Home Is Your Heartbeat ('Home Is' Book Two - Daryl Dixon)

Chapter 57 - You Should Never Have Opened That Door (The Ramones)

NATE

"I can kill them as well, Nate....just so you know."

"Sorry....sorry. I get myself a little carried away sometimes. The next one is all yours."

I apologised to Jesus, as he gazed at the pile of Walkers scattered around us.

Poor Andy  😔

He looks like he's barely hanging onto the oatcakes that he'd scoffed down. Tara had dished them out on the drive here.

Mind you, he ate about six of them. And didn't even think to ask first....why most of us were more than happy to pass ours over to him. After he announced that he was starving.

Ergo, he has no one else to blame but himself.

I love Denise like crazy. And it's not just because her Ditzy is the soulmate to my Derpa. She's a total sweetheart, plus one helluva Doctor to boot. So, it's such a shame?

That she can't cook to save her life. Or anyone else's....  🤣

The last time I watched her, while she was on duty in Olivia's community kitchen?

I'm preeeetty  sure that she conjured up a demon or ten. As she stirred whatever that noxious concoction was in her pot. Her very own special recipe, she'd announced to all and sundry.

"We only need one who resembles Gregory. Why are you killing all the others, Nate?"  Andy whispered, while holding a hand over his mouth.

"If it's safe enough to take care of them, then you should. And not just for their sake, either. What if you trip and they get you? Or, heaven forbid....they wander off and kill someone else?"

"Seems like you've taken 'Care'  of a few, then. What's your highest number so far....in one sitting?"  Jesus asked, as he planted his knife into the ear of an older male.

We took a good look at his face and nodded to each other. Then I got to work, hacking off its head to take back with us.

Andy stumbled away a bit. We waited patiently, as he and the oatcakes finally parted company.

"Ummmm....let's see. About two hundred in a gas explosion. Roughly five hundred, but that was over a few hours with a slingshot. Face to face....hundred and twenty....roughly?"

"Mind you, everyone else took down the same. Probably more, I'm guessing."

At Jesus's confused look, I went on to explain about the quarry and subsequent horde. The ill-timed attack on Alexandria by the Wolves.

He blanched, hearing their name.

"They were another group that the Saviors made a deal with. Except, they took it to extremes in order to pay their share."

I feel the blood draining away from my face. My fear of what we're getting ourselves into floods in, and takes its place again.

We're stumbling headlong into this.

Action = Knee-jerk reaction.

'That's just plain fuckin stupid, Nate. Jeezus....why do yer always have to over-analyse shit like this so much?'  Daryl's words from this morning hit me with a wallop once more.

And just like I've done almost every minute since then?

I stomp down on them forcibly. So that they can't get a grip on me yet again.

There are far more important things to take care of right now. So much more is at stake than ever  before.

"Sorry, Andy....what was that?"