Survival Guide: To Surviving the Living Dead 101

Rule #12

Don't Get Comfortable

Don't get comfortable with where you're staying. The chances that you'll be able to ride out the apocalypse there are very slim. You never know what is going to happen. A group of people could come along and take it or a very large herd of walkers could come along. Always be ready to move. This is an extension to rule number two. Always be Prepared.

Things have been a little hectic since Daryl got hurt. We found out that Hershel has walkers in the barn. Shane wanted to keep guard and Rick wanted to talk to Hershel. Shit got even more complicated when Shane got the guns and started handing them out. Then we saw Rick with Hershel, leading walkers on a pole that was meant for animals. That's when Shane lost it and ran down to the barn.

He had a few choice words before he shot the walker Hershel was holding onto. Then he went and busted the lock on the barn door. Not completely but enough that the walkers could get through a couple at a time. Everyone with a gun stepped up and helped take them down. Rick was in the background begging for Shane to stop but all Shane did was turn and shoot the walker Rick had.

When the last walker was out, we relaxed a little. Hershel was  on his knees in disbelief. He had thought they were just sick. That there would be a cure for them. But I'm guessing that all changed when Shane shot that walker in the chest and it still kept coming at him. Maggie was beside him trying to comfort him. Beth was crying and running to her mother. But it was short lived when she had Beth's hair grasped in her hand. Luckily we were able to get her away in time as Andrea pierced the head killing it for good. What was even less expected was the small noises of growling coming from the barn. There was one walker left. And when it finally emerged from the barn, I felt my heart crack. Everyone went silent.

"Sophia? Sophia!" Carol started to run towards her but Daryl pushed out his arm and caught her by the waist. I could see the guilt sleeping out of Rick as he walked closer to her, lifting his gun to her forehead, and pulling the trigger. Carol pushed Daryl away and ran off. Shane was pissed and followed the Greene family back to the house spewing accusations. Saying they knew she was in there the whole time. It was all just one big fucking mess. The bodies were cleaned up. Sophia along with Hershel's wife and step son were buried while the others were burned.

Carol didn't want anything to do with the service for Sophia. Which in turn upset Daryl. I knew he was upset that he couldn't find her but it wasn't his fault. It wasn't anyone's fault. When I got back to the tent I found him packing everything up. "What're you doing?" I asked. "Moving up 9n the hill. Find another tent to sleep in." I looked down at the gray tarped floor, biting my lip. "Can I just come with you?" I asked. He stopped and looked up at me. "Why?" It was such a simple question. I shrugged not really knowing what to say. "I don't know. I just don't feel comfortable being here with the others." He didn't say anything and just continued to pack up his things. I knew he was upset about Sophia and how Carol acted earlier.

Instead of begging him and possibly making him mad I stuff what I had left out into my bag and then I folded my cot up. That's all I really had besides the old milk crate. I took everything out of the tent. Setting it beside the tree that was just outside. I made sure to put my gun holder back on and my gun. It was weird not having it on. When Daryl brought his stuff out and set it down I helped him break down the tent and fold it up. "I'm sorry. About Sophia I mean. I know how bad you wanted to find her alive. You were the only one actually trying." Again I didn't get an answer. I watched him strap everything on his bike before getting on himself and riding off. I felt a little sting in my chest. But I knew Daryl enough to know he just needs to be by himself.

Things went even further downhill when Hershel went missing. Maggie had panicked and came right to me about it which got Rick's attention. We went inside to see he had pulled his wife's out and started to box it up. We found a flask in his dresser drawer and Maggie told us he hasn't drank since the day she was born. "Is there a bar in town?" I asked. She nodded and told us the name.

Glenn and Rick were the ones to go after him. Rick begged me to stay here to look after Carl and Lori which I reluctantly agreed to. After getting bored of just staring at nothing I took a walk up where Daryl was. He had moved further up the hill far away from the house near an old building. The only thing left of it was some bricks. Looking around I didn't see him. "Daryl?" I called softly. There was a fire going so he couldn't have gone far. "What're ya doin here?" I jumped at his voice and turned around. "Shit. You scared me."

Daryl walked around me and set a couple squirrels down on the ground. "Just wanted to come see how everything is going. Hershel went into town to the bar. According to Maggie he hasn't drank since she was born. Rick and Glenn went after him." He didn't say anything, just sat down and started gutting and skinning his kills. "Rick put me on Lori duty. That got fucking boring. Did you know she's pregnant?" He looked up at me then.

I sat down across from him, leaning my elbows on my knees. "She swears it's Rick's but we all know that's not possible. She just can't admit that she fucked up. But that's nothing new. Lori has always been a self centered bitch." I heard a small chuckle from Daryl and smiled. "She acts like we don't all know she slept with Shane. It makes me wonder if they were having an affair before the world ended. Her and Rick were having a lot of problems."

Daryl and I sat there just talking and telling stories from when we were younger. We were having a great time. He even told me if I wanted he could help bring me stuff up here. Things were great until Carol came up and pissed him off. Then Lori not long after. She wanted us to go find Rick. "Rick is fine. He can take care of himself. You should be worried about your son." She didn't like that and walked away calling us selfish.