Sugar and Spice

Chapter 16

I sat on the ground cradling a sobbing Carol trying to make her feel better in any kind of way. "Carol its all going to be okay." I tried to reassure her only to be suddenly pushed away with enough force to fall backwards on the dirt floor, the short haired woman didn't stop as she sprinted away sobbing her heart out. Daryl came up behind me lifting me up under my arms to stand on my own two feet, I turned to thank him only to be cut off by screams erupting from next to the farm. Without thinking I ran over with most people spotting Beth being grabbed at by a walker on the floor, I looked around as everyone tried to pull the walker off I grabbed a sickle that was leaning against the barn. T-Dog ran out the way just in time as I swung the sickle back before driving it through the walkers head putting a stop to the growling, but it was quickly overtaken by Beth's sobbing. I dropped the wooden handle letting it hang loosely from the corpse's head, I let out a sigh watching the Greene family walk away before glancing to see a shovel left on the side of the barn.

I marched over to the barn snatching up the shovel and heading over to where Otis was buried. This felt like the best distraction and at least I was being useful, I took my aggression out on the task harshly digging into the soil. However, truthfully I didn't know why I was angry. By the time I finished one grave there was sweat pouring down my face.

"Sam." I heard a voice call out but I continued to dig ignoring whoever it was. "Sam."

"What?" I snapped turning to see Dale looking a bit shocked at my sudden outburst, the older man looked behind me at the two graves. "Maybe you should take a break and let the others do that." The anger in me only seemed to grow at that as I jammed the shovel into the dirt as hard as possible. "Why can I do it myself? I'm not some pathetic bitch." Dale tried to back track but I was already over it jamming the shovel into the dirt again and again only looking up when I felt eyes on me.

"You alright?" Shane asked softly coming to dig another grave next to me looking down into the hole I was standing in, I just glared at him though. "You don't think I didn the right thing?"

"No you did the right thing." I told him sternly, focusing back on the grave. "Then why'd you look so pissed at me then?" Shane spoke up again making me sigh as I thought over the question. "I'm pissed at you or anyone else I just- I don't know okay." The ex sherif reached out a hand which I took gratefully allowing myself to be easily lifted, I let out a sigh looking up at him. "Everyone put in all that effort, Daryl almost got killed and it was all for nothing." I let out a dry chuckle and a sniffle as tears cascaded down my face. "They had her - a little girl - locked up in that barn while the group did everything." I got out between sobs, before I knew it I was pulled into the other man's chest though I knew I would regret it later I let myself rest against him sobbing as I wrapped my arms around his body.

"You did the right thing," I whispered out when the tears stopped, slowly I leaned the back till I was out of his arms. "You gave Carol closure, it's what she deserved." After that the two of us dug the graves in silence preparing everything for the service.

Later that day I stood with the others at the service between Daryl and Shane, all I could do was stare blankly at the graves for the Greene family and Sophia. No one spoke, just standing in silence till eventually we dispersed. I turned to speak to Daryl, but he was already making his way over to Carol again. I shrugged it over instead going with Andrea, Rick and T-Dog to help with the body clean up.

I stood on the truck organising the bodies making sure they weren't going to fall while watching T-Dog and Andrea carry the bodies.

"We're lucky if that barn was anymore full we could have been over run." Andrea spoke up as she placed the body on the bed allowing me to move it further back. "It's good Shane did what he did now then." Dale made a noise from where he was watching us work, which tickled at my nerves but I knew it would be wrong to just snap at him again.