The New World | The Walking Dead x Male Reader, OC

Reunited

It's been a little over two months since the dead started walking. Shane, Carl, Mom and I have been camped out in the woods with a big group of people we met on the way out of Atlanta. Shane's taught me how to use his shotgun and even gave me my own handgun.

Shane, Mom, and Carl were sitting around a campfire while I was sitting alone, cleaning my pistol.

"You alright, kid?" Shane asked as he walked up to me.
"Hm? Yeah. I'm fine." I said.
"Oh, come on. Don't give me that shit. What's on your mind?" Shane said.
"I'm thinking about my friend. His name was Jason." I said.
"Jason, huh? Is that the kid who you played football with?" Shane said.
"Yeah. That's him. When the world went to shit and I was about to leave the school, he said he wanted to come with me. I tried to stop him but... when we tried getting around the walkers they saw us. We started runnin' and they got him. Tore him apart, ate his insides. Told me that, if I ever saw his family to tell them he died a hero." I said with a sad laugh.
"Jesus christ, kid. I'm sorry, man." Shane said as he put his hand on my shoulder.
"It's alright." I said.
"Come sit with us." Shane said and I nodded.

I holstered my gun, then walked over and sat beside my mom who was giving Carl a haircut. Shane sat down and kept cleaning his shotgun.

"Baby, the more you fidget, the longer it takes. So don't, okay?" Mom said to Carl who kept squirming.
"I'm trying." Carl whined.
"Gotta try harded, bud." I said and mom smiled at me.
"You think this is bad? Wait till you start shaving. That stings." Shane said.
"Indeed it does, baby brother." I said while nudging Carl softly.
"The day comes where, you'll be wishing for one of your mama's haircuts." Shane said.
"I'll believe that when I see it." Carl said.
"I'll tell you what, you just get through this with some manly dignity and tomorrow, I'll teach you and your older brother something special." Shane said.
"It's always something special with you." I said sarcastically.
"I've caught a frog before." Carl said.
"I said frogs. Plural. And it is an art, my friend. It is not to be taken lightly. There are ways and means. Few people know about it. I'm willing to share my secrets." Shane said. Carl looked back at mom.
"Oh, I'm a girl you talk to him." She said and turned his head back around. Then Carl looked at me.
"I'll do it if you do." I said with a smile.
"It's a one time offer, bud. It's not to be repeated." Shane said.
"Why do we need frogs, plural?" Carl said.
"You ever eat frog legs?" Shane said.
"Ewww!" Carl and I said.
"No, yum!" Shane said.
"No, they're right. Eww." Mom said.
"When you get down to the last can of beans you're gonna ve loving those frog legs, lady." Shane said.

Carl, Shane, and I laughed, but that was interrupted by a car alarm in the distance. Shane and I got up and walked over to Dale's RV.

"Talk to me, Dale!" Shane shouted at Dale who was looking for the car with a pair of binoculars.
"I can't tell yet." Dale shouted back.
"Is it them? Are they back?" Amy said, hoping that it's Andrea.
"I'll be damned." Dale said.
"Who is it?" I said.
"It's more of a what is it. And from what I see, it's a stolen car." Dale said.

The sound got louder and louder until the car drove up into our camp. Glenn came out with an ear to ear grin.

"Holy crap, turn that damn thing off!" Dale said.
"I don't know how!" Glenn said, still grinning.

Shane and Amy walked up to him. Shane was telling Glenn to pop the hood while Amy was asking if Andrea was safe. Jim walked over and unplugged the battery of the car.

"Why isn't she with you? Where is she? She's okay?" Amy hounded at Glenn.
"Yes! Yeah, fine. Everybody is. Well, Merle, not so much." Glenn said.
"Are you crazy, driving this wailing bastard up here? Calling every walker for miles?" Shane said, annoyed.
"I think we're okay." Dale said.
"You call being stupid okay?" Shane said.
"Well, the alarm was echoing wll over these hills, hard to pinpoint a source." Dale said.
"He has a point, Shane. Ain't no walker smart enough to figure out where it cane from." I said, trying to diffuse any tension between the two.

The sound of a truck pulling up to the camp caused everyone to look back at it. It stopped behind the our cars and the rest of our people got out of the truck. Andrea, Morales, T-Dog, Jacqui.

I looked back at Mom and Carl. I walked over to them as Carl started to cry at the sight of families reuniting. Something we can't have.

"It's alright, bud. You got me and you got Mom, okay?" I said as we both crouched in front of Carl, trying to calm him down.
"Your brother's right. We're still a family." Mom said as she started to tear up. I was about to but I decided to stay strong, for them.

I heard one last door close from the truck and the three of us looked over.

"Dad? DAD!" Carl shouted as he ran to him. Mom and I looked at each other then back at him. We couldn't believe it. He's still alive. Carl jumped into his arms and Dad walked over to us with Carl wrapped around him.
"Dad? You're..." I couldn't figure out what to say as the four of us were in a big family group hug.