Lost | Daryl Dixon

25 - Stiff Drink

This chapter will be a touch longer as it goes through the shifting POVS of the aftermath of the barn shootout, a lot of dialogue between strangers is left unmarked by action to indicate how quickly they discuss and their anonymity as characters, and making them more similar to the ambiguity of the walkers from our protags POV.

Third Person POV

Elizabeth searched, and rushed, through her things in the RV - Carol wasn't there, and whilst part of her wanted to go find her and check, she knew she had only a moderate amount of time before Rick changed his mind and made her stay back. But she couldn't - because maybe she was being selfish too, but she needed to be away from where they'd buried Sophia.

The idea of Carl saying he would of shot her haunted her, it crushed her; so now, she needed to be away from the farm. She needed to be busy with a different goal. She couldn't stay there, silently besides Beth, waiting on the thoughts of her shooting Beth to come back.

She rushed, pulling on a black shirt and brown cargo trousers; her skin still had freckles of mud and blood but she wasn't about to waste time cleaning herself yet. There'd be time enough for that later.

The cargo trousers were clearly one of the men's - hanging off of her waist visibly, before she pulled on her belt with the holster attached, and pulled her knife from her pocket - skimming over the lettering before shoving it in her back pocket.

She climbed over the bed, grabbing the axe that stood there patiently, tucking it into the left side of her belt before she turned - exiting the RV and jogging back towards the house. Shane, collecting water nearby watched as she left - the urge to make her come over and force her to listen to his side of everything overwhelming, but he knew that wouldn't work, not with her. He turned away, knowing she had to look after Beth right now.

Part of him feared he'd really messed up this time - but then, this world, the one Dale decreed perfect for him, gave him an opportunity.

If he won her before by saving her, he could make her realise how much she needed him again.

Elizabeth joined Rick in the car, she sat in the back as she patted his shoulder climbing in. "Where's Glenn?"

He nodded his head to the side, keeping his eyes in the rearview glancing at her, his head pounding with a headache of a thousand responsibilities. She turned, bemused when she saw a cute little kiss between Glenn and Maggie - finding their relationship cute, if nothing else. She was happy for Glenn, finding love in the apocalypse.

Glenn awkwardly stumbled back, face red as he approached the car, confused when he saw Elizabeth in. Rick nodded at him. "You ready?"

"Yeah?" He didn't sound sure, climbing in the side as Elizabeth nodded at him herself.

"Didn't think I was gonna let you two knuckleheads risk yourselves alone, did you?" She teased - but she wasn't all there, Glenn realised. It was a facade - her eyes were empty and tired, and he realised she was keeping up high spirits for everyone else. Like she was back at the CDC. He glanced at Rick as he started the car, thinking for a moment. Maybe he should talk to Rick about it, about what he thought was up - they were so preoccupied with the next problem they never had time to take track of their previous ones.

But, he kept his mouth shut for now, watching as they pulled further and further away from Maggie.

Minutes slipped by, the drive for the three was awkward and silent - Elizabeth leaned back and stared at the trees as they passed, hand scratching over her knife handle as they did. Rick occasionally glanced back at his younger sister, worried about her. Glenn became more and more anxious as he thought about Maggie, of what she had said. Of what he hadn't.