Penance (Book One): Daryl Dixon x Sage Wilson

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     The night was spent full of pits in stomachs and worry- even at the dinner table. There was a new addition of faces. A younger looking boy named Jimmy, who seemed to be in a relationship with a younger looking girl named Beth, with blonde hair; they both couldn't have been over twenty.

     Here sat the whole group at a table above a steaming hot bowl of soup, minus Carl and Sophia. The aromas made my mouth water and it seemed to make everyone else's stomachs twist in response to the famine. 

     I look over to Rick who was holding Lori's hand, and Shane watching them in disgust. Little did the bastard know, I was also watching him in disgust- even more than he could imagine. I look over to Daryl who sat to the left of me, unregrettably shoving his mouth full of the broth. 

     "I'm sorry about your boy; the least we could do is provide him a stable environment until he is back up on his feet again." The old man, Hershel, gives us a smile with his Snow White features, and looks to Otis. "Look, I know Otis did not mean to harm your boy- he is the most tender man I know. Wouldn't hurt anything but a walker in this world," Hershel sighs and puts down his spoon, looking to Maggie and Beth. "Same with my girls."

     "Mistakes happen; as long as Carl is okay, everything and everyone will be fine." Rick says staring at Hershel. "I thank you for your help and hospitality- hard to come across that nowadays." 

     I dip my spoon into my bowl and bring it up to my mouth, blowing on it lightly. I was unsure of how to participate in this conversation- we were all strangers after all. 

     "Your boy is stable, he should be good to go in a couple of days. I do have some rules on this farm though- in return of a bed, everyone will have their own tasks to do. We could use some helping hands." Hershel smiles at all of us, and I perk up a bit.

     "Daryl and I have to go look for a little girl; Carol's little girl, Sophia. She went missing yesterday on the highway east of here." I point to Daryl who stops eating, and briefly nods in response. I wish I could mention Ava, but she was still a trail that became as cold as ice. 

     "Oh, well that is just fine. I know what it is like to lose someone dear to you," Hershel looks over to carol and smiles, and then looks down in a somber expression, looking to Maggie and Beth. "Their mother. Not too long ago, actually. Maybe a couple of months?" 

     The room was filled with the sound of silver ware clinking against china the remainder of dinner, and thankfully T-Dog and Glenn was able to spark up a new topic for everyone to talk about- pizza and cars. 

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     By the time everyone departed after dinner, Hershel had guided us to our rooms, with the exception of a lot of us sharing. 

     Lori, Carl, Rick were in one room. 

     T-Dog, Glenn, and Carol were in another room. 

     And unfortunately, that left Shane, Daryl, and I in another. Luckily, however, Shane offered to sleep on the downstairs couch for one of two reasons: he's scared shitless of Daryl now, or Daryl threatened him when I saw him talking to Shane in the hallway. 

     We walk up the stairs, and are met with a big bedroom with a king size bed and a old vintage-looking vanity. The window outlooked the dark and open field, revealing the moonlight's reflection on the trees. 

     "So, who's getting the bed?" I ask, trying not to bring up the topic that either one of us will be sleeping on the wood floor or we would have to suck in up and share body heat and pop each other's bubbles for a couple of nights. 

     "Why don't we... just share it." Daryl says as he walks across the room and tosses his belongings into a corner. 

     "Really? You're okay with that?" I ask, almost a little surprised. Yeah, Daryl and I got to know one another pretty well over the course of the last 24 hours, but my trust radar was still broken. 

     "Yeah, whatever. Just don't come in my space or I'll shove you off, got it?" He lazily slumps into the bed with his dirty clothes and body, putting his arms below his head as he closes his eyes. 

     "Diddo, captain." I mock as I slide my shoes off and gently get on top of the bed, laying on top of the covers. It felt abnormal to be in a stranger's house and not camping out wherever looked best. I could already hear Daryl going into a deeper snore, and I was wide awake. I was exhausted, but my mind was constantly on this treadmill and it couldn't get off. A portion of me worried about Shane, and the other portions of me worried about Sophia and Ava. Sophia, could be out in the cold and hungry- waiting for us to find her by the minute. Ava, could be in the same condition, or even worse- dead. I could physically feel my heart stop every time I pictured  Ava dead; but in my mind, if I haven't seen her dead, she can't be. 

     I attempt to close my eyes, in attempt to finally get a night of comfortable rest, hopefully without the interruptions of a never-ending nightmare. What was I supposed to do? Imagine green pastures, fluffy bunnies, flowers, and picnics? My mind was as good as corroded metal gets. Every image and experience I have experienced with my own two eyes have turned into acid and burns my subconscious just thinking about it. 

     But all I could do was hope that this farm would be a good start; a way for us to show Hershel we are good and trustworthy people who are looking for a stable home. Maybe we could settle down here, organize, be able to track both of the girls. But then again, all we could do was hope. And hope in a world like this was hard to come by.