Give Me Your Crossbow (DARYL DIXON)

8 Months Too Long

CHRIS POV

We'd been on the road for so long, barely any food or water to last between all of us. We found the rest of the group bar Andrea on the highway, Rick told everyone what happened with Shane and told us all that we are all infected with whatever virus created the Walkers. It was just another slap in the face for the group. We just started drifting around trying to find a more permanent place. Daryl and I were tasked with hunting animals just to keep us all going on the road. Food was the most important thing, because of Lori and her pregnancy but it was like the woods had been picked clean. We knew that there were no animals within a 2 mile radius, so we just mostly ended up doing whatever we wanted, it was our only chance at privacy (wink, wink) but we knew it couldn't last, we had to find a place and soon.

****

Well that was a bust. We found a house to stay in, Daryl found an owl and plucked all its feathers off. Rick lost it at Carl because he was about to eat dog food. T spotted a group of Walkers so we had to hightail it out of there.
It was getting too hard to keep doing this. We headed back to the highway and all got out of our vehicles, well all except Lori. She was too exhausted and I didn't blame her. Maggie pulled her map out of her back pocket and spread it across the hood of her car.

"We've got no place left to go." T ran one hand over his bald head.

"When this herd meets up with this one, we'll be cut off, we'll never make it south." Maggie put two fingers on the map and connected them together.

"What do you say, it's about 150 head?"

"That was last week, could be twice that now."

"This river could have delayed them. If we move fast, we might have a shot to tear right through this."

"Yeah, but if this group joins with that one, they could spill out this way." T pointed to a spot on the map.

"So we're blocked." I ran my thumb over my bottom lip and let out a sigh.

"Only thing to do is double back at 27th and swing towards Greenville."

"We picked through that already, it's like we spent the winter going in circles."

"Yeah, I know. I know. At Newnan we'll push west. Haven't been through the area. We can't keep going house to house." He looks at Lori in the car. "We need to find some place to hold up for a few weeks."

"What kinda place would hold up that we haven't been through yet?"

"I don't know but we gotta start somewhere. Is it cool if we get to the creek before we head out? It won't take long. We gotta fill up on water, we can boil it later."

Everyone headed back to the cars, Rick and Hershel stayed beside the car.

"She can't take much more of this moving about."

"Well, what else can we do, let her give birth on the run?" Hershel put his hand on Rick's shoulder. "You see a way around that?"

Hershel walked away back to Beth. I looked at Rick, who ran his hand over his scruffy beard,

"I know what she did was wrong and I'm not condoning her actions, but she is pregnant and you need to support her. She hasn't got anyone else. You need to put your resentment aside for the baby's sake."

I could see Daryl coming out of the corner of my eye.

"Hey, while the others wash their panties, let's go hunt. That owl didn't exactly hit the spot."

I unholstered my knives and headed out into the woods with Daryl and Rick. Not a rustle to be heard within 5 miles. We kept walking when the trees opened up a bit. I turned to see a prison, Walkers flooding the compound.

"Why didn't we see this before?"

"That's a shame."

"Why?"

"It's overrun." Rick looked at it and sighed. I looked at Daryl and grinned.

"Ain't nothing we can't handle, and it's obviously secure. What about if we take it a bit at a time?"

Rick looked thoughtful and smiled at me.

****

Turns out that taking the yard was easier than we thought. Rick managed to close off the gate to the other side and Daryl, me, Carol and Carl scaled the guard towers to act as snipers. It wasn't long until all the Walkers in the yard were put down. We all sat around the campfire, eating and laughing amongst ourselves. Daryl was on watch and Rick was checking the perimeters. I watched as Carol piled a plate high with food and started to walk towards Daryl. I don't know why but my jealousy levels began to rise and I could feel the tips of my ears going red. I watched the both of them, Daryl put down his crossbow and began to massage Carol's shoulder. I scowled and looked down at my plate, shoving a piece of beef in my mouth.

"Bethy, you know I like it when you sing. Can you sing Paddy Reilly for me? I haven't heard that since your mother was alive."

"Dad, that's too depressing."

Hershel leaned back and looked thoughtful.

"How about the Parting Glass? I haven't heard that one for a while."

"No one wants to hear it Daddy."

I put down my plate and wrapped my arms around my knees.

"I wouldn't mind hearing some. I'll even sing with ya if you want."

"Okay."

She took a long deep breath and began to sing.

"Beautiful. You three sound great together."

I smiled and turned my head to see Daryl sitting beside me and nodding his head. One night of respite.

_____

Hey guys, so first chapter of Season 3! We have now started the prison arc!! Whoo hoo!!! Please keep up the support, whether it's here or on my Spotify podcast or on my YouTube Channel.

And also, that is really me singing in the video with Emily Kinney and Lauren Cohan. Just a little Easter egg lol.

Luv yas,
ChrissieSlytherin xxx