𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐆𝐀𝐃𝐄ᵀᵂᴰ¹

𝟎.𝟔 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧.

CHAPTER 6.

That evening, Echo returned with half of a deer, surprising her family; with enough food to feed them for a month, if the dead doesn't get at it. Both Myles and Echo were silent. Echo continued to separate the intestines and meat that they could eat into separate piles. Myles continued to sprinkle salt onto the meat, to preserve the meat for another month. Although he was grateful he was upset that she didn't tell him beforehand. He pictured if she walked into the woods again to hunt that she wouldn't return. Myles had no knowledge that Echo met up with strangers in the woods, who barely opposed a threat to his family. Myles sat on the Picnic table, that stood next to the barn.

"I still cannot believe you brought this back." Myles started.

"Ya, it was all out of luck, I'm just surprised the dead didn't get to it first." Echo chuckled proudly. She was proud that she brought food onto the table, it made up for her absence over the years.

But she knew this was only the beginning. Repaying her debt was keeping them alive, soon enough they were going to have to condition Breanne for the new world. Echo frowned realizing that Breanne didn't get the childhood she deserved. Making friends, getting into school fights, getting her first bank account, and of course, graduating. That was the first small list that Echo recalled at the top of her head.

Dating was out of the question for her. She didn't really focus on guys like the many girls in her High School. So, if Breanne somehow meets a kid her age and gets into thinking about romance, she would be a terrible person to go to for advice.

She started to think about this other group that Rick had. Wherever they stayed, was it safe? Echo shook that thought to the back of her mind, reminding herself that she made a deal with the two to never come back the way the farm was.

But of course, that wasn't the last time she'd see them. After all the two would be too focused on scavenging for their group. Crossing the line of their agreement would lead to potential consequences for Rick and his group. But yet again, they were only Humans, just like her and her family. In other words, she doesn't have to do much to settle that agreement again.

"Why didn't you go back for the second half?" Myles curiously questioned. Almost as if he was piecing together the missing parts to her very discrete story.

"I met a couple of people in the woods, we drew our weapons, then departed with half of the deer," Echo muttered, she tossed half of the fur to the one side of the table.

"You what?! And you just let them walk away? And how did they manage to take half when you shot it?" Myles questioned in disbelief. He placed the salt mill down and stared at Echo, arms crossed, and with a firm expression, as if he was going to scold his sister.