infection | D. Dixon

chapter seventeen

rush

Lori had to slow down. It was starting to snow, and she was only wearing her sweater and my jacket. She insisted that she was fine, but her lips were turning blue. It would be best if she went back to the mall and sat next to the electric fireplace.

I climbed the stairs to the church and threw open the doors. Inside, sitting in the pews, were four separate walkers. I nudged Rick.  "Hey, Rick," I whispered.

"Yeah?" He whispered back.

"Bet I can take 'em all!" I called, running down the isle.

In the first row there was an older man. I put him down quick and quiet. The other three walkers were walking towards me, arms reaching for the meat on my bones.

I grinned and hopped up on the pew, bringing my knife down into the skull of the closest walker. It was a younger woman.

My knife caught and pulled me off the pew, but I used the momentum to yank my knife out and duck out of the way of the two other walkers.

By now I had an audience. I knew I was showboating, but I needed to blow off steam. I kicked one of the walkers back and stabbed the other so hard my knife came through the other end of its skull.

I let the last infected walk into my knife 

I ripped it out of its skull and wiped it on my pant leg before looking up at the people, who were gawking at me. I had probably just pissed a couple people off. Daryl seemed lost in though, but Carl ran towards me, enchanted.

I giggled a little and bowed like the end of the play. I took my bandana from my pocket and used it to clean my knife while people went about their business. "That was so cool!" Carl cheered. "Can you teach me to do that?"

I glanced up at Rick, whom I've noticed had taken on a parental role in Carl's life. "If Rick says I can," I laughed.

I patted Rick on the shoulder as I walked outside to tend to Lori. She was shivering.

I led her inside and sat her next to the altar, sitting under a large statue. "Drink some water and rest your legs. I'll find someone to take you back to the mall."

"Lori needs to get back to the mall, but I'd like to stay out here and help find Carol, do you mind taking her back?" I asked him. He nodded and handed me his gun.

"You'll need it out here more than I'll need it in there," he said. He rested his hand on my shoulder as he climbed the stairs to the church.

Daryl was standing under a tree, carving letters into the bark. I walked up behind him. The letters in the tree spelled Carol's name.

"Think that'll work?" I asked softly, running my hand over the letters.

Daryl shrugged. "Better than calling her name into the woods," he grunted.

I agreed silently and lowered my head in thought.

Daryl shifted on his feet. "Back at the truck..." he started. "That wasn't you, alright?"

I looked up at him in surprise. I hadn't expected him to bring it up. He hadn't for nearly three weeks. "Okay," I said, smiling lightly. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Daryl scoffed, although he looked amused. "Can't hurt an old dog like me."

+

Daryl led a portion of the group back to the highway. While Rick, Carl, and I stayed behind. We followed marks in the snow, but there was little hope that we would find Carol.