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

Chapter 13

When I got up, Glenn wasn't there. It was weird because I was usually the one who woke him up. I left the tent and almost everyone was already on their feet. Carol greeted me with a smile, Lori patted me on the back. I saw Andrea come out of the tent where Daryl was already lying. I wanted to go to him, but I focused on looking for Glenn. Finally, after several minutes, I saw him by the fence talking to Maggie. Seeing me, the girl left and Glenn looked like he wanted to run too. I smiled and ran over to him. Glenn adjusted his cap nervously.

"Hey, what happened?" I asked.

Glenn looked at me completely lost. I reached for his hand and squeezed it tightly.

"Hey, talk to me. What's going on?"

And then my brother said three things in one breath.

"I had sex with Maggie, Lori is pregnant and there's walkers in the barn."

I was lost for words for a moment.

"Wait.. what?" I stammered.

"Maggie asked me not to tell. Lori asked me not to tell, but I can't lie" he said, completely devastated. "I don't know what to do, Lizz."

"Need to tell the others about the barn."

"No, no, no" Glenn grabbed my hand. "Let's think about it. What's best."

"They need to know" I said firmly. "It's not normal. Nor safe."

"I know, but..." he took off his hat to put it back on, looked at me almost pleadingly, and I immediately understood.

"Oh...." I said slowly. "I know little Glenn was on perpetual detox, but you'll be fine... Celibacy isn't so bad" I shrugged. "I speak from experience."

I was about to leave when he grabbed my hand again.

"Let's wait until tonight. I'll try to talk to Maggie so they can tell us about it" he took a deep breath. "Please."

I ran my fingers through my hair.

"Okay, but you're supposed to be around the barn. You're in charge of this now."

Glenn winced.

"What again?" I raised my eyebrows.

"Lori asked me to go to the pharmacy again. She needs... something... for her condition."

"Fuck" I exhaled. "Rick can't?"

Glenn winced.

"So Rick doesn't know?" Glenn looked like he was about to throw up. "Nobody knows?" I corrected myself and he nodded slowly. "Jesus, Glenn."

"I didn't mean it, all that information just came to me."

"On their short legs?"

"That's right!"

I laughed feeling completely helpless.

"Glenn, I was supposed to look for Sophie."

"Shane is going with Andrea to a town nearby to look for her" Glenn said quickly.

I blinked faster.

"With that stupid blonde? Has he gone completely nuts too?"

Glenn blinked faster now.

"I didn't know you cared so much about Daryl."

I looked at him surprised and he gave me his wicked smile.

"Is little Lizzy looking for a playground?"

"Oh my god, Glenn" I hit him on the shoulder. "Daryl is one of us. No more, no less."

"Okay" he said suggestively. I rolled my eyes.

"Don't piss me off. Run to the pharmacy and I'll keep an eye on the barn."

He saluted me the way he did when he was little, then went after Maggie. And I stayed. I glanced at the barn that was hiding the zombies, then at our camp. At Carol, Lori, Carl, Dale, who were just talking to each other.

How the fuck did this happen?

...

For the next few hours, I helped the Hershel's family with their rounds on the farm while keeping an eye on the barn. However, nothing alarming happened. Which can't be said for how Shane came back with Andrea and they were both dirty, which made me realize something had happened. I ran over to Shane, who almost as soon as he parked the car, stepped aside. I grabbed his arm to make him look at me, which he did quite hesitantly.

"What happened?"

He threw up his arms.

"A few Walkers, that's all."

I narrowed my eyes and stared at him wordlessly.

"Do you wanna something?" his question was unpleasant, even hostile.

"Did ya find anything? Something related to Sophie?"

"No."

He wanted to leave but I stopped him.

"Then why don't you tell me what happened to Otis?"

A second was enough to confirm what I had suspected for a long time. I pulled Shane behind the building so no one could hear us

"You killed him" I hissed and he didn't even deny it, he just looked at me so that I was starting to get a little scared myself.

"There was no choice. He wouldn't have made it anyway."

"Have you even tried?" I asked in disbelief, and another silence was like an answer. "No..." I stepped back, letting go of his hand.

"You decided for him. You killed him. What the fuck, Shane, what have you done?"

"What was needed. If I had hesitated, Carl could have died. And this kid has to live."

"But at what cost?" I whispered. "You sacrificed a man. You lied to us all. And you can live with that? Just like that?"

"Yes, I can" he leaned in so close to me that I could feel his breath on my cheeks. I wanted to step back, but I stopped myself. But instead, I instinctively reached for my gun. He saw it. He took a step back, smirking.

"Much has changed, huh? Who would have thought" he wagged his finger at me. "We were so good, Lizz. Really. And look... you're almost aiming at me."

"I just can't believe what happened."

"Reality, baby. It's reality. Some people have to be sacrificed for someone to survive. That's the way."

"According to you"

"You'll grow up to it someday"

"Do you think Lori will accept this?" I laughed. "And will she be with you? Shane, you're stupid if you believe that."

He shrugged and ran a hand through his short hair.

"Lori doesn't need to know. Nobody needs to. Right?"

I swallowed and removed my hand from the gun.

"Yeah, nobody needs to know" I said slowly. "But I won't let you stay here, Shane. Not with Glenn, not with Carol..."

"Not with Daryl?"

"What are you talkin' about?"

"You replaced me" he waved his finger again. "Lori buried what was between us as soon as Rick came back and you changed your partner."

"You talk like a lunatic" I winced. "Daryl wants to find Sophii. Truly. What about you? You're looking for a distraction, you're making up stories that have no basis. You're lost and you're like a child in a fog, thinking you're alone. Do you know the truth? You made yourself alone. You're the one who made me no longer have a partner, so accept that I've found someone else."

I started to walk when he grabbed my arm holding me back. But I pulled away looking him straight in the eye.

"I have nothing more to say to you. Have fun in your own madness. And I'll stay silent because for what we had, I don't want you shot. You really deserve it though"