[u]Abbie[/u]

Abbie felt a heavy weight release her when fresh air entered her lungs, her hand let the back porch door slip from her fingers and clank shut. Her eyes glanced back for a moment at the ripped, repeatedly repaired screen. Heavy scents of grass and dew chased away memories and the painful fact their home no longer felt safe. That sense of security was gone. Period. And there was no way to get it back as she started walking off the cracked porch.

Abbie couldn't rid herself of the bitterness her sense of safety would never return. It wasn't fair. That thought had been so strong, the need to leave threatened to eat her alive unless she escaped the cause. It was the driving force behind her hasty retreat to the small backyard. 

Her hands tightened the jacket about her form and held it close. In her back pocket, the knife was only a slight comfort, a minor pressure, while she continued on the crooked sideway leading to the garage. She was careful to avoid the jutting cracks, torn apart by the weather and time, as she drew closer to followed the gates' at the yard's rear. They had years of rust which presented themselves more dominate in key spots and had been mended just as often. 

Abbie was just about to exit the gate when her eyes caught movement in the edge of her vision. She stopped abruptly. Inwardly, she fought the urge to jump and instead delayed her reaction. Ba-bump...ba-bump... Her heart raced within her ears, her body turned on heel to face the figure stalking just outside her sight. Her expression flickered in surprise then relaxed. She recognized the owner, familiarity brought a slight comfort to her causing her face to soften. Abbie casted away her discomfort by gently patting her jeans, dusting off both the nasty sensation and dust. 

She forced her voice to keep even and normal, something she found it more difficult then she first thought. "Hey Mr. Reese. I didn't see you there until now. A...are you here to check up on everyone?"

Mr. Reese reminded her of Kurtis, a lot. In his late fifties or early sixties, he was hunched over and pure white hair thinning at the top. His bright, blue eyes stared at her for a few moments before he spoke. "Yes. After the commotion this morning, I thought there was something I could do to help." 

Abbie's hand reached and rubbed her neck slowly. "No, we've already got the mess cleaned up and everything's al-"

"Abbie..." Mr. Reese interrupted with a gentle yet firm tone, his eyes softened in worry. "You're not. If you're human, then nothing's alright after what just happened. Would you like to talk about it?" 

"No, to be honest I don't." Abbie sigh in defeat when Mr. Reese's intensely staring eyes saw past her defenses. A bit too easily to her. She had been trying to cast away the sickness which swept inside her, her middle still twisted itself into knots over and over. She didn't have any luck in winning against it. A moment passed before Abbie just gave up, unable to shake away the feeling, then started to talk. "

Without warning, Mr. Reese pushed forward and brought himself closer to the gate's edge. His path stopped only by the waist height fence between them. In a soothing gesture, an aged hand reached out to rest on her shoulder causing her head to face his eyes not fooled by her mask. "You're not alright." 

A simple phrase. One not far from the truth and that fact disgusted her, unable to peel away the sensation. She inhaled deeply letting the breath smooth over rattled nerves. Maybe it was because the man was a stranger or the fact she knew he wouldn't leave, any number of reasons raced through her head to why but even they didn't make sense. Only one did. The need to release her emotional storm was too strong and battered down her defense until she found herself spilling words out. Pure. Honest thoughts within her mind. 

"Mr. Reese," Abbie slightly struggled to keep her voice even, "it was just a brick. Nothing compared to the trips I take outside Chico every week. It wasn't some undead pounding at our door, desperate to get in and devour us. Just some jerks-people- just stirring up trouble." 

Mr. Reese seemed to study her face a moment. Her eyes were unable to face him for a moment while his lips frowned enough to make the wrinkles deep more noticeably around his mouth. "You think because the world ended that there aren't pieces left behind? People are always able to do terrible and scary things, even in a grim life like this. Sometimes... It's the living you need to fear more then the undead, Abbie." 

His hand release his grip, his arm fell to his side once more. He waited. She noticed his hesitation, considerate and worried, the same sad eyes given to a victim capable of self maiming until Abbie presented a soft smile. Her words seemed to determine his choice, sealing it finally.

"Thanks Mr. Reese." 

He nodded then hobbled from the back gate around to the front door. The tip tapping of his cane made an odd sound to each step when he shambled past. His reply back was a soothing one. "If you need anything, then you know where I'll be. Now, I think I'll check on the others and see how they fare as well."

She waited until his steps faded completely, leaving her in silence. Shaking away the creeping dread, Abbie unlatched the gate and pushed off towards Chuck's work. Too bad she wasn't twenty-one. She could've used a drink right now.