Adapting (A Daryl Dixon/ The Walking Dead Fanfiction)

Chapter 47

Gemma's P.O.V
As the darkness continues to consume my sight, noises become more apparent. I hear the general raucous of insects and nightlife, but the sound of the crackling fire and hushed murmurings draw my attention. A strong meat smell fills the air, causing a rumbling in my stomach. My head pounds and slowly I open my eyes to a muted light. It takes a moment for me to adjust and then I look around, taking in my surroundings.

I see tall brick buildings surrounding the makeshift campfire, a dark and ominous atmosphere. I hear the faint rumblings of walkers and see their subtle movements through the dirty window. I feel something stir behind me and I turn my head to see Bob behind me. I go to move but the corse rope digs into the skin of my wrist. I only just feel the heated metal running down my back and I try to tug free of the rope.

"Bob." I whisper.

He groans and I feel him move when a deep voice speaks, "Waking up huh? Ah, you're back with us huh?"

I see a man walk into my line of sight, kneeling beside Bob. He's average height, dark longish hair and covered in dirt. His eyes contain an undiluted joy at the sight of Bob and I.

"Good news is you're not dead yet, that's a relief right?" He asks.

"Try not to read too much into the word yet there, that'll just drive you crazy Bob." He says with a wicked smile.

I hear Bob's breathing increase and I grip his hand behind mine, giving him a reassurance as the man continues, "See I wanna explain myself a little. You see, we didn't want to hurt you before. We didn't want to pull you away from your group or scare you. These aren't things that we wanted to do, they're things we gotta do."

He glances at me as he speaks, "You and your people took away our home, that's fair play. Now we're out here like everybody else, trying to survive. And in order to do that we have to hunt."

He shakes his head, "It didn't start that way, eating people. It evolved into that, we evolved, we had to and now we've devolved into hunters. I told you, I said it we can't go back Bob. I just hope you understand that nothing happening to you now is personal. Yeah you put us in this situation and it is almost a cosmic justice for it to be you. But we would have done this to anybody, we will. But at the end of the day, no matter how much we hate all this ugly business... A man's gotta eat."

I grow confused as I hear Bob begin to hyperventilate and weep. I try to see what's happening but I'm tied to tight. I look around and freeze when I look at the fire. A metal wire cage is placed over it with a hunk of meat on top. I focus and gasp in shock, bile rising in my throat.

"If it makes you feel any better, you taste much better than we thought you would." The man says as I stare at Bob's leg.

I hold Bob's hand tightly, knowing that it probably isn't helping but it's the only thing I can think of. I stare at the others who eat impassively, not focusing on the scene before them. One man looks at me, glaring at me in hatred and I recognise him from the shack.

The man moves from Bob and he looks between me and the other man, "Gemma, I see that you and Martin have reacquainted yourselves. My name's Gareth by the way." And I recognise him from the stories of the others.

"Why are you here?" I ask.

"It's probably pretty stupid to be here, dangerous. I don't know, maybe not." Gareth shrugs walking over to the window with the walkers.

"You can see the threat, that's something. Looking at them makes me feel better at things. My mom used to say that everyday above ground was a win. It doesn't really apply anymore, but it does give some perspective." He says, placing his hand on the window.