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Of Blood and Breath

Chapter 15: Age Versus Experience


"We'll clean this up in the mornin'," Shane was the first to speak. "There's only a few more hours of dark left. Women and children, get some sleep. The men will take turns stayin' up on watch."

The most of the survivors nodded in agreement with Shane's choice. Andrea sat by her sister's lifeless body as Dale watched cautiously.

"So, let's talk 'bout the shifts," Forrest said as the women and children retreated towards their tents.

"You ain't a part of this," Shane said.

"What the hell are ya talkin' 'bout?" Forrest snapped.

"You're still a child," Shane answered. "You're goin' back to your tent."

"No, I ain't," Forrest argued. "I don't give a shit how old I am, I'm takin' a shift."

"Shane," Rick said calmly. "I've seen him with that tomahawk of his. He ain't too bad. If he insists on takin' a shift, let him take it."

Shane looked to the ground then his eyes went from Rick to Forrest. "Fine." He nodded.

"Ya sure ya don' want the sleep?" Daryl muttered questioningly to his nephew.

"I'm sure," Forrest muttered back with a nod.

"As long as Andrea is out here, I'm going to be out here," Dale chimed in.

"Okay," Shane agreed. "You can take your post on top of the RV."

"Rick, Forrest, Glenn, and T-Dog take the first few hours of watch," Shane instructed. "Forrest and Rick'll take watch down at the quarry, Glenn and T will watch over the tent area. Daryl and Jim will take Rick and Forrest's shift, Morales and I can take Glenn and T's shift after a few hours."

"Sounds like a good plan," Rick agreed.

The second shift men went back to their tents and Glenn and T-Dog were following behind them, weapons in hand.

"You ready?" Rick asked Forrest.

"Hold on a sec," Forrest said. "Meet me down there. I wanna talk to Andrea."

The sheriff's deputy nodded and went down to the quarry. Forrest approached Andrea to offer his condolences.

"Hey," he said quietly, kneeling down to the woman.

She didn't respond.

"Amy was nice," Forrest wasn't quite sure what to say. "We're all gonna miss her, ya know that right?"

The blonde still gave no response.

"I'm... I'm sorry about what happened to her," he continued. "I'm sorry that ya lost her. I'd give my own life up so you could have her back alive with ya and safe."

He wasn't sure if Andrea believed his words, but he knew that they probably weren't doing her any good anyway.

"I know that nothin' I say or do will bring yer baby sister back, but all I can say is that I'm real sorry."

A tear streamed down the woman's face as she offered her sister a look of melancholy that shone in her blue eyes. He had a strange urge to hug her and tell her that she was going to be okay, that she was going to make it through this. He didn't want to leave her here, even if Dale was right by her side, but he had a duty to fulfill.

"Sorry, but I gotta go meet the cop down by the quarry," Forrest stated, then stood up and began walking down the hill towards the quarry.

The cop. He was the asshole who left his father handcuffed on a roof in the middle of the walker-infested city. At the same time, he had reasoned with Shane when Forrest wanted to assist in the watch duty. He sensed goodness in the man, but wasn't sure who he really was and was a bit curious to find out a bit more of Shane's best friend. He knew why Shane had set the two up on watch duty together. Rick was the one who had argued Forrest's case and Shane knew there could be tension between the two because of Merle being left in Atlanta.

"Thanks fer standin' up fer me back there," Forrest said to Rick who looked like he was gazing up at the stars.

"Thanks for not killin' me after I left your dad on the roof," Rick replied, seeing that Forrest was a bit bothered by the comment.

Merle's son was obviously not too thrilled about not finding his father.

"Ya should be in that tent back there with Lori an' Carl," Forrest changed the subject, not wanting to talk about his dad.

"Someone's gotta keep watch," Rick stated. "I'm doin' my best to contribute to this group."

"Ya've done a fine job," Forrest admitted. "Ya got that group outta Atlanta an' ya went back fer the one ya left behind. Ya risked everythin' to save Glenn from those Vatos even though ya didn't have ta. Yer fine by me, but don' think I've forgotten 'bout my dad. Ya should be in that tent with yer family. Ya've got a strong wife, a good boy."

"So does Merle Dixon," Rick smiled.

"I ain't so sure 'bout that," Forrest muttered.

"Well, why not?" Rick asked. "I heard that you once went into Atlanta alone to save Glenn."

"He saved me first," Forrest shrugged.

"And you returned that favor," Rick pointed out. "When we went back into Atlanta for your dad and Glenn got kidnapped, you went t save him then too."

"He's my friend," Forrest replied. "Wasn't just gonna leave him to be beaten to death or eaten by dogs."

"It's not somethin' you can argue with," Rick countered. "I can see it in your eyes. You are a good person. I've dealt with bad people enough to know the difference."

"I've lived with bad people my whole life," Forrest responded. "They were my friends, my neighbors, my family. You shouldn't be so quick ta tell me what kind o' person ya think I am."

"The way you spoke, though," Rick began. "You told me that I should be with my family right now instead of on watch. Only good people are concerned with family."

Forrest gave a slight chuckle at Rick's almost innocent outlook on life. The man was probably almost twenty years older than Forrest, but he hadn't seen or been through the things that Forrest had. Of course he would have a different outlook on life than Forrest did. Though maybe Rick's was wiser. They were dealing with age versus experience. Who is really wise? The man who lives one-hundred years in peace and happiness, or the man who lives fifty years through pain and hardships?

Suddenly, a rustle in the bushes interrupted their conversation. The two looked to each other then back at the source of the noise. Forrest drew his tomahawk and Rick his revolver.

"Ya best not fire that thing," Forrest advised. "Ya really wanna draw in every walker fer miles?"
Rick nodded, holstering his gun and pulling out a small switch-blade. Forrest approached the edge of the forest and peered threw the bushes to see two more walkers stumbling towards them. Forrest held up his fingers, signalling that there were two walkers, to Rick. The two walkers stumbled forwards and exited the bushes. Forrest used his tomahawk to take out the first one, while Rick stabbed the other on the top of the head. It appeared that the switch-blade was not long enough the penetrate the walker's active part of the brain because the walker kept chomping at Rick. The man looked slightly confused. Forrest raised his tomahawk, but before he could finish the walker, a familiar bolt went flying through its head. Daryl.

"Shifts over," Daryl stated, Jim standing next to him with a wooden baseball bat. "Ya best git all the sleep ya can 'fore mornin' comes 'round. Looks like ya may need a longer blade."

Rick nodded at the crossbow-wielding redneck.

Rick and Forrest retreated to their tents to sleep the best they could for a few hours.

Notes

Comments

Hope to see this fic continue, its super good

Twitterpated Twitterpated
10/7/17

@thewalkerinme
I have some plans for the future. Thanks so much, your feedback means a lot to me. You'll have to wait and see :)

ForrestDixon ForrestDixon
4/17/16

@thewalkerinme
I have some plans for the future. Thanks so much, your feedback means a lot to me. You'll have to wait and see :)

ForrestDixon ForrestDixon
4/17/16

Ahhh! God, I freaking adore Forrest. He's such a great dude. The future of this story excites me to no end. How will you play out the zach thing, and her death, and just her whole story ark in general agh I'm so excited to find out! Beth and Forrest have the cutest scenes together, and he even fits so well with other characters like talking to Rick and Dale *sobs agh my heart*
Keep this up. I look forward to many many more updates!

thewalkerinme thewalkerinme
4/17/16

@thewalkerinme
Sorry for not seeing this until now. I'll do my best to get this story fully back in action. Thanks for commenting!

ForrestDixon ForrestDixon
4/10/16