When The World Ends

You are Not Nothing

I wake up in the morning early because Hershel wants to do another check-up. He draws back a curtain over the door. I take off my sweat pants and let him do what he did yesterday.

"The stitches need to be left in but as long as you do as little movement as possible. You are good to walk a bit today and only walking I mean it!" He scolds me. I nod and giggle.

"You know you get more like a father to me every single day," I comment.

"I'll be careful." He walks out, leaving me to get dressed. I slip on my washed skinny blue jeans and a gray fitted long sleeve shirt. I put on my boots and make my way slowly to Carl's cell.

"Hey, buddy. Do you have an extra belt? Mine got stolen, so did two of my knives. I promise I'll make a run soon." I rub my neck, notably nervous.

"Relax, keep it as long as you need. No rush." Carl goes through his bag and tosses a black belt that has multiple holes in it at me. He then throws a gun and knife holder at me.

"Thanks, kid." I kiss his head and walk back to my cell, grabbing my last gun and my third knife. I then walk carefully down the stairs and out to the guard tower to do the only job that doesn't require much movement.

*Daryl's POV*

It's eerie sleeping on the ground again after sleeping on a comfortable mattress. Merle woke my ass up right at sunrise this morning. Now we are off trying to find someplace to settle down. I look for food while he takes a piss.

"Man, there's nothing out here except mosquitoes and ants." I scan the trees.

"Patience little brother, a squirrel is bound to come across you at some point."

"That still isn't much food man," I inform him.

"More than nothing." He finally stops pissing. I think back to the houses on the road we passed a little bit ago.

"We might have better luck in one of those houses on that turnoff," I suggest. He blows off the idea. "Worth a shot."

"Is that what they taught you?" He picks on them. I roll my eyes.

"We've been at this for hours. We should find a river or something, get some fish." I try again, just wanting something.

"I think you are just trying to get me back to that prison."

"It's a shelter." I sass him. "Food, a pot to piss in. It's not that bad of an idea."

"For you. It's execution for me." He points out.

"Everyone will get along eventually." I stay hopeful. It would be rough for me anyway, going back there now. Everyone either hates me or is angry at me. Well, only one is mad. That's my fault.

"Let's get some fish." We start walking through sticks and mud. I have to slap my arm every now and they to kill the mosquitoes. Merle starts complaining after a while about the smell. Hell could be the dead or could be the sweat from us because of poor hygiene.

"Smells like Sawhatchee Creek." He describes. I take a whiff and can tell it's all wrong.

"I didn't lead us West enough for that one. It's the Yellow Jacket River."

"Did you have a stroke? We've never gone to Yellow Jacket." I roll my eyes at him, keep us towards the river. Merle questions my sense of direction and tries to make a bet when a growl like sound rings out. We ignore it, taking a nice slow and steady pace until it sounds out this time for longer. This time I hesitated, listening closely. It sounds to human to be a walker.