The Journey Ahead | Daryl Dixon

The Journey Ahead (34)

// Daryl's POV //

We've been following the same guy for what seems like forever. He looks like a huge target walkin around with that red poncho on, but he must know what he's doing if he knows how to use leeks against Mosquitos.

All day Aaron and I have been scouting and searching. I just want to get back to see Y/N to be honest. Sometimes I'm not sure why she gets pissed, but this time I think it's just low self-esteem. She overheard me tellin Aaron how she's not strong enough to handle death on her own, but she took it as though I called her worthless and weak. She is one of the strongest people I've met, the fact that she's made it this far through all of the loss is incredible enough. Grieving is something we all have to go through, she just needs someone to go through it with her.

"Cmon, I saw him go that way." Aaron said bringing me out of my thoughts. I nodded and followed him farther and farther away from camp. We were a good ways out, probably won't make it back til midnight.

We trudged through the tall grass and followed the direction that guy went in. Hoping that we might be able to finally get to him.

"So how are things with you and Y/N?" Aaron spoke up, trying to make small talk. He turned around to catch me staring towards the ground. Hopefully he took the hint that I didn't want to talk about it.

"Don't worry, she'll come around. She just needs time." He said. I nodded and pushed forward. He tried to say something else, but I ignored him and continued to follow after the guy in the poncho.

////

We didn't catch up with him, but we did come across a food storage unit with trucks all backed into place. The area surrounding them was strangely free of walkers. There hasn't been much sighting of walkers anywhere near Alexandria, but to not see one was a little unsettling. Aaron cut a hole in the gate and we pushed through.

Once we made it to the building, Aaron checked out the trucks while I kept watch, although there was nothing to really watch for.

"Oh cool! Check it out!" Aaron said crouching behind one of the trucks and fiddling with the license plate. The one he pulled out was from Alaska and his expression could tell that he was excited. "Never thought I'd see one of these!" He said.

"Although we didn't find that guy, I'm sure returning with a truck full of food would be just as good." He said smiling. I nodded and checked to find a truck that was easy to get into.

"Here." I said pulling the back door of one of the trucks open. As I did, a loud snap was heard followed by dozens of loud moaning and groaning. I looked up and saw a hoard of walkers crammed into the back of the truck. Some pinned against the walls with spears of some sort, and some dangling by their necks with chains while the rest were free moving. Within an instant they all pushed out towards Aaron and I. We turned to go the other way but was met with another hoard, same in the other direction. I pulled Aaron out of a small opening I saw through the mess and got out of there.

We were met with the whole yard once being completely empty, to be scattered with the dead. I took out a couple, but was met with too many. My only choice was to crawl under one of the trucks. Aaron soon followed and took one out with his license plate.

They were closing in and I was running out of options. Above me there was a decaying walker with a "W" carved into its forehead. A chain was sprawled out across the ground before it so I snatched it up as quick as I could without getting bit.

"Cmon!" I yelled to Aaron and crawled out from underneath the truck. I wrapped the end of chain tightly around my hand and whipped it at three walkers, immediately decapitating them. I looked behind me to see Aaron being attacked, so with the only other weapon I had that was easy to get to, I pulled my knife out of its sheath and plunged the blade into the walkers' head. Aaron and I ran as fast as possible out of there, only to be met with another huge hoard.

"Get in!" He said opening an abandoned cars' door. Without hesitation, I climbed in and moved to the drivers seat. Aaron soon followed and hopped into the passengers seat, slamming the door shut on a walkers head.

The car was automatically engulfed with the dead clawing and desperately trying to latch onto us.

"There's gotta be somethin to cover the windows," I said looking around I the back for anything able to help. "Maybe we cut up the seats and-" I turned to see Aron holing a crumpled paper in his hand saying "Bad people coming, don't stay." Some was written in pen, while the rest was written in what looked to be blood. We looked to each other and realized that we weren't getting out of here any time soon. I looked out the window and saw the snapping jaws of the walkers constantly trying to bite us. I closed my eyes and let out a deep sigh, attempting to relax myself. I pulled out my pack of smokes and saw the last one lying in my hand. I figured it was as good a time as any, might be my last one.

"I'll go." I said to Aaron he looked to me in horror from what I just said.

"No, this is my fault."

"This isn't a choice, and it's not your decision." I said taking a long drag. "Just let me finish my smoke first."

"We fight, together. That's the only way." I took a minute to think things over, but then agreed with him. You can't do things alone in this world anymore, it's just the way things work. You need people there with you, to help. Independence will only get you so far.