ONLY HUMAN [ROSITA ESPINOSA]

Chapter 16

Carl was already up and walking within the next day and even seemed to be doing alright for someone who got shot. Sawyer was pretty proud of the boy and relieved that he was going to be alright.

"Are you ready to race?" Carl asked him, looking up at him with beaming eyes.

Sawyer looked down at him with a huge grin. Of course, he would race with the boy like they did back at the quarry but it had only been a day since he had been able to walk and Sawyer didn't want to take the risk of opening his stitches again.

"Let's wait a few days, then we will run a few laps around the corral." Sawyer promised his young friend; he would get a nod in agreement from the boy.

After an hour or so of helping Carl with his chores, they joined everybody for some gun training. Daryl would be taking Sawyer out later for some bow lessons on their own.

Carl managed to convince both his parents to allow him to learn how to shoot just as long as Shane was the one teaching him. Sawyer pretty much knew how to shoot a gun thanks to Merle and Daryl. But that didn't stop him from getting a few rounds of practice either.

"Don't give me any of that gangster stuff." T-dog told Jimmy, who annoyed him with the way he was holding his gun. Though, when the boy used it the right way, he managed to shoot a bottle.

Sawyer managed to shot his can after a few missed rounds but when he saw Beth was having a bit of trouble, he went over to help her, showing her how to hold it correctly and watched as she nailed her can on her first try.

"Nice." Complimented Sawyer as their attention turned to Andrea and Shane.

"Who says I didn't hit my target?" Andrea asked, looking over at a "No Trespassing."  Sign that showed she hit the o in No. Both Shane and Rick were impressed.

"Nice girl." Sawyer called out as they fist pumped.

After training, Sawyer was hanging around the Rv with Dale and Carol while waiting for Shane and Andrea to get back. When they did return, he couldn't help but overhear Dale's conversation with Shane.

"Hey, Shane. I was thinking. You got that new nice ride of yours and plenty of fuel. More than enough to get far from here." Dale threatened Shane or at least tried to.

"What,are you telling me to leave?" questioned Shane.

"I know you've been wanting to.” responded Dale.

Sawyer's ears perked up as he pretended to finish Carol's laundry she was doing. "Maybe now's a pretty good time." stated Dale. What did Shane ever do to you, Dale? Sawyer thought curiously.

"Is this about Andrea?" Shane questioned Dale with a scoff.

"I'm looking out for the group." stated Dale.

"You think the group would be better off without me,Dale? " Shane asked. "Why don't you tell that to Rick or Lori. Their boy would have been dead if I hadn't put my ass out there." claimed Shane.

Sawyer continued to listen to their conversation as it began to become a little intense. He couldn't help but wanted to walk over to them himself and tell them to get lost. But something told him not to. The conversation soon came to an end when Shane left , and Sawyer went over to check on Dale.

"You okay?" asked Sawyer only to get a nod from Dale, who had a frightened expression.

"How much of it did you hear?" Dale asked him.

"All of it."

…………………..

Shortly before dinner and after Daryl came back from another search party for Sophia,Sawyer went out with him to learn how to hunt and track. Carl had wanted to join them, but since it was getting dark, Lori promised him another time.

They were a little ways from the farm in one of the fields. Sawyer watched as his brother perfectly shot his arrows, retrieving them for him when he was done. Sawyer was never a good shot when it comes to guns, though perhaps he might be better with a bow?

Once it was Sawyer’s turn, he held up his brother’s bow just like how Daryl had shown him. It was much bigger and heavier and more difficult to see the target. “Just take a deep breath, eye on the target, and shoot straight.” Daryl explained. Normally, he wasn’t this patient with Sawyer when teaching the boy newer things, and it only made Sawyer wonder if his patience got better.

After a moment of silence and a deep breath in, Sawyer locked eyes with a bottle on the fence and pulled the trigger and watched as the arrow shot the bottle, sending a ray of glass into the field. He couldn't help but feel a ray of pride in his chest.

For the next half hour, Sawyer spent his time practicing shooting. It turned out he was a  much better archer than he was a gunman, something that surprised not only him but Daryl as well.
…………………
It didn't take long at all until Daryl and Sawyer were able to track a deer. It was a small buck, but it would be worth it if Sawyer could make it his first kill. It was getting late, and they wanted to bring the deer back to the group, to have dinner another night.

Remembering what Daryl had taught him, Sawyer quietly lifted up his brother's arrow, took a deep breath, kept his eyes on the deer, and then pulled the trigger. 

Thump…

The buck hit the ground on his first try, something Sawyer never thought would happen. He couldn't help but let out an excited whoop as he and Daryl went over to expect the buck.

“Nice,looks like we can make deer jerky after all.” Daryl spoke. That small praise only made Sawyer's night much better as he beamed at his older brother, who hardly ever complimented or praised him. In fact, his would be the first time Sawyer hears Daryl say something nice to him.

“Oh, get a grip. We still have to take this back to the others.” Daryl grunted as he pushed Sawyer over as they used to do when they were little.

After they field dressed the deer, it was, in fact, small enough for even Sawyer to carry back to camp, in which he walked happily with pride as he and Daryl walked across Hershel's field.

“Better wipe that smirk off your face, lil bro.” Daryl called out from behind. Clearly annoyed by his brother.

“You're just jealous.” joked Sawyer with a big smile as they finally reached where the group was camped out right outside Hershel's house.

“My. Did you guys hit a jackpot?” called out T-dog once he saw the buck.

“Did you shoot that?” Rick asked Sawyer, seeming to be impressed. Sawyer only nodded with happiness.

“We will be eating good for a few days,” said Dale. “Nice job, son. “ The old man added as he patted it on the shoulder.

It wasn't long until they had asked Maggie where they could out the deer for the night until he and Daryl were able to prepare and cut the meat. Once they got done stringing it in the shed, they happily joined everyone else for dinner.