Welcome To The Apocalypse.(Daryl Dixon)

Too Close For Comfort.

Attention Readers!!!

This chapter is rated M for Mature.

This chapter features a short scene that contains some sexual content.

If you are uncomfortable with these types of scenes then skip the writing written in  BOLD.

Thank you!

It was nearing the end of the day- around 7:30. I'll admit- it was nice to have a day were I didn't constantly have to watch my back so it didn't get bit. There were a lot of things to do like washing clothes, cooking food, tending to the farm, etc... but I would pick house hold chores over the undead any day. I actually thought about staying for what was almost a full minute but I quickly got rid of that thought. Rick and I were on horseback, checking the perimeter fencing of the property. The sun was still high in the sky, despite the time. It was the middle of July after all. "There's a spot" Rick pointed to a part in the razor wire fencing where one of the posts fell down. I nodded my head, hopping off my horse and grabbing the shovel I had attached to the back of the saddle. Rick held the post in place while I dug around it, making the hole deeper. After the hole was dug and the post was placed firmly in the soil, I shoveled the dirt back around the post until it filled the hole completely and the post could firmly stand on it's own.

When the job was done, Rick nodded to me in a grateful way. "Zoe, is there nothing I can say to make you stay with us?" he spoke with such affliction. It was hard to continue telling all these people that I really was leaving in the morning- that I simply could not stay. Almost everyone on the Farm had come up to me at some point to try and talk me in to staying- even Hershel, who claimed I handled his horses well. He offered me a welcomed place if I tended to them daily. That was almost enough to make me change my mind there.

"I'm sorry, Rick. I really don't mean to cause worry or stress. If I hadn't had to come here this morning, I'd probably be dead. Walker food. I appreciate everything that you and your group has done for me..." I trailed off, looking over the pastures and back to the pretty white Farm house. "I just can't stay here with you all." I sighed. "...But everyone has already taking a good liking to you. Even Daryl, I think and that kind of thing just doesn't happen" We both laughed at his comment. "There is a place for you here. ...Besides, I think Carl will throw a fit if you actually leave." I smiled then after just a moment of thinking it through, I gave Rick a hug. "You're a good man, Rick. You've got a good family and good friends at your sides. I wish I could be one of them, but I can not allow myself to do that to me or your group." I pulled away from the hug and got back on my horse. I looked down at Rick to see him just standing there for a moment, looking as if he wanted to say something else. After a moment he just gave a look of defeat, smiled lightly and got back on his horse as well.

After we returned to the farm, we unsaddled our horses and put them away. We parted ways, and I made my way into the house, passing Daryl along the way. He stopped and looked at me with a side smile. "What choo lookin' at boy?" I asked, playing my accent up. He smiled wider and shook his head. "Just thinking about what you said earlier, you know about liking what you saw." I chuckled at his statement. "Hey... It's the end of the world, we don't have time for subtlety." I said, turning to head in the house. I looked back to see him with smile still on his face then entered through the doorway. I checked a few rooms until I found Hershel, sitting at a table, reading a book that I believed was the Bible. I cleared my throat lightly and looked up at me, giving at light smile. He may have had a smile on his face but his tired, aged eyes told me a different story. Either way, I smiled back. "I'm sorry to interrupt your reading time, but I was wondering if I could have that warm shower now?" It felt like dirt was just caked on my body. It would be nice to finely wash it off. "Of course, dear." he started. "The bathroom is up the stairs, second door on your left. There's towels and rags in the linen cabinets in there. Also, Maggie's clothes should fit you. Her room is right next door the the bathroom. She won't mind that you've borrowed some." Hershel was a sweet man, just seemed slightly corrupted in all of the madness. "Thank you, sir. For everything." I said, then headed to the bathroom.