When the dead roam - (Daryl Dixon)

Chapter 41 - Oh, hell.

Darkness slowly began to descend over the forest as Daryl and the others patiently waited for an escape. He kept his eyes locked on the enemy and a hand out at his side, warning the others to be incredibly quiet. His crossbow was kept at the ready, a strap loose enough to swing the weapon outwards if the situation arose.

Once Wade and his henchmen were out of ear shot the group relaxed slightly and Daryl turned to face them.

"We thought you were with them" the blonde male said, still oblivious that Daryl didn't even know his name. "We knock you over the head, tie you up, threaten to kill you...why the hell did you come back?"

Daryl furrowed his eyebrows and shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe I'm just as stupid as you are". He gestured with his head for them to follow and took off into the trees. When he was certain they couldn't be heard, he spoke again. "So, yer knew 'em? Still, you thought I was one of 'em?"

"Where we were...we were since the beginning. Sherry, Tina and me, we still didn't know everyone. Back when we first threw in with them, it was as good as a place as any" the blonde explained, stepping over fallen trees as they walked. "Then things got harder, people got harder. Human nature kicked in and it became a truly unique kind of shit show. People will trade anything for safety, for know that they're safe. Everything. So they got nothing left except just...existing"

"Hey, nobody's safe anymore" Daryl said, shaking a branch from the top of boot.

"Can't promise people that anyhow. You could promise the people who want to hear it" the blonde sighed. "Hey, Tina, hold up!"

The small group took off after the blonde female as she raced towards two dead bodies, wrapped in motorcycle gear. They lay in deep black mud that encased their figures. Surrounding them was an old warn down greenhouse, the shelves full of dead plants and moss swarmed compost.

"Carla and Delly" Tina sniffed. "That's them"

Daryl looked between the group, willing one of them to explain.

"Me and Tina used to baby sit them when they were kids" the brunette said. "Everyone said that they went out north when it all started. We didn't know"

"I did this"

"We did this, Dwight"

Tina crouched net to the two bodies and placed a small bunch of white flowers between them. She took a few moments to say goodbye before straightening up but her foot slipped from underneath her. Her body dropped. She tried to scramble away as the dead began to move besides her but they were too quick. They latched their skinless fingers around her torso and pulled themselves towards her, digging their teeth into the flesh of her neck.

"Tina!" Sherry yelled, diving forwards and clinging onto her sisters clothing. She pulled at the fabric, her sisters body jolting as she begged for a response.

Quickly, Daryl pulled a knife from his waistband and swiftly impaled the 'walker's' skulls before they could claim another victim.

"I'm so sorry" Sherry sobbed. She removed her hands from her sister's clothing and placed them on either side of her face. "I'm so sorry, baby. We had to try. We had to try. We had too. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry"

Daryl moved away as she cried. He was unsure how to deal with a crying female so he stepped backwards and allowed Dwight to pull her away from Tina's body. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and she slumped into him, soaking his shirt. The only sound for miles was her hysterical crying.

"I'm gonna go find a shovel" Daryl grumbled, removing himself from the situation and searching their surroundings for something he could dig a grave with. When he finally found a bent metal shovel, he mad his way back and began digging into the earth. After a short while Dwight left Sherry to say goodbye and made his way towards Daryl. "Hey, how many walkers yer killed?"