Farmer's Daughter (Daryl Dixon Love Story)

Chapter 53

Melinda's POV

"We should find a house at the end." I say, looking down the two rows of houses. From how much room there was out here, you would expect the houses to be spread out, maybe a little color, some differences. But there were no differences to any of these houses. They had the same amount of windows, the same beige color, the same black roofing, the same two story build. Every porch looked the same, the only thing that sat upon them was a lone brown bench.

"How come?" Daryl questioned. I look at the median on the asphalt road to see small stripped trees.

"What if someone comes? They're gonna check the first houses they come to. It'll give us time to get away." I start walking ahead of him in weariness.

"Nice thinking officer." He teases. I lightly smile before turning my attention back to the houses.

I was a few steps ahead of him at this point, but neither of us protested on the amount of space since we were in seeing distance.

"What do you think about this one on the right?" I pointed out. It wasn't all the way at the end of the road, but somewhere in the middle of them all.

"Looks like all the others." He looks around him at all the lookalikes.

"I'm freezing. Let's just go in." I trudged up the stairs and jiggled the knob to find it locked. "Shit." I whisper to myself. I look down at the welcome map beneath my feet and think of the simplicity of the situation.

I reach down and lift up the edge of the mat to see the silver house key I had been hoping to find. I twirl it in my hand for a minute, admiring the way it felt in my grasp. It had been so long since a key was actually needed in a time like this, it had become abnormal.

"Keys are weird now." I whisper to him, in case of any walkers that may be lurking in the house.

"Only because yer holding it." He mumbles back. He holds his bow up and points to the direction he's going to go, then looks at me and points in the opposite. Indicating I should go there.

"Sassy motherfucker." I snicker. I push his arm, and see a smile etch across his face before he turns and goes down a long hall way.

I smile at how far we've gotten. I smile at the fact he's told me how he feels. Then I frown at the fact I haven't told him how I feel.

Maybe it was that I thought it wouldn't turn out the way I thought it would. And what would happen when I did tell him? Would he take me in with loving arms and give me his all? That wasn't him, so that led to the fear in my body of what would happen. Would it be everything I wanted in him and more?

I shook my head at the ridiculous thoughts. I knew I had to tell him at some point or it would be too late.

I walk down the hall way with my crossbow up. Everything was quiet up ahead, but that didn't mean there wasn't something there.

A door to my right was cracked open the slightest, letting me see the sun as it pours in its afternoon light. I use my foot to wedge the door open wider and wider until the knob hits the drywall behind it.

I walk in the room and see nothing that would catch my eye. The only thing that sat in there were boxes that had yet to be unpacked.

So I went to the room beside it, seeing it was only a bathroom that was also spotless. Then that led me to the last and final room on this floor of the house.

I had the same process as before, slowly sliding open the door. This room had exercise equipment lined through out it. Not even a closet was in sight, just four red walls with black toys.