Light | TWD | Daryl Dixon Fanfiction

06

Juliana had snuck up on Beth clutching a knife, pressed up against the backside of a tree. Her eyes were wide when Juliana stepped on a twig, snapping it beneath her boots. Beth stared at her with wide eyes, and Juliana stared back, eyes narrowed slightly in confused at what the hell she was trying to accomplish.

Daryl wasn't too far behind her, coming up next to Juliana with his crossbow at the ready. They wandered off as a threesome again, breaking through the understory and pushing past overgrown vines that outstretched into the small paths that wound throughout the timber that had been made by animals..or walkers.

"I think we made it a way," Beth started, pushing a branch out of her way, holding it for a moment as Juliana followed behind her, thanking her quietly at the gesture.

"I'm pretty sure we got to go that way to find the booze."

"Beth..." Juliana grumbled; cut short by Beth stopping short, a clanging noise following.

"What the hell?!" she stopped, backing up into Juliana who grabbed onto her shoulders to stop her from backing up further into her. She knew Daryl, who was ahead of the two of them, had brought Beth back to the campsite they had set up.

"You brought me back!" she spat, shrugging her shoulders from Juliana's grasp. "I'm not staying in this suck-ass camp!" Beth shouted, moving backwards a little so she was able to see both Daryl and Juliana.

In a swift movement, she lifted her hand and flipped the two of them off, waving it fiercely in Juliana and Daryl's faces. Juliana couldn't help but roll her eyes at Beth's outburst, but Daryl stepped forward, grabbing Beth by the wrist.

"Hey! You had your fun!"

She recoiled, yanking her arm away from him, "What the hell is wrong with you!? The both of you!" she shouted, looking between Daryl and Juliana before turning more of her attention to Daryl, "Do you feel anything!?"

Juliana took a small step in between Daryl and Beth, "Knock the shit off, Beth," she ordered. Beth, taken aback, looked as if she had swallowed whatever words she going to say before feeling Daryl's hand grasp her arm, gently pulling her back from between him and Beth. Seeing this, Beth got more courage to speak up, and all her anger and frustration was focused on Daryl now.

"Yeah, you think everything's screwed. I guess that's a feeling. So, you want to spend the rest of our lives staring into a fire and eating mud snakes?" she questioned, briefly glancing over to Juliana as she spoke.

"Screw. That," Beth emphasized each word as if Daryl wasn't able to understand her. She wanted to make sure that he understood her loud and clear, "We might as well do something! I can take care of myself, and I'm gonna get a damn drink!" she shouted, and walked off.

Juliana and Daryl watched her wander away again, and at this point, she was becoming more and more frustrated at Beth and at Daryl's silences that always followed her shouting at him. Now she wanted to find something to drink.

"Jesus, Daryl," Juliana cursed, turning to face him with a hand on her hip, "If I have to fuckin' run after Beth one more fuckin' time..." she cursed, cut off by Daryl placing a hand on her shoulder, pushing her in the direction Beth had gone.

"Just go," he grumbled, the two of them chasing after Beth once again.

***

The forest burst open into a large grass field, that had once been a golf course. The finely mowed area was now overgrown. A random golf cart lay haphazardly in the middle of the green, and the three of them stood out in the open. The club house was not too far away from where they stood.

"Golfers like to booze it up, right?" Beth questioned, looking between Daryl and Juliana.

Juliana offered her a shrug, holding onto her gun with both hands now. She had Daryl were a little more observant than Beth, noticing the small herd of walkers ambling towards them from across the green. Noticing this, Beth told them to 'come on', setting off towards the building ahead of them.

"Might be people inside," Beth suggested as they came to stop in front of the decaying, white building. Juliana could only imagine how pristine the white had been before, and now it was caked with dirt and mold on the edges. Leaves had accumulated in the gutters and in the creases of the roof. It was the definition of an abandoned building that if the end of the world hadn't happened, Juliana would have pictured in her mind.

Thunder rumbled in the distance as they wandered up the steps to the main doors of the building. A man was slumped against the wall, eyes still open, with a gaping gunshot wound to the face. Juliana cringed slightly as Beth pulled at the handles of the doors and Daryl rifled around in the pockets of the man for anything useful.

"Getting closer," Juliana muttered, causing Beth and Daryl to look in the direction of the little herd that was indeed, slowly wandering closer and closer to the group.

They moved around the back of the club house quickly, Daryl had armed himself with a club he had found from the golf cart. He lifted a finger to the girls, signaling them to wait and be quiet while he opened the back door to the building. When nothing jumped out at them, he quickly poked his head in just to make sure.

"Come on," he said.

Entering the building, he tossed the club to the side, sliding his crossbow off of her back and into his hands. Juliana had moved her gun at the ready position, holding it out in front of her now.

The inside of the club house was dark and musty. A mixture of unexplainable smells wafted through the air, clinging onto old pieces of clothing and curtains. Newspapers covered the windows from the inside, and had faded from the sunlight. The floor was covered with random pieces of clothing and furniture strewn everywhere, looking like at one point people had tried to set something up here. In front of them, three walkers were hanging from the ceiling; ropes around their necks. Juliana whispered 'shit' under her breath as Daryl reached for a flashlight on the ground, shining it in the direction of the three. It was then that Juliana noticed, as he was shining the light around, that more bodies were scattered around the room. She and Daryl exchanged glances, both visibly tense to be in the room.

She left Daryl to explore the room on her own, wandering closer to Beth who was picking at odds and ends on a table.

"Why are you keeping all that stuff?" she asked, causing Juliana to turn around to see Daryl shoving paper bills and gold jewelry into a leather bag.

He looked up at Beth and then to Juliana, his gaze lingering with her for a moment. As he stood, swinging the bag over his shoulder, a loud bang erupted from the backdoor, causing the three of them to jump in surprise. Daryl leapt up, motioning for the two of them to follow him through the two large doors on the opposite end of the room. Daryl rushed after Beth and Juliana, slamming the doors quickly behind the three.

Darkness engulfed them.