The Walking Dead (Fanfic)

Chapter 7

The night passed by in a blur, the only thing I remembered was my all too familiar and reoccurring nightmares. I was out of my tent before the sun even touched the horizon. I grabbed a clean pair of clothes; jean shorts, black tank top and a plaid shirt, before I made my way down to the ravine. As I walked down the trail, I saw Daryl's eyes follow me. He had been sitting by a snuffed-out fire, cleaning his arrows with a rag. As I walked down the trail, I wondered to myself, why was he still here?

Daryl had to be the best tracker in the state, he could go back and find his brother. Instead, he was here, tediously cleaning his arrows. I cleaned myself up, as much as I could with the lack of soap and shampoo. I stood closer to the walls of the quarry so no one could see me change. By the time I was done, the sun was up, and the Georgia sun forced me to tie my plaid shirt around my waist. I used the water to push back my short hair before heading back to camp.

When I got to the top, everyone had cleaned up their campsites and were standing in a circle. "I packed your tent in the RV." Glenn said when I came closer, I smiled gratefully and turned to face Shane and Rick. Shane had his hands rested on his belt and Rick was holding his sheriff hat, they were the definition of southern police, sorry I meant sheriff's.

"Everybody listen up. Those of you with CBs, we're gonna be on channel 40. Let's keep the chatter down, okay?" Shane explained as he looked around the group, "Now, if you got a problem, and don't have a CB, can't get a signal or anything at all, you're gonna hit your horn one time. That'll stop the caravan. Any questions?" Shane asked looking around.

My gaze landed on Daryl; he had changed his shirt, but it was still a sleeveless button up. He scratched the bridge of his nose as he looked at everyone. I felt guilty for looking at him while Morales was explaining that they weren't coming with us. I snapped myself out of it and looked at the family of four that would be leaving us. Everyone started hugging them and saying goodbye, while Daryl scoffed and walked away. Rick and Shane had given Morales a gun, with half a box of ammo.

I went to them and started hugging them, telling them that they had to be safe. Sofia and Carl cried as the said goodbye to their friends. "What make you think our odds are any better?" Shane mocked Rick as we watched Morales and his family get in their car. "Come on. Let's go. Let's move out." Shane called out.

Everyone went their separate ways. Rick, Lori, Carl, Carol, and Sofia went in Ed's yellow Cadillac. I was heading for the RV, but Jacqui told me kindly that it was full. "Come on Aideen, we're wasting daylight." Shane called out as he stood on the step of his Jeep. Daryl was leaning against his truck, his bike chained to the back. Somehow, being in a car with someone who irritated me seemed better than being in a car with Shane.

I walked over to Daryl as he dropped his cigarette to the ground and grinded it with his foot. "You got room for one?" I asked him to cross my arms and popping my hip out, I was trying to look sassy just so that I wouldn't be forced to ride with Shane. That man made my senses stand on end and warn me. Daryl pointed at the car with his head before getting in the driver's side. "Get in." his gruff voice ordered. I obliged as all the cars started driving off.

I opened the window and put my arm out as Daryl followed all the other cars. I only opened the window because both of us were carrying dead bodies hours ago, not to mention the hot sun loved to make us sweat. We left the place that was a temporary home, and it was not easy heading towards a place that was so unknown and not promised.

Daryl cracked his own window as we drove and for a while, we never spoke a word until I decided to break the silence. "I'm sorry, for punching you in the face." I said turning my head to look in his direction. He had his one hand rested on the wheel and the other rested on the door. When he heard me, Daryl looked between the road and me. The redneck didn't say anything for a while, until he cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, for slashing you or whatever." He mumbled before focusing on the road once again.