Dead love in my hands (Troy Otto story/ Fear the walking dead/ ftwd)

Conscience?

We walked over to the car. Troy started it, and we drove off. Ten minutes passed in silence. But it was broken again by the driver:

"How did this happen?"

"What happened?"

"How did he die, your husband?"

"This is too much! Maybe you'll stop asking me that!"

"It's purely human interest, Della, really. I won't apologize for my suspicions; they're justified. But I realize what you've been through."

"I don't think you do understand. I lost him when we were running away from a mob of walkers. He's probably gone now. I don't think he had a chance."

"A lot of people on the ranch have had a hard time, believe me. I killed a friend myself recently when he turned."

"That's the way the world works now, I don't claim to be unique."

We pulled up to a lone dilapidated shack. Opening the door, I again found only scattered belongings. Clara was gone. Shit!

"Look, I hate to break it to you, but it looks like she...," Troy didn't have time to finish the sentence. I interrupted him by finishing it myself:

"Dead... But I won't stop looking, there's still a chance."

"Yeah, if she's not dead, then Walker has her."

"Where?"

"Didn't Jake tell you? Well, a small Indian settlement nearby and they're claiming our land, we're kind of at war."

"Yeah, he mentioned it, but no details. Shall we go, then?"

"Oh, no, not me."

"Why? Are you afraid of them?"

"I'm not afraid of anything, but it's foolish to go to our enemies alone, with almost no weapons."

"To your enemies. I am not at war with them."

"Well go to them alone, I don't care, I kept my promise, look for your lost sister, take it from here!", Troy waved his hands in the air and walked to the car.

I realized that it was pointless to ask him for help, and I didn't need him so much, I would find those Indians myself, luckily I had water in my backpack. I'll walk. I headed in the opposite direction of the car. It wasn't even ten o'clock in the morning, and the sun was starting to get hot, so I walked a couple meters, then took off my sweatshirt and hung it on my belt. Being left in the t-shirt made me feel lighter. I didn't look back, but I heard Troy start the car and drive away, and I knew I wouldn't see him when I turned around. That thought scared me. As I walked without turning around, I had the illusion of his presence. It was as if he was there waiting for me. After walking for about fifteen minutes, I realized that the heat was making me thirsty. I sat down on the hot asphalt and pulled a bottle out of my backpack. No sooner had I taken a second sip than I heard the sound of a car approaching. I thought, "I don't need this." I knew that everywhere was full of gangsters and not-so-good people, so I tried to avoid them when I walked with my sister. I got to my feet and looked closely: there was a car coming, but I didn't see it. I looked around: there was nowhere to run or hide. I pulled my gun out of my backpack and prepared to defend myself, but when the car came closer, I breathed a sigh of relief. Troy!

"Didn't you leave?"

"I'm back, sit down!"

"But why?", my surprise was unbounded. I didn't expect him to come back.

"Consider it a guilty conscience!"

"Have you got one?", laughing, I asked.

"No, but you won't find their settlement alone, and it's dangerous here."

"What are you worried I might get lost?", I said sarcastically.

He didn't answer, but squinted at me. I was still smiling, because I was really glad to see him: I was already tired of this road, and I didn't even want to imagine how I would feel after a couple hours of walking like this.