Evelyn's pov
We've been at this camp for a couple of months now. I've become good friends with Carl and Sophia. Although Papa has to help around here, he's usually out hunting food for the group. I barely see him during the day, and sometimes he'll be gone for a couple of days or so, but I still have Uncle Merle, who I have to keep out of trouble. Todd has gotten big; it's been one whole year since I saved him, and now he's almost to my waist. Carl's mom wants us to do schoolwork, but I shake my head and read or hang out with Dale. I'm a lot smarter than kids my age. Heck, my teachers said I was smarter than any grown-up they met. Right now, I was reading my favorite book, "The Brother Grimm's Fairy Tales." The next thing I know, someone tapped my shoulder, making me see my Uncle Merle.
"Hey, listen here, kiddo," he said while bending down to my height, "I'm going on a run with some other people, so I want you to be good until me or your Papa comes back."
I nodded my head before we smiled at one another. He kissed my forehead before getting up and walk over to the group. He gets in a car that they were taking and drove off. I looked down at Todd and sighed through my nose. He rested his head on my lap; I started petting his head with a sad look on my face. I don't like being alone. . . . . Yeah, the group is here, but my Papa and Uncle Merle ain't; we've always been with each other minus when Uncle Merle went to jail.
"Hey, Evie." I heard, making me turn my head only to see that it was Carl. "Do you want to go play by the creek with Shane and me?"
I hesitated for a minute, Shane was the man that brought us here, but he was also the man that attacked me in the woods. I was very wary of that man, but I do like Carl, so I decided why not. I didn't want to be alone with my thoughts anymore, and I'm sure that Todd was bored anyway.
"Why not," I said while standing up, making Carl smile at me, "I'm not going in the water, though."
"Okay." He said while nodding his head
We started making our way down the path that leads the way to the creak with Todd on my left and Carl on my right. I saw Shane sitting down on the rocks waiting for Carl, and when he looked at us, he got a big smile on his face. Carl smiled back while I gave a tiny one. I sat down on the rocks while they played in the creak. Todd was catching him some food while I kept an eye on him. I didn't know how to swim, and I was terrified of the water. When I was young, my grandfather threw me into the lake that's behind our house, and I sunk to the bottom. I woke up to my Papa, soaking wet and giving me CPR. After that, Grandpa wasn't allowed near us. The next thing I know, Todd came running towards me, making his excited noises as he had a stick in his mouth and he was soaked. I giggled at the silly fox before taking the stick and throwing it to make him take off after it. I smiled, watching my goofy fox that I consider my best friend.
Carl's pov
While Shane and I played in the creek, I noticed that Evelyn was sitting on the rocks watching her fox run after a stick. I smiled at her, seeing the sunshine down on her as her hair was blowing in the wind, it's strange how the only other girl that's the same age as me is Sophia, yet I don't feel this way towards her like I do to Evelyn.
"I see that look on your face." I heard Shane say, making me turn towards him, confused
"What look?" I asked
"The look that says you like someone." He explains, with a smile playing on his lips, "And I'm guessing it's little Dixon over there."
I felt my face heat up, which made Shane laugh at me, making me splash some water at him. We smiled at one another before engaging in a splashing war. Maybe Shane's right. . . Maybe, I do like Evelyn as more than a friend.
*Time Skip*
Evelyn's pov
It's been a day since my Uncle Merle had gone to the city with the others. Daddy should be back soon. I've been sitting in a tree while Todd was hiding in his little nest that he made under the tree. I was drawing the city in my drawing book while ignoring everyone around me; Lori tried to act like my mom and try to boss me around. I started hiding in the tree after Carl and I got back from the creak with Shane. She was trying to make me do homework or help with the laundry. I don't like her very much, not even a little bit. Carl was getting his hair cut done while Shane and Lori were flirting with one another; I rolled my eyes at the scene. The next thing I know, the radio goes off, and we can hear T-Dog's voice everyone was trying to hear him, even trying to see if we can get a better signal, but it was too late. We lost the signal. I looked out towards the city with a worried look on my face.
"Uncle Merle, please be okay." I thought
"You okay, up there?" I heard, making me jump a little
I looked down to see that it was Carl, when did he get there?
"I'm fine. Why?" I asked
"Because your Uncle is out there." He said, making me look down at my lap
"Am I okay?" I thought, "I've never been this far away from Papa or Uncle Merle."
I finally just decided to nod, and we left it like that. Carl walked away while I climbed down the tree. Todd and I walked into the tent and decided that it was time to sleep this day away for a bit. I hope Uncle Merle is alright.
