Spider Monkey

Chapter Four - Randall

Rick came back with Glenn, Hershel and a boy named Randall. And not everyone was happy about it. Lori's pregnancy is now common knowledge and Beth tried to kill herself. So, everyone was on edge. 

"Can you believe that I'm going to be a big brother!" Carl said happily to Hedley. "It's going to be so cool! I've always wanted to be a big brother. Are you a big brother? Or are you the youngest?" When Hedley didn't respond, Carl took a piece of paper and wrote two words - 'Yes' and 'No' - in big capital letters. "Here." Carl showed him the paper, "This says 'Yes' and this says 'No'. You see?" Hedley looked at the paper with a tilted head. "Now, if you want to respond, you can just point to the word. For example, is your name Hedley? See now all you have to do is point to 'yes'. See? Easy." Carl explained while doing the gesture of pointing to the word. "Now, is your name Hedley?"

After a pause, the other boy lifted his hand and pointed to 'Yes'.

"Great! Are you a big brother?"

Hedley pointed to 'No'.

"A little brother?"

'No'.

"An only child then. So was I until now." Carl then spotted Dale and waved him over, "Look, Dale! I got him to reply!" He then looked at Hedley, "Hedley, do you like colouring with me?"

'Yes'.

"Wow! That's awesome, boys! Well done." Dale exclaimed, then turned to Carl, "Maybe you should make him cards."

"Like a flip book?"
"Kinda. With words or common phrases on them to help him communicate."

"Okay. Hedley, do you want me to make you some cards?"

'Yes'.

"Okay, I will!"

He ended up making twelve pocket sized cards all with different words and phrases on them. After practising with Hedley for a moment, he managed to get the hang of it. That was when Hedley had enough of sitting down and went off to explore. He made it to the barn Randall was in and heard some thumping and cries of pain.

"I-I told you--"

"You told me shit!" It was Daryl.

"I barely knew those guys. I met 'em on the road."

"How many in your group?"

"Uh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Come on, man."

"How many?!"

Seeing the window open at the top, Hedley climbed up the gutter easily before sliding in the window to see Daryl beating Randall to a pulp.

"Uh, 30-- 30. 30 guys."

"Where?"

"Uh... I don't know. I swear. We were never any place more than a night."

"Scouting? Planning on staying local?"

"I-- I don't know. They-- they left me behind."

Frustrated, Daryl took his knife and poked Randall's wound, "Did you ever pick off a scab?"

"Come on, man! I'm-I'm trying to cooperate."

Daryl ignored him, "Start real slow at first."

"No!"

"Sooner or later, you've just gotta rip it off."

"Okay. Okay. They have weapons. Heavy stuff, automatics. But I didn't do anything."

"Your boys shot at my boys, tried to take this farm. You just went along for the ride? You're trying to tell me you're innocent?" The hunter scoffed.

"Yes! These-- these people took me in. Not just guys-- A whole group of 'em. Men and women, kids too-- Just like you people. Thought I'd have a better chance with them, you know? But... We go out, scavenge-- Just the men. One night, we-- we found this little campsite. A man and his two daughters-- Teenagers, you know? Real young. Real cute. Their daddy had to watch while these guys-- they-- And they didn't even kill him afterwards. They just-- They just made him watch as his daughters-- They just-just-- just left him there. No, but-but-- but I didn't touch those girls." Daryl hit him. "No, I swear I didn't to-- Please." Daryl couldn't stop as his anger exploded, not stopping even though Randall kept crying out pleas. "Please. You gotta believe me, man. I'm not like that. I ain't like that. Please. Please, you gotta believe me."

Daryl left the barn. Hedley watched as Randall panted but suddenly his foot moved which created a creaking noise on the floorboards. Randall looked up and spotted him.

"H-Hey! Are you one o-of theirs?"

Hedley said nothing.

"I'm Randall. I'm nice, I promise. I won't hurt you or anyone in this camp. I-I swear."

Hedley went to the window, not wanting to be a part of this anymore.

"Wait! Wait! I'm sorry if I scared you! Please. Just help me out of here and I'll leave! I swear! Please!"

Hedley left, climbing down the gutter before running away from the barn. He bumped into Glenn and Maggie - who were delivering peaches to everyone.

"Hey! Want a peach, Spider Monkey?" Maggie offered.

Hedley fiddled with his cards before showing two of them, 'Yes' and 'Thank you'.

Glenn beamed, "Cool cards! Who made you them?"

Hedley showed off a card, 'Carl'.

"Well, I'm glad we can finally talk to you, Hedley." Maggie smiled before giving him a peach, "Here ya go."

Hedley bit into it before Rick came up to them to tell them that he and Shane were off to take Randall out and leave him. Rick then saw Hedley and smiled, "How ya doing, kid?"

Hedley showed him the card that said 'Okay'.

That made Rick smile brighter, "You responded! That's great! Ya show Daryl yet?"

'No'.

"You should. He'd be happy to hear a response outta you." He ruffled Hedley's hair before saying, "Keep an eye on the camp for me, kid. I'll be back soon."

'Okay'.

Hedley ran off, eating his peach happily before seeing Daryl walking into the woods. He dashed towards him and when Daryl noticed his company, he glared, "Get back to camp, Spider Monkey! I'm goin' huntin'."

Hedley picked up and showed him a card. 'Daryl', it said.

Daryl's shoulders softened, "Y-Y- what? Where'd ya get those?"

'Carl'.

"He made you them?"

'Yes'.

Daryl chuckled then shook his head, "It's nice knowing ya can understand me, kid. I was worried ya were blank in 'ere." He pointed at Hedley's head. "Can ya talk?"

He didn't have a card to describe himself and let out a whine.

"It's fine. Don't fuss." Daryl then looked at the child's bare feet, "Where ya shoes? I told ya to wear shoes or ya feet will shred."

'No'.

"No?" He couldn't help the chuckle that rose in his throat, "Fine. I'm goin' huntin' so go back to camp."

The child held up two cards, 'Hedley' and 'Help'.

"No. Ya goin' back to camp."

Hedley waved the two cards closer to Daryl, face in a pout.

"No. I told ya-" Just then, Rick's truck came back, and Shane came out from the back seat... with Randall. "The fuck?"