What Really Happened: A Memoir from the Apocalypse

Chapter 3: Campfire

1 week at the camp:

I sat on Mom and I's mattress and rubbed my eyes. The sun that shone through the tent warmed my forehead. Andrea was out with Jackie, T-Dog, Morales, and Glenn, trying to find Dad and Phoebe for the second time. Mom sat on the floor and folded our clothes.

"Do you think they're gonna find them?" I asked her.

"Hopefully we'll find them soon," she said.

Carl peeked inside the tent. "Mallory, do you wanna do Math problems with us?"

"I don't like Math," I said, looking at him.

"You should do some. It'll be good for you," Mom said.

"What if I never go to school again?" I asked.

"You still need to be educated."

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I sat at the wooden picnic table and completed addition problems in between Carl and Sophia. I watched as Mom and Shane debated with each other in front of the RV. I was intrigued because Mom argued with someone once in a blue moon. Dale walked over to us. He had grey hair and was old enough to be my grandpa. He was the guardian of the group and made sure that everyone stayed in line. He tried to distract us from the argument. Eventually, I sat my pencil down and walked over to them.

"You go through anything to find your family. It's bad enough I'm not out there right now," Mom told Shane.

"And you shouldn't be. You need to be here with your daughter," Shane said.

Mom looked at me, then back at Shane. "And not look for my other one?"

"It's no use if something happens to you too."

Amy grabbed my hand to take me away from the scene. She was Andrea's friend from college. When we first arrived at the camp, they reunited because of what my aunt called "a miracle."

The long wee-woo of a car siren sounded from the road beyond the camp and travelled closer to us.

"The hell?" Dale asked.

A red sports car, with its alarm beeping obnoxiously, drove up the road to the camp. It caused anxiety in everyone. Glenn parked the car, got out of the driver's seat and laughed, impressed.

"Jesus, would you turn that thing off? The sound will attract more of them. You've got to think about stuff like this!" Dale said.

Amy ran up to Glenn and asked him where Andrea was. He repositioned his burgundy baseball cap on his head and reassured her, telling her she was okay.

I walked towards him. "Did you find my dad and sister?"

He bowed his head. "I'm sorry, no luck. We'll look again soon, okay?"

I moved the gravel with my foot, and tears formed in my eyes.

Mom put her hand on my shoulder. "It doesn't mean they're not out there. We'll keep looking."

I knew she just said that because she felt like she had to. It was false hope.

I stood in the tent and tried to control my tears. Another car drove in. The others came back. I envied Eliza and Louis for having both their mom and dad with them. Carl's dad Rick came back too. I heard their joyous cry as they ran up to each other. Everyone thought he was dead. I didn't want to see it. I couldn't. Maybe that was selfish, but I didn't care.

Daryl yelled at Rick and Shane for leaving Merle behind. Merle was racist and abusive and mean. But he was Daryl's brother, and Daryl was a lot like him. I peeked through the tent as Daryl punched Rick, and Shane held him to the ground. Andrea walked into the tent and hugged me, advising me to look away.