The Baker and the Butcher

Chapter 19

Three months.
It had been an entire three months since Daryl had left his family in search of Beth.
Everywhere he Turned it was barren.
Ruined homes and pieces of empty cities were all he ever came across In his travels. He wasn't complaining though, people weren't the same anymore.
People turned desperate. angry. They were murderers now, looting stores and taking out anyone who got in the way.
Daryl had run into a few people here and there and they were cruel, trying to steal the back pack of his back.
One man group of men in particular would forever be seared into his memory.
It had been four weeks into his search and he was so tired. He didn't want to run anymore. He had lost hope on finding Beth.
Slumping to the ground of a deserted road he sat there motionless for what seemed like hours.
He hadn't even heard them come up behind him.
"Well what do we have here."
A group of four men stood in front of Daryl towering over him rifles aimed at his face.
"I don't want trouble." Daryl gritted out over clenched teeth.
"Well now I just asked your name. No trouble at all. I'm Lenny and this is joe"
The other man was off searching the woods.
"Daryl" he grunted
"You seem to be lookin' for something maybe we can help?" He said innocently.
Daryl began getting up to walk away before the man named joe placed his rifle to Daryl's chest dropping him back down.
"I think my friend asked you a question."
" a blonde girl I'm lookin' for a blonde girl. She's small and she's got blue eyes ." He confessed exhausted from the short questioning and looking for a way out.
Both the men looked at each other and broke out laughing ,
"That two bit blonde bitch?" Joe snorted. "Yeah we seen her , asked the dumb broad to join our group, said we'd protect her. For a cost of course I could tell why you're looking for her. I couldn't wait to take her right there in the woods." Daryl's knuckles tensed and he bit his tongue so hard he tasted blood.
"Anyway she refused, said she didn't need our help called us "dirty old men." Next thing I know I'm trying to grab hold of her and I wake up knocked out on the ground with a gash and black eye."
Daryl bit back the smile and felt his heart swell with pride and relief that she was alive at some point in the last two months.
"Took two of our guns and a knife, when I find that bitch I'm gunna make her pay real good. I'm fittin to have ma
Very own doll." The three men laughed and agreed.
"You can't claim a human though so I reckon well all just have to share her"
Daryl reached quick into his back pack and grabbed the pistol, capping off the first man that had been in the woods. Then quickly shooting Lenny. Before aiming his gun at joe.
"You're a pathetic prick who can only get a women when there ain't no one around I'm doin' you a favor offin you." Daryl cocked his gun
"Oh and by the way" he grabbed joes back pack.
"Claimed"
Daryl moved quick emptying all the back packs and taking all he could fit in his own hunting pack taking extra for Beth.
Three days later and he came across an old farm eerily similiar to the one Beth grew up on. The roof was slightly caved in but it seemed to be holding up fairly well and looked abandoned.
Walking slowly up the creaky steps he walked into the open door and smiled everything about this house reminded him of Beth. The old newspapers on the wall, the grand piano in the corner and the pair of dirty cowboy boots thrown down by the doorway.
He looked into the kitchen and attempted to turn the sink on, without luck.
There was no water. He clicked the stove on and smiled when he noticed the tiny flame spark. He had some electricity. Opening the cabinets there was enough canned food for a family of ten for weeks.
This house was a miracle. He'd have to go out hunting tonight If he wanted any protein.
The echoing rumble of his stomach proved that he was ready to go hunting now in the small patch of woods connected to the farm.
He grabbed his crossbow from the kitchen counter and felt the sting of longing when he noticed the baking cool book thrown down on the counter opened to a snicker doodle recipe.
He'd find her. He hadn't stopped looking.
He'd never stop looking.
He had a full strong of squirrels and two raccoons by the time he finished. Seemed the hurricane hadn't scared off any of the animals. We noticed something shining on the ground and reached to pick the slightly familiar object up when he heard from behind him.
"Don't move. I swear to god I'll kill you"
He stopped in his tracks. There was something familiar about that voice. But not close enough to hear. he began turning around.
"No! You stay facing that way. You ain't got no right reason to turn around."
Whoever this person was they were masking there voice. Making it deeper. Attempting to sound more intimidating.
None the less he wouldn't risk turning around. He heard the gun click.
"Listen, I'm just passing through. I ain't here to hurt you. If you let me go I can give you some of my game."
"I... I don't want none of your food that's yours you got that on your own, I won't take none of that."
He whipped around. He knew that gentle soul and soft sweet voice.
"Beth" he whispered out holding back his tears.
Her eyes went wide as saucers and filled with tears.
"Daryl?! There ain't no way. I'm just tired. I ain't seein' things straight."
He dropped his squirrels to the ground and watched her rub her eyes. She looked different.
Her hair had gotten much longer hanging down to the bottom of her back. She had a bright red scar, tied up with a neat stitching job on her left cheek. She wore a dark green army coat and dark blue jeans tucked into brown combat boots laced up to mid calf. She had a light brown back pack and a holster on her hips carrying her guns and knives. She was much tanner and glowy. She was a vision, he'd never seen her look so breath takingly beautiful
Daryl couldn't help his tears now.
" I'm here Beth. I'm real. I...I've been lookin' for ya everywhere." He laughed choking on his words.
She ran at him knocking them both down and burying her head in his shoulder squeezing him as tight as she could.
They both held each other for what felt like years. Before she pulled away looking at him from her seat in his lap.
"When I said see ya later Daryl. I meant a couple of minutes, not a couple of months" she smiled at him.
He smiled and pulled her into his lips. Kissing the daylights out of her. He planted kisses on her cheeks,her nose, her forehead, her ears and finally her lips.
She giggled. And snuggled into him.
"What do we do now?" She asked.
He looked at her and smiled
"We find our family."