Future Ghosts • TWD

24. Nothing Makes Sense.

Rosie was standing in the line across from a long, wooden fence. On each fence post was some sort of bottle or can, and across from each post was a person. Rosie was on the far left, next to Carl. She held her father's gun in her hands, aiming it the glass bottle on the post across from her. Rick was standing behind her, watching.

The fact that Rick was watching made her nervous. She felt even more pressured than she usually would. Either way, she aimed her gun at the bottle, pulled the trigger, and watched as the bullet pierced the glass bottle, making it shatter into tiny pieces. She felt the corners of her mouth lift into a smile, but quickly twisted her lips to the side, hiding it.

"You're a good shot," Rick said, patting her on the shoulder.

Yeah, I already told you that, Rosie wanted to say. But she didn't because she figured that it would not help her case. Instead, she looked over to Carl, waiting to see how he would do.

The gun Carl was using just so happened to be the small, black revolver he stole from the RV. Rosie couldn't believe he'd gotten away with the whole thing. If David caught Rosie with a stolen gun, she'd be beaten black and blue. But Carl was completely unharmed and even got to keep the gun that he stole. It was astonishing. And it didn't make sense.

"So can I keep my gun now?" Rosie asked, looking up at Rick.

Rick gave her a tight lipped smile. "I'll talk to Hershel about it," he said.

Rosie pressed her lips into a thin line, disappointed. "You said ya had to talk to Daryl about it. You did. Then ya said I had to prove I was good enough. I did. Now ya gotta talk to Hershel? Why?"

"I know I told you you could have it back, and I want to give it to you. But if I give it to you without Hershel being ok with it, he will kick us off of this farm," Rick explained. Rosie sighed dramatically. Rick sighed too and put a hand on Rosie's shoulder. "I'll talk to him soon. I promise."

"Ok," Rosie said, still disappointed. She was trying hard not to be angry about it, but it was pissing her off. It was her dad's gun. She deserved to have it. Hershel had no right to tell her she couldn't. But she knew that there was nothing she could do to change it, so she took a deep breath and carried on shooting at her target.

•

Rosie was sitting at the picnic table, reading Dinosaurs After Dark while Lori was folding her family's laundry. Rosie had offered to help, feeling like Lori was still mad at her for punching Carl, but Lori told her that there was no need. Rosie just hoped that she wasn't still mad.

She looked up from her book when there was a loud clanging noise to her left. Looking in the direction of the noise, she saw Maggie marching towards them, Glenn hot on her trail.

"Hey!" Maggie shouted angrily. It honestly kind of freaked Rosie out. The only times she had seen Maggie, she seemed super nice. But now she was yelling at Lori. "We got your stuff!"

"Maggie, hang on! Please!" Glenn pleaded, running to catch up with the brunette. They had just gone on a run to the pharmacy together. Rosie noticed that there was a small blood stain on Maggie's shirt. Maybe it was a stressful run.

Lori sighed and dropped the shirt she was holding back into the basket she had pulled it from. "Come- come on in here," she said, turning to go into her tent.

"Why? Nothing to hide. We got your special delivery right here," Maggie said loudly, reaching into the brown paper bag she had in her arms. Rosie tensed, shrinking down into her seat as she tried to go unnoticed. The whole situation was stressing her out. "We got your lotion, got your conditioner," Maggie said as she slammed some things down onto the picnic table, throwing others on the ground, making Rosie flinch away. Maggie didn't seem to notice, though, because she carried on yelling. "Your soap opera digest!"