In a world taken over by walkers, ten-year-old Elodie fights to survive each day. But she's not just any survivor-she's a girl who happens to be hard of hearing. Her older brother Jamie isn't exactly supportive. In fact, he's downright cold, leaving...
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"Hey, Elodie," Glenn said, nudging the girl's shoulder as he crouched down next to her. "Got something for you."
Elodie looked up from where she was sitting on the grass, tilting her head in confusion as she waited for Glenn to show her what he got. He reached into his bag and pulled out a couple of packs of hearing aid batteries. Elodie's eyebrows shot up in surprise, a smile tugging at her lips. Glenn had gone out of his way to get her those, even though she never asked him to.
"Here," he said, giving the packs to Elodie, who took them with a grin. "Oh, and-" He reached back into his bag, seemingly tugging at something before his hand shot out of the bag. He cursed under his breath before smiling again and holding out a small, worn-out pouch, handing it to Elodie with a sheepish grin.
"I found this little bag lying around," he explained. "Thought you could use it to keep your batteries safe, since, y'know, you lost yours at the CDC."
Elodie's eyes widened in surprise as she took the pouch, running her fingers over the fabric. It was simple, but it was perfect for storing her batteries and keeping them from getting lost or damaged.
"Thank you," she said with a bright smile, prompting Glenn to smile back before standing up. He ruffled her hair affectionately before walking off, leaving Elodie to admire the bag in her hands.
She reached into her back pocket, retrieving the cards she had found on the highway. Though she was learning sign language with Beth now, having the cards as a backup plan felt reassuring. Carefully, she placed them inside the bag, zipping it up with a content smile.
Slung over her shoulder, the bag's strap was as long as her upper body. Elodie allowed herself to fall flat onto the grass with a huff, squinting her eyes against the sun.
"What's goin' through that mind of yours, Elodie?" She heard Carol's voice say, so she raised her head from the grass to look at her.
"I'm bored," she groaned, rolling over onto her stomach. "Carl's not here, and everyone's busy doin' somethin'."
"Weren't you doing something with Beth earlier?" Carol asked.
"Yes. I think she's with Jimmy now."
"Isn't Carl awake?"
"I don't know." Elodie shrugged, fiddling with a blade of grass. "Think Lori's with him."
Carol glanced over at the house, her expression thoughtful. "I saw they have horses here. Do you like horses?"
At that, Elodie turned back around so she was on her back before pushing herself up. She nodded her head eagerly. "Yes. Yes, I like horses."
Excitement bubbled up within Elodie at the mention of horses. It had been a while since she had petted a horse. The last time was when she had been around five years old. She, her mom and Jamie had gone to a children's zoo, and she had gotten to pet a horse. Jamie had been terrified. He had decided to hide behind their mother, keeping as far away from the horse as possible.
