The Walking Dead: Danielle Grimes

79.

Daryl's POV

Tina recovers faster than I though she would. Soon the four of us were waking together through the woods. They seem like okay people. I thought about inviting them back with me but I wanted to know them a bit better.

"So you knew 'em and you still thought I was one of them?" I ask. It doesn't make sense.

The man, Dwight, nods still looking ashamed. "Where we were, we had been there since the beginning. We still didn't know everyone. Back when we first threw in with them it was as good a place as any. Then things got harder, people got harder. Human nature kicked in and it became a truly unique kind of shit show."

"People will trade anything for safety." The brunette, Sherry, adds. She's walking between me and Dwight. "For knowing that they're safe."

"Everything." Dwight agrees. "So they got nothing left except existing......"

"Ain't nobody safe anymore." I growl. "Can't promise people that anyhow." Dwight shrugs. "You can promise the people who want to hear it." He says shaking his head in disgust.

Suddenly Tina takes off running through the trees. "Hey Tina!" Dwight calls after her. "Hold up!" She runs into what looks like a burned down greenhouse. There are two bodies laying on the floor encased in melted glass. "Carla and Delly." Tina says sadly as tears roll down her face. "That's them."

"Me and Tina used to babysit them when they were kids. Everyone said they went out north when it all started. We didn't know." Sherry explains. "I did this." Dwight says looking down at his shoes, looking guilty. Sherry shakes her head. "We did this."

Tina climbs to her feet and walks over to some yellow weeds that's had managed to come back. She pulls them out angrily and walks over to the two bodies. She lays the flowers on their chest as she kneels between them and cries.

Then suddenly Tina flinches and screams as she try to get away from the walkers who have woken up. She trips and falls down on top of the glass making it shatter and free the walkers. They grab her and each take a bite out of her neck. I jump forward, unsheathing my knife and slam it into the walkers heads but I was too late.

She was already dead.

Sherry falls to hers knees wailing as she holds the body of her sister to her chest. I had to look away as I think of Dani. She told me what had happened with Lori. Then my thoughts went to Merle. This is too close for comfort.

I step away for Sherry and Dwight, and grab a shovel out of the wreckage and stared digging graves. A short time later, Dwight comes and helps me. We worked in silence for a while till I paused. "Hey, how many walkers ya killed?" I ask.

He frowns up at me, not understanding how it could matter at a time like this. I shake my head. "Just answer the question." I tell him. "A lot." He says thinking about it. "A couple dozen at least." I nod. "How many people you killed?"

"None." He responds.

"Why?"

"Why haven't I killed anybody?" He asks going back to digging. "Because if I did, there's no going back. Even if we won.....there'd be no going back to how things used to be." I frown at him. He had knocked me out and taken my stuff but he isn't a bad guy. He was just tying to protect his family and make his way.

I run a hand over my face. "I'm from a place. Where people are still like they were, more or less, better or worse. It's where my wife is." Dwight glances at me thoughtfully, not responding as he goes back to digging. He and Sherry talk it over away from me. I ain't going to force them to come with me.