Tragic Youth | TWD

003 | Death and his friends

AS ANNOUNCED, A steady amount of people from the group went back into the city to try and recover Merle Dixon. Were the chances that he was still alive high? Not really, but it was worth a shot. And Daryl Dixon was keen.

They had been gone most the day, and Charlottes father decided to go with them. Maybe it was just so he could escape her, she didn't really know, but either way he was now in the city, surrounded by walkers itching to taste human flesh.

Charlotte watched as Amy and Andrea returned from their fishing journey down in the quarry, this time they had a bunch of fish with them. Curious, she stood up from her small log seat and went over to the fish, poking it slightly just like Carl did.

Everyone laughed in celebration of the new food supply, but as Dale approached, his face held worry. "I uh, I don't wanna alarm anyone. But we may have a-bit of a problem." The man spoke, pointing up. Charlottes eyes followed his finger, which landed on Jim, who was viciously digging holes up the hill.

One by one, the group made their way up the hill to go meet Jim and find out what was going on. Charlotte followed by Lori and Carl, who were walking with Carol and Sophia. She didn't miss the absence of Ed Peletier, who had recently been beaten by Shane Walsh.

"Hey, Jim?" Shane was the first to talk, as usual, he pretty much adapted the role and leader of the group. "Jim, why don't you hold up, alright? Just give me a second here, please?"

"What do you want?" Jim grunted back, punching his shovel in the dirt aggressively. He was obviously on edge, no one really knew why though.

"We're all just a little concerned, man. That's all." Shane explained the best he could.

"Dale says you've been out here for hours." Morales elaborate, hours was a short term way of putting it. He had been out since sunrise, just digging holes.

"So?"

"So, why are you digging?" Shane deadpanned. "Are you heading to China, Jim?" He tried to make an attempt and lighten the mood, adding a subtle chuckle between words, but it just made the air more thick.

"What does it matter, I'm not hurting anyone." Jim shrugs, throwing his hands out. Charlotte chewed on her lower lip, her fingers fiddling with the hem of her jacket as the scene played out.

"Yeah, except maybe yourself." Dale stepped forward, one hand on his gun that was comfortably slung over his shoulder. "It's 100 degrees today, you can't keep this up."

"Sure I can, watch me." Jim's confidence in his own ability was strong, but stupid. It was too hot for anyone to be doing that today, and maybe Charlotte wasn't the one to judge, since she was wearing her jacket. But it was still stupid.

"Jim, they're not gonna say it so I will." Lori moved towards the front of the pack, arms crossed over her blue tank top, it sounded like her motherly side was coming out, even if Jim was well grown. "You're scaring people. You're scaring my son, Charlotte, and you're scaring Carol's daughter." Charlotte furrowed her eyebrows, she wasn't really scared, and she also was confused on why Lori said her name, but referred to the other kids as 'son' or 'daughter'. She was someone's daughter, she is someone's daughter. Charlotte Jones is Will Jones daughter, and in her mind, she pieced it together that that would never change.

"They got nothing to be scared off." Jim shrugged. pointing at each of the kids with a fake smile. "I mean what the hell people, I'm out here by myself. Why don't you all just go and leave me the hell alone." He was clearly getting more annoyed, driving his shovel back into the coarse dirt over and over again.

"We think that you need to take a break, okay?" Shane's mouth twitched, he carefully strolled towards Jim. "Why don't you go and get yourself in the shade? Some food? Maybe, I'll tell you what, do that and I'll come out here... I'll help you myself." Charlotte knew Shane probably wouldn't do that, not with how hot it was out here, but Jim was acting crazy. "Jim, just tell me what's it about? Why don't you just go ahead and give me that shovel."