RIDE OR DIE | DARYL DIXON

follow the leader

THE PRISONER'S WORDS were shy about their food source.

Rick, T-Dog and Daryl brought back large bags and boxes of canned beef, corn, bread crumbs, and many other things that felt like delicacies now. The group's faces lit up when they stepped through the cell block doors with their findings, letting them know that there's even more than what they brought back.

Willow, Carol and Lori had been tending to Hershel while the men gathered the groups half of the food. Willow and Carol were able to slow down Hershel's bleeding significantly, but his breathing was labored and his pulse was still weak. He hadn't opened his eyes in what seemed like forever, and that only made the group even more scared for his fate. Beth had worked on ripping Hershel's pants for when he does wake up. She figured if he'd be missing half his leg, he wouldn't want to be tripping over the excess pant leg. 

No one wanted to say it or even think it, but most of the group was preparing for when Hershel woke up. Whether it be with a heartbeat or not, they were prepared for it.

After gathering the remaining half of their food, Willow joined Rick, T-Dog, and Daryl in helping the prisoners clear out a cell block. They gathered around a table with the prisoners, various items laid out for them to use as weapons.

The man who seemed like their leader picked up the tire iron that sat in front of him. "Why do I need this, when I got this." He pulled out the small pistol he kept in his pocket, holding it out in front of him for them to see.

"You don't fire guns." Daryl immediately said. "Not unless your back's against a wall. Noise attracts them. It really riles them up."

Daryl and the man exchanged intimidating looks, Willow becoming uneasy beside him.

"We'll go in two by two. Daryl will run point with T. Willow and I will bring up the rear with you." Rick pointed to the shorter black man. "Stay tight, hold formation no matter how close the walkers get. Anyone breaks ranks, we could all go down. Anyone runs off, they could get mistaken for a walker, end up with an axe to the head."

"And that's where you aim." Daryl added. "These things only go down with a head shot."

Their leader scoffed. "You ain't gotta tell us how to take out a man."

"You have experience with that, right?" Willow shot back at the snarky man. She wanted to say more, but Daryl pinched her side, hard enough to shut her up.

"They ain't men." T-Dog began. "They're something else."

"Just remember to go for the brain." Rick instructed them.

Willow watched as each of them picked up a weapon hesitantly. their leader glanced around at the weapons with a hateful look on his face, keeping the tire iron cluched firmly in his dirty hands.

T-Dog and Daryl began to go ahead of their group to lead the prisoners, Willow and Rick sticking behind them, keeping a watchful eye on them all. 

"I've got a bad feeling about these men, Rick." Willow said under her breath.

She looked at Rick through the side of her eye, and he did the same with a nod. "Yeah."

"Man it's too damn dark in here." One of the men said ahead of Willow.

"Gotta hold it up high out in front of you." Daryl responded to the man a few inches beside him. He had been carrying his axe down by his side, an easy target for any walkers he comes in contact with. "You're gonna hear them before you see them."

The group moved slowly down the musty hallways of the prison. Willow stood on her toes to peek over the shoulders in front of her when a loud clanging noise was heard in front of them.