FALLING APART daryl dixon

THIRTY FIVE | HOME SWEET HOME

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The night before had been the happiest the group had felt in months. Since the farm fell, they'd lived in constant uncertainty—never knowing if they'd find another place that could compare. But this prison... it came close.

As the first light of dawn crept across the cracked pavement, Daryl stirred. Rick was already awake—if he'd even slept at all—standing with Hershel, organizing any weapons they had left to clear the prison courtyards. Rick caught Daryl's eye and gave him a small nod, signaling it was time to get everyone up.

Not far off, Alycia lay on the floor fast asleep, curled protectively around her little brother.

Daryl approached quietly. For a second, he just stood there, watching her sleep. Something gentle flickered in his expression, but it vanished quickly. He crouched and nudged her shoulder.

—Aly.

Her eyes snapped open. Disoriented at first, she blinked against the sunlight, her hand immediately searching for Carl. When she saw Daryl looming over her, she exhaled and relaxed.

—Good morning to you too — she muttered, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she sat up.

He rolled his eyes and offered her a hand. She took it, letting him pull her to her feet.

—Rick wants everyone ready at the fence, to clear the walkers out — he said gruffly.

—And he has to make us do it at the crack of dawn?

—Seems so — Daryl grunted.

—I'll wake the others — she sighed and padded over to Glenn and Maggie, who were still curled up together a few feet away.

She knelt beside them and nudged Glenn gently.

—Hey, Peaches — she whispered. The man grunted in response. —Come on, Dad needs us.

Within minutes, the group gathered at the inner fence, tense and ready. Rick explained the plan quickly: they would stay in a tight, almost circular formation and stab any walkers that came close.

Alycia was exhausted. They all were. But she was used to pushing through. For months now, she'd been eating the bare minimum, always putting Carl and her mother—and now the baby—first. Lori protested every time, but Alycia never backed down. She'd done it again last night, splitting her portion between them, and Rick did the same.

Rick looked at them all, his hands gripping the metal gate.

—Ready? — he asked.

Alycia gave a small nod.

He swung the gate open.

Immediately, the walkers reacted. Drawn by sound, movement, scent—they stumbled forward, desperate, arms outstretched.

Alycia already had her knife in hand. T-Dog drove his blade into the first walker, and she took down the second with brutal efficiency. Another biter lunged—Rick's head tilted.

—Daryl — he called out.

In a flash, Daryl was on it, killing the walker cleanly as Alycia yanked her knife from the skull of the last one.

Together, Daryl and Rick sprinted for the second gate, clearing the path. Maggie cried out as she wrestled with another walker, finally flipping her knife and jamming it up beneath its jaw. She grinned through her heavy breath.

—See that?

—That's the way to kill them. Come on! — Alycia called, adrenaline taking over. She charged forward, grabbing a walker by the helmet and plunging her blade through its throat.