America in catastrophe

Chapter 6

Cold night whistles through broken windows as taz curls a little closer to me in the night. I lay awake, staring up through the side window of the bus watching the stars wheel overhead.

"Shade?"

Daryls footsteps are heavy, deliberately careless.

"Here." I whisper.

Daryl leans over the top of the window.

He shifts back laying on the cold metal of the side of the bus.

"Whatcha doin' out here?"

I close my eyes burying my face into taz side. "Wanted to watch the stars. And leave space for someone else to enjoy the fire."

Daryl remains silent.

I curl tighter into Taz thick fur and close my eyes.

"Yer part of this group shade. Ya make it stronger."

My lungs contract. Like someone's dropped an anvil on my chest. And I suppose Daryl has. He's given me a responsibility. To Protect. Not just my family. Protecting this group. That's not something I'm comfortable with on my conscience.

Daryl shifts on the roof of the bus. And his heavy even breaths tell me he's asleep.

I don't sleep. I dig, dig a grave with my own name on it as I decide how to betray this group, their trust and remind them. Remind them I am the archer that wanted them gone from my farm a year ago. Remind them I am a monster. No better than the dead.

Daryl is first to stir.

I hear him shift, climbing quietly to his feet. His poncho slides through the window. Landing on my face. Taz growls. Shifting to his feet he snaps for it, catching my fingers in the process.

"Shit! Taz!" I spit ripping Daryl's poncho off.

Two fingers ooze blood at the knuckle.

"You dropped this!" I throw the poncho back up.

Daryl holds it tightly in his hands, staring down at me from the window. "Y'alright?"

I glare. "Peachy." I snap before crawling from the bus.

The camp is starting to wake. Probably from my yelling. Not that I care.

Rick nods a greeting as I approach. Daryl close behind.

I keep walking.

"Shade what are you- shade!" Rick barks as I stalk up the path to the gate sealing the walkers into the inner courtyard.

I'm through the gate before anyone can stop me.

The milling walkers converge. Taz leaps on the first.

One arrow embedded in the walkers eye as it falls. My bow becomes a battering ram as I shove it into three more. Knocking them to the ground. Two more fall, my arrows as knives.

"Shade!"
"Shade!"

Rick is at my back, Daryl at my side. Maggie somewhere in the middle.

I growl, so much for breaking their trust.

A sharp cry echoes off the stone.

I go ridged. The courtyard spins under me. The chaos around me blurs. Where is he?

There's another section to this courtyard. Filled with armored walkers.

Taz lays against the chain link, blood matting his thick fur as an armored walker descends.