cassette tapes |d. dixon| [1]

4

"Day 45. Maggie told me that Glenn found out about the barn. Who knows how long it will be till he tells his group. And after that, all hell will break loose. I know it."

DARYL WAS MOVED into his tent outside the next day and Caroline didn't leave her room. It was almost mid-day when there was a knock on her door, "What do you need, Bethie?" She asked, opening the door to reveal the small blonde,

"Your dad sent me to get you. Patricia and I are joining Rick's group for gun training and he wanted you to join us." Beth answered,

Caroline nodded before putting on her boots and following Beth and Patricia over to Rick and Shane, who were by the Cherokee, "We'd like to join you for gun training today." Patricia said,

"Hershel's been very clear. I can't involve any of you in what we do without his okay." Rick replied,

"He doesn't like it, but he consented," Beth said, putting her hands in her back pockets,

"Otis was the only one who knew guns. Now that he's gone, we gotta learn to protect ourselves. Her father saw the sense in that." Patricia explained,

"No offense, but I'll ask Hershel myself." 

Once Rick got Hershel's permission and had a little discussion concerning Carl and Lori, the group was off. Caroline hopped into the back of Otis' blue truck while Patricia, Beth, and Jimmy sat in the front.

Everyone arrived in a field far from the farm. Rick placed glass bottles on the wooden fence while Shane showed the group how to hold, reload, and take a part a gun.

"I enjoyed the gun training. I was able to take my frustration out on those glass bottles. Every time I pulled that trigger, I saw my father's face. I know that's a terrible thing to say, but its true."

"What does the other guy look like?" Shane asked the blonde after she shot three bottles off the fence,

"Oh, no, there wasn't a fight." Caroline smiled, reaching up to touch her lip, "I'm extremely clumsy. Fell in the shower and hit my face on the tub."

Shane nodded, "Keep up the good work." He said to her before continuing to observe the others.

She continued hitting her mark until it was time to leave. Caroline hopped out of the back of the truck and was making her way back to the house when she was cut off,

"When I got back to the farm, I experienced one of the hottest things a woman can see in their life time. Daryl Dixon smoking a cigarette."

"Aren't you supposed to be on bed rest?" Caroline asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

Daryl shrugged before placing a cigarette between his lips and lighting it, "Those can kill you, ya know." She stated. He began walking towards her and Caroline took a few steps back until her back hit a tree,

He placed his thumb on Caroline's lip, over her cut, before taking the cigarette out of his mouth and blowing out the smoke. Caroline shivered before he spoke, "So can yer daddy."

Daryl walked away and Caroline leaned her head back on the trunk of the tree and took a deep breath, "Caroline!" She heard her father yell from inside the house,

"I'm in so much trouble." Caroline stated before moving away from the tree and heading towards the house,

Her father tossed his dirty clothes at her, and she grabbed it before it dropped to the ground, "Go clean my clothes, girl."

Caroline nodded before leaving and placing the clothes in a basket. She even grabbed some of her own and some other clothes from the people who live in the house before going to the stream.

She spent the rest of her afternoon washing the clothes and hanging them up. When Caroline went back to the farm, she saw Rick and Lori fighting near the cow field. She decided to avoid the problem by taking the long way into the house.

She went to the kitchen and began helping make dinner. Caroline was chopping the carrots and Maggie scooted closer while peeling potatoes,

"I saw you with Daryl earlier." She commented, grabbing another potato,

Caroline glanced at Maggie before continuing to cut the carrots, "So?"

"They won't be here for much longer. There's no point in pursuing that." Maggie said and Caroline glared at her,

"Okay one, there's nothing going on between Daryl and I. And two, says you! What about you and Glenn, huh?" She smiled and Maggie rolled her eyes,

"Today was a good day. Nothing too crazy happened. It's like the calm before the storm. I just hope the storm misses us."