Condemned. Sequel to 'Don't Look Back'

Chapter 9

Rayne's pov

Waking up in the morning to a foreign bedroom seemed strange, almost like I hadn't done this a hundred times before. I sat up in the bed, and rubbed my face while leaning up against the headboard. Terminus, my home, was gone. I guess I shouldn't call it home because my group wasn't there, and if they're not there, there is no home, only temporary refuge.

I run my fingers through my hair, tying to tame the inevitable beast. After months of being trapped in Terminus, it feels almost like a routine to get up, get ready and go to class, but I don't have to do that anymore. I don't have to sit through meaningless classes anymore. I just don't have to do it, and it feels good. I feel happier in a way, even though we have no resources to live off of.

I lay back down beside Carl, figuring I haven't seen him in months and I can handle a few extra minutes of cuddle time. I bury my head into Carl's chest, enjoying the rise and fall of his rhythmic breathing. All is good.

After minutes of laying in complete silence with Carl, he stirs and opens his eyes.

"Morning." I say and sit up with a smile on my face. He sits up as well and stretches, yawning as he greets me.

We sit there side by side, staring at one another. Carl reaches out to me and pushes a stand of hair behind my ear. I smiled at him and stretched, trying to rid myself of sleep.

"So, what do you think our next move will be?" I ask him and he shrugs.

"I honestly have no clue, I mean, where else do we go? There's nothing left in this part of Georgia." I nod and sigh,

"I'm just scared we'll be out there for a while." I admit to him and he agrees. We sit in a comfortable silence. 

"We better get up." Carl says and we roll out of bed and put our shoes on. Mine were still relatively clean, since I was inside Terminus just walking to and from class day after day. Carl's were covered in dried mud and dirt.

Dean, Kaylee and I were the cleanest out of our whole group, although it probably won't last very long. I'm still worried about Kaylee, because she hasn't been exposed. She hasn't seen a walker up until yesterday. She's just like how Beth started out, weak, fragile, innocent. Luckily though, Beth matured rather quickly from her then 13 year old self, and I can only hope Kaylee does the same. 

I almost laugh at the thought of the stupid, senseless drama that went on at the farm. The going back and forth fighting over Carl, the stupid need to come off better than each other. Times were simpler back then, even if it didn't seem like it to me. But, all is good, for now. 

We walk hand in hand to the living room and see almost everyone there, eating cans of cold beans that were left in the pantry. 

"We don't have enough for everyone, Daryl went out to hunt." Carol told us and we nodded. I was letting the others eat because they needed it, everyone looked ten pounds lighter than they did at the prison. I had actually grown slightly pudgy while at Terminus, we had a constant supply of food, that now I know was actually human remains. 

I stop thinking about that, it makes me want to gag. Dean and Kaylee walk into the room, looking pretty rough themselves. Kaylee had a big mess of hair in the back and Dean's was sticking all over the place. 

"Sleep good?" Rick asked them and Kaylee nodded, Dean stayed silent. 

"Yes, thank you for letting us join your group." Kaylee said and Rick nodded.

"Tonight you'll properly be one of us." He said and handed each of them a half empty can of beans. 

After we left the house, it seemed like old times, looking for the prison. Different house every night, with the same hope. But now we were all together, even new additions like Abraham, Rosita, Tara and Eugene. Abraham had one heck of a mustache, and Eugene had a mullet, that's really the only thing that stood out. Rosita was with Abraham, but not officially, they just liked to um, mess around every so often. Tara, on the other hand, was into chicks, but that didn't stop Eugene from trying pick up lines.