Chapter Text
𓆩♱𓆪 // The ground rumbled and shook, the sounds of walker moans echoing off the rocks.
“We do this now!”
Rick’s voice pushed everyone into action and before they knew it walkers were being released and quickly killed. Daryl’s hands gripped around the crossbow, his heart thumping with adrenaline. All he could think about was how you wouldn’t know where he was. He never got to say goodbye or have one night to hangout, who knew how long this would last.
Daryl hopped onto his bike and quickly revved the engine. His job, leading the walkers. He revved the bike a few times, making sure the walkers were focused on him, then he slowly began leading them away. Sasha’s voice interrupted his thoughts.
“We’re at red bottom of the hill.”
Daryl nodded to himself, “all right, here comes the parade.” Once Daryl reached the bottom of the hill he met up with Sasha and Abraham. The red balloons bounced in the wind, almost along to the sound of the walker’s groans. Daryl wasn’t scared, yet he wasn’t too happy to be spending his day babysitting a horde of walkers. Anything could go wrong, hell it was sure to go wrong.
Further up the road Rick, Michonne, and Morgan began firing off flare rounds. The plan made sense, Rick was good at coming up with plans. Though Daryl remembered their conversation during the prep of this plan, that one he didn’t quite understand or agree with. Rick wanted to stop the search for new people, Daryl didn't agree with that.
Daryl admired Rick, hell he loved him like a brother. Unlike Merle, Rick would listen to him and his opinions. That meant a lot to Daryl, he respected Rick and he knew Rick respected him. Sasha, Abraham, and Daryl finally made it to Marshall and Redding Road. The sign standing tall like a checkpoint.
The archer wanted to celebrate though he knew they were far from done. Daryl hopes that Glenn is finishing his task, because if not this plan would go sideways. As Daryl rounded the corner he watched flares shoot up into the sky. He knew Rick, Michonne and Morgan were on the other side of the walls firing off the rounds. He nodded to himself, happy that they were okay.
Daryl noticed Abraham exit the car quickly and run off into the woods. No calls were announced over the radio, he had no idea what was going on. He guessed that maybe a few had broken free and he was cleaning them up. Smart. Finally Abraham returned to the car.
Moments passed and a voice, Rick’s voice, called over the radio. “Tobin they’re breaking off.” Daryl tightened his grip on his handlebars. It angered him that things never seemed to go right. He worried about you back at home, he hoped you were okay. He wished he could just ride off back to Alexandria and meet you at your doorstep. He wished he could apologize and maybe feel your hands on him again. He hated that he had no way to tell you what was going on.
Over the sound of the motorcycle and the groans of the walkers following closely behind, Daryl heard a slight alarm. A horn or something similar. Daryl glanced behind him and watched the back end of the horde break off into the woods. His heart felt like it stopped. They were breaking off towards Alexandria. Towards where you were. How could the other groups let something so careless happen? The walkers could hurt you, and he wouldn’t be there to stop them.
He debated for a while if he should just leave, break off and go back to Alexandria. Everyone needed him to do this, they counted on it, so he stayed. Continuing to lead this horde for the next twenty miles.
‿̩͙⊱༒︎༻♱༺༒︎⊰‿̩͙⊱༒︎༻♱༺༒︎⊰‿̩͙⊱༒︎༻♱༺༒︎⊰ ‿̩͙
☆ // I sat on my front porch, book in hand, though I wasn’t reading it. I was still mad at Daryl but I hoped he was okay. He had left today to survey the point and come up with a plan, though they weren’t back yet. I wondered if things went sideways, if anyone got injured. I sighed, my mind was too busy to read so I just sat there, looking out at Alexandria. My eyes focused on the garage that Daryl keeps his bike in. I wished he was home, wished I could just run over there and forgive him.
I did that a lot. Forgive people who didn’t apologize, I was a people pleaser, I just wanted everyone to be happy no matter how much it affected me. I closed my eyes for a minute, taking in the quiet of Alexandria. I opened my eyes and glanced back towards the house Daryl stayed in. Part of me wanted to see what space he occupied, what his house looked like. I stood and made my way across the street.
Though, before I could get there a series of loud screams echoed down the street. The screams were blood curdling and helpless. My head jerked around as I noticed people running around frantically, then the men that chased after them. My eyes darted down to their hands, fingers gripped around machetes and knives. My heart pounded deeply in my chest.
I hurried across the street, quickly but quietly raising the garage door. I slid my body under, closing it behind me. I looked around the dirtied garage, a mattress sat in the corner. Tools, clothes, and rags were scattered around all equally dirty. I made my way towards the workbench and eyed the tools upon it.
The door behind me clicked and I spun around, knife in hand. “Woah, shh!” Eric pressed his finger to his lips, gun in hand. We stared at each other for a moment before Eric closed the door behind him.
“What are you doing here?”
“Me? What are you doing here?”
Eric stared at me for a moment longer, “I live here this is my house.” I cocked my eyebrow at him, my face painted with confusion. I glanced back towards the mattress on the floor, no, Daryl lived here. Eric nodded as he watched my eyes find the bed.
“We let him live with us. Said he preferred it over living by himself. Him and Aaron go outside the walls a lot together, just easier that way.” I nodded, I suppose that made sense. Eric flinched at the sounds of screams outside, then suddenly the sound of a loud horn sounded. “What’s going on?” He muttered, as he pointed to the workbench. I quickly helped him move it in front of the door.
“We’re under attack. I don’t know who these people are though.”
Eric nodded, his eyes trained on the garage door. “Here, let's lock it.” He mumbled as we hurried towards it, sliding the manual locks into place. The horn still rang out, sending fear throughout my body. With nothing to do but wait, I found a seat on Daryl’s mattress. Eric and I sat in complete silence, not a good silence either. The space was full of fear. Fear for our friends, family members, and our home.
I picked at the skin around my fingernails. Ever so often a loud banging would erupt on the garage door, sending chills down mine and Eric’s backs. I wondered who these people were, what they wanted. “Are you and Daryl?” Eric spoke out, his voice a whisper. My head jerked up, my heart jumped.
“Uh- well.”
Eric smiled, something so foreign in a time like this. “It’s kind of complicated.” Eric nodded and sighed. We stared at each other for a moment before both laughing lightly. I didn’t know what me and Daryl were. He was closed off, yet he initiated things the other night? Were they drunk actions or did he want it.
I rolled my eyes to myself as I got comfortable on his mattress. “I hope they’re okay.”
“Me too.”