❝ You're caught in my crosshairs again. ❞
In which a Navy SEAL,
a doomsday prepper,
and an extroverted
12-year-old find life in the
apocalypse alongside a
group of...
𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐒. chapter thirty-five; Big White House " You don't talk about your dad a lot. "
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ZEPPELIN WILLIAMS KNEW very well that her mother would be pissed when she found out she had not, in fact, gotten on the bus.
But she didn't know how she was supposed to, not when her friends and family weren't on the bus. Not when her mother and uncle and best friend were nowhere to be found.
Zeppelin had gotten off the bus seconds after climbing onto it, running through gunfire and explosions, trying to find any familiar faces-- she didn't know when she had started crying, just that she had.
And then she spotted a familiar sheriff's hat.
"Carl!"
The boy turned, and he should have known it was Zeppelin before he even saw her face. It was always Zeppelin who had his back, followed his schemes, and picked him up when he was down. It was only ever her walking beside him.
And now, here she was, framed by shrapnel and bullets, running at him with tears staining her cheeks and her unruly hair fanning out behind her, only a backpack slung over her shoulders and a bow in her hands.
"Zep," He greeted, accepting her embrace as she crashed into him, forever a wrecking ball of kindness, "Are you hurt—?"
"I'm fine," She said quickly, pulling away only far enough to see his face, "I can't find my mom— I can't— Hershel—"
"Come on," He said quickly.
Zeppelin wiped messily at her tears as Carl grabbed her hand, tugging her away.
They made their way through the courtyard of the prison, in search for anyone else-- for Vex, Dean, Daryl, Rick-- for anyone they could find.
"Carl!"
Zeppelin took off toward the familiar voice just as Carl did, the two working quickly to take out the three walkers before them to reveal a bloodied Rick Grimes.
The man cried as he embraced his son, before extending a shaky arm for Zeppelin.
The girl did not hesitate to fold into the hug as well, accepting the embrace without a care of blood or dirt.
"Your mom?"
"I can't find her," Zeppelin informed, not yet ready to let go of Rick Grimes, "She told me to get on the bus-- she wanted to stay and fight."
Rick lifted a hand to the girl's head, hugging her tighter for a moment.
There was no way they'd find Vex Williams, not with the prison in this state, and he knew this. He knew they'd have to leave and recover before searching for the woman, who would no doubt start her own search for Zeppelin.
