The Middle of the End

Chapter four

Chapter Four: Trying To Get To You

"An' what's that supposed to mean, huh?!" Daryl jumped up, chair flying off the side of the RV and onto the ground. "You ain't the boss o' her!"

"Well, uh first off, she's my sister. I've looked after her for eleven years. Protected her. And what have you done? Nothin'." Shane took my arm and pulled me up. "C'mon, Callie."

"The only reason she's even here right now is 'cause I risked everythin' to get her away from that vile man. You ain't got no idea what I done for her!"

Shane's grip on me tightened and I began to cry. This seemed to anger Daryl even more and he lunged for Shane.

"Stop! Just stop!" I sobbed and tried to pull free from my brother's grasp.

"Did you... just..." he looked at me in awe and I glared at him.

"Go the fu.ck to bed. Now." I told him. I'd spent years doing everything Shane told me and I was getting tired of it. He stood there staring at me like an idiot. "Shane! Go. Go!"

"O...okay." he left and I crawled over to my chair. The notebook was there, but Daryl wasn't. I was alone. I picked it up and looked it over; the pen bookmarked the last page Daryl wrote on. I flipped back and began to read, my flashlight shining on the lined page.

"Cal," It read, "Yes, I finished school. Just barely though since things were so bad at home. The second I turned 18 I was outta there. Drifting with Merle, doing things I knew you wouldn't approve of. And I'll be honest. I was in jail more than once. I tried so hard to forget you. But how could I, when you haunted my dreams at night?

"Merle was the one who wanted to leave you on that beach, drugged up like that. I didn't talk to him for a whole year because of it. Leaving you was wrong. Especially like that, alone. Then you were in the paper with your ma and Shane. The tv, too. I just so happened to be around when you were on tv with Lori. Couldn't believe it was you, that's how different you looked. Then at the end when you thanked me, said you thought about me all the time. Me, scum of the earth, when you could want anyone. I knew the pain I'd went through for you was worth it."

I had to stop when the sun came up and Andrea climbed the ladder to begin her watch. 'Hey.'

"He gave it back?! What happened last night? I heard fighting." she sat next to me, binoculars and shotgun in hand.

'Shane saw me sitting with Daryl. Apparently he'd 'told' me stay away from Daryl and Merle. Then they went at it.' I paused, wanting to try something.

"What is it? Your arm is bruised." She noticed the fresh bruises on my arm.

"I... talked." It felt weird moving my tongue in such ways after so long. 'I've never been scared of talking to Daryl. It's so messed up, all of it.'

"Callie? Shane wants you." I followed Carl to the firepit we'd made the night before, and he went to play with Sophia and the other kids.

"You gonna tell me what happened last night or what?" Shane didn't even look at me, instead focusing his attention on sharpening a knife. "Don't bother signin'. I know you can talk."

I opened my mouth, tried to say something. But I couldn't. Nothing came out, and Shane was growing angrier by the second. It was scaring me.

"Come on! What you so scared of, huh?! I'm sick of this. Mama was, too. If it wasn't for Lori, you'd be in a HOME." he yelled and people were gathering around. "Do you not understand? Are you really that stupid, or what?!"

"The hell you yellin' at her for?" Daryl stomped over. "She ain't done shi.t to ya!"

It was all too much. My ears were ringing, nervous sweat ran down my face mixing with tears. I started pulling at my hair, like I used to when Uncle Paul and Will undid their belts and said horrible things, did awful unspeakable things. Things not even Daryl had been aware of.