Wake the Dead

chapter 23

I woke up to the orange sun seeping through the cracks of Daryl's tent. The past few days I have been secretly sleeping over here. We try to make it so it's not obvious to anyone besides Syd, who has always seemed to know. I hate being an early riser, but it allows me to go back to camp without everyone being up and asking where I've been. 

Today is the day that Rick and Shane are finally kicking the kid, Randal, on his ass. I have tried my best to avoid that whole situation because I just end up getting pissed off.

Everyone seemed to be on edge lately because no one knows if the kids group is looking for us, but I highly doubt it. He seems to just be a stupid kid they left for dead. 

I felt a cool morning breeze blow threw the tent; it was starting to get cooler. I'm not sure exactly what month it is, but I'm guessing its either late summer or early fall and it's only going to start getting colder and colder. Maybe today while Rick and Shane are gone we can go on a run to get some warmer clothes.

I let out a deep sigh and sat up. I slid on my boots and unzipped the tent all the way to see Daryl sitting on the stone structure, playing with his crossbow. I came over and sat down on the ground across from him. His hair was still a little messed up from sleep and he had on another sleveless shirt even though it was chilly out. He looked good as always. 

"I wana go on a run to get warmer clothes today." I said as I hugged my knees.

"I got a jacket." He said, barely looking up from his crossbow. 

"Wow, if only we could all be like you." I said in a very sarcastic tone.

I saw him try and hide his smirk as he reached up and grabbed his leather jacket that was on the stone structure and threw it over to me. I sighed and put it on, immediately being hit by his comforting smell and warmness. 

I laid back on the ground, putting my hands behind my head. "I guess you wont miss this jacket very much then, Mr. Sleeveless." 

"I ain't cold." He said looking up at me and then down at his crossbow again. 

I sat up on my elbows and looked over to him. "If you wont go with me I'll get someone else to come." 

He shot me a look, but then sighed a little in defeat. "I'll go with ya." 

"I'll go tell the others, then we'll head out." I said as I stood up and shrugged off his jacket, putting it back up on the stone structure. 

I walked over and no one was up yet, as usual, but I did hear movements inside the tents. People eventually started to come out of their tents and greet me with a good morning as I sat and ate a granola bar. Once pretty much everyone was up, I decided I would tell them my plans. "Uh-hey, I was thinkin about goin on a quick run to get some warmer clothes for the group." I said to everyone, causing some peoples heads to shoot up in interest; they needed something.

"You're not going alone." Rick said to me as he plopped down in a chair.

"Daryl's comin with." I said to all of them, getting awkward looks, but I ignored it.

Rick agreed and then I went around, collecting the lists of things that some people need. I grabbed my bag and gave Syd a goodbye, then headed over to Daryl.

"Ready?" I asked as I came up. He through his crossbow over his shoulder and nodded, then we walked over to get a car. 

I looked on a map and it said that there was some big store in a strip mall that should have everything. It took about a half hour to get there and Daryl and I just sat in peaceful silence the whole ride. We were becoming more comfortable around each other and Daryl was very slowly becoming more comfortable with affection, but not around anyone.