The Boss's Daughter

03

"So," I bring my right leg up onto the log so that I'm able to completely face Carl comfortably. "What's the name of your camp?"

He merely glances at me. "Yours first."

He's smart, I have to give him that. Maybe too smart. I may be in over my head with him. Perhaps that's why I'm drawn to him.

"Oh come on, Carl," I try. "I'm just one person!" I smile.

He glares at me, squinting. If looks could kill... "You just said you're the leader's kid. How do I know that you won't go telling him, then come morning, my whole place be on fire or something?"

I raise my palms in surrender. "Point taken."

He turns back to his comic book. The air is silent for a few minutes. Carl's eye occasionally flashes away from his book, and I can tell he's not 100% focused on it.

"My dad's the leader of our group too," he mutters. "So I know what you mean."

Another thing we have in common. Fascinating. The only other person I've met so similar to me is my dad. And I hardly think that counts, considering he raised me.

"It can be tough," I exaggerate. The only thing "tough" about it is the whole not having anyone to talk to thing. The rest is gravy.

More silence. I'd like to say that it's awkward, but I'm too confident to know what awkward feels like. I'm not easily embarrassed. Never have been.

Again, he is the first to speak. "So where did you find that thing," he asks, loosely gesturing towards my mace on the ground in front of us.

I smile. "Found it on a supply run," I simply say. Then my mind floods with the memory.

The day is hot. Much hotter than days prior. It's been a little over a year since this shit started. Our system is close to being finalized, but it's not quite there yet. Things will be so much easier when it is. I cannot wait.

We're in desperate need of water. We've been searching all over the town. After what feels like hours, we finally find a few cases of bottled water in a convenient store.

On our way back, we come across an antique shop. I almost beg to go inside. Daddy doesn't protest. It's quiet inside. No living or dead to worry about. Daddy stays at the front of the store while I go straight to the back. All the best stuff is always at the back. I learned that from my mom.

I go to a back room full of clocks, tea kettles, and other various things. After browsing around for about a minute, I find a chest tucked away in the back corner. I'm able to pick the lock with a paper clip I found on a desk in the room. A little trick I taught myself shortly before the world died.

Inside the chest is the Holy Grail of corpse-killers. A silver mace with thick spikes all around it. Immediately, I know that I have to have it. It's already mine. I was meant to find this.

"Daddy," I call as I pick it up.

He comes into the doorway as I stand and turn around. He wears the same expression I'm sure I did when he sees what rests in my hands: a look of awe and sheer amazement.

A wicked grin spreads across my face. "Can I keep it?"

He laughs. "Hell yeah you can."

I practically jump for joy. This is the happiest I've been since long before the dead started walking. I know it's not something a normal 13-year-old girl is excited about, but we aren't exactly living under normal circumstances right now. And I sure as hell am not a normal girl.

"Eli!" The familiar boom of my father's voice in the distance pulls me out of my daydream. I immediately think of all the things he'd possibly do to Carl if he found me with him.

I jump up from the log and pick up my mace. "I should go," I say to Carl, backing away into the forest. "Same time tomorrow?" I wink.

Carl smiles a little. "Sure."

"Eliza Stevenson," I say. "Remember that name, kid!" Then I turn on my heel and walk back through the trees. "Just might save your life one day," I call.

I meet Daddy at about the halfway mark from where I was to home. I begin to think that something has to be wrong. He would never come looking for me while I'm on one of my adventures unless something was wrong.

"What's wrong, Daddy?" I ask, resting my mace on my shoulder.

     "Just a bit of trouble," he casually says. "But it's not safe out here for you right now."

     "It's not safe out here anyway," I counter. "Besides, I can handle myself."

     He smiles and throws his arm around my shoulder, turning me towards home. "I know, sweetheart." We leisurely stroll forward, me still looking up at him. "Humor me just this once, Eli."

     I put on my 'harmless teenager' smile. "Okay, Daddy." I snake my arm around his waist, and we head home.