It was no secret that Roderick wouldn't take Jodie's resistance silently. The broomstick incident had only partly been swept under the carpet and he made his own version of it. He claimed that his friends had taken a shower when Jodie attacked them for no reason whatsoever. That's why they had to fight back with the broomsticks. The fact that she punched Roderick in the face, he also kept quiet about, so he wouldn't look like an idiot. But with that story, he had managed within a very short space of time to turn all children, except for Carl and Beth, against Jodie. Jodie tried to ignore the bullying that was thrown at her face or the glances that she was given the best she could. She had more important things to do than deal with this childish stuff. She kept sneaking out to practice with the crossbow. She gave herself about half hour a day so nobody wouldn't notice that she was missing, and every time she got better. After about two weeks, she tried her crossbow on a walker for the first time. The first arrow hit his neck, but the next one hit his forehead and he fell dead to the ground. Jodie cheered inside, she had done it.

But then a kind of sadness washed over her, You shouldn't be happy when you've killed a person. This walker before her wasn't really human anymore, but he used to be one, and now he was just redeemed because she had chosen him as a target. I'm sorry, Jodie thought and gave him a sad look before she removed the arrows from his body. She had now managed to kill a walker with this weapon, but she didn't rest on her laurels and continued to train.

She also continued to bring Daryl cigarettes, his food, and recently even self-carved arrows, after memorizing how big his arrows had to be. Although Daryl always seemed surprised that she would come to him, bring him things, or just watch him, but that didn't bother him any further, as she didn't bother him with her presence. It didn't bother him because she just didn't talk to him all the time like maybe other kids would do or tried to influence him. She respected him in a way that not many people did, and so he just let her. Let it happen.

But he noticed too, that Jodie has been under increasing pressure from other children recently. He had not interfered in the past because he thought that the children would settle this shit among themselves, but by now he wasn't so sure anymore. Because the glances and the mean words have become more and more frequent, and it seems that Jodie had already become so strange for her people that none of the parents decided to reprimand their offspring. Especially not Roderick's father, who almost encouraged his son and seemed to see no mistake with him.

It was none of Daryl's business, but strangely, he realized that he seemed to care about Jodie when the other kids were mean to her. A few times, he was about to jump up and yell at the other kids, they should really mind their own business. He felt such deep anger inside him that he couldn't explain, which made him more confused and angrier.

Maybe because Jodie reminded him so much of himself when he was a kid. Maybe because he was slowly but surely getting used to the girl's company. She was always there, and she didn't really let herself be driven away from him, but with her quiet way, she didn't really bother him. She wasn't pushy, she was just there. Maybe she was looking for a protector in him or just a friend, but Daryl couldn't see right through her. But even though he'd never said it out loud, he knew inside he cared about her.

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Actually, Jodie wanted to go hunting again, but Carl had asked her if she wanted to play with him and the other kids at the meadow.

"Maybe they gonna stop when they see how well you can play soccer," he said, smiling.

Jodie smiled weakly; he was right. While Jodie hadn't liked to play with other children before the apocalypse, she had preferred to read, draw or exercise. But this time it would be a good chance to make better contact with the children.

So she followed him to the meadow where Carl gave her the ball and she started to play along. The other children quickly followed, and soon they had a real game. It's working, Jodie thought happily. They're playing with me.

But clearly she spoke to soon, and because again she had to feel of how cruel children could be.

Someone tripped her when she ran after the ball to keep shooting. Jodie fell and hit the ground with her belly and chin. She got on her hands and knees She looked up and found that the children had now formed a circle around her, and she was trapped and they gave her no chance to escape. They looked at Jodie, loathing, gloating, even disgust, in their faces, disgusted by Jodie.

As if she were a flea-soaked street dog. Slowly Jodie got up.

"Well, look at that. Not just crazy, but also clumsy," Roderick said gloating.

Jodie bit her lip.

"You know, what I am thinking? She is one of "them"."

It was easy to guess who Roderick meant, since you could hear the groaning of the walkers behind the prison fence.

"Pale as her, she looks like one, doesn't she? "Roderick looked around for approval. Jodie heard consent and other grumbling.

"She is a walker. A walker-kid."

Jodie took a deep breath, tried not to let the accusations get to her, but it did hurt her anyway, and there was no escape. But she couldn't show any weakness now. If she cried now, she would be an even easier victim than she already was for the others.

"Just leave her alone. Jodie didn't do anything, and you can't talk to her like that. You don't know her at all," Carl intervened.

But Roderick only walked towards Carl and pushed him back.

"Are you into that walker girl or something?"

"No, I don't, but you just can't do whatever you want and turn everyone against her! "

"I'm just telling the truth and you think just because you're the boss's son, I'm scared of you?"

"Roderick, leave her... "

„Fuck off!" Roderick pushed Carl again und Carl landed on his ass.

Jodie took a step in his direction to help him, but Carl was already back on his legs and started running. Away from the meadow, away from Jodie.

"See, even he leaves you behind, when it's starting to getting serious. You don't have anyone, nobody wants you. You're a walker kid. Right, guys? She is a walker kid."

And the choir began.

„Walker kid! Walker kid!"

Jodie closed her eyes, tried to pretend she was in the woods, far away from here, but this time it didn't work. She was about to cry.

But then there was a loud voice.

"What kind of show is going on here, huh?" The voice was deep and threatening.

Jodie opened her eyes and saw Rick and Daryl enter the circle. Daryl's face was dark, his whole body language showed anger and threat. Immediately there was silence at the meadow. They had little respect for their peers, but they had respect for Rick and, of course, for Daryl. Though Rick could be very nice and always tried to resolve conflict with a quit talk, Daryl had always kind of an aura so they didn't dare to disagree with him or even mess with him.

Rick also looked as if he was furious, but when he saw Jodie in the circle, his face became a little softer, and he sighed her name. She looked at him reluctantly. She knew that he had already seen her problems with the other children a few times and that he certainly didn't like this situation.

The kids were still silent about Daryl's angry question, and nobody wanted to say anything.

"Again, what's this all about? Why are you bothering her? "Rick asked the other kids who were still around him, Roderick, and Jodie.

The kids were still silent, just looking down and avoiding Ricks and Daryl's eyes. No one wanted to say anything. No one wanted to be responsible.

"Well, since no one seems to know, you can leave stop it. Leave Jodie alone and play without bothering anyone. This is not a kindergarten!" said Rick, and the children immediately nodded silent and moved along.

Daryl looked to Jodie. "You okay, kid?"

She nodded and smiled at him shyly. Instantly, Daryl looked away unpleasantly.

He didn't want her to turn her attention to him in public, he didn't need a second shadow.

Roderick, who had insulted Jodie so explicitly, now approached her.

"Yeah, just hide behind your crossbow friend, but he doesn't take you seriously either. No one is taking you for full, and you're probably gonna be the first one he kills because he can't see the difference between you and a walker. Because that's what you are. You're just as stupid as one, and it's no wonder your family left you behind, because she probably mistaken you for a walker, too! ", he hissed at her in his wounded pride.

Before Daryl and Rick could react in any way, Jodie did. In her eyes, were flashing with anger, because he appeared to have hit a sensitive point. She jumped at him like a wildcat and threw Roderick to the ground. She sat on his torso, so he couldn't get up and started beating him with her fists. She kept hitting his face, surprised Rick and Daryl looked down on the girl. Never before had Jodie become so violent with another human being. In fact, she'd never been violent with anyone else since she was here. She was a good shot, and she didn't show any shyness to the walkers, but she had never attacked anyone from the group. And now the sweet, gentle Jodie beat up Roderick while the other children, Rick and Daryl stared at the scenery. Roderick, who hadn't expected Jodie's attack, had no chance to react, he was too busy protecting himself somehow. But he was struck repeatedly by her punches in the face or head.

"She is killing him!", called out one of the girls and Daryl reacted.

He dragged the girl from Roderick. Rick caught Roderick, who had stumbled back on his legs and immediately tried to grab the girl again and also beat her up. Jodie initially tried to break free from Daryl's grip, which wrapped an arm around her. She clawed her fingers into his arm and tried to push him away, but of course, she wasn't strong enough. Unlike Roderick, Daryl was a grown man, much stronger and much more experienced.

"Calm down! Calm down! ", he whispered into her ear.

Over and over again. Until he felt her slowly relaxing under his grip and he finally let his arm sink.

"She is crazy. Roderick was right," Daryl heard the children whispering.

And all of a sudden, it all just became too much for him. This fight reminded him of his own childhood. Everyone at his school knew he and Merle were beaten up and his parents drank and smoked. If someone were mean to him to him for this, Daryl would have just been in a fight with him until his enemy either stopped talking out of fear or just wasn't physically able to. His whole fucking childhood, he had his back against the wall, just like Jodie. Daryl could understand why Jodie was so freaked out.

"Fuck off! Mind your own business and leave her the hell alone! Unlike her, the kid at least knows that we live in a fucking apocalypse and have a lot of other problems than making fun of someone. This isn't a fucking schoolyard, all right?! "

His voice grew louder and louder as he spoke, until he finally shouted the last words at the children.

At once, the children depart in different directions like a flock of frightened chickens. Daryl saw Rick raised eyebrows. Jodie and Carl looked confused, but Roderick remained silent.

"Daryl, take Jodie to Hershel, and I'll take Carl and Roderick to see Doctor S, okay? "Rick finally tried to solve the situation. Daryl chewed on the inside of his cheek, a little embarrassed about his outburst, finally nodding mutely.

Come on," he finally growled to Jodie and turned towards the cell block. Jodie followed him with a little distance and didn't seem to dare look at him anymore.

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Hipphurrah I'm back,  with a fresh cold after my finals. I hope you can forgive me for not having  updated for so long, but I was very stressed.

Anyway, I hope you like the chapter, leave a comment  and until next time.

Love liz;)