In the Very End: Book One

Chapter 5

*WARNING: Please be advised that this chapter contains mature content and strong language.*

Chapter 5
Daryl's POV

"Everybody takes a weapon," Rick said as he laid knives down in front of us.

We'll be going out for Sophia today, all of us except Dale and T-dog.

"These aren't the kinds of weapons we need. What about the guns?" Andrea asked.

"We've been over that," Shane remarked. "Daryl, Quinn, Rick, and I are carrying. We can't have people poppin' off rounds every time a tree rustles."

"It's not the trees I'm worried about. How come Quinn gets a gun? She's just like the rest of us," Andrea shot back.

Except Quinn wasn't like the rest, she was different. She was a hunter, she was patient. She was different.

"Say someone fires at the wrong moment, herd happens to be passin' by. See, then it's game over for all of us," Shane reminded, but then quickly added, "And Quinn gets a gun 'cause she knows how to use it. So, you need to get over it."

Andrea scoffed and Quinn glared.

"So the idea is to go up the creek about five miles, turn around, and come back down the other side," I said, trying to break the intense silence.

"Chances are she'll be at the creek," Quinn added quietly. "That's her only land mark."

"Stay quiet, stay sharp," Rick instructed. "Keep space between you, but always in sight of each other."

"Everybody assemble your packs," Shane ordered from behind me.

While we were packing our backpacks and grabbing silent weapons, Andrea and Dale were arguing by the RV. Finally, she rolled her eyes and followed after the group. Rick and I were leading. We came across a tent in the woods.

"Grab Quinn," I whispered to Rick, and before I knew it she was at my side.

"She could be in there," Shane observed.

"Could be a whole bunch of things in there," Quinn whispered back.

I slowly made my way down the small hill and to the tent. I saw Quinn was following behind, Rick and Shane, too. Rick and Shane stopped short, but Quinn crept closer.

When we reached the tent door, I tried to get a look inside, but I couldn't. I sent Quinn a questioning look and she shrugged. She turned and called for Carol to come down.

"Call out softly. If she's in there, your voice is the first she should hear."

"Sophia? Sweetie, are you in there?" Carol called out. "Sophia, it's mommy. Sophia? We're all here, baby. It's mommy."

When nothing happened, I slowly unzipped the tent and made my way inside. The smell hit me like a wall of bricks and I covered my nose before continuing inside, Quinn following.

There was a man sitting in a chair, a hole in his head and dried blood around it. The other side of the tent was ripped open, and he had a revolver in his hand.

"Daryl?" Carol called from outside.

I grabbed the gun and tucked it in my belt.

"Quinn?" she called.

We walked out of the tent.

"It ain't her," I notified.

"What's in there?" Andrea asked.