𝐆𝐎𝐃'𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐘 - 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐘𝐋 𝐃𝐈𝐗𝐎𝐍

five - "the merle dixon rescue squad"

𝐆𝐎𝐃'𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐘 — 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐘𝐋 𝐃𝐈𝐗𝐎𝐍
❝ the merle dixon rescue squad ❞

"DON'T GO TOO far ahead of us, ya hear?" Madeline spoke sternly to the two children trailing ahead of her and Jacqui. The older women smiled warmly at the children, who nodded before returning to whatever make-believe adventure they were on.

Normally, it would be Madeline and her new friend Emily who would walk with the kids, but since the latter had been entangled in the laundry, Jacqui had volunteered. Madeline didn't know much about the women beside her, but she could tell that she was a kind soul.

Madeline had realized a few days prior that she was becoming attached to the other survivors. She no longer saw them as threats (except for Ed, of course). She had always been a skeptic when it came to meeting people and always jumped to her conclusion on their character far too soon. But these people were her friends. Maybe it because of their shared trauma or something else, but whatever it was, she didn't mind it. She liked having so many friends.

As the four of them walked through the outskirts of camp, Madeline realized how lucky she was. Sure, the situation wasn't the best, but there were far worse living arrangements she could have found herself in. There were far worse people she could be living beside or come across. She was lucky.

Not many people could say the same.

"—All I'm saying is that Rick better wear a hard hat for the next couple days once Daryl comes back." Jacqui's voice brings her out of her thoughts, and the younger woman laughs softly.

Madeline opened her mouth to respond but was cut off by the high-pitched screams, no doubt belonging to the two children who had just rounded a large expanse of bushes. The two adults ran over, Madeline's hand on her weapon, eyes taking in the scene before her. A single Walker is kneeled on the ground, mouth tearing a biting into the carcass of a doe. The pair of scared kids run straight into the arms of the adults, both shaking and crying.

Madeline picked up her godson, cradling his head in the crook of her neck when the rest of the able-bodied adults broke through the shrubs. She was rubbing the sobbing child's back now, shushing his cries. Lori comes up beside her, taking her son from her arms. All the while, the men had charged cowardly, beating the Walker off of the doe before one final blow took off its head.

Silence.

Then came the sound of leaves crunching and she was back to holding her breath. Knife at the ready and eyes narrowed, but as the figure breaks through the tree line she sighs and rolls her eyes. Daryl fucking Dixon.

"That's my deer," he exclaimed, stalking towards the now decapitated Walker with a vengeance.

He was a grumbling mess, eyes filled with anger and crossbow at the ready. She then notices the several bolts embedded in the doe. He then begins to kick the body of the Walker, something she thinks looks awfully therapeutic. A mental note was taken.