Paint You Wings

Chapter Six - Daryl

I walked to my room after I gave Jakki a little visit. I sat on my bed and kicked off my shoes before sitting against my headboard with the legs splayed out in front of me.

Jakki did good today, whether or not she wanted to admit it. She twisted her ankle, yeah, but there was a good reason. She was still good at fending off the dead.

I saw her jump from the stairs. I was heading there after I heard her yell. Right when I turned the corner, she jumped. She looked bad ass while doing it. It was almost like something out of those comics Carl reads. This didn't really help my case.

She seemed to get even more attractive as the days passed by. She could shoot and she knew how to handle a knife. I've always liked girls who could fight and kill.

       Watching her handle her knife was a surprise. It's bigger than her head but she acts like it's nothing. Watching her work is really interesting.

       I know she's in pain out there. She has this look on her face that just screams it. But she keeps going. I can admire that.

       I covered my face with my hands and rubbed my eyes, attempting to erase her from my mind. I couldn't be taking an interest in her. I'll just hurt her or fuck her up. That's what I do.

       But this girl was just so different from all the girls I've met. She didn't get by on her looks, she wasn't addicted to something, and she wasn't weak. She was broken, but not weak.

       Girls like her are hard to find. She didn't coast through life, she lived and dealt.

       My thoughts were interrupted by thuds and creaking crutches. I assumed it was Jakki going downstairs. I moved my hands off my face and started at the wall for a few minutes, waiting until the right moment so I didn't seem like I was watching her every move.

       I go downstairs to find Jakki standing in front of the bookcases in the living room, scanning the spines. I lean against the frame of the walkway and cross my arms.

       She looked at me and then away, dipping her head down as she looked. "It's okay if I get a book, isn't it?"

"Yeah, help yourself." I continued watching her. She might have need help, seeing that the shelf stood a lot taller than her.

       Her eyes wandered up until she tried standing on her tippy toes, straining her ankle in the process. She hissed and bent down to clutch her ankle.

       I walked over to her and laid a hand on her back, feeling her tense up underneath. I took her hand and hoisted her back up. "What're ya lookin' for?" I asked when I released her.

"Um, something by Anne Rice, I guess." She crosses her arms and kept her eyes down.

       I started from the top shelf and made my way down. On the second shelf I found a book called "Interview With a Vampire" and it was by Anne Rice. I handed the book Jakki. "How 'bout this?"

       Jakki took the book from my hand. "Great, thanks."

       I think she smiled a little, causing me to give her a small smile in return. She turned and hobbled to the sofa, sitting on one side, leaning against the arm. She opened her book and began reading. I took a spot on the other side and picked up where I left off on another book.

       About ten minutes pass and her book closes. I look up and see her running her fingers through her hair while she looks at her lap. 

"You okay?"

       She looks at me and then away. "Yeah. I just can't concentrate for some reason. But I also don't want to sit around with nothing to do." She crossed her arms over her chest.

       I nodded a little and then then thought a little bit. I then offered to do something I never offer.

"Wanna just talk or something?" I set my book down.

"Uh... sure. What about?"

       I thought for a second. "What about if we talk about before?"

"Yeah. Okay. Uh, before this I was just graduating college." She shrugged. "I had a boyfriend, a little brother to look after because my dad passed away."

"What happened to your little brother?"

She took a breath and shook her head. "I looked away from him for one second and three walkers came up to him, ripped him right apart." She picked at her fingernails. "He was only 14. He could have adjusted and grown into the world."

"I had a brother too. He was working for our enemy and decided he wanted to join us. Dumb bastard turned into a walker before I could get him back."

"I'm sorry." She pulled her knees up to her chest. "Were you the one who?..."

I just simply nodded and looked at the floor.

"Me too."

I had to shoot my older brother who had nothing going for him. She had to shoot her younger brother who she was looking out for and who had so much potential. She's had it pretty bad since then.

"I'm sorry."

She shrugged and shook her head. "Shit happens." She cleared her throat. "What did you do before all this?"

"My brother and I were drifters. We'd just go from one place to the next. You?"

"I worked at an animal shelter while attending college and taking care of my brother. We lived with my mom but she didn't do shit for us. She just slept all day and bitched at us when she was awake."

Sounded almost like my dad. She was almost like me and Merle, except good. She couldn't do anything wrong.

"My dad was the same way... what were you going to college for?"

"Illustration. I wanted to write and draw my own comics." She chuckled dryly, a small smile creeping onto her lips. "Those dreams are done for."

"You didn't know. And you could still draw."

She shook her head. "Did you know how to use that crossbow before?"

I nodded. "You with your shit?"

"I hunted with my dad when he was still alive."

We talked for a little while longer, just sharing stuff about each other. I didn't tell her everything and I'm sure she didn't tell me, but it was a nice, sort of relieving, moment. I learned that she had idols growing up and that she was from Arkansas, was visiting family up here when shit hit. She loved cats and plaid and her favorite color was purple. Just some small stuff.

She let out a yawn and started to get up. "I'm gonna go to bed. I'll see you tomorrow." Grabbing her crutches, she lifted herself up of the couch and made her way to the stairs.

"Wait." I get up and go over to her, taking the crutches from her and leaning them against the wall. I picked her up, causing her to let out a squeak, before carrying her up to her room and setting her down at her bed.

"Thanks..." She said sheepishly.

I nodded and went back stairs, coming back up with her crutches. I rested them against the wall by her bed. "See you in the morning."

I crawled into bed and stared at the ceiling. I thought about everything Jakki said as I drifted off to sleep.