Once we were done, I threw my hair up. My clothes were all dirty so I dug around in Daryl's bag for a shirt and put my dirty pants back on. Once I had my clothes on, I told Glenn that I needed to go find Lori. He nodded and kissed me goodbye. Walking out, I found Lori carrying a bucket, "Mind your own business, Jade." she said to me and kept walking, "You're pregnant." I stated, ignoring her demand. She sat the bucket down and turned to me, "You can't tell anybody, okay?" she pleaded. I looked behind her and saw Rick and Shane walked back. She looked at me, the look in her eyes let me know that Rick didn't even know. I widened my eyes at her, "You haven't told him yet?" I lowered my voice. She didn't answer. She picked up the bucket and walked away, leaving me baffled behind her.
I was in the kitchen, helping make dinner, "Oh yeah? I never thought I'd be so happy to see a potato." Lori said,smiling, "I'm just glad we're not roasting squirrels over a fire in the woods." I laughed, "Thank you, Patricia, so much for letting us into your house." Carol smiled at Patricia. The one thing I noticed was that Andrea wasn't here. This made me a bit angry. I'll talk to her later about it. I took a carrot slice and popped it into my mouth, "No eating before dinner!" Lori smiled at me. I laughed a little and shrugged, letting my mind wander to Daryl. Why wasn't he back yet?

I walked outside and saw Andrea sitting on top of the RV, "Why aren't you in there helping us?" I ask her, holding my hand up to block the sun, "I want to help keep our camp safe. Got a problem with it?" she spat, "Yeah, actually, I do. The rest of the women are working our asses off to feed and clothe you. Hell, I even hunt to fed you! And you get to spend all day, sitting, with a gun in your hand?" I said, moving my hands to my hips. She rolled her eyes, not responding. Just as I walked over to Glenn, Andrea started to yell, "Walker. Walker!" she stood and grabbed the rifle, "Just the one?" Rick asked. She grabbed the binoculars and looked through them, "I bet I can nail it from here." she smiled, "No, no, Andrea. Put the gun down!" Rick was yelling. I ran to the tent and grabbed my machete, "You'd best let us handle this." Shane said, walking with T-Dog through the field. I followed, "Shane, hold up. Hershel wants to deal with walkers." Rick said, facing us, "What for, man? We got it covered." Shane looked at T and me. T, Shane, Rick, Glenn, and I ran toward the walker. It didn't even look at us. Once we stopped, I froze. Daryl. He was covered in blood, ears hung from his neck, "Is that Daryl?" Glenn ask, walking over to me. 'Daryl' didn't attack us, "That's the third time you've pointed that thing at my head." Daryl's voice erupted. I sighed in relief and walked over to him slowly, "You gonna pull the trigger or what." I smiled and was half way to him when a gunshot rang out. Daryl fell to the ground. I ran over to him and collapsed beside him, trying to cover his wound with my hand. Blood dripped from my hands, "NO!" Rick was shouting. I got up from my spot and started to run toward Andrea, "WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON OUT HERE?!" Hershel yelled as I approached Andrea, "What was it?!" she ask, her voice frantic, "THAT WAS MY DAMN BROTHER!" I screamed, my fists clenched. She froze, "I'm gonna kill you." I whispered, a psychotic smile on my face, "I'm gonna kill you! Merle is gone, probably dead! Now Daryl may be, too. Because of you." I cocked my head to the side. I lunged at her, knocking her off her feet. Someone grabbed me off of her and I just sank into their arms and cried. They held me tightly, giving Andrea the chance to get up and run. These arms didn't belong to Glenn. I pulled away, seeing Shane. I jumped out of his grasp and followed Rick and Glenn inside.

I was sitting outside the room with Lori beside me. I was laying on her shoulder as I actually let her see me cry. Rick opened the door, making me jump up, as well as Lori, "He'll be alright." he said, kissing Lori's cheek. I walked up to Hershel, "Can I see him?" I ask, "Sure." he nodded. Lori and Rick walked away, "Hershel, can we talk later?" I ask before entering the room. He nodded, then patted my shoulder. I entered the room and saw Daryl. I walked around and sat on the bed with him, "You're never leaving again." I said, letting a tear fall. He let out a breath, "I love you, Jade. I'm sorry." he said. I began to sob, now. He opened his arms to me and I crawled under the covers, letting him hold me as I fell asleep.

Slightly Undead. || Glenn Rhee || DISCONTINUED Where stories live. Discover now