Chapter 6

"I have a question." Andrew's small voice grabbed Akaze's attention in Greene's living room. It's been two hours since they arrived there and within that time Akaze and Andrew heard all the unpleasant noise carrying on in the household and outside of the porch. Carl keeps waking up and screaming in torment and it only makes the young boy jump in fear, thinking he might be hit with the taste of God's wrath. Akaze couldn't do anything but stay near Andrew to give him somewhat of comfort. Not only that T-dog is in the kitchen grunting his life away as the people who live here are treating it. Andrew has been on edge and this is the first time he has spoken ever since his previous conversation with Maggie.

" Yes," there was no time for name-calling or playtime. Akaze was well aware that whatever Andrew was about to say was serious. His voice was soft to the young fella.

"If I'm ever in that position. Can you please kill me?" Andrew's voice was tiny and hard to hear from the noise taking place inside the household but Akaze made out what he said by reading his lips and his body structure. Andrew's knees were close to his chest as he wrapped his arms around his legs.

( It's getting to him. How can I speak to him without being rough? What can I do to make him stronger? I can't use the techniques my father uses because they will only make him hate me like how I loathe my father.)

Akaze was on the opposite side of the room as he leaned from the couch, "Why do you want that?"

Andrew didn't respond right away nor did look into Akaze's eyes." Because . . ."

" Because?"

Then finally Andrew took a deep breath, " Because I don't want to suffer any more than I have to. I did already with my family and now I'm out and have to watch out for dead people eating us. I would much rather die from a gunshot in the head than die like Jim died."

(Despite me and the brat bickering like cats and dogs, there was always something connected to me with this boy, and that's our past. He never went into details on the mistreatment but I don't need them. Staying there at that farm with him and his family told me everything I needed to. My father was a terror in my life and every day I wish I was able to slit my throat or wrist and live down in hell rather much to deal with another second with him. However, I'm glad I didn't because I would never met Rosita and I would never met Andrew. I don't show it much but this little boy has been a part of my routine that I'm accustomed to right now and I will do anything to protect him and teach him ways to survive in a world like this because I simply refuse to see him die on me.)

" And why do you think you might be bitten?"

Andrew heaved a sigh out of his mouth as he stared at me in disbelief. "You cannot predict the future and don't give me the crap of how I won't be. There is a possibility to everything."

" Exactly and there is a possibility of not being bitten." Akaze tilted his head with a small smile on his lips. "I will teach you everything I know because I know you are capable of handling it. You are a smart kid, Andrew, Don't let your overthinking kill your intellect. Believe in yourself because I believe in you." Akaze didn't know how to prep talk so he just talked from his gut or probably it was from his heart. In that same speech, he told Andrew, that he just wished his father would have talked to him like that. Andrew was certainly right that there is a possibility about everything and Akaze wishes his own dad would have taken the route of being an actual father to him. Maybe Akaze wouldn't be messed up in the head if he was raised right.

"Why are you being all nice about this? This doesn't seem like you." Andrew's posture was loosing up and now his two little feet were on the ground.

The Japanese man's smile turned into a satisfied grin, " Are you calling me a asshole?"

" Yes, you are and you take pride in that." Andrew's little giggle burst out and Akaze knew that his little brat was back to normal.

Akaze stood up and stretched his body as a yawn escaped his mouth. "I will take a breather outside. Yell if anything happens." Akaze said and Andrew nodded to let him know he understood. Akaze gave Andrew his knife as he headed outside to the porch. As Akaze opened the door he saw Maggie coming in.

"Oh, sorry I wasn't looking," she mumbled.

Akaze brushed her apology off since it was basically his fault for not looking." No, it's my fault. I was yarning with my eyes closed, but thank you and your family for taking care of my group. I very much appreciate it."

Maggie steps into the house fully as Akaze moves to the side to leave. " You don't have to apologize, it was our fault for Otis shooting the boy. We just doing what's right."

"Yes, you can say that," he uttered slowly and Maggie's head slanted to the side to get what Akaze was coming from. "However, you took care of T-dog and you fed us. Plus that man didn't have to bring Carl back here, he could have easily escaped from them but he decided to bring them here." Akaze started laughing from his rambling. "What I'm saying is that you are good people and thank you so much. I appreciate it and I'm glad we have a roof over our heads right now. It means a lot."

( As for right now they didn't give me anything to worry about besides that one woman. I still don't know her name but whatever her deal is, I don't like it.)

A genuine smile was plastered on Maggie, she nodded her head probably speechless to say anything so she ended the conversation with a goodnight and Akaze went on his merry way to tease Glenn. That was his sole purpose of coming out. As he fully went out the door he saw Glenn sitting down on the chair.

"Oh, Glenn." A chipper singing tone was audible to the Korean man and he turned his head to see a cunning smirk on Akaze's face.

"Oh, dear god," Glenn whispered out loud as Akaze skipped to him.

"How is she?" Akaze whispers so only Glenn can hear.

"Who?"

Akaze groaned out loud as he smacked Glenn's shoulder which the Korean man said ow. "You know who. That southern bell that you can't keep your eyes off." Akaze chuckles out loud. " What ya two fellas were chatting up?" he mimicked a southern accent.

Glenn shook his head at Akaze. "Nothing much really and I wasn't staring at her." he defended himself but that just earned a scoff from Akaze.

"Yeah right, and I definitely wasn't staring at the plenty of food they have."

Glenn squinted his eyes in confusion. " Wait, yes you were."

" Exactly my point. You were staring at the woman."Glenn fell for the bait and Akaze smacked him in reality.

Glenn rolled his eyes as he groaned out loud to show Akaze he was annoyed but that didn't make Akaze feel any other way because he still had the smoke on his face. " Alright, I mean it's nice to talk to someone who is the opposite sex."

" Oh wow. I can understand if you get confused with Andrea and Lori because sometimes I wonder if they are men cosplaying to be a woman but Carol? She is totally a woman."

Glenn tried not to chuckle but his chinky eyes betrayed him as they squinted more than usual. " You know. I mean someone around our age and attractive . . ." his voice went low towards the end of his sentence.

Akaze shrugged his shoulders, " That's understandable."

" Yeah. She seems cool I guess."

" Whatever you do I will support you. I'm glad virgin boy having fun."

Glenn's body stiffens up at Akaze's wording. "How do you know that . . ."

" Dude stop. It's totally obvious. She probably even sniffed it out of you. Let her take that V card away because I could totally tell she was in the field playing already."

Glenn rolled his eyes again, " What?." he never got the chance to finish when a car finally pulled up. Akaze gripped his gun on his waist as he eyed the vehicle. Suddenly the front door opened as everyone walked up and Shane got out of the car greeting everyone with the two bags of supplies to save Carl. Rick hurried his way to hug Shane and as Rick was blessed to see his friend back, Shane's eyes lingered on Lori and Akaze caught it. Lori decided to turn to the side to see Akaze's dead fish eyes looking straight at her because she knew Akaze saw it. Shane kept babbling what had taken place to Rick as Lori and Maggie stood near them hearing the whole story. Maggie was obviously crying that she lost someone close to her and Glenn was about to stand up but Akaze placed a hand on his shoulder and advised him to sit down. It wasn't a good time to play the hero because she was grieving and she didn't need a stranger she just met to hug her. She needed her family.

"Let her come to you, Glenn and when she does, comfort her." he gave Glenn a piece of advice before he started walking inside and as he was about to reach to door, he caught the southern girl coming to Glenn in a slow pace and a smile was place on Akaze face because he knew Glenn wasn't going to mess this up. He had faith in his virgin brother.

*****

Everything was silent but that didn't mean everything was alright, it was the complete opposite of that. Everyone was on edge as Hershel was performing a high-risk operation on Carl. Andrew was finally sleeping on the couch as everyone was outside praying to the lord to help them. Akaze was in the kitchen sitting down wondering how long the surgery would take. As he was in his own world, a person came crashing down on him. The same woman from earlier revealed herself again to the Japanese man. Akaze stared down the woman as she stared him down. It was an awkward showdown between the two beings.

( What is this bitch deal?)

Many hostile words were being shared through stares. " May I help you?" Akaze broke this pointless crap and ask her a harmless question but that question wasn't harmless it was full of bitterness.

A tiny smirk was forming on her lips, " Nothing you can do. I'm just wondering where did you people spawn from?"

"Didn't your family already tell you?"

The woman shrugged her shoulders, " Don't really listen to much what they say. How about you tell me?"

" Your buddy shot a young member of our group. That's why we are here and I'm sorry for your loss."

A bewildered look came over her face, " Loss? Who died?"

(Is she serious?)

"Otis. . ."

Her mouth went into an O shape. " Well, people die all the time. I had to learn about that growing up."

( Damn. Who ruined this woman's life?)

" Sarah. . ." Maggie's voice called out for her.

"In here."

(Her name is Sarah. Mhm I will take note of that.)

Maggie walks into the kitchen and sees Akaze and Sarah there and a questioning expression is on her face. "Sarah, I was looking for you."

"And you found me." Her voice sounds so indifferent.

Maggie bites her tongue before she is about to stoop low to her level. "I thought you were with Beth. she's looking for you upstairs."

" Beth? I thought she had gone to sleep already. I will go up." Emotions finally were coming out of her mouth as she looked cornered for Beth. She walked out of the kitchen without saying another word to either of them leaving Maggie and Akaze together.

" What you two were talking about?" Maggie looked at Akaze for answers as the Japanese man shrugged his shoulders.

" Nothing much really. She just waltzed in here asking where I came from."

Maggie's forehead creases as she stares directly into Akaze's eyes. "That's weird. She hardly speaks with people, nonetheless tolerates people."