Untold Secrets

Chapter 18- Moving On

Chapter song: Oats in the Water ~ Ben Howard

We continued to stand in the rec area in shock. The baby was crying and a lot of us didn't know what to do, so Daryl stood up to the plate, seeing Rick was absolutely out of it but who could blame him? Daryl looked at me and I took that as a sign to let go. He walked over to Rick. "Rick? Rick you with me?" He asked and waved a hand in front of his delusional face as Maggie handed Carl the baby.

"Let me see the baby." Hershel gently demanded. "What are we gonna feed it? We got anything a baby could eat?" Daryl asked urgently. "The good news is she looks healthy. But she needs formula, and soon or she won't survive." Hershel told us. "Nope. No way, not her. We ain't loosing nobody else. I'm going for a run." Daryl said, swinging his bow across his back. "I'll go." I insisted, walking up to him. He looked me in the eyes. "You sure?" He asked me, noticing I was still shook up from what had just happened. I nodded. "I held her hand when she slipped away, I want to do this for her." I told my dad. He nodded quickly and turned to Beth. "Beth, kid just lost his mom. His dad ain't doing so hot-" "I'll look out for him." She assured him, and he turned back to me. "Casey, vamanos!" As we were about to head toward the gate and the bike, we heard someone grab the axe off the ground. It was Rick and he stomped back into the prison.

Daryl tossed me a backpack that hung on the left handlebar of the bike and I slipped it on before wrapping my arms around my dad and soon enough we took off. We drove for what seemed like forever, which in reality was probably only about 45 minutes, but we had to hurry because the sun was starting to go down. Eventually we made it into a small neighborhood. Then I saw a bigger building with a swing set in the back. "Daryl, there!" I pointed. "I see it." He responded over his shoulder back at me and we slowed down and he parked his bike outside the fence. We climbed over it and looked around for any trouble. This was making me sad. The playground was broken in some places and was all rusty. The ground was full of weeds, and the grass was very overgrown. I walked up to a window and smashed it open with the butt of my gun quietly. I climbed inside, I couldn't waste any time.

The room was full of toys, books, movies and there were 2 cribs. Art projects were hanging on the walls and it made me depressed just looking at this place. I remembered having to take my sister's to a DayCare and this place only made me miss them more. I shook my head of these thoughts and whispered "Okay, okay." and headed to the cabinets. I grabbed bottles, diapers, cloth and powder. I heard Daryl come in from the window I smashed open. Once I cleared out that cabinet, he whispered "C'mon." and I followed him slowly into the hallway. We turned on our flashlights and heard a faint rattling noise. I followed him into what looked like a kitchen. He looked at a closet and held his bow up, ready to shoot. I took that as a sign to open it. I counted to 3 in my head, and quickly opened up the door, revealing a possum gnawing on something. There wasn't anytime to react to it because within seconds, Daryl had shot it.

"Hello, dinner." He said and went to grab it. "That's disgusting." I said and made a face. I opened more cabinets behind us. I smiled at what I saw. "Daryl, look!" I said excitedly. "Jackpot." He said as we piled the baby formula into our bags. We had found at least a month's worth. It was getting dark. "We should get back." Daryl said and I nodded in agreement. Once we got everything we needed, we were back on the road again. It was completely dark when we got back at the prison. We quickly headed into the dining area and I threw my bag down on a table for Maggie and Beth to grab formula and make a bottle.

I looked up and saw Daryl holding the baby with a huge smile on his face. Just another example of what a softy he is, and I loved that. I handed him the bottle Maggie and Beth made and he held it for the baby. It made me wonder if he was like that towards me when I was that age. "She got a name yet?" Daryl asked Carl. "Not yet, but I was thinking Sophia. Then there's Carol.." and Carl named off Amy, Andrea, Jackie and Lori. I teared up. Daryl again looked at the baby devouring the bottle. "Yeah, you like that huh? Little ass kicker?" He looked around and we all laughed. "Right? That's a good name right?" I could tell he was trying to lighten the mood after Carl had mentioned people we had lost.

After she finished her bottle, he gave her back to Beth and Hershel and they took her to their cell to try and lay her down. Hershel insisted that we all try and get some rest, and I was thankful for that. I was tired, and wanted to lay down. I washed up a bit and then lied down in my cell. My body was tired, but my mind was wide awake. I couldn't sleep. I started dozing off but I would wake up every hour it seemed like. I tossed and turned, and then sighed annoyingly. Then I heard a small voice coming from the doorway of my cell. "Casey, come here." It was Daryl. He was holding a blanket, flashlight, and his poncho. I got up out of my bed towards him and he slipped the poncho over my head and it was obvious we were heading outside.

He lied the blanket on the grass and we sat down. "I could hear ya tossing and turning, figured you were awake." He said to me. "I can't sleep, whenever I close my eyes, I think of Lori screaming or her begging us to shoot her when it was over. I mean, she helped me a lot. I'm going to miss her."  I told him. "She did what she knew she had to do." He said to me. I nodded silently. There were a few moments of silence and then Daryl spoke. "You know, holding that baby back there reminded me of the day you were born." I looked over and smiled at him. "Best day of my life." He said, and a tear fell from my eye. He wiped it with his thumb and said "Don't ever doubt my love for you okay?" I nodded. "I love you." I told him. It almost took him by surprise, and me too frankly. I hadn't ever told him that before, and it seemed as if he hadn't heard something like that in a long time. "You too, kid." He said and laid his hand on top of my head, gently stroking my head.

No matter what, family is forever. Lori's spirit will live with us through that baby. It was time to make her proud.