War Of The Damned - (Daryl & Beth) - The Walking Dead

16. A Place of Reminders

16. THE PLACE OF REMINDERS

| BETH |

I don't know how I managed to do it but just as Daryl told me to, I'd managed to cut away each bump - big and small - from every wooden stick he'd given me and all with a few minutes to spare. I could say that it had something to do with me not wanting to let him down. I could say that his advice helped me. However, I'm just going to settle with the fact that maybe I'm good at it. Pridefully good at it, I guess I've been hanging around Daryl a little too much.

We packed up our things speedily, and I put my works of art into my backpack, ready to complete the next stage of the arrow-making process. But right now I'll have to hold off my excitement and wait until we find a safe-zone to sleep in overnight. We have many hours still to find something. I'm just putting all of my faith into the hope that we do actually find something.

Daryl puts Judith in the slinger on my back while Tyreese carries my backpack. I don't mind the exchange at the moment. I don't know if the same will be said in the next couple of hours though. Honestly, how can one small body weigh so much? It was insane. But at least she's happy and healthy right?

Once again we started off down the tracks; Maggie and Glenn, as always, couldn't keep to themselves like loved-up teenagers, and Tyreese recommenced telling Molly the fairytale story of Tinker Bell and the magical faeries, the one he started during our break. It really was a silly story, but in a way it made me happy as it brought back memories of my own childhood when Maggie used to tell me the same kinds of stories too.

In about three hours I was breathless and I suddenly started to feel lightheaded. Daryl noticed straight away, "Beth ya' okay?" He asked.

"I guess I'm just tired.. Judith's getting heavy."

"Here. I'll take her." Stopping, he started to peel the slinger off my shoulders, careful not to wake Judith. I smile as soon as the pressure is gone, it's like inhaling mountain-top air after a long hike. Stretching my arms and back muscles as Daryl repositions Judith on his, I enthusiastically take his crossbow he gives me. "Jus' in case we run inta' some trouble."

"Ok. Don't you think it's weird though?" My hand slips over the trigger-handle, it was still warm with Daryl's touch.

"What's weird?" We walk again, still ahead of everyone else.

"I don't know.. I guess I just thought we'd run into a lot more walkers along the tracks. I mean, don't get me wrong I'm all for a peaceful-" But I didn't get to finish that sentence because a low growling sound echoed from our left, and I knew exactly what it was. "I spoke too soon, didn't I?" Or the universe was mocking me.

Daryl nods, a slight smirk on his face as the walker emerges a fair distance away from us. I spotted it the instant it spotted me. It was a woman, or once was a woman. And I put the crossbow to eye level at Daryl's encouraging glance. Behind us, everyone grew silent. And a head with rotting and missing flesh came into view.

I follow it closely, although it wasn't too hard I could feel everyone's eyes on me and I swallowed thinkly, taking the shot.

The arrow flies straight past her. How embarrassing, "I missed."

And now it's only a couple of steps away.

"Don't worry Bethy, I've got this." Maggie runs forward, her knife drawn and she stabs the walker through the eye, killing it again.

I look away from the scene, a little ashamed. I'd done pretty good yesterday! What the hell?

"Now ya' owe me anotha' arrow, Blondie." Daryl said, taking the weapon from me and reloading it. I just wasn't strong enough to do that. I think he was about to give it back when we heard more moaning, louder and clearer. I looked at him with a little concerned. And right on cue, a herd of two dozen - maybe more - crashed through the fringe of the forest.