The Undead

Tin Can

"You gonna teach me how to shoot, or just stand there?"

Phin inwardly groaned at the sound of Beth's voice. She was the youngest Greene member and the most annoying. Despite the lack of tolerance towards the younger teen, Beth still took it upon herself to nag him as much as possible, because from the moment he stepped inside their home - he'd caught her attention without even trying.

She followed him out to the handmade shooting range in the morning, and hadn't left his side since. Nobody noticed then, some were busy eating breakfast and others were even getting ready to go a supply run.

"What, nobody ever taught ya how to shoot?" Phin smirked, aiming his revolver at an old tin can propped up on the fence. It was rusty, used to be a horrible mint colour and probably contained something like cookies. The paint was coming off now.

"They ain't of any use unless you want tetanus, boy." Phin could remember Shane saying, and for once he actually agreed. He could ignore the snarky remark, and not punch him square in the jaw. Especially with the little pet name, Phin was questioning why he hadn't knifed the asshole yet.

It was bad enough Shane was planning on dragging Erik out to the city. If anything, that bastard had a knuckle sandwich coming.

"Just give me a chance, please?"

"You wanna give your old man a fuckin' heart attack or what?" Phin lowered his gun, looking over his shoulder at the teenager who was sitting cross legged on the floor. Her platinum hair framing her face almost perfectly, big bright and blue doe eyes staring up at him. Skin practically glowing under the sun, she wasn't covered in grime like most of Rick's group.

"I wanna defend myself, protect my family!" She pouted, dusting the dirt off her jeans as she approached the older man.

"Beth, I fuckin' know that. I know that as much as everyone else. But this is not my call!" Phin wiped the beads of sweet forming on his forehead with the back of his hand. Georgia's heat was ridiculous, and it wasn't any better at night.

"You're gonna tell me Shane set this up for no reason, and you let him?" Beth looked up at him again, sapphire coloured eyes seemingly staring into his soul.

C'mon boy, bring those fuckin' cans here. We ain't got all day who knows when that Ol' man will change his mind.

Phin turned away from Beth, if he held eye contact any longer he was just asking to buckle at the knees, his eyes quickly fell over the setup. A variety of tin cans were perched on the fence in different places. It was near the forest and separated the farm from whatever was out there. They set it up the other day. Rick, Shane, Glenn and Phin - for practice, specifically for those who weren't used to pulling the trigger.

What was the harm?

"One shot, you get one fuckin' shot and then we're leaving." Phin held onto his breathe as he handed her the gun. Observing the way she fumbled with the firearm before pointing it towards the tin can he was planning to shoot before.

"Stand still and firm, feet shoulder width apart." He gripped her shoulders. She rolled her eyes momentarily before complying with his orders, parting her feet, she listened intently.

"If I'm gonna let you shoot...you bet your damn ass I'm going to show you how it's done, properly." Beth didn't put up as a fight as the older man guided her. She was just happy, that somebody had a little faith. Her father would pull a muscle at the thought of his daughter using a gun.

Within a matter of minutes Beth was ready, Phin could feel it. As he stood back he couldn't help the smile that plastered his lips. Beth was no longer shaking, focusing in on the single tin can she began controlling her breathing.

"Alright Beth, 1...2...3!"

BANG!

The can toppled over and fell onto the ground behind the fence. Phin instantly threw his arms in the air, letting out a loud hooray! before jogging over to Beth.

"Oh my god, I did it!" She cheered, looking at Phin with wide eyes.

"You sure did, I always knew you had it in you." He shot her a cocky grin, earning another eye roll and light shoulder push.

"Here's your gun back, Hershel will definitely freak if he saw me up here with it..." she handed him the firearm. Phin nodded, tucking the revolver into the back pocket of his jeans. He definitely needed a holster. Denim wasn't exactly suitable.

"So, when's our next lesson?" Phin asked, wrapping his arms around Beth's shoulders as they walked down the hill back towards the face.

"Are you serious?"

"No, I'm just pulling your leg. Of course I am. You have some real potential, Beth. So when is our next lesson?"

"In two days. I'm going to be busy for a while, okay?"

"Okay."

"Oh and Phin?"

"Yes?"

"Keep this between us okay. I know how close you are with those girls. But I don't want Maggie knowing, she's just as protective over me as Hershel."

"You're telling me those folk couldn't hear the gunshot?"

"If they ask, say it was you. Please let's just keep it between us."

"Cross my heart and hope to die."

"Thanks."