Living in the Zombie Apocalypse

Chapter Forty-Two: The Memorial

Eventually I got up but I noticed Daryl wasn't by my side. I got up and saw him with just his boxers on in broad daylight. Then I saw he had two tattoos on his back.

"Ya ain't blushin this time! Ya musta gotten use to it by now!"

"Yes I have actually. I didn't know you had tattoos. I have a tattoo dedicated to my mother"

"What's it of?"

I turned around and took off my shirt. Across my shoulder blades I have 'My sweet Darling - Mom' written in her hand writing.

"Well ya loved yer mom!"

"Well she died horribly and I was such a bitch to her before she died so this is the least I could do to make it up to her"

"I am sorry!" He hugged me and he was so warm and I was so cold!

Here, he handed me his long sleeved shirt with his angel winged vest.

"I don't need it now" he winked at me.

I put on some pants and slipped on my shoes. We went to eat and there was this elaborate smell and a ton of food.

"Hershel brought this to us this morning!"

"Can we help?"

"No it is just about ready" said T-dog.

We just sat by the fireplace while Daryl held me carefully because of my arm.

No one really talked, they were still griefing over Dale. I would be but I guessed I should be the tough one who doesn't cry. I don't know why I felt this but I did. It was strange for me to feel this.

"It's ready!"

We all lined up and one by one we all got our food. We had skates with eggs and some bacon. I was really divine. We all stuffed our mouths full of it.

"Daryl, Shane, T-dog and Andrea, Hershel wants you guys to fix any broken places in the fence you guys get the left side of his house. Just the left side. The rest we will get ready for Dale's Memorial Service"

I hand Daryl his vest shirt and he kisses my forehead before Shane yells for them to go.

Not too long after they left they came back and Dale's service began. Hershel's family even came, I didn't think they would.

Daryl and I were at the very end, not too close anyone.

Daryl moved his crossbow so he could hold me and not hurt me.

"Dale could get under your skin. He sure got under mine, because he wasn't afraid to say exactly what he thought, how he felt. The kind if honesty is rare, and brave. Whenever I'd make a decision, I'd look at Dale. He'd be looking back at me with that look he had. We've all seen it one time or another. I couldn't always read him, but he could read us. He saw people for who they were. He knew things about us, the truth, who we really are. In the end, he was talking about losing our humanity. He said this group was broken. The best way to honor him is to unbreak it. Set aside our differences and pull together, stop feeling sorry for ourselves and take control of our lives, our safety. Our future. We're not broken. We're gonna prove him wrong. From now on, we're gonna do it his way. That is how we honor Dale!"

Rick was the only one who spoke because he took all of our words. He spoke so beautifully of Dale, I was surprised.

"I have a announcement, we are all moving into Hershel's house. He is letting us since it is getting colder and the walkers. Start packing vehicles up and then we will go from there.

I packed up my stuff but Daryl wouldn't let me carry them so I just did the packing.

We had our stuff packed and headed to the camp where everyone was, including Hershel.

R:Gonna be tight, 15 people in one house.

H:Don't worry about that. With the swamp hardening and the creep drying up..

M:With 50 head of cattle on the property, we might as well be ringing a damn dinner bell.

H:She's right. We should've moved you in a while ago.

R:All right, let's move the vehicles near each of the doors facing out toward the road. We'll build a lookout in the windmill, another in the barn loft. That should give us sightlines both sides of the property. T-dog, you take the perimeter around the house. Keep track of everyone coming and going.

T:What about standing guard?

R:I need you and Daryl on double duty.

Me:I can too!

R:No you're hurt, just stay safe!

Daryl kisses me and says, "You're stayin with me!"

"Yes sir!" I said sarcastically.

Then I hear Rick say "Me and Daryl take Randall offsite and cut him loose.

"You better come back alive safe and sound!"

Shane and Rick argue over that and I just tune them out I am so sick of hearing Shane be a dick and hate everything.

I pull up Raquel's truck and Daryl gets his motorcycle. I go back and get mine, it was just too precious to me.

We all unloaded and took our stuff inside Hershel's house. It was big but it was going to be cramped. I didn't care.

Daryl chose a spot in the living room where it was just us and Carol. I liked Carol so she would be just fine.

We unloaded our bedding and started to help Carol. She was very happy.

After we are done with helping Carol, Daryl pulls me aside when I was going to the bathroom.

"I gotta pee so bad. I'll be back in 90 seconds!"

He let me go and I rapidly went to the bathroom. It was all clean and felt good to actually go on a toilet and not outside. I washed my hands and headed for Daryl.

Out of no where a arm grabs me and pulls me in a room.

"Damnit Daryl! You scared the shit out of me!"

He just comes closer to me and kisses me. It calmed my rage and set me free. I loved how he would hold me when we kissed.

"I love you!"

"I love ya too!" He handed me something in my hand and walked off. It was a Cherokee Rose. I had no clue where he got it but all I could do was smile like an idiot and stare at the flower.