Surviving The Walking Dead (BOOK ONE IN THE SURVIVING THE WALKING DEAD SERIES)

Dixon

DARYL'S POV

     I sat against the outside wall of the prison as I took a long drag off my cigarette, in all my time I've known Michaela, she's never hit me before, not like that at least. I pushed her too far this time, but who could blame me? She's lost her goddamn mind.

     "Daryl?" I looked up to see Rick walking towards me. "We need to talk."

     "Hershel said the same thing." I responded as I stood up and crushed my cigarette on the ground.

     "It's about Carol. She killed Karen and Mike, she confessed." I didn't respond. "I kicked 'er out."

     "You what?"

     "I'm sorry, Daryl. I had no choice, she killed two of our people." I began to pace back and forth, trying to calm myself down.

     "Man, ya couldn't have waited till we got back?"

     "Until Tyreese got back?"

     "I could've handled that."

     "Hey, she killed two of our own. She couldn't be here" Rick let out a sigh. "She's gonna be alright. She has a car, supplies, weapons. She's a survivor."

     "Stop sayin' that like ya don't believe it." I snarled.

     "She did it for us. That's how it was in her head. She wasn't sorry."

     "Man, that's her, but that ain't her." I glared at Rick before turning away. "What are we supposed to do about those two girls?"

     "I told 'er we'd look after 'em. Maybe you and Michaela can look after 'em, Lizzie has taken a shine to Michaela as it is."

     "Nah, that shit ain't gonna happen."

     "I thought ya liked kids?" I didn't respond. "What happened between you and Michaela?"

     "She's crazy, Rick. Came out here tryin' to stop Hershel and Michonne from takin' the walker bodies off the property to burn, claimin' that The Governor was comin'. On top of that, she was yellin' at nothin' clamin' it was Merle."

     "She's seein' Merle?"

     "Claims to be, but I say she's just finally lost her goddamn mind."

     "Maybe she hasn't." I looked over at Rick who was leaning up against the wall. "After Lori died, I kept seein' 'er. Maybe she's just goin' through what I did."

     "You're sayin' ya actually believe 'er?"

     "Yeah, I do. Michaela has never steered us in the wrong direction, never wanted to cause us pain or trouble, why would she start now?" Rick placed his hand on my shoulder. "Find 'er, talk to 'er, work this shit out. I'd hate to see ya lose the best thing that ever happened to ya. Plus, if Merle's right, if The Governor's comin' back, we're gonna need every able bodied shooter out in there defendin' this place." Rick began to walk away.

     "Don't we need to tell Tyreese about Carol?"

     "Yeah, but you've got more important matters to attend to, this can wait, but your situation can't." When Rick finally walked away I turned and kicked the wall in frustration. He was right, Michaela was the best thing that ever happened to me, but I can't believe what she's telling me. That shit just doesn't happen, ghosts and shit don't exist.

     "Ya believe in chupacabras, but don't believe I exist?" I quickly turned around and aimed my crossbow in the direction the voice was coming from, my eyes widened and I fell to my knees.