Daryl and I load bodies into the back of a truck. The sun is already up, warming us and the earth below it. If I were to venture a guess, I'd say it's around eight or nine o'clock.
"You want a ride?" he asks, climbing into the driver's side.
"Sure." I hop in on the other side.
We drive up to the hill where Jim was digging earlier. Shane and Rick are already up there, digging some extra graves. Daryl stops the truck, shutting off the ignition and climbing out. I follow, wiping my forehead as my boot kicks a loose pebble.
"I still think it's a mistake not burnin' these bodies," Daryl says as we walk towards the grave sites.
"We need to bury and mourn for our dead," Lori says. "It's what humans do."
We start to fashion a makeshift funeral. Andrea drags Amy's body into one of the graves, refusing help from Dale and anyone else who offers. We cover up the holes and stand in silence. There isn't much to say, after all.
Afterwards, we all start moving down the hilltop, and everyone separates.
I sigh, feeling exhausted. Daryl drives the truck back down the hill while I walk back to the RV. I shade my eyes and look up at the sky; blue and clear.
Daryl walks up behind me, and I turn to him. He crosses his arms, looking disinterested with everything, as per usual. I smile a little, watching the camp.
"Hey."
"Hey."
We keep standing there together, looking at everyone. I can see Jim sitting in the RV, coughing and groaning.
"Do you think he'll make it?" Daryl asks.
I sigh and shake my head. "Honestly, no. I don't think he'll survive the trip to...wherever we go," I answer.
We stand quietly some more. I can't help but wonder if this is going to be a normal thing with us. He coughs.
"Wanna go sit somewhere and rest? I feel like I could sleep for a while," he suggests, running his hand through his hair.
"That sounds good." I smile. He sounds nervous.
It's kind of cute, if Daryl could be called cute. He'd probably kill anyone who calls him that.
Together, we walk to the shade of a tree and sit down. Daryl lies down in the grass, yawning. I lie down beside him, staring at the sky. I glance at the redneck. His eyes are closed, a small smile, a content smile, stays on his face.
I breathe in the fresh air, and the same content smile finds its way onto my face. I think I could get used to this.
YOU ARE READING
Daryl's Angel (Book One in the Apocalypse Angel Trilogy)
Fanfiction"Why're you bein' so nice to me?" "I would want the same if I were you." Hope Starling was alone when the dead started rising. She had always been alone, with parents that had disowned her and no friends to help her. Inside the department store in...
