Beth's Old Sweet Shoppe

Chapter 18:

Chapter 18:

Sneaking up to the window of the funeral home, Daryl doesn't find any one in any of the rooms. Going to the door, he finds it unlocked and he heads inside keeping Glenn outside on watch and 911 on speed dial. making is way through the house, he doesn't find anyone on the top floor or attic and no one on the ground floor. Going back through the ground floor, he finds a door leading to the basement. Quietly heading down, he finds a casket, Lerner, Alex, and Brian all huddled in a circle talking.

"Freeze." Daryl yells as he comes down the steps to the floor.

"Dixon...what are you doing here?"

"I know what you guys have done and you won't get away with it." Daryl steps closer and they all back to the wall as his gun is pointed at them. Going to the casket, he opens it up and finds it empty. "Where is she?"

"Not far." Dawn says snakily."

"You're all under arrest for kidnapping."

"Please tell us how that is, if she's not here." Alex boldly says. Looking around Daryl finds three shovels with dirt on them.

"What did you do with her?"

"Oh, ya know...she's in a deep dark sleep somewhere." Brian says and Daryl tries not to become panicked.

"Where did you put her! Tell me...or I shoot." He has his finger, ready on the trigger and finally Alex breaks.

"She's buried."

"She alive?"

"For now...she doesn't have much time." Dawn evilly cackles and notices they don't have guns. Taking his gun, he shoves Dawn against the wall with his gun to her head. Shit finally gets real.

"Tell me exactly where!"

"Doesn't matter...she's already dead." Dawn says in a low growl.

"It does matter. Now either you tell more, or yer gonna be the one taking a dirt nap."

Dawn tries to grab the gun and Daryl and her struggle with it, but it goes off into her head. Killing her. Alex cowers in the corner as Brian stares at Dawns lifeless body in an uncaring way.

"Tell me where the fuck she is!" Daryl grabs Brian by his shirt and shoves him hard into the wall.

"Fuck you!"

"Fuck me? Yeah? Let me fucking show you fuck me." Discharging his weapon into Brian's foot, Brian just screams in pain.

"In the cemetery!" Alex says.

"Show me!" Daryl drags Alex outside and they carry the shovels with them and Glenn prepares to call the police for back up.

"There." Alex points to a recently covered grave and they start digging. They don't stop until finally Daryl hits the stone box that the casket goes in. Opening it up, Daryl works hard to crack open the wooden box. When they get it opened, they find Beth laying unconscious amongst bones.

"Beth! Beth! Wake up!" Shaking her Daryl pulls her to the ground above and starts CPR. Glenn calls the Ambo and police as he hears Daryl screaming. "Come on god dammit! Wake up."

As the world shifts into a slow motion real of quietness. Daryl keeps up the CPR until the Ambo arrives and Daryl still feels deaf as they push the gurney into the ambulance and leave Daryl in his slow motion world.