Future Ghosts • TWD

37. A Place.

Searching houses had become a routine operation. At first, only Rick, Daryl, and T-Dog would take the lead, kicking in the door and doing the first run through, but as time went on and Carl grew a little bit taller and a little bit stronger, he was allowed to join them.

This frustrated Rosie endlessly because she wanted to help, too. She was just as capable as Carl, maybe even more capable, but that didn't matter to the adults. They just saw her as a little girl whose only weapon was a slingshot. That was the real reason, actually. They still hadn't been able to find a silencer for Rosie's gun, so it stayed dormant in the bottom of her backpack. Still, Rosie was frustrated by their refusal to let her help.

Of course, she was still able to help once the place was fully cleared, but standing outside, waiting while the others went inside to clear the place, made her feel useless and weak. She'd only expressed these feelings a few times, complaining quietly to Daryl and Rick. Other than that, though, she did what they said and waited, even if she pouted while doing it.

The weather had changed, and Rosie's mood changed along with it. It went from being freezing every day of the week to being cold one day and hot the next, and Rosie went from seeming absent to cracking a small smile sometimes.

The everchanging weather made it difficult to decide what to bring and what to leave behind. They couldn't exactly carry everything they ever found with them, so they had to pick and choose what was needed.

Rosie ended up having to leave behind the dinosaur books at some bar a few weeks back. They were heavy and she'd already read them several times, and with the weather getting hotter, she didn't need to wear her green coat all the time, but also didn't want to just throw it away in case she might need it again next year. So, she ended up leaving the books behind and stuffing her jacket in her backpack.

Her Black Sabbath shirt was forgotten in an old ranch house a month ago. Rosie hadn't noticed that it wasn't in her backpack until they were miles away, and the adults refused to go back for a t-shirt. She was sad about it at first, thinking about the day Coach Smith had given it to her, but soon got over it. It was just a shirt, she reminded herself.

Anyway, at least she still had her dinosaur toys. That's what she thought about as she rocked back and forth on her feet, keeping an eye on her surroundings. That was her job. While Carl, Rick, Daryl, and T-Dog were inside clearing the house, and Maggie and Glenn were checking the perimeter, Rosie was told to keep watch for the rest of the group.

Rosie knew that it was just what they were telling her to make her feel better about waiting behind, but either way, she felt a bit of responsibility and it gave her a sense of pride. Keeping Carol, Beth, Hershel, and pregnant Lori safe was Rosie's job, and she did it well.

Keeping her slingshot ready in her right hand, rocks shoved into all of her pockets, Rosie kept watch until she heard Rick's whistle, telling them that they were in the clear.

Now knowing that the house was clear and she no longer had to watch over the others, Rosie took the bag in Lori's hands and followed them up the steps. Right inside the door, there was a dead man on the ground. Rosie didn't spare him a second glance, dropping the bag down and heading straight for the kitchen.

Carl was already in there, checking the containers left out on the counter. They were all empty. So he began going through all the cabinets and drawers.

Seeing as Carl was already checking for food, Rosie joined the others in the small room they were gathered in. Daryl was sitting on a chair, picking the feathers off of a dead owl. Rosie grimaced at the thing, not wanting to eat anymore owl. They'd eaten owl twice since they left the farm. It wasn't exactly on the list of things anyone craved.