Daisy | The Walking Dead

8. Vatos Ⅰ

~Day sixty-one~

Daisy's eyes gradually fluttered open, and she was greeted by the soft morning light that filtered through the walls of her tent. She let out a contented sigh as she snuggled deeper into her plaid sleeping bag, the warmth enveloping her like a comforting embrace. 

Despite her long night's sleep, she still felt groggy, her body reluctant to leave the cocoon of her bed.

As she tried to rub the sleep from her eyes, her fingers brushed against a sticky residue on her cheek, and she realized with mild disgust that she had drooled in her sleep. She let out a small yawn, stretching her limbs as she prepared to start her day. However, the prospect of leaving her cozy haven made her hesitate.

After a moment's internal struggle, Daisy shook off her lethargy and sat up, her gaze darting around the tent as she realized that T and Glenn were back. 

Daisy slipped her feet into her Taylors and she and crawled out of the tent, squinting as the bright sun assaulted her vision. The camp was already bustling with activity, the air alive with the chatter of voices. She paused to take in the scene, her eyes scanning the area for familiar faces.

Her gaze settled on Carol, who was engaged in a lively conversation with Rick. The Harrison siblings and Lori and Jacqui were busy doing laundry, and Glenn was standing off to the side with his arms crossed and his foot tapping the ground in annoyance while watching Dale, Jim, and Morales scrap his fancy ride.

Daisy couldn't spot T-dog or any of the other kids, but she figured they were either causing trouble or doing their chores. Without making a sound, she tiptoed her way across the camp, determined to greet Glenn and tell him about everything.

Lori's gaze bore into Daisy, but the little girl did her best to avoid eye contact. She knew all too well that Lori's friendly smile would soon turn into an invitation to lend a hand with the chores. And as much as Daisy wanted to help, she couldn't bear the woman's prying questions.

As Daisy tiptoed towards Glenn, she could feel the excitement building up inside her. She knew she had to be careful though. Glenn had a habit of getting jumpy if anyone sneaked up on him, but she had a trick up her sleeve. She extended her arm and reached out to tug gently on his pant leg. 

Glenn turned towards her, his eyes widening with surprise, but his face quickly relaxed into a warm smile. He was grateful for the warning.

Glenn's attention was quickly diverted towards a group of men who were rummaging through his beloved, new dodge challenger. His eyes blazed with frustration as he gestured towards them in disbelief. "Look at them," he exclaimed, "they're like a pack of vultures!"

Daisy, who was always eager to impress Glenn, proudly piped up, "My uncle had a car just like this once, except it was purple. He even let me drive it!" Glenn turned to her, intrigued by her unexpected revelation.

The sound of Dale's coughing interrupted their conversation. He had overheard their exchange and was clearly taken aback. "You - what?" he asked incredulously as he continued siphoning fuel from the car.

Daisy's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she realized she had spoken too loudly. "Uncle Axel," she murmured, staring down at her sneakers, "he's my mommy's uncle."

It was an unintended quirk that always embarrassed her - speaking loud when she got excited.

As she absentmindedly fiddled with the cartoonish strawberry sewn onto the pocket of her denim shorts, she began recounting the tale of the smashed car. "He crashed it into a tree and broke it," she declared, her voice tinged with disappointment. "It was a really, really cool car..."