Spider Monkey

Chapter Forty - Six - W

(( Notes: ^^^^^ This is how I imagine a now 15 year old Hedley. I know the time line is a bit faulty but just ignore that.  Thank you for all the love in the comments ! I love it how you guys love Hedley just as much as I do. :3 )) 

People were killing the residents of Alexandria.

Carl and Hedley were ready. Doors locked, a gun in hand, back to back.

They heard the back door rattle and they went to it and when the door opened, they raised their weapons but quickly put it down as it was Enid.

"Hi." She said.

Carl sighed, "Why didn't you just knock?"

"I have these." She showed them a set of keys. "Didn't want them to have them." The three went deeper into the house. "And I wanted to say good-bye."

Hedley rolled his eyes at her. She frowned at him, crossing her arms; a silent ask of 'What?'

"N-Not- Not the ti-time."

"Doesn't matter." Carl ignored the bicker, "Enid, watch the back door. Tell me if you see them coming."

"I'm not staying." Enid told him.

"You're not going anywhere." Carl huffed, "Sit down. You're helping us protect Judith." He sat down and Enid - unsurprisingly sat with him, back to back, her knife in hand. "They're not getting inside this house. We're not gonna let them. Did you see them?"

"They're just people." She said.

The words irritated Hedley. He wanted to tell her to stop with the self pity. To stop with the depressing greyness of her words, like she was Shakespeare writing a lovers' tragedy. He wanted to say ''Just people' did this to my face'. There was no such thing as 'Just people' anymore. 

"This place is too big to protect." She carried on, "There are too many blind spots. That's how we were able to--"

"They got in the walls," Carl interrupted, "but they're gonna die. All of them." He then took a pause, head down. "Don't tell me good-bye."

"Okay." She said.

The words made Hedley's heart hurt from within his chest. He wrote something on a blank slip of his flipbook, ripped it out and gave it to Carl before leaving to check on Judith upstairs.

'If she wanted to go, she'd have done it by now'.

Enid scoffed, watching him fade out of sight, "He doesn't like me very much."

"He's just a bit protective."

Enid was about to say something else but they were cut off by yelling and grunting. A fight.

"It sounds like Ron!" She said, jumping up and going to help. Carl ran out in front of her, gun at the ready. They saw Ron fighting off a man.

Carl took a shot, bullet landing in the man's leg. He fell. Ron looked shocked.

Carl went forward, the man graveling and complaining about the pain. It was just an act as the man began to claw at Carl's ankles.

It didn't last long as another shot rang out and the man fell dead, a bullet to the forehead where a 'W' was carved. The three looked to see where the bullet came from and saw Hedley at the window.

"Come inside." Carl said to Ron, "We can keep you safe."

Ron glanced at Enid, who was at the front door and anger overflowed him as he said, "No." and ran away.

"Ron!" Enid called for him but he kept running. "Carl, come on!"

Carl nodded at Hedley at the window, a silent thank you, then ran back inside.

****

Rick came back and with him he brought a herd of walkers... fun.

Enid disappeared after the Wolves were dealt with

And Carl found a note from her. 'Just Survive Somehow'.

"I'm gonna go find her." Carl said.

Hedley rolled his eyes.

"Don't act like that! What if she's hurt or the herd got her trapped out there?!"

Hedley shook his head at Carl.

Carl scoffed, "What is your problem with her any ways? Is it because I finally have another friend that isn't you?! Are you jealous that you're not the only person I talk to?! What is it?!"

His words hurt. So the other boy just whined in his throat, emotions clouding his brain. He put his hands over his ears in distress.

"Whatever." Carl said, "I'll get Ron to help. Stay here with Judith."

And suddenly, Hedley was alone.

He started to pace, and scratch at his skin, hitting his head and chest in anguish. He yelled and threw whatever he could find. Photo Frames, fruit baskets, utensils and plates. They smashed against floors and walls. He yelled more, tugging at his hair as tears fell. All these feelings - a lot of which he didn't understand - they overwhelmed and panicked him.

Merle and Carol came stumbling in, drawn in by the noise.

"Hey. Hey. Lil' Dixon. Shhh. Shhh. I've got ya." Merle spoke as he collected his nephew into his arms, holding his wrists to stop him hurting himself. "Come on, now. Don't be like this. You've got this. Huh? Shhh. You're alright, now."

Carol went upstairs to get Judith - who was now crying.

"Dad!" Hedley shouted, "Want dad! Dad! Want dad!"

"He'll be here soon, lil' Dixon. I promise. He'll be here soon."

"Want dad! Want dad!"