{ don't let me down }

SHAYLEE RENEE 💮 hurry up now, i need a miracle

[loganxprice-blog]

“ … W h a t ? ”

                           “ Sorry. Can’t say I was listenin’.                               — Mind elsewhere ‘n all. ”

[shayleemoore-blog]

I said, did you want this piece of bread? It’s hard, but it’s still food...

You know, it’s probably not safe to zone out like that...

[shimmersss]

“my brother, he’s still out there. i know he is.”

[howliingsamuel-deactivated20210]

DJ couldn’t even remember the last time he’s actually gotten a night of decent sleep. For the past month or so ever since shit started heading south DJ’s nights consisted of waking up for what felt like every thirty minutes. Many reasons behind it, whether it was the reoccurring nightmares of the walkers he’s killed, and his brother and father reminding him what scum of the earth he was. DJ was sure though that a huge part of his sleep deprivation had to due with paranoia as well. Understandably, as no one wanted to wake up the sounds of walkers chomping onto their flesh, or coming within distance of them. Who wanted to spend their time running for their lives while groggy and tired?

With a nice spot within camp, though still some distance away from the others, DJ laid there with a jacket being used as a pillow and his mother’s hair clip in hand. It had still been day, but DJ knew he needed to rest before he’d find himself collapsing and passing out out of nowhere. However, the troubles behind his lack of sleep still remained so instead DJ only examined the hair clip in hand. Thoughts of his mother roaming free in his mind as he thought about a life that could have been. A happy life? Or maybe even this same life and at least having her by his side.

He was lost in his own thoughts that he almost couldn’t hear someone walking towards his direction, unsure if they were actually approaching him or not. Regardless it was enough for him to react quick and shove the hair clip back into his pocket with his eyes glancing over to the side where the other was. “It’s kinda hard to some rest around here, isn’t it?” He asked as his body shifted around a bit. Unfortunately for him this was as comfortable as it would get.

[shayleemoore-blog]

 Leaning over a small hole filled with mucky water, Shaylee sighed as she wiped her forehead with the back of her damp hand. She’d been trying to wash things. Clothes, dishes. It was next to impossible. They needed to find some damn water that wasn’t under June’s constant watch. Reaching for one of the cans she thought was empty, the girl was surprised to find food still left in it. Did someone not eat their portion?

Trying to think back to everyone’s “breakfast”, she noted a face that was missing. DJ. Turning to glance over her shoulder at the for the most part currently deserted camp, it didn’t take long for her eyes to fall on his form. The man was lying on the ground, his back was to her, but with the lack of it slowly and rising from sleep - she assumed he was just resting. Wiping her hands off as best she could on her fading jeans, Shaylee placed the wet clothes she had just soaked on a tree branch and approached DJ with the can of food in her palm. Immediately feeling like she was intruding after his comment, she felt her cheeks grow even warmer with a blush. “Oh my God, were you sleeping?” Feeling embarrased, Shaylee stuck a freshly clean plastic fork into the offering in her hand. “Sorry I just...I didn’t see you eat anything earlier, wanted to make sure you ate...” Setting the dented, half full can of beans on the dirt beside him, she kneeled at his side. Uncomfortable silence was the only thing she truly hated in the world, she shifted a little in her spot, clearing her throat. “Are you okay? Feeling okay? You aren’t feeling like sick are you?”

[nicolauslaris-blog]

Malcolm was a lot of things, but he wasn’t one to lecture. He was often the one telling people to do their stupid ideas in the first place. But not now, not when there could be a walker anywhere. “Thinking? This isn’t the place to think. There’s a perfectly good area in the camp where you can think freely.” Dammit, he was lecturing her. 

“Those things are unpredictable. If they travel like damn herds, you’re screwed.” He replied bluntly. Malcolm had to stop himself from laughing at Shaylee, the way that she was waving a knife as if it’d stop all of them. “Having a knife doesn’t mean shit if there’s multiple walkers.” 

 He didn’t know why, but he practically invited himself to sit with her, plopping himself down next to her. “What could you possibly be thinkin’ about right now?” 

[shayleemoore-blog]

Shaylee couldn’t help but to pout as he continued, crossing her arms. “This isn’t a prison, I can do whatever I damn well please.” She scoffed, watching him sit down next to her, she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and returned her attention to her knife. He was right. She knew he was right, she hadn’t even killed one yet, she’d have no idea what to do if a herd crept up on her. She’d be done for. Part of her wondered if it would really be that bad. Biting her lip, her pride still refuses to admit Malcolm was right. It was like her Momma always used to say, Shaylee was stubborn as a mule. 

“Nothin’...” She huffed, trying to keep her eyes anywhere but on his. Silence fell for a moment and it made her uncomfortable, she had always hated things being too quiet. Sighing, she rolled her eyes again. “I’m thinkin’ that we’re running low on resources. Thinkin’ that I’d probably kill to sleep on anything that isn’t the ground. Thinkin’ that I don’t want everyone to be suffering like this, there’s gotta be somethin’ out there that could help us...” Unable to catch herself from letting the next statement slip from her lips, she felt her chest tighten slightly. “Thinkin’ about my brother. Hoping he’s okay. Hoping he made it, somehow...he’s a lot stronger than I am, a lot braver. He deserves to be here, not me...”

[riskxyourlife]

Rhys still felt like an outsider. He hadn’t been around as long as the others had, and he wished that was the reason he felt like he didn’t quite it in. In reality, it was just the opinion of the others that made him feel distanced. Everyone, besides Shaylee. Which is why he had wandered out into the woods after he spotted her walking out into the woods. Her question caught him slightly of guard, but he didn’t bother to comment on it.

Instead he approached her, without Hypno trailing behind for once, and lowered himself onto the ground beside her. He bent his legs in front of him, and heaved out a long sigh. “I didn’t realize I was required to need something before I came to talk to you.” Rhys said lightly, lifting his arm to wipe the sweat off his forehead with his sleeve. 

[shayleemoore-blog]

Shaylee immediately relaxed, watching Rhys sit down next to her. Rhys and his dog appearing out of thin air had been a saving grace for her, she was beginning to feel like she’d never quite understand anyone else in the camp. They all had different objectives, were in different spots when the world ended. Things she was beginning to realize, she might never understand. But, while wandering down different metaphorical trails, Shaylee and Rhys were still doing it at the same pace. Still trying to find themselves, it just now happened that involved doing so with killing and the constant threat of zombies.

 Feeling bad now for her comment, she laughed a little. “Oh it’s a requirement, especially for you.” Offering him a half hearted smile, she shook her head and returned her gaze to the small knife in her lap. “Sorry, I guess I was waiting for someone else to come out here and yell at me. I should just have ‘liability’ tattooed on my forehead.”

[nicolauslaris-blog]

His eyes wandering was what caused his attention to turn towards Shaylee. The two of them argued profusely over nothing. She was virtually helpless in his eyes, a true child in a world that was no longer. 

“If I needed something, you’d know.” Malcolm had a tendency to act rather cold towards the younger woman, though it did seem as if he cared for her more than he wanted to admit. He feels as if it’s his responsibility to make sure that she stays alive. The man has a heart of gold along with a being rather forward about everything. It was an odd combination but it was to be expected from a man that had fought his whole life.

“Why are you out here? All alone?” He inquired, sounding as nonchalant as he could. Granted the camp was right within reach of her, it could only be a blink of an eye before everything turned to shit. “Ya know it’s pretty dangerous to even be this far from camp.” It wasn’t as dangerous for most, but for her, he sensed as if it was.

[shayleemoore-blog]

Malcolm’s voice broke through the quiet air and Shaylee held back an eye roll. They’d been at each other’s throats since they met and she really wasn’t even sure why. The only impressive ability about him that she could recall was how quickly he could get on her damn nerves. He was unlike any man she’d met in her life, rough edges and a wild attitude. Yet, there was still a warmth about him.

Regardless of their strange relationship, curiosity crept into her mind. He didn’t have to come see her. Then her momma’s voice rang through her subconscious like instinct, don’t be rude Shaylee Renee. “I was just thinkin’...” She mumbled, finally allowing herself to look over at the man who was at least a head taller than her. It made no sense and maybe, in that reasoning, it’s why she tried so hard to hate him. He was, like her, dirty, hungry, thirsty, tired. Yet, she found herself wanting to know what color his eyes were. 

The moment came and went just as fast as soon as he flatly reminded her what he thought. What they all thought. Innocent, little Shaylee. The word dangerous was enough to irk her and the eye roll she fought back, came to the surface. “You come over here to lecture me, Mr. Lancaster? We haven’t seen any of those things in days.” Grabbing for the small knife in her lap, she held it up to him, waving it around slightly before dropping it back into her lap. “I got my knife, I’m fine.”

[shayleemoore-blog]

The days were still hot, unbearably hot. The humid, somehow, seemed to stick around more in the middle of the forest. Finding a spot under a tree only a few feet away from their camp, Shaylee had not so gracefully slumped down into the dirt and enjoyed the slight shielding from the sun. In another life, she would’ve been upset her jeans were now dirty. Her sweaty, dirty hair, clinging to her cheeks. It’s funny, it wasn’t really that long ago, still it felt like a lifetime. She would’ve objected to camping or the woods at all; the idea of running into a snake or any other kind of creature with wings and more than four legs, did not sound like her idea or fun. But this wasn’t about fun, camping, or good jeans anymore.

It’s survival. Something she was still left continuously praying her brother had better luck with than she did. Fidgeting with a plain, silver cross that still hung from her neck, the sound of footsteps caught her attention. Sitting up slightly from the sound, it was too paced, too human to be a threat. The small hunting knife in her hand seemed to feel heavier with that thought. She still hadn’t even killed a walker yet. Would she ever be able to?

Not turning to see who it was, Shaylee cleared her throat. "Did you need something?”

[shimmersss]

“my brother, he’s still out there. i know he is.”

[shimmersss]

be still and go on to bed, nobody knows what lies ahead