wastelands → the walking dead ¹

[ 008 ] just like your mom.

— CHAPTER EIGHT.
just like your mom.

mentions of sexual assault, self-harm, and suicide

THEY FILE INTO THE clean building hastily. Odessa looks around at the large building, taking in her surroundings as her dad calls out, "hello?"

The sound of a gun cocking caused every gun muzzle to turn in the direction. Odessa's eyes move to the stranger. He jaw dirty blonde and is certainly not holding his weapon the proper way.

His next question hits her square in the chest. "Anybody injected?" He asks the group. All eyes move to Odessa for a split second. Long enough for the man to take notice because his eyes barely narrow.

"One of our group was. He didn't make it." The Grimes girl tells the man, leaving no room for anything else to be said.

He seems suspicious of the way all eyes had moved to her when he asked that question but he continues to ask more. "Why are you here? What do you want?"

"A chance," Rick answers.

"That's asking an awful lot these days." The man says in return.

"I know." Rick responds.

The stranger glances over everyone's faces. The exhausted Jacqui, the two terrified children and their mother's who shield their own terror, the teary eyed Dale who's expression wears both horror and tiredness, the heavy breathing Odessa who's eyes are bloodshot.

So he caves, "you all submit to a blood test. That's the price of admission."

Odessa's heart plummets. A blood test. He would see something wrong with her blood. He would know she's bitten. Then he would experiment on her.

"We can do that," Rick agrees.

The stranger lowers his gun, "you got stuff to bring in you do it now. Once this door closes, it stays closed."

Daryl, Rick, Glenn, and Shane leave the CDC to gather their belongings from the caravan parked a short distance from the building. They return shortly after and the man slides his keycard to seal the doors.

"Vi, seal the main entrance." He orders and the shutter doors began to close once again. "Kill the power up here."

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The stranger's name is Edwin Jenner. He was a scientist at the Center of Disease Control before the Fall.

Now the group is gathered in an elevator taking them down. Odessa is basically smooshed between T-Dog's large biceps and Glenn's string arms. She lets out a dramatic huff to remind the two that she is right between them. She's ignored.

Suddenly, Daryl asks, "doctor's always go around packin' heat like that?"

Odessa glances at Daryl and then to the doctor who holds an automatic rifle. He looks back at the group, "there were plenty left lying around. I familiarized myself. But you look harmless enough." His eyes then shift towards Odessa's baby brother. "Expect you. I'll have to keep my eye on you."

Odessa lets a small smile take over her face when she sees Carl's own grin. He's been smiling less and less everyday and Odessa knows he is terrified of Odessa becoming like Jim or Amy. He is a child. He's still just an innocent child.