𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐎𝐍 𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 | 𝐭𝐰𝐝 ¹

08.

   Nicole never expected to find so many people in one little camp after such a catastrophe. After her expedition to find her brother failed, Nicole had lost hope in finding the people she cared about most. She knew finding her brother in the infested Atlanta city was a shot in the dark. She knew that he was most likely dead. Especially, after the news announced that the military was ordered to shoot anything that moved -- alive or dead.

   Finding her best friend and her son was certainly never something she'd expect. Not after losing hope of finding her brother. Finding them made her regain a little bit of hope -- just a sliver. Daryl and Merle were naturally pessimistic. Her being around them seemed to dim her optimism. But now, she knew that miracles did exist.

   Lori took her time introducing the four newcomers to the group. She continually got lost in conversations with the people she had grown to know over the past two months. Nicole remembered the night when Lori came and banged on her door. She remembered how she begged for her and Cheyanne to come with them to the safe-zone in Atlanta. Nicole remembered declining. All because she held out for the seemingly foolish hope that she'd find her older brother, Nolan.

   As the sun began setting, everyone began to gather around the two fires for a meal. It had been brewing for a little while. Everyone insisted on getting to know the new people. Lori and Nicole caught up, laughing at old stories and the stupid things they caught Carl and Cheyanne doing. Daryl told the group about seeing a Chupacabra. Merle judged the group, concocting a plan in his head while he silently sat.

   Nicole thought it was nice to be eating something other than roasted squirrel for once. Yet, that was quite the opposite for the bigger group, who had been eating nothing but canned goods. They wanted some meat, anything.

   It was pretty late after the group finished their meals and quit grilling the quartet. People began turning into the array of tents on the Eastern side of the small camp. It wasn't until then that Nicole realized that the four of them couldn't fit in one tent. Before Nicole and Daryl found Merle locked on a rooftop -- cooked and delirious from the sun -- they always planned to share a tent together if they ever need too. But with Merle in the picture, the doubts were high on whether he'd give his spot up or not.

   With a shallow sigh, Nicole kicked the dirt below her worn, black tennis shoes. She watched as Shane poured water over the embers of one of the fires that were in the center of camp. His deep brown eyes glanced to the green of Nicole's before nodding and walking off his own tent. Daryl and Merle were setting up their tent close to the woods, away from the rush of the rest.

   Nicole stroked Cheyanne's mop of brown hair as she contemplated where they were going to crash for the night. She weighed her options. Ask Dale if they could sleep in the RV or ask Lori to bunk for the night. Kick Merle out or sleep in the beat-up pickup they'd slept in for a week. Her dirty hand ran through the grease in her hair. Nicole could feel how heavy her eyes were getting.

   She could hear shallow footsteps walking over to her and her daughter. When she looked up, she met with the face of the Korean that she'd met with Shane. "You two can stay in my tent if you like."

   Nicole was taken aback by his sudden offer. He didn't know her from a simple hole in the ground. She wanted to ask why he was offering but she stunted he blunt question. "We can't take your tent, Glenn..."

   Glenn offered her tired smile before insisting, "I have plenty of room in there. I'm by myself," he paused. "Dale, Amy, and Andrea take the RV, Lori and Carl most likely won't share and it looks like those two brothers you came with are settling in together." Glenn glanced behind them. The lights began to dim inside of tents. The sound of zippers being pulled was the only thing that she heard. Well, other than crickets.

   "I am more than happy to share, Nicole." Glenn gave her a smile, which broke Nicole's stubbornness. It was rare to find something -- better yet, someone -- so good in such a crappy world like this. He was so genuine; his smile so wall breaking. Nicole could see his heartfeltness in the matter of hours she'd known him.

   "Okay." she nodded. Glenn's smile expanded before he led the pair to his tent. They entered it. It was quite roomy. Two sleeping bags resided on either side of the thin grey sheet. It was obvious which one Glenn slept in. A backpack sat on one with clothes spilling from it. There were a couple of pictures laying on both the sleeping bag and the floor.

   Nicole couldn't tell who it was, but she assumed it was his family. Glenn rushed to pick up the photos and place them in his backpack. Nicole and Cheyanne slid off theirs and placed it near the top of the empty sleeping bag. "Thank you, Glenn."

   Glenn looked over to the tired blonde woman. "It's not a problem. In times like these, we have to stick together -- have each other's backs." He pulled back the top of his sleeping bag and shimmied into it.

   Nicole and Cheyanne eventually got comfortable in the other one. Within moments, Cheyanne's big brown eyes shut and she fell asleep. Glenn gave a soft laugh, before turning the lantern off and turning the other way.

   Nicole was tired. She could feel her eyes trying to shut, but her mind kept her awake. She hated when thoughts flooded her brain at the moment she tried to shut her eyes. Her thoughts ranged from her detested ex-husband to thoughts of Jess' death, even to thoughts of Daryl. She began thinking of the future; it scared her. She was scared of being hurt. She was scared of anything that could possibly cause her pain -- physical or emotional.

   Killing the monsters had become second nature; she knew they couldn't truly hurt her. It was that reason why she kept fighting them; but when it came to people, they were unpredictable. Each person had their own story buried inside themselves. Each person had their own fears and secrets. Each person had their own experiences, which shaped them in unique ways. People were unpredictable.

   People could hurt her; and in this world, it was inevitable that people would abuse the lack of authority. That is what seemed to scare her the most. Nicole didn't want to experience that level of fear and she certainly did not want to feel that pain -- not again.

   Nicole's mind swirled in endless circles. Tears brimmed her eyes as one thought led to another. She didn't know why it happened tonight. Maybe it was the idea of sanctuary surrounded by people or maybe it was the idea of something bad happening while they slept.

   Nicole just wanted to say to her daughter that they were safe -- for once. But an eerie thought pinched at her mind. Would they ever truly be safe?