Back: A Bethyl Survival Story

Danger

Danger

We finish clearing houses the next day and I can't help but hate myself for not stopping. Beth pleaded me an I basically raped her. How the hell am I supposed to think that's okay? She's been walking funny all day. I know she's hurting and I can't really blame her. Too much to handle for her first time. What's bad is now we're stuck in a store, waiting for walkers to pass the front of it.

Sitting by the furniture section, Beth traces letters in the corduroy cushions of a love seat while I do a quick sweep of a kitchen again. Nothing. A big shit bowl of nothing. We can't even get to the car with this big herd hanging out front. I head over and sit next to her on the arm of the couch. She looks up and gives me a half smile. Damn am I a fool.

"Can we talk?" She scoots over and I sit down, ready to tell her what's on my mind. When I open my mouth, nothing comes out. Shit.

"What's wrong?" She seems oblivious to the tension between us.

"I jus feel bad about...."

"Daryl, it's okay. In fact..." She turns so she's kneeling on the couch beside me and soon slips her shirt over her head. She's sitting in just her bra and jeans and boots now. Making her way onto my lap, she kisses me up and down. Grinding gently and slowly against me I can't help but feel overwhelmed.

"Beth...."

And just as it's about to get steamy, walkers start banging on the window. We both sit up and he slips her shirt back on. I stand up, forcing her to her feet. Grabbing my bow and she her knife and pistol, we prepare to find an exit to the car.

"If we head out back we might be able to make it around the herd and to the car." I look and find a metal door.

"But there's no tellin' is what's on the other side of that door."

"Beth, we have to try something." I walk closer and the growls seem quieter an I can't tell if it's cause the doors thick or if there aren't many walkers out there.

"What about a vent system. Ya know. It has to have an opening to the roof around here inside. Shouldn't it?"

She starts searching the ceiling.

"Over here Daryl!" She points to a ventilation duct and it makes me nervous. "Give me a boost."

"And then what? We'll just sit up there?"

"Daryl, there really isn't any other option. So yes. Just help me up." Why argue with her? I help her up and into the vent. Finding a couch I push it over to the vent hole and I jump up and pull myself in with Beth's help. We crawl and I remember why I'm nervous about this. I really hate tight, dark places. I guess Beth can tell because she soon turns around and places a hand on my cheek. "It's okay. We'll be outside soon enough. I promise... just stay with me."

"Okay." I swallow hard and follow her into the darkness. After a few twists and turns, she finds our way out. We burst to the roof and the fresh air brings me back.

"You okay?"

"Yeah...yeah." I know I'm shaking a bit. Pussy.

"Okay, keep quiet. The sooner they think we're gone the soon we can escape down the ladder an back to the car." she kisses my cheek and I feel much better.

We seem to wait all day. The crowd gets a little bit tinier, but still not enough to make it to the car without getting honors at. We lay in the hot sun all day. Thirsty, hungry, and tired. The sun beats down on us and I can feel my vision blur a bit. Beth also seem to be overly exhausted too. At this rate, we should've stayed on the vent.

Night starts to fall and now the cool breeze is the problem. I pull Beth to me to keep her from shivering.

"Daryl?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think we'll get out of here?" Hope. That's all she wants. I don't blame her. I don't blame her for wanting what's used to be taken for granted. I kiss her forehead.

"Yes, baby girl. We'll get out of here. I'll get you a big house, find you a pet, and we'll live happily ever after."

"Do you think.... never mind it's dumb."

"Do I think what?" I look at her and she shakes her head. "Beth?"

"Do you think I'll ever be able to have children and not have to be scared all the time about walkers or bad guys?" Sitting there I don't know what to think. After all this. All we've been through, she wants kids. "I mean, I'll always be scared. Cause life is cut short now a days, but if I even live to 25.... do you think we'll ever have kids?"

We'll? We'll! Now he wants to know about me and her having kids? Jesus. How does she expect anything like that to happen?

"Beth, I believe you'll... we'll be able to do whatever we want when we get to the North."

"You think so?"

"I know so darlin'." I kiss her and we drift off. Danger below us. In our future. Danger will never leave us be... I just can't let her live in fear of it.