Daryl's Girl

Chapter 29

Daryl's pov

As Lori walked away, Lily shot me a reassuring look. I wasn't an idiot, I knew what she was doing. She was gonna go with her to find Rick and Hershal and obviously I knew why. That didn't mean it wasn't stupid, but she has a good heart. There was nothing I could say that would convince her to stay. It was what made a person weak. That's what gets them killed.

Remaining silent, I watched as she caught up with Lori. The both of them stopping to talk before they made their way back to the house. I just scoffed, glancing at Lori again. Who did that stupid bitch think she was accusing me of doing nothing to help this group? I didn't see her getting up to go search for Sophia. She just sat around on her ass all day playing Rick and Shane off against one another. It was the only thing she was good at. She couldn't even protect her own kid.

It wasn't long before I listened to the sound of a car heading down the driveway.

I didn't bother to look as I turned away, heading into the tent. The sleeping bag I'd shared with Lily was laying in the middle and her bag sat tucked in the corner. I don't know what drove me to do it, but curiously I opened the bag and looked inside. Sure enough the photos she kept referring to were in there. I took them out and had a look. 

One was of a family and the other a couple on their wedding day. Both of which was something Merle and I never had. We never had photos of any kind. Never had a proper family neither. It was just me and him, and an asshole for a father. It just took the shit hitting the fan for Lily to find hers. Right place, right time.

I put the photos back into the bag and noticed there was something else at the bottom. I took it out and looked at the small box that was now in my hand, carefully opening it. There was a necklace inside, one I'd seen somewhere before. That was when I glanced back at the wedding photo. The woman in the photo was wearing the same one as the one I was holding. This was all she had left of her mother.

I put necklace back in the bag and put the bag back where I'd found it before I made my way outside, taking a moment to look around. Smoke was coming from near the house and I figured the others must've began burning the rest of the bodies. That was the plan. To bury those closest and burn the rest. It's always been the plan, just like back outside Atlanta. It's only ever a matter of time.

After a little while, I made my way into the woods, my crossbow to hand. I just wanted the day to end. For the others to come back. If they came back. I couldn't even hold off the continuous thoughts spinning in my mind about packing up and hitting the road. I'd survived this long. Why would now be any different? It's what Merle and I were planning on doing before he disappeared. I didn't need his help.

All of a sudden, a walker stepped out in front of me, growling. "Son of a bitch." I gasped as I took a step back, sending an arrow through its head. It dropped to the floor and everything went quiet again. I just retrieved my arrow and continued. Being out in the woods was never a problem for me, with or without the dead.

Before too long, it started to become dark so I pushed all thoughts to the back of my mind and decided to make my way back. Half a dozen squirrels attached to my belt and a handful of sticks. Then, once back, I used the wood to start my fire and began gutting the the squirrels ready to be cooked. 

It wasn't long after that that I heard footsteps approaching and looked up to see Carol running towards me. "We can't find Lori or Lily, and the others aren't back yet either. We thought Lily would be up here with you?" She panted.

Noticing my fire needed some more wood, I stuck a couple more sticks into it and looked back up at her. "Lily went with that dumb bitch out looking for them." I replied, turning back to my fire. I didn't want her to see the worry beginning to build inside. It wasn't like me to be like this over a woman and if Merle was here he'd surely have something to say. There was just something about her.

"What." Carol's voice shook. She was obviously shocked at what I'd said.

"Yeah, she asked me to go. I told her I was done being an errand boy, so Lily went with her." I told her, still tending to my fire, my worry continuing to build.

"And you didn't say anything?"

I didn't answer, but a part of me knew she was right. I should've never let Lily go out there with Lori. I should've stopped them both.

It was at that moment Carol sighed and began walking away. That was until she glanced over at the tent and back at me before returning. "Don't do this." She said. "Please. I've already lost my girl. I can't lose you too."

"That wasn't my problem neither." I snapped, trying to change the subject, walking towards my tent.

I stopped and watched as Carol ran back across the field towards the house. All I could do was hope that Lily's safe, that she and Lori found the others. At the least, I hoped Lily would be able to handle herself. Whether she chose to believe it or not, she'd grown a hell of a lot since we ran into her and Tyler. She wasn't as weak as she believed herself to be.

I sat back down and stared into the fire, watching as it burnt away at the wood. All I could think about was Lily. What exactly was going on between us? We hadn't exactly talked about it. Where was she? Was she alive? Had she found the others? Were they on their way back? Hell, the last time the two of us went out, we almost didn't make it back. Was it the same again?

It wasn't long before I heard the familiar sound of footsteps approaching me again. I didn't have to look up to know who it was, but I did and watched as Carol studied the line I'd hung to drain the squirrels.

"What are you doing?" I spat.

"Keeping an eye on you, whilst Lily isn't here." 

What was that supposed to mean? I didn't need a babysitter. "Ain't you a peach."

There was now a more determined look in her eye. "I'm not gonna let you pull away. You've earned your place."

Could she not see I wanted to be alone? Her constant back and forth beginning to piss me off. "If you would've spent half your time minding your daughter's business instead of sticking your nose into everyone else's, maybe she'd still be alive." I yelled, stopping once I'd realized what I'd said.

She just looked at me and the determination she had was gone as tears filled her eyes. "Go ahead." She swallowed. A now timid expression on her face.

"Go ahead and what?" I snapped. "Just go. I don't want you here." I waited, but she didn't move. "You're a real piece of work lady." I then said, pointing in her face. "What? Are you gonna make this about my daddy or some crap like that?" Her emotion didn't change. Still, she just stood there, watching my every move. "Man, you know Jack. You're afraid...You're afraid 'cause you're all alone. You got no husband, no daughter. You don't know what to do with yourself. You ain't my problem! Sophia wasn't mine! All you had to do was keep and eye on her!" My anger now overwhelming me to the point I had to stop myself from striking her.

Carol just stood there, only now she looked terrified of me and, as soon as I'd finished, I immediately regretted it. I didn't want to be anything like my old man or her abusive husband. That's not the person I am, and I had to come to the conclusion that her daughter must've meant something to me or I wouldn't be this pissed. She may as well have been mine. It's like now she's gone, I don't know what to do with myself. I made finding her my responsibility and my contribution, but I had no purpose to this group anymore. She's dead.

Maybe it was because mine and her situation were sort of the same. Sophia went missing, just like Merle had, and, until now, we couldn't be sure if she was dead or alive. That same thing still applies to him, and now Lily and Lori too.

Then, the sound of a car engine broke the silence. Both Carol and I glancing at one another, sharing the same thought. 

I ran through the fields and over to the house with Carol following on behind me. That was when I saw Shane pull up in front. He got out of the car and so did Lori. Then, Lily stepped out holding a bloody rag to her forehead. I glanced back at Lori. Lily wasn't the only one, Lori was also injured. 

I didn't know what to say as scenarios began playing out in my mind.  

What the hell happened?