Alone

Chapter 24

I lay in the bed, unmoving an lifeless. Even though I haven't slept in two days, I'm not tired. I sit up straight up as I hear a knock on the door.

I quietly say, "Come in..." and the door opens.

Rick walks in with soft eyes and a big fat frown.

"I'm sorry." He says, shaking his head, never making eye contact with me.

"It's okay, I don't mind, I'm used to being yelled about." He chuckles.

"It's just, my wife died recently and now all I have is my boy." He sits down, his head drooping low.

"Oh," I put my hand to my mouth. "I'm so sorry." He just tells me not to mention it, and I nod my head.

"I was thinking you could help out here on the farm for a while." He slightly lifts his head, but never even glancing at me.

I shake my head.

"I'm not gonna be here long." I say. His head shoots straight up and looks at me. He has icy blue eyes, like me.

"My boy really likes you. You can't stay for one more day?" I gulp and nod my head.

"I guess." I say, then shrug my shoulders. He nods his and gets up from the chair.

"Thank you." I shake my head.

"No, thank you, for letting me stay here and everything." He leaves with that and I think I saw a smile on his face.

Well maybe I can sleep now, knowing that I mean something to someone.

•••

I wake up to a dark sky, but a knock on my door. I sit up and say "Come i-" but before I can finish, a Korean man comes in.

He scratches his head and turns away. I look to realize I'm in my underwear. My mouth opens and heat rushes to my cheeks.

"It's time to get up, I'll be showing you around the farm, and uh, introducing you." He then shuts the door and I jump up and put some pants on.

I walk into the bathroom and stare at myself in the mirror. My hair is a mess, but I'm clean. The longer I stare at myself, I start to cry. I think of Austin. I can't. Not now.

I shake the memory away as fast as I can, without forgetting him forever. Which is something I need to do.

I take my first steps onto the farm. The Korean man is already waiting.

"What took you so long?" He asks me. I look at the ground and shake my head.

"Nothing, just, nothing." I answer back. He nods his head and puts out his hand in a welcoming manner.

"I'm Glenn!" He says. I put out my hand and shake it.

"Firess." He pulls me to the well.

"Down there, is infested water!" I look into the well to see a zombie split in half, still moving around. I almost barf.

"You can get water from those two wells over there." He points to one in the far distance to his right. "And there." He points another one where it looks like a separate camp as been made.

I see a man staring at me.

"That's Daryl, I wouldn't mess with him." I nod my head.

"I wouldn't either." I whisper.

He takes me back to the front porch, where two girls are sitting.

"This is Beth, and Maggie. Beth, Maggie, this is Firess." They both give me the type of smile that's warm and welcoming, but stares deep into your soul and wants to burn your insides out.

He takes me to the R.V I saw when I first came here.

"This is Andrea. The old man is Dale." I chuckle and nod at them.

"Hey there!" Dale yells from the front of the R.V.

I wave back and we're on our way again. The day was normal, better than most days. Until birds start scattering from trees, and bullets are being shot at my head.

"Can I not just live? Oh wait, that's all I can do now. I wish this would all just go away."