Allowing the situation to go untouched for the remainder of the night left an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. But, really? What were we supposed to do?
It was past midnight by this point. Almost everyone was asleep. Rick included, likely alongside his son and daughter – a scene I didn’t particularly want to interrupt. I knew Claire slept in the other cell block, along with the majority of the people from Woodbury. In fact, I knew exactly where she laid her head at night. I’d made it almost a point to find out. But, still. Storming in there and confronting her right now, without really a shred of evidence beside a panicked admission by a man currently lying unconscious in a hallway, would not likely go down very well.
No. Despite how much we wanted to, both Daryl and I agreed it was best that we just… went back on watch and waited until morning.
He had practically ordered me to sleep the moment we got up there, gently pushing me toward the mattress set up in the corner of the watchtower’s indoor area whilst he marched out toward the balcony. I’d usually argue or make some kind of smart-ass remark about him getting grumpy without sleep, but tonight… I was too exhausted. The fight, the lack of sleep the night before, the magic use… It had taken it out of me.
When I awoke, it was morning. He’d let me sleep the entire night. I was about ready to give him a mouthful about it when I realized that I’d… actually slept. Without nightmare or interruption. And God, did it feel good.
He’d shaken me awake at first light, having noticed Rick making his way from the cell block toward the fields to begin his daily Farmer-Rick routine, as he so often did.
Daryl and I went down to the fields to meet him.
I was halfway through explaining what had happened last night and expressing my agreement of his concerns that Walker and Frank were up to something shady, when the bomb dropped. From the inner gate, a loud commotion drew our attention away from the conversation.
“There she is! The murderer!” Claire yelled, pointing in our direction with that kind of self-important scowl only white-straight-middle-aged women could really master.
The crowd of indignant sycophants following along behind her let out a chorus of yells, all of which blended together into a single, unpleasant sound. They were marching down the pathway that cut through the fields, faces contorted into almost matching expressions of anger and disdain.
“Ah, an angry mob,” I remarked, cocking out my hip as I crossed my arms over my chest, grinning in amusement. “Haven’t seen one of them for a while.”
Rick gave me a pointed look, brow raised, before looking back toward Claire with a troubled expression.
Daryl took an unsubtle, protective step partially in front of me, sliding his boot along the dirt of the pathway as he did so.
“I told you what would happen, killer!” Claire yelled out from her place at the front of the pack. “We won’t stand by while you throw about accusations and murder those who disagree with you!”
I blinked, my grin turning to a confused but still slightly amused smile. “What in the ever-loving fuck are you talking about?”
Claire and her little herd of angry civilians came to a stop a few paces away from where Rick, Daryl and I were standing. She stepped forward, breaking slightly way from the pack, and pointed an accusatory finger in my direction. “You killed Walter last night.”
YOU ARE READING
The Monsters Among Us ➳ Daryl Dixon
Fanfiction𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘺𝘭 𝘋𝘪𝘹𝘰𝘯/𝘖𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘍𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳 Not human. She was not human. They all knew it. Could almost feel it, but couldn't make sense of it. That was why they were afraid. Not because of what she used to be Before. But...
