DARYL
Walkin out that door and leavin my life behind? Is the hardest thing I ever done in the whole of mine.
But I got no choice. Have to go, get those meds and make it back here as fast as we can.
Stumbling out of the block I glanced at my bike. So tempted to just take off by myself. Will be way quicker....I'll make it there and back in half the time.
Know I can't do it on my own though. Too much to get. I'll waste time stumbling around looking at the bottles and shit. Trying to get the right ones on Hershel's list.
"GET IN THE CAR....NOW" I yell, sprinting into the courtyard.
Can only give Mags a wave. She's already risked further exposure to this bug by tryin to comfort me. When Carol came out to tell us about Nate.
Rick and her have already left according to Michonne. Gone on a run to try and find any pills or stuff that might be in houses nearby.
Look for anythin to keep the family going until we come back.
*
Fiddled with the radio. Before asking Michonne to find some music and fill the silence.
I'm desperate for distraction. Anything, to make me quit it with the overthinking.
Oh, c'mon! Yers all should know only too well by now? That my missus ain't the only one with that particular little talent. So quit it with the fuckin looks....Ok?
AND I NEED A FUCKIN SMOKE!
Cos I've already gnawed every single fingernail bloody.
"Breathe, Daryl. Just breathe. We're almost there" Mich whispered, puttin a hand over mine as it gripped the steering wheel.
Tried. Just ended up wheezin like an asthmatic instead.
So we barely heard the voice comin over the airwaves. Cranked up the volume and caught some words when the message repeated.
'....survive....alive....terminus' or somethin?
Me and her just stared at each other, dumbfounded.
That was one hell of a distraction alright. And cos of it?
Wasn't watchin the road proper. Hit some walkers and lost control of the car for a ways. Finally came to a stop. In front of a horde about ten thousand strong at least.
Backed up as they started to surround us, only to hit more of em. Their bodies became trapped under the wheel axles giving us no choice but to make a run for it.
Thought we lost Tyreese. He went down, swingin that big ol' hammer of his like a madman. Takin out all the pain-fuelled rage over losing his lady friend to some murderin prick. Then havin his sister take sick as well.
Know just how he feels. I'm itchin to bust some ass myself....
But he eventually broke free and caught up to us.
We got ourselves a break and stumbled into a deserted auto shop. Well, almost deserted. Needed to deal with some of the occupants first.
Found a battery for one of the cars in the garage and soon we were back on the road. Had no choice but to take a wide detour to skirt around the horde, wasting even more time.
Split ourselves up once we got to the Vet School. Me and Tyreese went to find the equipment. Syringes, more I.V. bags and the like.
Put Michonne and Bob in charge of getting the actual meds themselves. He'd been in the medical core of the Army. So I trust him to get whatever is on Hershel's list. Told Mich to just grab everything she can possibly carry, regardless of what it is.
Same as us.
*
"LET GO OF THE BAG, MAN!" I screamed at Bob.
We became trapped in a maze of corridors, dodging walkers at every turn. Our only chance to escape was through a second-floor window. Then onto the roof of a walkway.
But Bob tripped. Nearly went flyin over the edge, straight into the arms of the dead below. He was hangin onto his damn satchel as if it contains hidden treasure.
When I hauled his ass up from the mass of walkers, I heard the contents of his bag clink. Recognised the tune right away. The music of my childhood.
Looked inside and sure enough, I got it spot on.
No meds. Just bottles....booze.
And I saw red 🤬
"Yer shoulda kept walkin that day we found yer!" I hissed at him, then went to throw the fuckin thing away.
"Don't!" He put a goddamn hand on his gun grip.
YER GOTTA BE FUCKIN KIDDING ME!
Beyond anger now, I shoved my chest against his. Started pushin him backwards....nose to nose. He couldn't bring himself to look at me when I snatched his gun.
I took hold of his jacket, ready to throw him back to the walkers.
"Just let it go, Daryl. The man's made his choice" I dimly heard Tyreese's voice.
"It's just for when it gets quiet" Bob repeated what he said earlier at the auto shop.
When he manned up. Told me the truth about that day when Zach got killed. Bob admitted he only came on that run in the first place to get booze. Nuthin else.
And I was an idiot to tell him it weren't his fault!
Not an idiot no more. I slammed a bottle into his chest.
"Yer take one sip before those meds get in our people....into my wife goddamn it....I will beat yer ass into the ground."
"YER HEARIN ME, ASSHOLE?" I screamed into his face.
Wasn't threatening him. It's a promise. He's a dead man already.
Ripped his backpack off and rummaged around. At least that one is chock full of medicine. Leaving him holding his precious fuckin satchel of bottles, we made our way off the roof.
Raced our butts back to the car.
His made it too 😡
*
Took us near on eight hours to get home, with silence almost the whole way. Had to ask Michonne and Ty to take turns drivin. Cos I'm outta my head with fear now.
Eight hours.
That's four hundred and eighty minutes.
Longest twenty-eight thousand, eight hundred seconds of my life....so far.
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Home is You ('Home Is' Book One - Daryl Dixon)
FanfictionSemi-mature. Completed. Nate's a teenage Aussie tomboy. Who grew up in a country town with 4 big brothers and parents who adore her as much as she does them. She's strong, resourceful, smart and a bit of a smart-ass. But still just a girl. One who f...
