In the End (Daryl Dixon x Reader)

•Chapter 8•

Your POV

"Morning, guys. Let's get going," Rick said, "We've got a lot of ground to cover." Those of us who could go, followed him over to the hood of the car as he laid out the map. "Everyone's getting new search grids today. If she made it as far as the farmhouse Daryl and Y/N found, she might have gone further east than we've been so far."

"I'd like to help," Jimmy, one of Hershel's people volunteered. "I know the area pretty well and stuff."

"Hershel's okay with this?" I asked, a little skeptically.

"Yeah. Yeah. He said I should ask you," Jimmy replied. Although I still wasn't 100% sold, we needed the help and Rick was already agreeing.

"Alright then. Thanks."

Shane spoke up from his sitting position in the passenger's seat of the car, "Nothing about what they found screams Sophia to me. Anyone could have been holed up in that farmhouse."

"Anybody includes her, right?" Andrea retorted.

I nodded, "It was a small space, I doubt any adult could've fit in there."

"Whoever slept in that cupboard was no bigger than yay-high," Daryl held his hand up to about his waist.

"Good lead," Andrea complimented.

Rick nodded in agreement, "Maybe we'll pick up her trail again."

"No maybe about it," Daryl replied, "I'm gonna borrow a horse, head up to this ridge right here, take a bird's-eye view of the whole grid. If she's up there, I'll spot her."

"I'll go on foot and look around, maybe find her if she's hiding somewhere," I added.

"Good idea," T-Dog replied, "Maybe you'll see your chupacabra up there too."

I couldn't help but purse my lips to hide my grin, but it was still obvious I was trying to keep from laughing.

"Chupacabra?" Rick asked, also sounding slightly amused.

"You never heard this?" Dale asked, "Our first night in camp, Daryl tells us that the whole thing reminds him of the time when he went squirrel hunting and he saw a chupacabra."

Rick breathed out a laugh, and Daryl was quick to retort, "What are you braying at, jackass?"

"So, you believe in a blood-sucking dog?"

"Do you believe in dead people walking around?"

I shrugged, "He's got a point." Jimmy went to reach for a gun, but I stopped him, "Hey, hey. Ever fired one before?"

"Well, if I'm going out, I want one."

"Yeah," Daryl scoffed, "And people in Hell want Slurpees."

"Why don't you come train tomorrow?" Shane suggested, "If you're serious, I'm a certified instructor."

I sighed, "Alright, change of plans. Jimmy can come with me, and we'll search this grid here," I pointed to the one on the right of Daryl's.

"He's yours to babysit then," Shane replied.

"I can handle it."

...

Jimmy and I got back just fine. We didn't see anything out in the woods. No sign of Sophia or any walkers in the area, so we went home.

It was evening, and everyone else was back except Daryl. I was a little worried but figured he was fine. He knew the woods better than any of us.

"Walker!" I jumped up at Andrea's shout, as did everyone else.