The Fear (The Walking Dead / Daryl Dixon)

Chapter 8 - Working Things Out

I slept in a little the next day and found Beth cleaning the kitchen when I came down.

"What time did you get to bed?" She asked me.

"About two." I replied with a yawn. "How was shooting yesterday?"

"Not bad. I was better than Jimmy." She stated with a gleeful grin causing me to chuckle.

"I bet you were. Maggie up?"

"Yeah she's out on the porch." I nodded and went to find my other sister who was staring out at Rick's group.

"What's up?"

"I think Glenn's gonna tell them." She stated, not taking her eyes off the gathering people. Sure enough nearly everyone in the group got to their feet and from the distance we saw them all marching over to the barn.

I sighed. "Go back in, stay with Beth."

"What are you gonna do?"

"No idea." I replied, walking down the steps and beginning to follow after the group of new comers.

As I was approaching I saw Shane and Daryl arguing as the others pulled them apart, Shane slightly harder to restrain as Daryl just stepped back keeping his eyes on him. I managed to get closer without them noticing, side stepping around the barn so I could hear what they were saying.

"Now just let me talk to Hershel. Let me figure it out." Rick was yelling at Shane.

"What are you gonna figure out!?" Shane yelled back twice as loud.

I was about to make my presence know, see if I could talk to them, but when I stepped out from the behind the barn the first person to notice me was Daryl and when I caught his gaze he lightly shook his head and slightly nodded at me to go back to hiding. I don't know why, but I did.

"If we're gonna stay, if we're gonna clear this barn, I have to talk him into it." Rick stated. "This is his land."

"Hershel sees those things in there as people, sick people... his wife, his stepson." Dale stated.

"You knew?" Rick asked.

"Yesterday, I talked to Hershel."

"And you waited the night?" Shane demanded.

"I thought we could survive one more night. We did. I was waiting till this morning to say something, but Glenn wanted to be the one."

"The man is crazy, Rick, if Hershel thinks those things are alive or no!" Shane yelled. Their raised voices woke up the walkers inside as they began to moan louder, banging on the door.

"Alright, let's all just head back to camp, we'll discuss this more over there and I will speak to Hershel, but we can't just bust down this door right here, right now." Rick reasoned.

"I'm not leaving this unguarded." Shane said back.

"I'll take watch." I heard Daryl speak up suddenly. "We can alternate every hour or so."

"Shane?" Rick asked. I couldn't see what they were doing, but no one else spoke as I heard retreating footsteps. I rested my head up against the barn, letting out a deep breath.

"Care to explain?" Daryl asked as he rounded the corner where I was hiding.

"I don't think there's anything I could say that would make you understand this."

Daryl only stared at me for a long while as I remained leaning up against the barn, slightly looking up at the sky in almost defeat. Realizing that he wasn't going to say anything until I at least tried to explain, I sighed and pushed myself upright, turning to face him directly.