To heal is to feel

The Worst Part

Mama lets out a surprised gasp as she realizes that I'm in the room. The man that was about to put his arms around her shoulders freezes up.

He looked almost shocked to see a little girl standing in the door frame of the kitchen. Surely mama had told him already, right?

What am I sounding nervous... she's my mama.

You know why, yells the pretty voice in my brain.

Please, let him not be like the rest of em.

"I didn't even hear you come out. You've gotten better at the silent walk, huh?" She talks to me with a soft kiddish voice.

"Yeah." The word comes out feathery  from my mouth. The silent walk is something I taught myself as the years went on.

I sometimes needed to be really quiet...

"Lanna, this is-" before mama could finish her sentence, the doorbell rings before it is followed by an aggressive nock.

I turn to go open the door but am beaten to it when I see a figure rush past me and away from my sight.

It was my mama.

She really left me alone with a complete stranger? Why am I surprised.

The man reaches out and flips his still like hand on my shoulder without notice, "My names Ellie. It's very nice to meet you Lanna." He offers a 'im nice' smile

It's bullshit.

"Lanna." I shrug off his hands on my body before taking a step back. He doesn't seem to take it the wrong way and instead lets out a nervous chuckle.

I hate him.

"I get it. New place, new situations, new people. I was just like you at first. Don't worry , you'll get used to the place. It's actually alright." He tries to reassure me

I want to throw an arrow at him.

"Lanna, someone's here's saying there looking for you." Mamas says as she comes strutting into where we are.

Behind her walks a confused rick.

Wrong timing.

When our eyes meet, I am first confused.

His beard, it's... not a beard? He shaved it off. He looks... young?

"What happened to you?" The words come out before I could think about stoping them. Neither do my wide eyes stop themselves from judging silently.

"Could ask the same thing." He tilts his head and can't seem to not look at my now nice looking hair.

I touch it without thinking, smoothing it out for some reason.

"I'm sorry," she's not sorry, "who are you?" Mama ask, crossing her arms and looking between me and rick.

"Rick grimes, I'm lannas ... guardian." Rick sticks a hand out, mama scoffs before taking a step forwards and reaching out shaking ricks hand.

Guardian,huh? I didn't know that.

"Who are you?" Rick ask cautiously and nicely, wrapping an arm around me gently but immediately pulling me closer to him.

Oh Rick, if only you knew how much danger i am in right know. You'd kill them instantly. And that is why I'm going to play it cool.

I love my mama.

"Rick, this is my mama." It comes out more like a wispher. I watch as ricks eyes turn from caution to defeat.

Defeat from what?