THE WALKING DEAD
( season one episode three )

A PROMISE WAS a commitment to do or not do something. It's a commitment you make to someone you love and most weren't hard to keep — but when Rick promised Alana he would come back, she wasn't certain he was right.

He was headed back to the city, the walker filled city — and for Merle Dixon, a man who certainly did not deserve being saved.

Alana was laying down in her sleeping bag with her hand behind her head. Her father and the rest of the group were already gone. Shane had decided to stay though.

all of a sudden Carl marched into the tent, sitting himself opposite his elder sister. Their mother came in quickly behind him, removing her boots as she climbed inside.

Lori sat beside Carl, sniffing as she spoke "you know I bet they'll be just fine"

Carls eyes were staring away from Lori, avoiding eye contact. He gently shook his head "I'm not worried" the boy turned around, eyes flickering to his sister "are you?"

Lori looked to her daughter as Alana sat up. She sighed before nodding her head slowly "it's dangerous in the city"

"are you mom?" He asked, focusing on Lori as he spoke.

Lori looked away, wiping the tears from her eyes "yeah a little"

"Don't be" Carl stated, a slight smile forming on his lips as he leaned on his hand "think about it — everything that's happened to him so far. Nothings killed him yet"

A chuckle came from their mother while a grin formed on Alana's face "he's invincible, huh?"

Carls lip formed a smirk, nodding along to his sister. Lori picked up carls hand and held it tightly before she gestured for her daughters.

Alana slid closer to the two and Lori wrapped one arm around her — holding her closely "he's gonna be okay, right?"

Lori glanced down at her daughter, softly smiling while rubbing her arm "he's gonna be just fine, don't you worry"

___

BEING LATE WAS something Alana was good at. Before the apocalypse began, she was late for school pretty much every day — only because the fact she could never get out of bed on time.

She was meant to be helping with washing the clothes. Despite the cruel end of the world, Lori wanted to keep life as normal as she could for her kids — and that involved chores.

The girl stumbled down the rumble path, almost tripping over the several rocks scattered all over. Andrea spotted her from afar and a smirk was plastered across her face "finally, the woman of the hour"

"I'm sorry, okay?" Alana chuckled, grabbing a bucket from the van across from them "at-least I showed up?"

"yeah, yeah" Andrea nodded, throwing her one of carls t-shirts "now get scrubbing"

Alana grabbed a scrubbing board before sitting down in between Jacqui and carol. She grabbed the old ragged brush and started to unfold the soaked t-shirt. The truth was she had no idea what she was doing but she didn't mind helping out once and a while.

Carl and Shane were in the lake opposite them, searching for frogs — but it looked more like they were messing around. A slight smiled formed on Alana's face as she glimpsed at the two.

Jacqui peered over at them before glancing back to the girls "I'm staring to question the division of labour" she uttered, raising her eyebrows "can someone explain to me how all the women wound up doing the Hattie McDaniel work?"

Amy chuckled, twisting one of her tops to get the water out. She turned to Jacqui, raising her eyebrows "the world ended, didn't you get the memo?"

Carol shrugged as her eyes flickered to ed who was sat on the van, smoking a cigarette. she turned back around with her head down "just the way it is"

All you could hear was the brushing scraping across the t-shirts as they continued. Carol heavily sighed, rolling the top up "I do miss my maytag"

"I miss my Benz" Andrea replied, her lips forming a grin while she layed out the t-shirt across her knees "my sat nav"

"I miss my coffee maker" Jacqui stated, adding on to the endless list on things they no longer had "with that dual-drip filter and built-in grinder, honey"

Amy gazed off into the distant, frowning slightly "my computer and texting"

"the radio" Alana sighed, glancing around at them all "I miss listening my music"

"I miss my vibrator" Andrea announced with no remorse. Amy's face immediately went bright red at her sisters comment as she put her hands up to cover it.

"Oh!" Jacqui smirked, raising her eyebrows.

Carol turned around to ed as he was looking the other way. She spun back around, scrunching her nose as her eyes flickered to Andrea "me too"

Alana and Amy instantly made eye contact before bursting out in laughter while their mouths hung open in shock. Carol had a proud smile across her face as Jacqui patted her on the back.

"what's so funny?" Ed asked, approaching the five girls while smoking another cigarette.

They all turned to look at the man while Alana frowned slightly. Ed was bad news, even Alana knew that.

"Just swapping war stories, Ed" Andrea told him as they all turned back around. She looks disgusted before glancing at carol with pure empathy.

Ed didn't go back to the van though. Instead, he chose to lurk behind them all but mainly carol. Andrea turned around again "problem, Ed?"

He narrowed his eyes, standing closer to carol "nothin' that concerns you"

Alana felt uncomfortable just from his presence. She backed up toward Jacqui, trying not to draw attention to herself.

Ed's eyes were focused directly on carol "and you ought to focus on your work. This ain't no comedy club"

Carol looked scared to even move — her eyes were clouded with fear as Andrea scoffed at him.

The blonde stood up and began to approach him "Ed tell you what, you don't like how your laundry's being done. You can gladly pitch in yourself"

all of a sudden, Andrea threw the wet t-shirt into his chest "here!"

Ed aggressively chucked it back into her neck "ain't my job missy"

Amy got up behind her sister as Alana backed even further away.

Amy placed her hand on Andreas shoulder, trying to stop her "Andrea don't"

Andrea didn't listen "what is your job Ed? Sitting on your ass, smoking cigarettes?"

He threw his cigarette to the floor as he glared at her "sure as hell ain't listening to some uppity smart mouthed bitch, tell you what" he turned to carol "come on, let's go"

Andrea held her stare with him, taking another step forward "I don't think she needs to go anywhere with you, ed"

"And I say it's none of your business" he replied, gesturing carol to come forward "come on now, you heard me"

Amy placed a hand on carols shoulder while Andrea blocked her path "carol..."

"Andrea please" carol muttered, clearly scared to death of the man "it doesn't matter"

"Hey" Ed called out, making Andrea turn to him "don't think I won't knock you on your ass just cause you're some college - educated cooze, all right?"

Andreas eyes widened at his comment as her jaw dropped.

Ed had a deadly stare on carol "now you come on now or you gonna regret it later"

"So she can show up with fresh bruises later, Ed?" Jacqui asked with her hands on her hips "yeah, we've seen them"

Ed chuckled at her comment, glancing away then back at her "stay out of this. Now come on!"

As Jacqui took another step toward carol, Alana stayed back out the way. She glimpsed over to Shane who was stood watching them. The young girl wasn't one to start a fight nor was she one to be apart of one — but a part of her was praying someone would knock Ed out.

"You don't wanna keep prodding the bull here, okay?" Ed warned them, grabbing carol by the arm "now i am done talking. Come on"

Andrea pulled carol away from him instantly "no, no. carol you don't have too —"

"you don't tell me what!" Ed fumed, pulling carol even harder. Andrea had pure fear in her eyes and she tried to stop him "I tell you what!"

and then he slapped her. He slapped her so hard that the woman fell backwards into Amy's arms.

Andrea immediately began hitting the man and pushing him away from her "you asshole!"

"Get off her!" Amy yelled, pulling carol away as she comforted her.

Alana's eyes bulged as she tried to help Jacqui pull Andrea back but instead — The man shoved her to the floor.

Alana felt a sharp pain in her ankle and she fell onto the rocks. She sat up and glanced to her ankle. It stung as she tried to move it — clearly, the girl had sprained it.

That's when Shane grabbed Ed by the neck and yanked him back. The former cop dragged him along the floor as Alana sat up properly — pressing her hand against the cut.

Shane pushed Ed to the floor before he began striking his fist into the man's face — seventeen times. He wasn't stopping.

Carol began wailing in Andrea's arms as they were all yelling "Shane stop!"

Amy looked away, spotting Alana on the ground. She crouched down and helped the girl up "are you okay?"

Alana nodded, leaning on the blonde as she stood up "yeah— yeah"

"you put your hands on your wife, your little girl or anyone else in this camp one more time, I will not stop next time. Do you hear me?" Shane demanded, pulling him up by his shirt "do you hear me?"

"Yes" Ed slurred, his face was bloody and swollen.

"I'll beat you to death, Ed" Shane warned him, throwing his last punch "I'll beat you to death"

Carol immediately ran to the man, sobbing as she apologised "I'm so sorry"

Shane saw Alana as he backed away from Ed. He approached the girl slowly, making eye contact with her "you alright, kid?"

She nodded, slightly smiling "I think so"

"Come on" he wrapped the girls arm around his shoulder as she limped toward him "let's get you back to camp"

____

"WHAT HAPPENED?" Lori asked, frantically running toward her daughter and Shane. Worry was plastered across her face as she placed her hands on Alana's face.

"there was a bit of commotion with — Ed and andrea" Shane told her, lowering his voice as he spoke "it's alright, I dealt with it"

Lori helped Alana sit down in one of the camp chairs "she can hardly walk, it's not alright!"

"mom, I'm fine" Alana reassured her, looking up to them both "it's just a sprain"

Lori shook her head while her mouth hung loosely open "how did this happen?"

"I got in the way, that's all" Alana shrugged, frowning at them "I was trying to stop Andrea before he hurt her and I got knocked out the way"

Lori crouched down beside her daughter, gently sliding her trainer off "you gotta be more careful, honey"

"I know" Alana slightly smiled, making eye contact with her mother.

authors note

STOP I WAS SO CONFUSED ON HOW TO END THIS 😭

but anyway as much as I hate Shane, him and Alana are practically family — and I can't just be a writer who immediately makes their oc hate him cause it doesn't make sense.