In The End | Daryl Dixon

Chapter 8

"You get excitement in your bones."

Erica

"If bad idea were an Olympic event, this would take the gold." 

If my brothers knew what I was about to do, they'd pummel me, wrap me in bubble wrap, and then cuff me to the roof right next to Merle. But they aren't here, and I'm not about to call for Castiel. He'd zap me out of here before I could even finish relaying the plan. He's a real all talk no play kinda guy.

"He's right. Just stop, okay? Take some time to think this through." Morales said as I ripped the tag off my rubber gloves. Didn't think I'd be spending the evening shopping, but then again, this world is full of surprises. I stood up, pulling the gloves on. They're a little big, but I've never been picky. Until it comes to food, in which case-

"How much time?" Rick asked. "They already got through one set of doors."

"He's right. That glass won't hold forever." I caught the trench coat Rick tossed me, tossing the hanger somewhere behind me so I could pull the white garment on. Yeah, it's not going to be like that for long. Not after we're done with it, anyway. Castiel would be so disappointed, and probably offended. Trench coats are totally up his alley. 

Before I knew it, I was being smeared with walker guts. The smell was putrid, and it stung my nostrils worse than hard whiskey. I stood strong, though, patting Glenn's back as he lost his lunch. Poor guy. I remember the first time I decapitated a man. My twelve year old self just about lost her shit. Dean just about had to bitch slap me to return to reality.

"This is going to be a bitch to get out of my hair." I muttered as Jacqui smeared the walker guts all over my backside. It was a disgusting feeling, but I was thinking of butterflies and rainbows, so it was fine. Perfectly fine. This is great. I'm covered in the insides of a man named Dwayne Dunlap, and I'm doing just dandy. 

"It's okay, Glenn. You're doing great." I encouraged the Asian as he groaned in disgust, slowly rubbing walker guts onto his trench coat as though it were the most painful thing in the world. He's never had to cover himself with the insides of a dead person, I'm guessing. I get it. This is my first time too. But hey, a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do. 

"Oh god. This is bad. This is really bad." Glenn said as intestines were carefully draped over him. I winced. Yeah, he's going to need some major therapy after this. I'm surprised he hasn't hurled yet. He's got a stomach rockier than a boat in the rapids. 

"It'll be okay," Rick said, "Think of something else. Puppies and kittens."

"Dead puppies and kittens." Was all T-dog had to say for Glenn to lose his lunch again. I winced a little.

"Nice going, T." I shook my head. "Now look! The floor's a mess!" 

He rolled his eyes at me and slapped some more guts onto my back. "What is wrong with you?! You're evil!" Andrea accused T-dog. Jacqui shook her head at the man, who apologized immediately. I shrugged. We've all got our own ways of coping. Maybe making Glenn vomit is T's.

"You suck." Glenn seemed to decide.

"Deep breaths, Glenn. Think of Lady Ga Ga."

_____________________

I have a hand and a foot hanging from around my neck, and honestly, I still can't complain.

"Not dead yet." I muttered as we made our way to the street. My machete, also smeared in guts, thanks Jacqui, was clenched tightly in my right hand. Rick was wielding an ax. We hadn't needed to cover it. Chopping open Mr. Dunlap had coated it nicely. We definitely smelled dead, so unless the walkers had some sort of radar that let them sense heartbeats, we were Gucci. 

"Don't jinx it." Glenn pleaded. Rick shushed us, and neither of us dared retaliate. Thunder boomed above us, but we kept going for the construction site where what I hoped would be our salvation lied. If not, I guess I'll catch Sam and Dean on the flip side. They can find Crowley and I burning up the dance floor in hell. Or they'll find my staked to a wall and on fire. One of the two; there is no in-between.

And then, it started to fucking rain.

Good old Dwayne was washing off of us, and fast. We were staring to smell less like dead people and more like sweaty, soaking, extremely nervous humans. I gripped my machete tighter, my eyes darting left and right as we shuffled along, still trying to play the part of dead. The crowd wasn't having it. They began to move in towards us more and more, noses raised like dogs on the hunt. I swallowed heavily, my eyes meeting Glenn's. He was terrified. 

Some of the walkers began to shuffle alongside us, side eyeing us with clear suspicion. They were trying to figure out whether or not we were dead or alive, and unfortunately, the rain wasn't helping with that. The downpour only seemed to get harder as we shuffled down the soaked streets of Atlanta, Georgia. When Crowley hears how I went down, covered in guts with a foot and what I thought might be a bowel strung around my neck, he's going to lose it.

"The smells washing off, isn't it? Is the smell washing off?" Glenn looked from me to Rick, panic quickly beginning to take over.

"No, it's not." Rick said surely. A walker stared at him as it passed.

"Well, maybe." I admitted. Right then, a walker charged for Rick with a brave roar. It was met with an ax to the head.

We ran like our lives depended on it. Because, well, they did. We darted for the truck, my machete swinging wildly. Rick whacked walkers in the head left and right, trying not to slow down too much to do so. Glenn set to work with his crowbar despite his nervousness. The only thing that trumps fear is fear, honestly. And Glenn seems to fear death. I mean, getting eaten alive is definitely not the way to go. 

We made it to the fence of the construction site, throwing our weapons over and beginning to scale it. Glenn was panicking the entire time, but at least we made it. Nobody got bit or scratched from what I can tell, and what's better, the rain got most of the walker blood out of my hair before it could dry. If that wasn't enough icing on the cake, we finally get to remove these disgusting-ass coats, and the various limbs hanging from around our necks.

Breathing heavily, my gaze met Glenn's, and then Rick's.

We'd made it.

[Song: Right as Rain by Adele]