Is This Real? (Nick Clark X OC) Fear The Walking Dead

I Just Don't Care That Much

Song- I just don't care that much - by Matt Maeson 

----------------------------------------------------

The next morning (8 am)

      The next morning, Nick sits out on the porch of the adobe, patiently waiting for Otto to wake up. The sun is bright, and hits the top of his eyelashes, making it hard to see. He puts a hand up on his forehead, shading his eyes.

     "Oh, God damn. It's bright." Otto grumbles walking out on the porch next to him.

     "Good morning." Nick replies. He reaches down to his side and grabs the mug next to him. He lifts it up and hands it to Jeremiah. "So, I raided the pantry. Turns out "It's for Otto" goes a long way." He explains. Otto shakes his head no.

     "No, thanks. About last night...I'm sorry for scaring Frankie like that." Nick doesn't respond and stares at the dirt ground below him. Images of her reaction last night flash through his head. He knew what happened back at home to her, he just had never actually seen it. Was that what it was like? Frankie screaming and crying like a small child? Begging for forgiveness, cowering like a dog? Ever since he's known her she's always been strong. But when it came to her father, it was like a wave of built up emotion would pour out.

    Seeing it. Actually being there for it......was different.

     "I don't know where she is." He confesses in a scratchy voice. "She just....stumbled off." He looks up and gazes around at the scenery.

    "Do you think she's still on the ranch?"

    "Maybe, maybe not. I want to help her but I can't. She wouldn't let me." He gets up onto his feet.

    "Women are a strange thing, Nick." Jeremiah laughs a little. Out of nowhere, the sound of a horse echoes across the grass. They both squint confused, searching the area with their eyes. It doesn't take very long to see one in the tall grass near the building. They both quickly walk over to it.

     "How long has that been there? Is it one of ours?" Nick asks. He goes up to it and the animal just remains calm, eating grass. It had to have been tamed, and definitely wasn't wild.

    "It's Vern's." Otto replies. That was the name of the father that fled the ranch with his family. "Go get your mother." Jeremiah orders coldly.

   "Why?"

   "Just go get your mother." He repeats.

—--------------------------------------------------------

Earlier that morning, (4am)

     Frankie shuffles her feet across the gravel road. She's still inside the community, but by the outsides, near the fences. She crosses her arms, almost hugging herself while walking. She wipes her nose with her sleeve every few minutes. Other than the soles of her shoes hitting the gravel, she remains quiet. Her thoughts were already loud enough, talking would only make it worse.

   There's a rustle behind a tree, in the bushes. It's outside the fenceline. She slows to a stop and gently takes out her knife. Must be one of the dead, she thinks. Then before she can get close enough to stab it, a figure appears out onto the pathway in front of her, having jumped over the fence. It's Troy.

     She freezes up. His clothes have blood splattered on him that's definitely not his own. He pants out of breath, exhausted from most likely running back to the community. Please be blood from the dead. She thinks.

    "You weren't supposed to see this. Well, no one was." He shrugs. Her eyes widen and she takes a few steps back from him.

    "Troy, who's blood is that?" She asks quietly. No reply. "Tell me it was the dead!" She abruptly yells the second part. No reply again. She takes a few more steps back and trips. She falls down, colliding with the rough pathway. Troy slowly goes up to her, putting his hands up to show he's not going to attack her.