"𝘐𝘧 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘫𝘰𝘣 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘨, 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘐𝘧 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘫𝘰𝘣 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘴, 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵."
-𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘛𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘯

Camila was currently carving words into a tree that read 'Camila's bitch tree'. Jesse walked over and stared

"Really, Cami?" He asked. She rolled her eyes

"I'm not sharing. Find your own damn tree" She scoffed. Jesse smiled and shook his head. Camila and Jesse had met in elementary school. The two were instantly best friends. They were stuck together like glue. They were soulmates, platonically of course. Camila was carrying around logs for the fire

"Cami, could you go get me some water?" Carol asked the woman. Carol was currently cooking her ugly ass husband some food. Everyone knew she was getting beat by him, and yet nobody did a thing. Camila and Jesse had offered to let her and Sophia stay in their tent but she denied saying she was fine. Camila dropped the logs and went to go get Carol some water

"What the hell's all that noise? I'm trying to sleep" An angry voice said coming out of the tent

"It was Camila. She dropped the logs she was carrying to get me some water" Carol told her angry husband

"Bitch, don't be lazy. Do it yourself" Ed spat at his wife. He was going to approach her but Jesse walked over

"Is something wrong?" Jesse asked as he glared at Ed. Ed was a big guy but Jesse had some muscle. Ed glared at the man before he went back into his tent. Carol looked at Jesse thankfully as Camila returned with water. Carol took the water from Camila and drank it

"Thank you" She told the woman. Camila smiled

"No problem" Camila responded. Then a car alarm could be heard in the distance. It was getting louder

"What is that?" Jesse asked

"I believe it's a car alarm" Camila told him. Dale was using his binoculars to see

"I can't tell yet" He told the group

"Is it them? Are they back?" Amy asked hopefully. The alarm kept getting louder and louder

"I'll be damned" Dale said

"What is it?" Amy asked

"A stolen car is my guess" Dale said as he lowered his binoculars. The car making all the noise drove right into camp. It was an expensive car

"God damn, look at that beauty" Jesse said referring to the car. Everyone approached the car as it parked. Glenn came out with a big ass grin on his face

"Holy crap. Turn that damn thing off!" Dale yelled

"I don't know how!" Glenn admitted

"Pop the hood, please. Pop the damn hood, please" Shane told Glenn

"My sister Andrea-" Amy was cut off as Jesse managed to shut the car alarm off. Everyone was talking to Glenn

"What? Okay okay. Yeah yeah yeah. She's okay! She's okay!" Glenn yelled feeling overwhelmed

"Is she coming back?" Amy asked

"Yes!" Glenn exclaimed

"Why isn't she with you? Where is she? She's okay?" Amy asked

"Yes, Glenn has said it like three times now Amy" Camila said as Glenn sighed

"Everybody is fine. Well, Merle not so much" Glenn said. Shane walked up

"Are you crazy, driving this wailing bastard up here? Are you trying to draw every walker for miles?" Shane asked

"I think we're okay" Dale said

"You call being stupid okay?" Shane asked as he looked back at Dale

"Well, the alarm was echoing all over these hills. Hard to pinpoint the source" Dale explained which got a look from Shane

"I'm not arguing. I'm just saying. It wouldn't hurt you to think things through a little more carefully next time, would it?" Dale asked Glenn. Glenn felt guilty

"Sorry. Got a cool car" Glenn said. Camila walked over to Glenn

"You're so lucky. Next time invite me" She told the man, who gave her a goofy smile

"This is a nice one" Jesse said as he analyzed the car. That's when a truck approached. The truck parked and out came Andrea. Andrea and Amy ran into each other's arms and cried. Next came out Jacqui. Then it was Morales, whos entire family came to greet him. Then T-Dog

"You are a welcome sight" Dale said before he hugged Morales. The two laughing. "I thought we had lost you folks for sure"

"How'd yall yet out of there anyway?" Shane asked

"The new guy- he got us out" Glenn explained. Camila's ears perked up at this. Fresh meat

"New guy?" Shane asked

"Yeah, crazy vato just got into town. Hey, helicopter boy! Come say hello!" Morales yelled as the sound of a truck door shutting was heard. It was a man wearing a sheriff's uniform. "The guy's a cop like you"

Shane stared at the man in shock. It seemed that the officer knew Shane. Lori and Carl looked over. Tears in their eyes. The man looked like he was gonna cry as he pointed to Lori and Carl

"Oh my God" He breathed out as he began walking towards them

"Dad! Dad!" Carl yelled as he ran towards the man. Camila's jaw dropped. The man took Carl in his arms as he hugged his son. Lori couldn't believe what she was seeing. Camila couldn't either. That comment she made to Lori, was a joke. It had become reality. For a moment she thought she might be psychic. Lori embraced her husband as she cried. Then she made eye contact with Shane, who was smiling at their reunion. But Lori looked upset at Shane. The man turned to Shane with a grateful smile

The group was gathered around a fire as the new guy, Rick, explained his experiences. Camila rested her head in Glenn's lap as she listened

"Disoriented. I guess that comes the closest. Disoriented. Fear, confusion- all those things but.. disoriented comes the closest" Rick explained

"So, like I don't wanna ruin the mood. I know we're all happy about this reunion but I feel like it's fair that I announce that you my friend have been-" Camila was cut off as Glenn slapped a hand over her mouth. The rest came out as muffles. It seems like he knew what she was going to say

"What was that?" Rick asked

"Words can be meager things. Sometimes they fall short" Dale said changing the subject. Rick nodded

"I felt like I'd been ripped out of my life and put somewhere else. For a while I thought I was trapped in some coma dream, something I might not ever wake up from" Rick said. Carl looked up at his father

"Mom said you died" Carl said. Rick looked down at his son

"She had every reason to believe that. Don't you ever doubt it" Rick told his son. Lori glared at Shane. The conversation had carried on but Camila tuned it out

"I can't tell how grateful I am to you, Shane" Rick said

"Well, actually-" Camila had another hand slapped over her mouth

"Shut up" Glenn told her quietly. She rolled her eyes and tuned out the conversation once more. Ed had put more wood in his fire which pissed of Shane. Shane walked over to Ed and threatened him. Camila grinned. She wanted to see Ed get his ass beat

"Have you given any thought to Daryl Dixon? He won't be happy to hear his brother was left behind" Dale said

"I'll tell him. I dropped the key. It's on me" T-Dog said

"I cuffed him. That makes it mine" Rick said

"Guys, it's not a competition. I don't mean to bring race into this, but it might sound better coming from a white guy" Glenn said

"Yeah, Glenn's right. Those rednecks aren't exactly fond of us" Jesse said

"I did what I did. Hell if I'm gonna hide from him" T-Dog said

"Yeah, but Daryl got some muscle. He might beat your ass" Camila spoke up

"Then so be it" T-Dog said

"We could lie" Amy said

"Or just tell the truth. Merle was out of control. Something had to be done or he'd have gotten us killed. Your husband did what was necessary. And if Merle got left behind, it is nobody's fault but Merle's" Andrea told Lori

"And that's what we tell Daryl? I don't see a rational discussion to be had from that, do you?" Dale asked

"Nope. It'll end in a fight" Camila said

"We're gonna have our hands full when he gets back from his hunt" Dale said

"I was scared and I ran. I'm not ashamed of it" T-Dog admitted

"We were all scared. We all ran. What's your point?" Andrea asked

"I stopped long enough to chain that door. Staircase is narrow. Maybe half a dozen geeks can squeeze against it at any one time. It's not enough to break through that- not that chain, not that padlock. My point- Dixon's alive. And he's still up there, handcuffed on that roof. That's on us" T-Dog said

Camila was in her tent changing. Jesse was also in the tent but he was reading a book. He did not give a shit. Camila took off her shirt

"You are like the only straight man in existence who doesn't take the opportunity to get a peek" Camila told him. He snorted

"I've seen 'em, not all that" He said. The tent opened. Camila turned to see Glenn

"So Dale said he need-" Glenn cut himself off as he stared at Camila who was in a bra and some pants.

"Yes, Glenn?" Camila asked with a smile

"I- um.. I.." Glenn couldn't respond. He just left embarrassed. Camila laughed as she put a clean shirt on

"He's so cute" Camila said

"Please don't screw in this tent. I sleep here" Jesse said

"Woah, slow down there" Camila said

Glenn stared at the men taking apart his new car. One of those men being Jesse

"Vultures" Glenn muttered. Camilia wrapped her arm around Glenn's shoulder

"They need it for the RV" She told him

"Yeah, go on. Strip it clean" Glenn said annoyed

"I'm sure, you'll find another car" Camila told him

"But I want that car" Glenn said. Camila rested her head on Glenn's shoulder

"You'll be fine" She told him. He folded

"Okay" He said

"Damn, you already whipped. That's crazy" Jesse said as Shane rolled up in a vehicle full of fresh water

"Water's here, yall. Just a reminder to boil before use" Shane said as he got out of the car. Everyone helped unload the water until a scream was heard in the forest

"Mom!" Carl yelled. Camila picked up a nearby axe and ran off towards the sound. She could hear the pirates of the Caribbean theme playing in her head as she ran. Jesse was right behind her with a wrench in his hand. The group of them ran to see a walker eating an animal

"This is what the fuss was over?" Camila asked as she deadpanned. She noticed two of Daryl's arrows were in it. She saw no one was going to kill it. She rolled her eyes and walked over to the walker. It turned and she swung the axe down, splitting its head in two. She pulled the axe back and walked the walker drop

"That was so hard" She said

"It's the first one we've had up here. They never come this far up the mountain" Dale exclaimed

"Well, they're running out of food in the city, that's what" Jim said. The sound of a branch snapping alerted everyone

"Stand back, and let the man here show you how it's done" Camila said as she got ready to throw her axe. She saw a figure and launched her axe. The figure quickly dodged the flying axe

"What the hell, man?!" A familiar voice rang out. It was Daryl

"Sorry!" Camila apologized

"You almost took my head off! And my fucking kill!" Daryl yelled seeing the state of his prey

"Look at it. All gnawed on by this.. filthy, disease-bearing, motherless poxy bastard!" Daryl yelled as he kicked the walker corpse

"Yes, keep kicking it. That will surely do some good" Jesse spoke up. Daryl glared at the man

"You got a fucking problem?!" Daryl yelled as he got in Jesse's face

"Relax" Shane said. Daryl sighed and turned around. He retrieved his arrows

"I've been tracking this deer for miles. Gonna drag it back to camp, cook us up some venison. What do you think? Do you think we can cut around this chewed up part right here?" Daryl asked as he pointed at where the walker ate the deer

"I'd rather starve" Camila said

"That's a damn shame" Daryl said as he sighed. "I got some squirrel- bout a dozen or so. That'll have to do"

The group went back to camp and Daryl called out for his older brother, only to not get a response. Shane tried to stop Daryl. Rick explained what happened to Daryl

"Hold on. Let me process this. You're saying you handcuffed my brother to a roof and you left him there?!" Daryl yelled. Rick nodded. Daryl threw his squirrels at Rick. Rick dodged and Shane tackled Daryl. Daryl took out a knife

"Watch the knife" T-Dog said. Daryl swung the knife at Rick, and Rick dodged once more. Rick and Shane restrained Daryl

"Choke hold's illegal" Daryl said to Shane

"You can file a complant" Shane told the redneck. Rick tried to reason with Daryl. Shane let Daryl go. Rick tried to explain why he did what he did

"It's not his fault. I had the key. I dropped it" T-Dog spoke up

"You couldn't just pick it up?" Daryl asked

"Well, I dropped it in a drain" T-Dog said. Daryl got up and threw some dirt

"If it's supposed to make me feel better, it don't" Daryl spat out. Daryl started crying

"Hell with all yall! Just tell me where he is. So's I can go get him" Daryl said

"He'll show you. Isn't that right?" Lori asked her husband

"I'm going back" Rick said

"Rick? Could you throw me a bone here, man? Could you tell me why? Why would you risk your life for a douche bag like Merle Dixon?" Shane asked

"Hey, choose your words more carefully" Daryl spat out

"I did. Douche bag's what I meant. Merle Dixon- The guy wouldn't give you a glass of water if you were dying of thirst" Shane explained

"That is true" Camila spoke up earning a glare from Daryl

"What he would or wouldn't do doesn't interest me. I can't let a man die of thirst- me. Thirst and exposure. We left him like an animal caught in a trap. That's no way for anything to die, let alone a human being" Rick said

"I don't know if I'd consider him a human being" Jesse spoke up. Camila nodded in agreement

"So you and Daryl, that's your big plan?" Lori asked. Rick looked at Glenn, who groaned

"Oh, come on" Glenn said

"You know the way. You've been there before- in and out, no problem. You said so yourself" Rick said. "It's not fair of me to ask- I know that- but I'd feel a lot better with you along. I know she would too"

"That's just great. Now you're gonna risk three men, huh?" Shane asked

"Four" T-Dog spoke up. Daryl scoffed

"My day just gets better and better, don't it?" Daryl said

"You see anybody else here stepping up to save your brother's cracker ass?" T-Dog asked

"Real" Camila said. Shane and Rick began to have a disagreement

Camila was helping the other women wash clothes. Jesse was busy with Dale, and his shitty RV. Shane was playing with Carl in the water

"I'm beginning to question the division of labor here" Jacqui said

"Sexism" Camila sang out. Jacqui nodded

"Honestly because can someone explain to me how the women wound up doing all the Hattie McDaniel work?" Jacqui asked

"The world ended. Didn't you get the memo?" Amy asked

"It's just the way it is" Carol said as she stared at her husband

"Honestly, Carol. You could do so much better than him. You shouldn't let him push you around like that" Camila said. Carol looked at her

"I don't want to talk about this" Carol said as she scrubbed the clothes. "I do miss my maytag"

"I miss my Benz, my sat nav" Andrea said

"I miss my coffeemaker with that dual-drip filter and built in grinder, honey" Jacqui said

"I miss my phone" Camila said

"Same" Amy said

"I miss my vibrator" Andrea admitted causing everyone to laugh

"Me too" Carol said making everyone laugh harder

"What's so funny?" Ed asked

"None of your damn business, Ed" Camila said

"You shouldn't talk to me like that" Ed said. Camila stood up

"I'll talk to you however, I want to" She responded. Ed came closer to the group of women

"You ought to focus on your work. This ain't no comedy club" Ed told his wife

"I don't see your lazy ass doing anything" Camila spoke up before she threw wet clothes at him. He caught it, and threw it back into Camila's face

"Ain't my job, missy" He said

"Bitch, I know you did not jus-" Camila was cut off

"Camila, don't" Andrea said

"No, no. I'm just curious on why this fucker thinks he can talk to me like I'm his bitch" Camila said

"Shut up, bitch. Carol, let's go" Ed said to his wife. She got up

"She's fine right here" Camila said

"None of your business" Ed said. Camila stopped Carol

"Hey, don't think I won't knock you on your ass just 'cause you're a woman. All right?" Ed asked. Camila had a shocked smile on her face. She was about to kill this man

"Now you come on now or you gonna regret it later" Ed told his wife

"So she can show up with fresh bruises later, Ed?" Jacqui asked

"We've seen them" Andrea said

"Stay out of this. Now come on! I am done talking. Come on" Ed said as he grabbed Carol's arm. Camila slapped Ed across the face before she pulled out her knife. The women gasped in shocked as she pointed it at Ed

"Back the fuck up!" She said. Ed backed up as he stared at the knife

"Put that down little missy, you don't want to hurt yourself" Ed taunted. Camila scoffed

"Honey, I sure as hell can use this thing a lot better than you. It's not my first rodeo" Camila said

"The hell's that supposed to mean?" Ed asked

"Well see a couple years ago, I was tried for first degree murder, and due to a lack of evidence, the case was dropped. But the thing is, I did do it, and I enjoyed it" Camila said with a smile as she grabbed Ed by the throat

"I'm surprised you guys don't remember. It was all over the news. Maybe this will jog your memory. 'Man was dismembered and nailed to a wall'" Camila said. Carol screamed causing Shane to run over

"Oh my God. It is you. I remember seeing you on the news" Jacqui said in shock

"There we go" She said. Shane. Shane tackled Camila to the ground

"Drop the knife!" He yelled. Camila rolled her eyes and dropped the knife

"What the hell are you thinking? We don't do that here!" Shane yelled

"It's not like anybody would miss him" She said. Shane shook his head

"Be careful, she's a murderer!" Andrea yelled out. Shane looked at Camila confused

"What the hell's she talking bout?" He asked

"Actually I was never convicted, so.." Camila said

"But you did it" Jacqui said

"That's true" Camila said. The incident got Camila handcuffed to the RV. Jesse looked at her

"They found out, huh?" He asked

"Yup" She said

"How's the weather down there, Cami?" Dale asked

"Just wonderful" She said trying to get out of the handcuffs. Dale climbed down the RV and looked at her

"Why'd you do it?" Dale asked. Camila raised an eyebrow

"You'll have to be more specific. I've done a lot of things" She said

"Why'd you kill that man?" He asked. She looked at him

"Why do you ask?" She said

"I don't think you're some crazy killer like everyone's making you to be" Dale admitted

"And what if you're wrong, and I really am a crazy killer" Camila said as she flashed crazy eyes at him. Dale shook his head

"You're not" He said. Camila nodded

"Well, I had this friend back in high-school. She was dating this really hot guy. Football player, rich. I mean, he was the whole deal. Things were great, until they weren't. She realized things weren't working, so she tried to break up with him. He didn't take it well. Things got violent, and she ended up in the hospital with 6 broken bones, and a punctured lung. She ended up dying from her injuries. So, he was put on a trial for 2nd degree murder, and I thought, 'he's gonna rot in jail. He's gonna suffer', but I was wrong. They found him innocent. He managed to come up with this whole story and the court bought it. So, I did what the court couldn't. I found him guilty, and I gave him his punishment" Camila said nonchalantly

"I'm sorry about your friend" Dale said

"Yeah, me too. But I got revenge for her" Camila said with a smile

(3627 words)
11/17/23