Sneaky

Chapter 112

Eve's POV

Oh Merlin's gourd. Everything aches.

I stared at the slow blueing sky above me before sitting up; well, trying to. Sluggish and bleary — exhausted — I planted my elbows in the leaves and yawned as I pushed myself up, slow and painful.

'What time is it?'

I turned to take a peek at Dale's watch but stopped before my eyes could fall on the timepiece around my wrist.

My opposite hand inched towards my wrist and the cold surface almost made me flinch as I slowly covered it; holding it where it is.

'...I don't need to know.'

It's butttcrack early. That's what time it is.

I wound the watch without looking at it, ignoring the hands on the face and went straight to scraping the sleep gunk from my eyes.

A shiver ran up my spine at the cold contact of my icy fingers and I shimmied my jacket tighter around myself.

If only I had a sweatshirt right about now. Leather isn't exactly the warmest thing in the world, even if it braces against wind nicely.

I sorely got to my feet, wincing as I slow-stretched now tingling muscles.

The leaves crunched next to me as Daryl rolled onto his side and made a face. He groggily reached down and pulled a stick out from under his side.

I thought I was the only groggy riser here.

Speaking of which, why the shit-biscuit am I awake before the sun? I'm not even supposed to be on watch next and no one woke me up for the umteenth time.

A groan brought my attention to the side and I watched Daryl come to a grumpy state of awareness instead of rolling over and going back to sleep like I honestly expected, but maybe that's more my thing than his.

He sat up scowling at the world (at least that assumption of mine is accurate). His eyes settled on me, finally noticing he isn't the first awake but for some reason, it looks like his scowl just deepened.

What, am I not allowed to be awake? That'd be a dream come true. No pun intended.

I waved — cutting the gesture short by covering my mouth from another yawn and unintentionally giving myself an eyeful of morning breath.

Oof, when was the last time I brushed my teeth?

I cringed and sighed, staring at the remains of the fire for a good long minute; still tired enough to barely notice Daryl not moving even though he's awake.

It finally occurred to me to check my gun's clip when I pulled my jacket tighter and the gun shifted.

I checked my holster — which I was not supposed to wear to sleep but apparently I did anyway — and the clip sliding must've alerted those on watch (Maggie & Rick) to my 'booting up' status.

"You're awake?"

I glanced over, blinking sleepily at Maggie before going back at my clip. Completely forgetting to respond.

2 bullets left.

"Don' think she is." Daryl snorted quietly next to me, dragging his crossbow into his lap.

When did he sit up?

I looked at him and made a point of snapping my clip when I slid it back in and tucked it back into my waistband. It would be nice if I had a holster for this damn thing; preferably an under shoulder one, or one that won't get in the way of my knives.

Even if I don't use guns as often as the others — it's kinda my last resort thing — it'd still be nice to be able to be able to quick draw and not have that worry in the back of my mind that it's gonna fall from my waistband.

It's a good thing I picked up that extra gun in the bar so we're not one gun short with Randall around.

The kid's a good shot. Color me impressed.

Lot a good it did us though. No matter how many good shots we've got here, it still wasn't enough against all of those bodies.

We're practically a whole team of sharpshooters and not even we could put even a dent into that herd.

The existence of that herd itself is worrying. If there's one, it's next to impossible there won't be more. How many of them could be out there? How big can they get?

Where could all those bodies have come from?

I picked up a stick from the fire pit and raised it, specifically so Rick could see, before heading out of the stone enclosure.

"Don't go far" he nodded. He's still off but I don't expect him to be okay any time soon.

He'll wrestle with it for awhile, but eventually... I believe he'll come back. He won't ever be the same, no one ever is. But he won't carry it like poison, slowly eating him from the inside out. Fraying him at the edges until there's nothing left.

I went just outside the henge for a nice lookin' pile of sticks, careful not to get out of sight.

Don't think I didn't notice Daryl move to the edge of the stones as soon as I started out.

It's hard to ignore his eyes on me right now.

I glanced around before taking longer than I'd like to crouch and pick up a decent little pile. Grazing my fingers across the grass while I'm at it.

The grass is too damp for kindling, even though it's dead or dying. I suppose I could use leaves. They're crispy enough they might light well; some of them at least.

I rubbed my eyes with the back of my wrist, taking a sleepy deep breath through my nose. I'm still tired but it's so cold out here there's no way I'd ever be able to go back to sleep without starting that fire again.

I'm worried.

About the trauma Rick's going through. Having to kill his best friend, who tried to murder him in cold blood. There's no way that isn't gonna mess his head up.

They were fighting long before that but even if he doesn't want to admit it, she can see it on his face. The betrayal, the exhaustion. The pain.

It's hard enough when someone you trust betrays you without bringing death and murder into it.

Loss is one of the hardest things to cope with and everybody copes differently but no matter who you are or what your situation with them might have been, you can't escape the toll it'll bring.

He won't ever be the same after this.

And last night...

I blew a sigh out of my mouth, straightening my back to look at my surroundings, and to take an observing glance at Rick.

I need to talk to him.

God why do I need to talk again?

One more. Come on Evelyn, one more.

One more talk and then I can be done for awhile. Let everyone else sort out their own petty squabbles.