Protector || Shane Walsh

Chapter 8

Through the Valley by Tash Sultana

Shane and I make it back to the Jeep without much trouble, only having to dodge a couple stray undead.

We jump in the car and head to the main street, where we met.

Shane drives slowly through the street and I look ahead at the art store, remembering the undead that came at me and Shane pushing me inside.

His voice breaks me out of the memory.

"We were in there when I saw you." He points to the cafe on the opposite side of the street.

"That's the cafe I work at." I tell him.

"Really?" he asks in surprise.

"Uh-huh."

"Me and Rick were gonna get coffee from there when we got the call to chase those assholes. Pulled up in this street and everything."

"Really?" My turn to sound surprised.

"Really."

"When was that?"

Shane tells me the date, back in early August and I can't believe we very nearly met in the normal world.

"No way. I was running the shop by myself that day. We would've met each other!" I let out a laugh at the coincidence.

He parks the car a few stores down, out the front of an electrical goods store. We grab our bags and head inside.

Shane has his gun drawn as we make sure the store is undead free. Once he's happy the place is clear, we start to look around.

"So how d'you think that would've gone?" he asks, as we wander through the store.

"Sorry?"

"Rick and I, coming into your cafe?"

I smile with closed lips and laugh through my nose.

"I don't know.." I pause, trying to picture it. "I probably would've tried to make your coffee as yummy as possible."

"Yeah? So we wouldn't arrest you for supplying shit coffee?" he jokes.

I laugh and shake my head. "So you'd come back for more."

He stops and looks at me with a raised eyebrow, a small smile playing on his lips.

"I'm sure you would have been delightful customers. Two cop best friends? The banter would be gold. And who doesn't love a man in uniform?"

He looks at me like he really wasn't expecting my answer and I smile innocently at him.

"How do you think it would've gone?" I ask him.

He shifts his weight and looks me up and down. "I would've flirted for sure. Probably some peacocking."

"Shameless." I say and he laughs.

"Yep. You would've shut me down, right?"

"Maybe." I laugh. "..Maybe not."

Shane smiles and we continue combing the shelves.

I watch him for a moment, while he's preoccupied.

Is it a coincidence? Or fate?

My conversation with Jim re-enters my mind.

Pivotal.

We were suppose to meet pre-virus but didn't. And now we've met and practically in the same place. Wild.

This place is a mess and there's products everywhere. Shane fills his bag with the few batteries that are left and I wander through the music section.