The Walking Dead

Chapter 16

The next morning, I didn't eat either. Don't ask me why, I just didn't. Lori didn't find out, therefore neither did Daryl. I was up before anyone else, slipping off into the woods alone. I had my bow and my arrows, strapped up and ready for a fight if there was one. 

"You know, when someone sneaks off, they shouldn't go alone." A voice appeared, speaking to me. "It's not exactly the most safe place to be."

"I can take care of myself, thank you very much," I glanced to my right," Daryl."

He just shrugged. "I'm not gonna make you go back to camp, I can't force you to, but you can't force me to go back either."

"I never said I was going to make you go back. What are you even doing up?" I questioned "Aren't you supposed to sleep until at least 10?"

"How do you know what time is?"

"The sun."

All conversation stopped at that as we walked through the silent forest. I could hear the faint sounds of our footsteps, the chirp of birds, but that was about it. Sure, the sun was out, casting puddles of sunlight on the forest floor, but I didn't see the beauty in it.

I couldn't.

I was still feeling guilty about Trevor. I know he would have killed me if i hadn't killed him first, but he was my best friend. I couldn't just live with the fact that he was dead.

"Do you think I'm a bad person?" I asked Daryl quietly, not looking in his direction.

"A bad person?" Daryl asked in surprise, "No, never. Why? What are you thinking about."

I kept my eyes focused in front of me as I answered. "You know when you got kidnapped?" 

Daryl nodded.

"And I came back to get you. I didn't just... get you back. I had to bargain. Trevor wanted me, I wanted you. I gave myself up to save you, and it worked, but I know- well, knew now. I used to know Trevor. He was going to kill me after doing whatever he had planned first. I didn't want to die. You have to understand that. I didn't want to die." 

I took a deep breath before telling him the hardest part of the story. "I killed him." My voice was weak. It was small, hopeless, and weak. 

Daryl was silent for a little bit was we continued walking. "Just because you killed someone, doesn't make you a bad person. You had to. It was self defense as far as I'm concerned." 

I sighed, "That's what Rick said. That it was self defense, but it doesn't make me feel any better. I still feel the guilt. It's eating me alive, and I don't know what to do with it. It's not like I can give him a proper goodbye. Not that he deserves it." 

"Hey, look at me." I heard the clink of Daryl's crossbow before he appeared in front of me. He gently rested his hands on my shoulders and forced me to look at him. "You shouldn't feel guilty. He was a monster. Everyone knew that. I could see how he was. I'm glad he's dead. Now he can't hurt anymore people, because of you. You just saved lives, and you don't know it. So do me a favor, and get rid of your guilt. There's no reason for it. I promise you that." 

I smiled at him, before hugging him, "Thank you, Daryl." I murmmered. He hesitated before wraping his arms around my waist, hugging me back. Reluctantly, I pulled back from his warm embrace.

"Do you know what you just did?" He asked, smiling cheekily at me.

"What'd I do?"

"You hugged me. First." 

I frowned at him, thinking. "I guess it's because I trust you. Now, will you stop fangirling over the fact that I initiated a hug, and help me hunt? That's the reason I came out here anyways. To hunt."

~*~

"But your back into it man!" I grunted.

"I am!" Daryl shouted back at me. 

We lugged the deer back up the sloping hill, our breaths coming in shallow gasps. 

"How much can an almost meatless deer way?" I groaned, struggling up the last few feet of the steep hill.

"Aparently more than you thought it would. Here, let me help." Shane said, coming to pick up the middle section of the deer. 

"Thanks." Daryl huffed.

When we reached the fireplace, on the count of three, we set the deer down with a thud. 

"Good job." Rick nodded at us as he walked past. 

I looked at Daryl, "Wanna help me skin him?" I asked.

He shrugged, so I took that as a yes and tossed him a knife and got to work. 

"About what you said when we were hunting," Daryl began. 

"I don't want to talk about it." I grunted, cutting off whatever he thought he was going to ask. "It's over and done with, and I just want to leave it behind." 

Daryl didn't answer me, he continued cutting into the deer without sparing me a glance. I began to doubt the harshness in my words, but then decided against it and with a sigh, I fell back on the deer and continued skinning. 

"You know, I don't think you're a bad person. You just did what you had to to survive, and nobody can ask any different than that. You took a man's life to save four. The numbers tell you something, so listen to them." Daryl spoke quietly after a bit. He had finished skinning most of the deer, and was waiting for me to cut the final piece of fat, then start on sectioning out the meat. "So please don't think that." and with that, he pressed a kiss to my temple and walked away.

"i won't be getting any help on cutting the meat then, I'm guessing." I grumbled to myself. 

With a final sigh, I started sawing into the meat. I guess this is how I was going to spend my day.

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Hey guys! Sorry the updates have been rather slow. I'm out of school now though, so I'm thinking the updates will come faster! Thanks for your patience with this.

Stay strong, stay ugly, and don't blink. <3

~Three

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