RATIONING seemed to be the bane of Nellie's existence. The last time she had felt so hungry was when she was feeling self conscious and hadn't indulged any cravings for food.

As she helped Joel past the first door— which he used a keycard to open. They headed past two more doors and down six hallways.

Nellie realized they must be inside some part of the zoo except most of the exhibits were covered up with makeshift curtains which gave her a weary feeling.

The seems of the poorly sewn together fabrics stuck out to her keen brown eyes.

"Why are they covered?" She asked after a moments reluctance.

"Don't." He sharply replied. She went silent and nodded. Realizing she must have struck some sort of nerve.

• • •

Meanwhile, Rick has found his family again thanks to the kindness within a group of strangers, and an oddly optimistic man named Glenn.

When the group asked how he got there, he gave his explanation.

Then as an afterthought, he accidentlly said "I know it's not as cool as getting mugged—"

"What?" One of them interrupted confused and a bit concerned. He couldn't remember the name of the man but he had two kids.

"Uh— sorry, Nevermind," Rick mumbled, furrowing his brows in thought. Why had he thought of that? Where had he heard that? He strained to recall it till his attention was needed elsewhere.

• • •

At Otis' farm, waiting for Carl to wake up after the surgery. Hershel's youngest daughter Beth, handed him a worn Garfield comic for when the boy woke.

Claiming in a follow up sentence that it could be a good distraction for him also, considering how tedious and tense the wait had seemed.

'Huh, Garfield,' he thought to himself.

'Garfield's always good for a laugh,' he finds himself thinking...

• • •

Nellie watched Joel intently as he struggled to get something done with his injury.

"Uh- do you want me too—"

"Just stay there." Joel grumbled while continuing to struggle.

"Yeah okay," she awkwardly complied, hands folded.

• • •

After Carl healed up from his wound, the group hit the road again.

Rick was out hunting with Daryl, his brown eyes scanning the Forrest carefully.

His dull eyes fell on a bunny rabbit. A soft 'huh' leaving his lips.

"Something wrong?" Daryl softly grunted through the corner of his mouth. Cartful not to scare any potential prey.

"Huh? nah-" he mumbled back. The ears on the bunny drawing his attention in once more.

Those ears reminded him of something... someone?

400 words • • •