Daryl's Girl

Chapter 9

With what was left of the group, we jogged back to the highway and everything was quiet. Dale was standing on top of the RV down the road a little ways, holding his binoculars to his face with his rifle over his shoulder. Tdog sitting next to one of the cars with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders close by. Tyler on the other hand was no where in sight and I began to get nervous. Things were bad enough as they were. I didn't need to be worrying about what he might or might not be doing, making it worse.

"What happened?" Dale yelled once he realized it was only the five of us. We were missing four people.

I looked up to see the old man watching as we made our way down the tree line towards him. What we were going to say was a pretty hard pill to swallow and I thought about sugar coating it, but no matter how we put it, there was no easier way. 

"Carl's been shit." I replied.

The look on Dale's face changed and he made his way down from the RV and over towards the railing.  

"Shot! What do you mean shot?" He asked, almost in shock, looking at Glenn, who was the first over the railing, peaking the attention of Tdog. He was sat quietly watching us. 

I took another look around. Still no Tyler.

"I don't know, Dale." Glenn shrugged. "I wasn't there. All I know is this chick rode out of nowhere like Zorro on a horse and took Lori." 

"And you let her?" This time he looked at Daryl, as if implying that it was his fault. 

"Climb down out of my ass hole, man." Daryl snapped back, stepping over the railing. "Rick sent her. She knew Lori's name and Carl's." And without another word, stormed off towards a nice looking motorcycle.

He then turned to me. "I heard screams. Was that you?"

I turned my attention back to him and shook my head as I watched Andrea step over the railing. "No." Her expression blank as she passed. I didn't need to say anything else, Dale understood.

"She got attacked by a walker. It was a close call." Glenn told him.  

Dale nodded and a wave of guilt washed over his face. "Andrea, are you alright?"

Andrea stopped and turned to face him with an icy glare. She didn't say anything. She just shook her head and made her way into the RV, slamming the door behind her. Dale flinched as she did. 

Then, everything went quiet and all it did was make me feel all the more uncomfortable.

"Hey Dale." I said looking around once again. "Where's Tyler?"

A bad feeling washed over me as the words left my mouth. He wasn't anywhere in sight and, so far, hadn't come over. Surely he wouldn't have just left, at least, not without talking to me first, would he? If he had, maybe this was his way of getting back at me for forcing his hand. Either way, I needed to know.

Dale smiled and shook his head at my worried expression. It didn't help. Did he pity me? Did this mean he'd gone? Was he coming back? "He's round back, searching through some cars, last I checked." 

Thank god.

I nodded and released the breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. "Thanks." And made my way over to the RV, Dale placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder as I passed him. 

It was then, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Daryl watching me. He was crouched down next to the bike using some sort of oily rag on the engine. 

Every part of me wanted wanted to say something, but I couldn't find the words. I had so many questions. Where'd he get the bike? Why was he always watching? Did he have a problem with me? Had I said something? Done something? Or was this just Daryl being Daryl? Instead, I rolled my eyes and made my way round to the other side of the RV. The only thing I wanted to do right now was find Tyler.