Chayse Them Away (Daryl Dixon)

Chapter Nine

We got to the farm and walked up to the doorstep. “So do we ring the bell? It looks like people live here” Glenn said. “We’re past this kind of stuff, aren’t we, having to be conserved?” T-Dog said. “Did you close the gate up the road when you drove in?” the same brunette girl who saved Andrea on the horse asked. “Uh… Hi… Yes we uh, closed it, the latch and everything” Glenn stuttered. I smirked over at him, lover boy. She leaned forward on her chair. “Well nice to see you again” he said, “We uh met before briefly” Glenn stuttered. “Look we came to help” T-Dog said, getting straight to the point as the girl stood up.

“Anything we can do?” T-Dog asked then grunted in pain. The girl was now standing in front of us and looking at T-Dog’s arm. “It’s not a bite, I um, I cut myself pretty bad though” T-Dog said. “We’ll have it looked at. I’ll tell him you’re here” she said. “We have some uh some pain killers and antibiotics” Glenn said then told her about the illegal drug Daryl gave us. I couldn’t remember the name of it, though. “Come on inside and I’ll make you some tea” she said, opening the doors for us. I followed in after T-Dog. She showed us to where Rick, Lori and Carl were.

I walked in and saw Carl in the bed with an old man sitting on the bed with him. I stared in disbelief at the sight of Carl hurt. “Hey” Glenn said awkwardly. “Hey” Rick said back with Lori’s hand supportively on Rick. Rick looked tired and weak. The old man got up from beside Carl. “Um we’re here OK?” Glenn said, he’s such an awkward turtle. “Thank you” Lori said, trying to be polite but you could tell all she wanted was for her boy to be up and OK. “Whatever you need” T-Dog added and both Rick and Lori nodded tiredly.

We decided it was best to let them be alone. I followed them out to be met with a woman named Patricia. Turns out that the short haired horse riding brunette’s name was Maggie. Patricia spoke with Maggie then sat T-Dog down and told him they were going to stitch it up. I don’t really want to watch this. I got up and left to stand out the front and saw Lori and Rick talking but they both stopped when they saw me. “Oh sorry” I said and walked back inside. I guess it was either this or watch Carl get worked on.

“I’m tryin’ real hard not to think about that” I heard T-Dog say as Patricia stitched him up. Glenn walked out and I saw Maggie turn and look at Glenn as he did. I pulled a chair back and it scraped loudly against the floor. I plopped down and folded my arms. Maggie turned and looked at me. I nodded at her then to the door. Maggie looked down and walked out after Glenn. I’m the match maker of the century. A few moments after Maggie came in with a glass and filled it up. T-Dog’s arm had just finished being fixed and I was talking with him.

“Well it’s the end of the world and you nearly died from a cut” I chuckled, “Yeah I know, right, pretty lame way to go out” he said, shaking his head. “But you’re alive and now you’re got a second chance to die heroically” I said, “So you’re saying I’m gonna die?” he asked. “Aha no I mean even if we did all survive this and pass away from old age we’d be dying as hero’s so…” I shrugged and he nodded, “I guess so, T-Dog the hero” he laughed. “Never thought I’d see the day when” he said but we were cut off.

Rick, Lori and the old man rushed down the stairs and out the front. What? I got up and was followed by T-Dog and Patricia who was in the middle of making tea. We got out the front to see Shane limping towards us with a bag with him. “Carl?” Shane said, “There’s still a chance” Rick said. The old man took one of the bags from Shane who was panting oddly heavily. I mean… You drove here… You shouldn’t be all that worn out still. The old man stopped and turned around, “Otis?” he asked. Who’s Otis?

Shane shook his head, “No… He didn’t” Shane stopped himself. I looked around the group to see all their faces had dropped. So Otis was one of them who went with Shane and died. “We say nothing to Patricia. Not until after. I need her” the old man ordered. So Otis was important to Patricia, like a brother or lover I guess. Rick embraced Shane in a hug and they stayed like that momentarily. I turned to Lori and rubbed her shoulder and she nodded at me. I went up to the front doorstep and saw T-Dog sitting by himself on a chair. I went over and sat on the floor, leaning my back up against the railing. “So” I said, “So” he mimicked.

T-Dog and I spoke until we saw the old man come out again. “He seems to have stabilised” the old man said. Rick breathed heavy sighs of relief and Lori looked shocked. I saw Rick walk up a few steps and hug the old man thankfully. "There are no words” Lori said as tears streamed down her face. They spoke for a bit but all I could think about was Carl. I wanted to go up there and say sorry for not coming with him on the walk looking for Sophia. Maybe if I had gone I could have helped prevent it somehow… But… I know that his parents should see him first.

“You go to Carl, I’ll go with Hershel” Rick said. The old man’s name was Hershel, alright. Everyone then parted ways again and I chilled with T-Dog again. We picked up from where we left off. “But as I was saying, yeah I guess we’re both pretty clumsy” I said. “You’re way worse than me though” T-Dog said. “Yeah well at least my clumsiness hasn’t caused me to nearly die” T-Dog said. “You kind of have” T-Dog said. “Oh come on man no more guilt about it” I whined. “Na, nah, nah, nah I’m just sayin’… To some it feels like you died and now there’s a whole new person living with us” T-Dog said.

“Thanks I feel wonderful” I said with an eye roll. “We still all treat you the same, don’t worry, you’ll snap out of it one day” T-Dog shrugged. “And what if I don’t?” I asked aloud, rhetorically, not to T-Dog really. “Hey, cheer up. If you don’t then you get to recreate yourself and make new memories, hell, and a new life. And if you remember then you’ll just… I don’t know, remember?” T-Dog said. “Ah words of inspiration featuring the master T-Dog and his wise guidance advice” I said, both of us chuckling.

“So remember when we were on the roof back in Atlanta with Merle?” I asked, “Yeah, what about it?” T-Dog asked. “You remember how Merle was talking about Daryl, and you backed him up?” I asked. “Backed him up? Girl you make it sound like we were all fighting” he said. “No I mean, you said Merle wasn’t lying” I said rolling my eyes again. “Yeah, so? Ooo you can’t stop thinkin’ about your lover?” T-Dog cooed with a grin. I slapped his shoulder playfully. “Shut up” I mumbled. “Aww I was right” T-Dog sung.

“I just wish I could remember it, that’s all” I said with a shrug of my shoulders. “Ah don’t worry about it” T-Dog said. “That is like the dumbest thing to say to someone who isn’t just gonna let their whole life and past go” I said. “Alright here it is; the favourites” T-Dog said making a weird hand gesture. “Your favourite colour was red, your favourite animals were wolves, and hell you had red wolves drawn all over your damn journal” T-Dog chuckled. “Your favourite food was musk sticks and your favourite drink was” T-Dog continued, but I cut him off.

“Wait I had a journal?” I asked quickly. “Yeah none of us picked someone like you would write in their little diary” he grinned. “Where is it!?” I asked frantically. “Whoa chill out there” T-Dog said with both his hands out in front of him. “No you don’t understand. If I find that book I can read about what happened in the past or get to know myself better and… Well… I could maybe remember!” I said. “So where is it!?” I asked. “You always hid it, I don’t know where it would be” T-Dog shrugged. I groaned in annoyance. Why was I so secretive?

“Any ideas as to where it could be?” I asked. “Nope… Maybe try places that only you would put it” T-Dog said. I rolled my eyes, “Like where, T-Dog? Where would my old self put things?” I asked. T-Dog shrugged his shoulders with his hands up dramatically. “Maybe places like weapon cases, clothing pockets; I mean it wasn’t huge- it was maybe a little smaller than a regular book” T-Dog said. I was mentally kicking myself, I’ll keep an eye out for it. Maybe I’ll ask Carl or Daryl if they know where it is or if they’ve seen me put it anywhere.