Didn't See That Coming | The Walking Dead(1)

Part 56 (Alone)

Since their time in the cabin, Daryl and Beth had been getting on a lot better. They talked more about finding their friends and family, Daryl seemed to open up more, which Beth was happy about. The one thing he still refused to do was look at CJ's necklace. It still sat in the pocket of his jeans; he just couldn't bring himself to look at it.

The two of them kept moving, camping in the woods and eating anything their either hunted or scavenged. Beth asked if Daryl would teach her about tracking and he'd agreed. They were walking through the woods following a trail, Beth leading the way with Daryl's crossbow in her arms.

"What are we tracking?" Beth asked.

"You tell me," Daryl replied. Beth looked back at him and rolled her eyes. "You're the one who wanted to learn."

She looked back down at the trail they were following. "Well, something came through here. The patterns all zig-zaggy. It's a walker," she smiled. "I'm gettin' good at this. Pretty soon I won't need you at all."

"Mmhmm, just keep trackin'," Daryl mumbled as he followed her past the trees and to a small clearing.

They spotted a walker knelt down eating an animal. It had its back to them. "It has a gun," Beth whispered.

Daryl gave her a nod and she slowly snuck up behind it. As she approached it, her foot got caught in some kind of trap and she fell to the ground with a grunt, causing the walker to hear her and turn around.

She shot at the walker with the crossbow, but because she was on the floor, she missed its head, and the arrow went through its neck. Daryl ran over and took the crossbow from her before hitting the walker around the head with it, killing it instantly.

He immediately dropped the weapon and rushed over to Beth to release her foot from the trap. "Can you move it?" he asked as he tried to elevate her ankle.

"Yeah," she winced as she tried to move the sprained bone. Daryl helped her up and supported her as she walked with her arm around his shoulders.

They hadn't been walking long when they emerged from the treeline and found a cemetery with a big house behind it.

"Can we hold up a sec?" Beth asked as she let go of Daryl and shuffled on her injured ankle.

"You alright?"

"I just need to sit down."

Daryl looked over to the house across the cemetery. He put the strap of his crossbow over his head, so the weapon rested across his front before crouching slightly with a huff. "Hop on."

Beth looked at him with furrowed eyebrows. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah," Daryl shrugged. "It's a serious piggyback. Jump up." Beth chuckled as she put her hands on Daryl's shoulders and hopped up so he could carry her. "You're heavier than you look," he joked as he jolted her up and started to walk over to the house.

"Maybe there are people there," Beth suggested.

"If there are, I'll handle it," Daryl replied.

"There are still good people, Daryl."

"I don't think the good ones survive," he mumbled.

Beth got down off of Daryl as she spotted a headstone with the words; 'BELOVED FATHER' carved into it. Daryl followed her gaze before picking a small bunch of yellow flowers from the ground and placing them on top of the stone. He stepped back to stand beside Beth as they stared at the headstone. He felt Beth take his hand in hers as they both thought of not only Hershel, but all the people they lost.

They stood there a while before heading for the funeral home. As they slowly made their way inside, they immediately noticed how clean it was. No dust, no signs of any walkers being inside. The place was spotless.