The Walking Dead

Chapter 25

Slowly, I started eating again. I started drinking again. I started socializing with the people who wanted to talk to me. Daryl and Carol had grown closer, and it seemed Carol's hate for me had grown. For the most part, I stuck to myself. When Carol wasn't watching Lori would walk over to me and we would talk briefly before she would leave so she wouldn't get caught by Carol. I stole glances at Daryl when Carol was busy, but he never approached me, and I never approached him.

The fire was blazing, the only thing providing light besides the half moon that hung in the inky black sky. I sat across from Daryl and Carol, but next to Carl. I kept my head down, focusing on my food, but I could still hear Daryl and Carol talking quietly between themselves. Every so often, Carol would laugh, and I would discreetly cringe. 

My eyes filled with tears, blurring my vision as I stood up. "Goodnight." I whispered before walking away from the fire, shoulders and head drooped in defeat.

"Are you serious?" Lori hissed, thinking I couldn't hear her. "You're disgusting. Both of you." She glared at Daryl and Carol. "You know she loves you, Daryl. How could you just leave her? She needed you, and you just gave up." Then she turned to Carol. "And you." she spat. "It's been months. You need to get over yourself. Sophia's dead. Faith tried her damn hardest to save her, and lets face it, you didn't exactly risk your life to save your daughter!" Then, Lori walked away, her face flushed with frustration. 

I turned around and followed Lori towards her tent, shoving my hands into my pocket as i walked. "What was that?" I asked quietly, standing behind her.

She turned around, "What was what?"

"That rant you just went on." I replied. "And don't say that it was nothing because obviously something pissed you off."

Lori's eyes shifted to the ground. "She knew you were there and she just rubbed Daryl in your face. I thought she would have moved on and accepted the fact that you did everything you could. I thought she wouldn't hate you anymore... i guess I was wrong though.."

I sighed, glancing over my shoulder. Carol was snuggled up next to Daryl, her head resting on his shoulder. He had his arm around her, but he was staring at the fire, a thoughtful look on his face. I looked back at Lori. "You can't expect that of Carol. Her whole marriage was most likely spent protecting Sophia from Ed. She spent most of her time betting abused by her husband. I don't blame her for hating me. When she saw the walker behind Sophia, she probably was paralyzed with fear. 

"She had been freed of one monster but burdened with another. All she wanted was to keep her daughter safe and alive. She thought that once Ed was gone, then she could finally focus on raising Sophia rather than keeping her alive. But before she got the chance, the other monster took her happiness away from her. So don't be so harsh on her. She lost the one person she was trying so hard to keep alive, happy, and safe." 

Silence filled our conversation as Lori stared at me with wonder. "How can you not be mad at her? She stole the person you loved, and she bullied you. But you don't seem to be mad at her. Why? In a normal circumstance, you'd be expected to hold a grudge and be pissed at her."

I looked back at the fire, catching Daryl's eye before he turned away and looked back at the fire. "Last time I checked, a 'normal circumstance' wasn't placed in a world where the dead can walk and eat living flesh. Besides, I can't be mad at her. I'd do the same thing if my daughter had died. Of course, I probably wouldn't be holding such a harsh grudge for as long as Carol is. I'd move on, but I'd be crushed." 

Lori shook her head. "Every time I think I'm beginning to understand you, you say or do something that takes me by surprise, and everything I thought about you would disappear." She sighed. "Goodnight, Faith. Try and get some sleep tonight." 

I nodded. "Goodnight, Lori."

Turning, I walked back the way I came to the tree I had been residing in for the past six months I had been with this group. I felt someone tap on my shoulder. I turned around, surprised to see who was standing behind me.

It was Daryl.

My jaw fell open in shock, but I snapped it closed. "Yes?" 

"I-I just wanted to apologize for Carol and earlier. And i wanted to say goodnight." Daryl said. 

My heart beat increased tenfold. "Oh. Well, uh... goodnight." I stuttered before turning around and climbing the tree with shaky hands. A few times I almost slipped, but I caught myself before I could embarrass myself.

Daryl watched me climb up the tree, then hung his head and walked back to Carol. I closed my eyes, leaning back against the trunk of the tree and listened. I could hear Carol nagging and saying things about me to Daryl. I didn't understand why Daryl had risked that. Why he had gotten up and walked over to me when Carol was awake and watching. 

"I can't believe you could do that to me!" Carol's voice floated up to me. "How could you just leave me and go over to her? She killed Sophia!"

"She didn't kill Sophia! A walker killed Sophia! You have to get over yourself, Carol. I'm done listening to you rant about Faith. I can't do it anymore." He snapped. My eyebrows rose slightly. 

"Everyone has a breaking point, I suppose." I whispered to myself in the night.

I closed my eyes, and gradually fell asleep to the sound of Carol and Daryl bickering. 

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I don't know how many of you I still have reading this story. I can't expect all of you to have remained during this, seeing as I've been horrible at updating. It's also happening in the other book I'm currently writing. BElieve me, I'm trying to update for you guys, but I'm stuck under loads of homework and stress. I'm also struggling to keep my mental health at least okay. I'll still be trying to update as soon as I can, and thank you to @Thee_Rock_Goddess for asking me to update. Without you, I don't know when this chapter would have been published. 

Please Vote, Comment, Follow, Share. Those good things. 

Until next time, 

xxThree

P.S Hopefully 'next time' will be sooner.

P.P.S A picture of Faith is to the right. Shes probably a few years older, closer to Daryl's age, but thats basically her.