Lost Too Much | Daryl Dixon

18

(DISCLAIMER: IF YOU'RE INTO THIS STORY LIKE I AM, BRING TISSUES FOR THE NEXT TWO CHAPTERS.)

CORY'S POV

I flew up as we went over a bump in the truck. T-Dog took another turn, and I flew into Shane next to me. He caught me, and helped me sit back up.

We had T, Shane, Andrea, and Glenn all in this truck. Glenn and Andrea were riding on the back. Other people were in different cars, due to lack of space in the truck.

We finally arrived, and I had to hold back tears as I saw Rick and Daryl burying Dale's body. Andrea was in the same state as me.

We all stood in a circle around him, tears running down the women's faces, and the men had grief on their faces. In order, we stood in an organized circle around Dale's grave: T-Dog, Carol, Carl, Rick, Lori, Hershel, Beth, Jimmy, Maggie, Glenn, Shane, Myself, then Andrea.

Rick stepped forward, and I prepared myself for tears. Rick began his speech.

"Dale could... could get under your skin. He sure got under mine, because he wasn't afraid to say exactly what he thought, how he felt. That kind of honesty is rare and brave. Whenever I'd make a decision, I'd look at Dale. He'd be looking back at me with that look he had. We've all seen it one time or another. I couldn't always read him, but he could read us. He saw people for who they were. He knew things about us. The truth... Who we really are. In the end, he was talking about losing our humanity. He said this group was broken. The best way to honor him is to unbreak it. Set aside our differences and pull together, stop feeling sorry for ourselves and take control of our lives... Our safety...our future. We're not broken. We're gonna prove him wrong. From now on... We're gonna do it his way. That is how we honor Dale."

By the end, Andrea and I were in tears. Shane had his arm around my shoulder.

Hershel spoke softly for those of us who were scared and hurt. "Would anyone else like to speak?"

Andrea looked at me, giving me a hopeful look. Then I turned to Shane, and he removed his arm from me. I stepped forward and took a deep breath before beginning.

"Dale could save lives. He was a wise man. I really got to know him these past few days. Of course, I would never know him as well as you do, but he looked out for me, and each and everyone of us, like we were his family."

I breathed in, knowing the next part would be hard.

"The day at the CDC, when Andrea and I wanted to stay, he said something to me. He said, 'You can't just come into someone's life, then just check out.' I told him I was gonna leave anyway, but I stayed. And then he came into my life, then checked out."

I looked down, a tear falling to the grass. Shane rubbed my back as I continued.

"When the whole barn situation happened, and I ran to my tent, he came in and told me something. He knew he had no right to, but he asked for me to keep my distance with some of you, because everyone I get attached to checks out. But the person he wanted me to stay away from, I know that they'll never check out."

I thought of what I would end with. I turned to Andrea, and she knew what I would say next.

"I knew Randall. He used to go to the bar with Merle and I. And when Dale, Andrea, and I would be alone, we discussed a plan. We were gonna sneak him out, and set him free. I know it was disrespectful to do that behind your backs, but I couldn't let him die. I know he would never hurt a soul, not even a rabbit if he was starving. But now that it's decided that he'll live, I thought I would spill the truth, because Dale would want you to know."

I looked up finally, and looked to Rick, then Daryl, then Shane. Rick spoke, "Thank you for telling us. And that would actually be the right thing to do instead of killing him."