T U C K E R × twd

five

.five
UNLUCKY BASTARDS

RICK HAD ASSIGNED US ALL JOBS, making weapons, helping others, and looking out for the enemy. Dad and I were on watch out duty, as it was all I could do and my dad wasn't leaving my side for some time. Everyone one around us was busy sharpening pieces of wood they had found or belt buckles that could be used as knuckle dusters, watching everyone working brought me back to the times I would sit in silence and sharped my hockey stick. It took ages to finally get it to a perfect point, one that was effective at entering and existing walkers but now I had no idea where it'd gone.

I was perched up against the wall with my dad next to me crouched to look out of the door gap. The world around me was a strange haze with unfocused figures moving around. I felt my head swaying slightly, even sometimes gently hitting against the wall behind me; making my dad turn his head from lookout to check if I was okay. I couldn't look at him. I couldn't bear to see the sympathy and sadness.

From the corner of my eye, I saw a blurred figure walk towards my father and me. When they'd gotten close enough I noticed that it was Maggie and I turned to her as she ducked down to talk to my dad.

"Black car with a white cross painted on it. I tried to follow it. I tried." My dad started, hanging his head in shame as he spoke. Obviously, I'd missed something whilst I was lost but I'd guess that whoever they were, they were close to Maggie.

"But she's alive?" Maggie asked, hope in her voice as she slightly leaned forwards in anticipation.

My dad nodded "She's alive."

I saw Maggie's tension suddenly drop from her body at this news, a large sigh leaving her lips and despite our current situation, she smiled. I opened my mouth slightly to talk causing a coughing fit to erupt. My dad's head snapped over to me, his hands moving to push me forwards slightly. It burned my throat and it felt like I was trying to cough my lungs up as I coughed into my hands, strained tears dampening my face. Quickly my fit escalated to a gag, my body lurching forwards violently. I cried as I felt acidic liquid propel up my throat and spill out of my mouth onto the floor. As I threw up I could see people jump back, including my dad even though his hand stayed on my back.

Once I was done I groaned and slumped back against the wall, my weak hand whipping the sick away from around my mouth. I nodded in thanks at my dad before glancing around at everyone one watching me cautiously.

"Sorry" I whispered to everyone, making them to nod and carry on with their work,  before glancing to Maggie with squinted eyes "Who's alive?"

She smiled slightly at me, "My sister, Beth. She's about your age, you'd like her"

My lips slightly turned up into a smile, "I'd like to meet her, she sounds nice"

I was starting to feel suddenly delirious, a chuckle leaving my lips which stopped when Abraham looked at me confused. My dad saw this exchange and discreetly slipped in front of me in a protective stance, their standoff didn't last long as Abraham shook his head as turned away from us.

Loud voices from outside caused my dad to glance out of the gap, raising his hand up to stop everyone's movements. I couldn't tell what they were saying but I could tell why they were coming to choose some of us. I grabbed onto my dad's sleeve, shaking it slightly.

"Dad..." I muttered, obviously barely audible as he didn't reply other than gently pulling me up to stand.

"All right, got four of them pricks coming our way," Dad shouted out to inform the group, I pulled on his sleeve more frantically as he moved us further to the back of the group. He looked down to me confused but before I could warn him, Rick had started to brief everyone.