Wake the Dead

chapter 28

I wasn't sure how long we had been driving, but I could feel my butt start to get numb on the motorcycle. It had been a couple of days since the farm attack and when have been living on the road, trying to find a place to hold up in. 

No one besides Daryl has talked to me, and I haven't talked to any of them. Hell, everyone is keeping their distance from me. I get nods from Rick or Glenn occasionally, but I can tell I'm making them ansty by not saying anything. But what is there to say? I still feel like if I open my mouth I will start screaming, crying, laughing? Or worse... my feelings.

Daryl is the only one who has gotten me even close to saying anything, but then I'm afraid I will say something that will scare him off.

Daryl hasn't left my side once the past few days, but I don't mind, I like when he is with me. I wish Daryl didn't care for me, I wish he could just let me go. I could see I was causing him pain, stress, worry, and I don't want to do that to him. But, it was too late, me leaving would only cause him more pain. But, staying in the state I am isn't any better...

I tightened my grip around him as we continued to drive off. I rested my head on his back and looked at the trees blurring by. Every time I saw the forest, I was only reminded of memories with Syd, or the forest that was behind her dead body. There was no escaping my painful thoughts like before, I couldn't push them back, my brain was fried from doing that for so long. 

I tried to channel them into something else, but only ended up with massive amounts of anger that weren't good for anybody. 

I gripped onto Daryl's shirt, he was my support, my anchor, and if I couldn't leave him then I was going to take the selfish route and never let him leave me. 

We drove a little longer, but I eventually felt the bike start to slow. I looked up and around and I saw a decent sized house, hidden in the trees. I hoped off the bike so Daryl could get off, and Rick jumped out of his car, walking over. "We could see what's inside, hold up here for a little, it seems pretty hidden by the trees and big enough to fit us all." He said to the whole group.

Daryl nodded and grabbed his crossbow, while I grabbed my knife and we followed after Rick, T-dog, and Glenn. We slowly walked into the door and checked the first floor, it was clear. We then tiptoed up stairs and checked the multiple rooms and found nothing, until we got to the master bedroom. Inside where a man and a women, probably married, lying dead on the ground with bullet holes in their head and a gun near by. They opted out. 

Rick looked around at everyone and signaled us to go back down stairs and check the basement. T-dog and Glenn went down, but came back up with looks of relief and told us they found nothing, this place was good. 

I looked around and saw that it was definitely big enough to fit us all. It had a decent sized kitchen and dining area, a large living room with couches, at least 3 rooms upstairs and hopefully showers that work.

Rick walked outside and signaled everyone else inside. They all had smiles as they looked around and seemed satisfied. "There are three usable rooms upstairs, minus the master bedroom that we will have to move the bodies out of." Rick announced to everyone. 

"The basement has a bed down there, it can be used, too." Glenn added in as he walked over to Maggie. 

It was decided that Rick, Lori, and Carl got a room. Hershel, Beth, Maggie, and Carol got a room. And, T-dog and Glenn had one, leaving the basement for Daryl and I. No one really knew where to put me, so Daryl had to tell them I'd be with him, causing awkward looks are way, but it was also obvious people where relieved I wouldn't be with them. 

Everybody went out to the cars to grab our stuff, no one really had much, but Daryl had managed to grab his and my bag from the farm. Everyone was excited to get to their rooms, so I followed Daryl down the stairs to the basement.