S u r v i v o r s [ Daryl Dixon ]

Chapter 5

We were close to the camp when it was already dark and suddenly, we heard shouts as well as the sounds of gunshots. I looked at Glenn and we all headed towards the tents. For a moment, I had the impression again that I could see everything behind the fog, and what I had hoped I would never see again came back. There were bodies on the grass, both our men and Walkers. There were zombie sounds in the air, people screaming, I heard kids crying. In a fluid motion, I aimed the barrel at the approaching Walker and fired. I kicked another in the chest and fired again. Something grabbed my shoulder, and I spun around, swinging the knife, but I missed. The blade grazed rippled skin, and I lost my balance. However, before Walker took a step, he collapsed, and I saw a frightened Glenn.

"I'm fine" I shouted and moved on to the next Walker. When I hit him in the head, at the same moment, an arrow shot by Daryl appeared right next to the wound from me. I smiled, and when I looked around, it was over.

"Lizz" through the trees I saw Carol, who was hugging Sophie.

"Are you all right?" I came up to them and stroked Sophie's hair.

"Yes, nothing happened to us."

I saw Rick hugging Carl and Lori. Shane was right behind them. I slowly walked over to him, gently grabbing his arm.

"All right?"

"Yes, just..." his voice was trembling.

"I know..." I whispered, "I know."

"Amy.... no no no no. I love you"

From a distance, I saw Andrea cuddling Amy, who was covered in blood. I shivered and felt a tear roll down my cheek. I wiped it away quickly, but I had a feeling I wasn't the only one who had stopped breathing. All who stood, who survived, froze.

...

"Y'all can't be serious. Let that girl hamstring us? The dead girl's a time bomb" said Daryl when I helped others to clean the camp. I walked over to him raising my eyebrows. I felt Glenn right behind me. Since our separation in the city, we've kept an eye on each other all the time.

"What do you suggest?" asked Rick.

"Take the shit. Clean, in the brain from here. Hell, I can hit a turkey between the eyes from this distance"

"No. For God's sakes, let her be" said Lori.

Daryl still didn't look pleased.

"Look, that's her little sister" I said. "It's clear she can't say goodbye to her."

"So you'd be cradling your brother's body too, knowing he could kill the others here at any moment?" he growled.

There was a moment of silence.

"No" I said finally. "But in our earlier lives, there were times when we had to be prepared for the worst. It was my life that was on the line, but Glenn always knew something could happen. So when all this shit started, we agreed on what we would do if we got bitten."

He wanted to say something, so I was faster.

"But not everyone is us. Not everyone is prepared to some extent for the death of our loved ones, because I'm not" I shrugged. "I know what I should do but I'm not ready for this. Would you be? Just shoot Merle between eyes without hesitation?" I asked softly.

Daryl stared at me for a moment without saying a word, his eyes gliding as if he was searching for something.

"Deal, but if Sleeping Beauty wakes up and starts attacking, don't count on me."

"Andrea is prepared, she knows what she has to do" Rick said.

"And if not her, then all of us do" I said calmly.