Hiraeth (The Walking Dead)

Chapter 17

After Cailey had wandered off, Rick told everyone who heard the argument to give her space for a while. He had given her a couple hours until the sun was beginning to set, but she still didn't come back out. Rick started to worry if she would run off on her own. So, he sent Daryl out through the prison to find her. Rick searched for Cailey, also, but something told him that Daryl was more likely to find her.

Daryl was, in fact, the person who found Cailey. After searching the towers, he found Cailey huddled in the corner of the field where she had been the previous night before taking over the prison. She was practically hidden in plain sight.

As the hunter sauntered up towards the girl, he could still see blood seeping through and over her shirt. She had tied an old fabric from her underarm to the top of her shoulder where it bled, and the grey fabric was stained a dark crimson. Cailey had her back against the fence with her legs crossed tightly.

"C'mon, time to stop playin' games," Daryl declared. "Let's get ya fixed up."

Cailey didn't reply, she only kept her arms crossed tightly against her chest as she stared out the fence. Daryl crouched down, sitting on his heels before swinging his legs out in front of him on the grass. He reached out with one hand to the tied fabric, and Cailey swatted his hand away.

"Chill out," he muttered. "Trynna help ya."

Cailey bit down on her back teeth with an inward sigh, but didn't protest as Daryl reached to untie the makeshift bandage. She had tied it tightly, but there was still fresh blood on her shoulder. Daryl could see a nail the length of his hand just missing the muscle of her shoulder.

"Don't this hurt?"

"Bit," Cailey mumbled. "Think it broke a nerve. Don't feel much now."

"Gotta take it out or shit's gonna get infected."

Cailey nodded silently, wincing as her neck stretched. Daryl took one hand around the nail, then hesitated. He reached around his waist, unbuckling his belt. Cailey watched carefully, visibly tensing. Daryl took the thick leather and looped it, wrapping it around her shoulder above the nail. A small grunt and whimper of pain forced out of Cailey's mouth.

Daryl held one hand to the edge of Cailey's shoulder, then gripped the head of the nail with the other. He began pulling slowly on it, and Cailey bit down harshly. Her face contorted in pure pain, and tiny whimpers pulled from her throat. She bit down on her lip until it nearly bled as Daryl kept pulling at the nail.

Daryl let off a breath he had been holding as the nail finally came loose. It was drenched in blood, and now so were his hands. Daryl dropped the nail on the ground with a small comment of "Ain't so bad, huh?"

Cailey scoffed amusedly, turning her head away with a sigh as she held one hand to her shoulder. Daryl reached up to tie the fabric around it again, and Cailey let off one last whimper of pain as he tightened it.

"So ya gonna tell me what happened?"

"Went lookin' for the infirmary," she mumbled. She stared at the blood that had flowed onto her hand. "Told you."

"An' ya just happened ta get a nail in yer' arm?"

"The prisoner... He is my father. Haven't seen him in years, though. Got arrested a while ago. Came out through the hallway an' picked a fight. Must've picked up the nail from the ground or somethin'. Jammed it in there when I had my knife against 'im."

Daryl went silent as he nodded. "Other ones wanted ta fight, too. Two of 'em are dead. Just leaves the mustache guy and your ol' man."

"He's not my old man," Cailey muttered.

Daryl didn't reply. He only understood. "Rick wants ta decide whatta do with 'im. Said he don't want the guy hurtin' no one else."

Cailey shook her head slightly. "Pro'lly won't try nothing if I'm not here."

"Well, that ain't an option 'cause yer stayin' here. None of us could give two shits 'bout that guy. Can feed 'im to the walkers."

The girl shook her head again. "Whatever."

The hunter pushed himself up to stand, hanging his crossbow from his left hand. "C'mon, le's get yer arm stitched up. Carol can pro'lly do it."