Barely Surviving // TWD // Daryl Dixon #Wattys2016

Chapter XVIII -- Old Pal

"Just as a snake sheds its skin, we must shed our past over and over again."

― Gautama Buddha

Eight long months had passed since the farm incident, the winter had come and gone and unfortunately it had affected us. We almost died from the cold, we barely could find food and a warm enough shelter, Andrea and I got really, really sick, but I got better once the winter came to an end, but Andrea was still in a critical state.

Lately Michonne and I had gone together to a town nearby to get medicine for Andrea or she goes alone and I stay to take care of Andrea. Today I was going with her.

Michonne and I went to town, into a pharmacy. As soon as the door was opened a bell rang. I cursed in my mind but kept going. Michonne and I went behind some shelves, the walkers inside followed us. Michonne kicked the first one to the ground, I jumped on it and stabbed him in the forehead, killing it. Two more came and Michonne easily decapitated them with her katana. We quickly grabbed the medicine and walked out of there, the streets were full of walkers so we had to be carefully and quick.

We had been staying in a 'Deer Cooler' place. It was spooky. There were hooks where people hanged the deer back in the day, I felt like the place was haunted and I really didn't like the place but it was the safest we had found here.

When we walked inside we noticed Andrea wasn't there, Michonne grabbed her katana and I had my knife at the ready. We quickly went to the end of the place and to our relief we saw Andrea there. She was curled up on the floor.

"What are you doing out here?"Michonne asked her.

"I needed some light," Andrea weakly muttered.

Michonne knelt next to her and carefully helped her sit up while I took the medicine from my pocket and then also knelt next to her.

"Take this," I told her and put the pills in Andrea's mouth and then brought a bottle of water to her lips, she was too weak we had to do that for her.

"How is it out there?" Andrea asked as Michonne took the bottle from me and ran it on Andrea's forehead to cool her down.

"Same," I said.

"It's quiet," Michonne added.

"You're lying," Andrea muttered.

"We should go in a few days," Michonne told her, refusing to elaborate or say how things had worsened.

"You two should go."

"No," I exclaimed quickly. "I can't leave you, we won't leave you."

"I'll hold you back. Just go! I can take care of myself. I saved both your ass all winter, didn't I?" Andrea said with a very small smile but then it was gone as she coughed really loudly, Michonne tried to give her some water but Andrea just pushed it away angrily. "I won't have you dying for me. Good soldier won't leave your post."

"We'll go in a few days," Michonne exclaimed in a final yet soft tone.

"If we stay... I'll die here."

"No one is going to die, do you understand?" I told her, looking her right in the eye. She didn't nod or say anything she just looked away.

"Just go."

Michonne and I got everything packed, we were leaving but not without Andrea. We put some bags on the walkers which were like our bodyguards. After eight months I had completely gotten used to having them around, they didn't freak me out anymore or annoy me, well, at least most of the time, sometimes their moans just drove you crazy, though.