peaches & softie | daryl dixon ✅

Chapter 40 (1/2): Killer Within

 Carter's P.O.V

 Driving a car inside the prison, I turn it off, hopping out of the car as Carol brings the last one in. " Where's Glenn and Maggie? We could use their help," Carol questions. Daryl and I glance at each other, a wide toothy grin growing on my face.

 " Guard tower," I state, rubbing my neck.

 " Guard tower? They were just up there last night!"

 " Glenn! Maggie!" I call out to them, trying to keep it together. Glenn comes out, buttoning up his pants with no shirt.

 " Hey! What's up guys?"

 " You comin'?" Daryl asks.

 " What?" I hide my face in my hands, trying to control my laughter as Daryl repeats himself. " Yeah, we'll be right down!" Walking back to the cars, T sees something, making our smiles be wiped off our faces, the prisoners.

 " That's close enough," Rick states walking to the. " We had and agreement."

 " Please, mister. We know that, we made a deal," Axel states, the couple finally showing up. " But you gotta understand! We can't live in that place another minute, you follow me? All the bodies, people we knew! Blood, brains everywhere! There's ghosts!"

 " Why don't you move the bodies out?" Daryl asks.

 " You should be burning them," I add.

 " We tried! We did!"

 " The fence is down on the far side of the prison. Every time we drag a body out, those things just line up. So hump in a body and just running back inside," Oscar explains.

 " Look! We had nothing to do with Thomas and Andrew, nothing! You trying to prove a point? You proved it, bro! We'll do whatever it takes to be a part of your group, just, please, please, don't make us live in that place!" Axel begs.

 " Our deal is not negotiable. You either leave in your cell block, or you leave," Rick announces.

 " You ain't no different than the pricks who shot up our boys. You know how many friends' corpses we had to drag out this week? Just threw 'em out like... Those were good guys! Good guys who had our backs against the really bad dudes in the joint like Thomas and Andrew. Now, we've all made mistakes to get in here, chief, and I'm not gonna pretend to be a saint, but believe me... we paid our due. Enough that we would rather hit that road, than to go back into that shithole," Oscar states, making Rick look back at me and Daryl for an answer. Daryl shakes his head no as I stay still for a moment, giving a shrug to say it's his call.

 Soon the two prisoners at looked outside the prison, Rick trying to talk sense into T. " Are you serious? You want them living in a cell next to you? They'll just be waiting for a chance to grab our weapons, you want to go back to sleeping with one eye open?"

 " I never stopped. Bring them into the fold. If we send them off packing, we might as well execute them ourselves."

 " Axel seems off though," I add.

 " After all we've been through? We fought so hard for this, what if they decide to take it?" Carol questions out loud.

 " It's just been us for so long... They're strangers. I don't... it feels weird all of a sudden to have these other people around," Maggie explains.

 " You brought us in though," I state.

 " Yeah, but you turned up with a shot boy in your arms, didn't give us a choice," she states back, making me shrug.

 " They can't even kill walkers! They're convicts, bottom line!" Glenn tries to end it.

 " These two might actually have less blood on their hands than we do."

 " I get guys like this. Hell, I grew up with them. They're degenerates, but they ain't psychos. I could have been with them just as easy as I'm out here with you guys."

 " So you're with me?" T questions, making the redneck scoff.

 " Hell no! Let 'em take their chances it on the road, just like we did!"

 " Guys, what I'm saying is-" T tries to explain, only to be cut off.

 " When I was a rookie, I arrested this kid. Nineteen years old, wanted for stabbing his girlfriend. The kid blubbered like a baby during the interrogation, during the trial, suckered the jury. He was acquitted due to insufficient evidence, and then two weeks later shot another girl. We've been through too much. Our deal with them stands." Rick walks off, us following. Daryl hands Glenn the keys as I take Daryl's bike, starting it up to drive inside.

 " Twin cylinder, is that a Triumph?" Axel questions.

 " Don't even look at it," Daryl states, walking past me to get the last car. He starts his up, driving past me.

 " Look, if you wanna survive out here Axel, don't be a yes man." I drive off quickly following as Glenn closes the gate again. Stopping the bike, I help Carol with the last car since Rick, Daryl and Glenn had to get wood from outside. She parks the car. I look around, seeing Hershel on crutches walking. Maggie comes up from behind me smiling before leaning up against me. I glance at her, giving her a smile as she does with me. I look back at Hershel, only to see a group of walkers.

 " Walkers!" I yell, grabbing my gun from my waist. I move beside Lori, shooting as many as I can, the rest helping. Hershel, Maggie and Beth get out of harm's way. I move quickly to one of the doors leading inside. " Lori! Carl!" I yell at the two. They run over to me as I slam the door shut behind them. 

 I run to the cell block, only for another herd to be inside. " Move!" I holler, moving the two in front of me while shooting a few. I close the door to the corridors, shutting the door behind me.