In The Bird Song | TWD

chapter 35 - you and me

Harlow pov

I stare at Annette's bleeding head in panic, frantically wiping the red away to reveal a gash where the bullet clipped her head. The wound doesn't look deep enough to need stitches on a non-infant but Annette is tiny and fragile and hasn't made a sound since the gunshot pierced the air. I give Annette a small desperate shake as if to wake her and for a moment I'm sure I've lost her forever and I can feel my heart slinter and fracture at the very notion. however just as I'm about to break down and never get back up, the sweet sound of Annette crying rings out into the night clear and sharp and so very alive. I grotesque sob is dragged from my throat as overwhelming relief that my baby girl is still here in my arms crashes over me. suddenly it's as though someone has pressed play on the world causing me to once again become privy to the reality that we are still being shot it.

I crouch down and pull Izzy to her feet causing her to yelp in pain, confused I look at the child closer and finally notice the deep gash tunnelling through Izzy's leg forming a bloody valley that stretches from just below her knee to her ankle.

I glance down to the grass where she tripped and spot a sharp looking rock sticking out the ground with its bottom half seemingly imbedded deep into the dirt. "Is netty okay!" izzy cries frantically and I'm quick to reassure her "Netty will be fine but we need to run now!" Izzy looks scared but grabs my hand anyway and we both make a beeline for the thicket of trees ahead with posy at our heals.

The outer edge of the woods is thick and dense only thinning out as you get deeper into them, meaning as long as we stick to the trees, we should be safe from gunfire. Izzy's tattered leg continues to bleed profusely but we can't afford to stop running and we won't be able to move as fast if I pick her up so the best that I can do is squeeze her hand reassuringly and half drag her through the trees.

I only know to run north but I have absolutely zero destination in mind. The summer night is hot and muggy, void of even a light breeze that could relive us from the suffocating humidity.

We end up running well past sunrise only stopping when I see a small cabin nestled between two overgrown and gnarled bramble bushes. The foliage offers a reasonable amount of cover and the building is small meaning its hidden and easy to miss.

The second we stop running Izzy collapse to the ground coughing and spluttering like a dying fish. I crumble to my knees in exhaustion beside her and stroke her back soothingly as she struggles to catch her breath. posy whimpers and nuzzles at Annette's head that's partially obscured by a blanket. Annette's crying eased up while we were running and the motion must have soothed her because she has fallen into a fitful sleep.

It takes Izzy five whole minutes to stop chocking and even after her fit has passed she is too weak to move or say anything so instead she limply flops into my arms in a wordless cry for comfort. Her body is trembling from sheer exertion and I worry that if we don't find water soon delirium will start to kick in.

I stroke Izzy's hair silently a little out of it myself until I'm snapped from my stupor by the sound of Izzy's gentle snores. I carefully remove her head from my lap and lay her down on a bed of wild flowers before forcing myself onto to my battered feet.

The second my body is in an upright position an aggressive wave of nausea rolls over me and I soon find myself hunched over violently and retching. I throw up the tin to tomato soup I ate at some point yesterday, sighing bitterly afterwards and grumbling obscenities under my breath.

I quickly scan the area for walkers before stumbling into the cabin to clear it of any potential danger leaving Izzy outside in the grass as I do so. Once I have confirmed the cabin is safe, I place Annette on a dusty armchair and head back outside to carry Izzy to bed.