A Survivor's Diary of the Apocalypse (TWD/Daryl Dixon)

S5Pt4 - Four Walls and A Roof

Everyone got back at dark and we all sat on the floor of the church. Rick gathered more than enough food so we had plenty to eat tonight. Daryl handed me a can of food and I started eating. I didn't realize how hungry I was because I finished the whole can in only a minute. Daryl looked at me shocked and I lightly chuckled.
"Guess I was hungry." I said.
Daryl smiled at me and I looked down at my stomach. For not being able to eat a lot, I was still gaining weight.
"Eat all you want Kelley. You need it." Rick said.
I nodded and grabbed another can and tried to eat a little slower. I saw Gabriel watching me and he smiled.
"You're carrying a child, aren't you?" He asked.
Everyone looked at him then stared back at me. I felt myself getting anxious and tried to cover my small baby bump, but it was wasn't worth it. I just stared at Gabriel and refused to say anything.
"Don't worry. God doesn't make mistakes. He will protect." Gabriel said.
There was a moment of awkward silence in the group and they would periodically glance at me. I finished eating my own food and even took some from Daryl, but he didn't mind.
Abraham then stood up and held up his water bottle. "I'd like to propose a toast. To us survivors. Each and every one of you has deserved that title... To the survivors." Abraham said.
We all raised our own drink and toasted each other. Abraham was still standing up and looked at all of us.
"But is that all you want to do? Wake up, fight the undead, go to sleep with one eye open. Rinse and repeat. Why do that, when we could go to Washington. Eugene will make the dead die and the living will rise again." Abraham said.
"Not this again." I thought.
I would love to help save the world, but who knows if Eugene even can. Plus, the last person we met they could solve this plague blew himself and the CDC to pieces.
"Think about it. Things could go back to normal. You would be safe, and the kids. You wouldn't have to be scared to start a family." Abraham said.
I saw him specifically stare at me. I was getting self-conscious and decided it was time to go to bed. I stood up to leave but Daryl grabbed my hand.
"Where are you going?" He asked.
"I don't feel that well. I'm gonna try and get some sleep." I said.
I let go of Daryl's hand and walked towards a corner where we set up blankets to sleep. I laid down and closed my eyes, trying to go to sleep, but I couldn't.
A few minutes later, Daryl came over and sat down next to me. I rolled over to face him and he tucked my hair behind my ear.
"You feeling okay?" He asked.
I nodded and rubbed my stomach, and Daryl watched me. I looked up at him and sighed.
"He's right, you know?" I said.
"About what?" Daryl asked.
"I am scared." I whispered. "I'm so scared Daryl."
He leaned forwards and kissed my forehead softly. I wiped away the tears that were about to fall then grabbed his hand.
"Kelley... you're strong. You will get through this. We will." He said. "I can't do this without you."
I nodded and he caressed my face. He sighed as he looked at me then looked at the doors.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"I was supposed to go check the perimeter and keep watch with Carol." He said.
I sighed and let go of his hand.
"Kell, I can stay." He said.
"No." I said and waved him off. "You need to. It's okay, go." I said.
Daryl slowly nodded and got up. He met Carol at the doors and opened them to leave. Once the doors shut, I laid back down and closed my eyes. I drifted off into a light sleep, hoping that when I'd wake up everything would be fine. But, as always, I was wrong.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Kelley." I heard a voice say.
I opened my eyes quickly and saw Rick was shaking my shoulder. I rubbed the sleep in my eyes and sat up.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"Bob's hurt. His leg's missing and he's bitten." Rick said.
I quickly reached for my weapons and fixed my hair. "Where is he?" I asked.
"We brought him to the back room, but he's running out of time." Rick said.
"It's those damn cannibals, isn't it?" I asked.
Rick sighed and nodded his head. I got up to go see him when Rick grabbed my arm.
"Kelley, there's something else you need to know." Rick said.
"What?" I impatiently asked.
"Bob said Carol and Daryl left." Rick hesitated.
I shook my head and stared at him confused. "What do you mean?" I asked.
"He said that Gareth saw them leave in a car following someone... I'm sorry, Kelley, but they're gone.. Th-they left." Rick slowly explained.
It took me a second to process what I just heard. Rick was about to apologize again but I held my hand up. Bob was bit and Gareth found us, so I had other things to worry about.
"Don't." I said and sighed, trying to hold back my tears. "Is there anything else I need to know about?"
Rick sighed and nodded. "Glenn, Maggie, and Tara are leaving with Abraham tomorrow to Washington."
I became even more confused and frustrated at this point. I looked over at Glenn and Maggie who avoid my stare. I just shook my head and took a deep breath. I then thought about Gareth and looked at Rick.
"Are you going after Gareth?" I asked.
"Bob told us where he last saw them. I'm taking Michonne, Glenn, Maggie, Sasha, Abraham, and Rosita." He said.
"Smart." I said sarcastically. "Take all our manpower."
"Hey, Kelley, you can do this. You're strong." Rick said. "You kill any threat, dead or alive."
I slowly nodded and ushered them out the door. I watched as they all ran into the forest to go hunt down Gareth. I closed the door and locked it, then ran into the back room. There I was left with only Carl, Judith, Tyreese, Bob, Eugene, and Gabriel. I locked the door behind me and blocked it with a table.
We all held our breaths and stayed quiet. I pulled out my gun and listen to the outside. I heard muffled movements outside the church and then the door got busted open. I looked back at everyone and signaled them to be quiet.
"Carl, keep Judith quiet. Ty, if Bob turns you put him down." I ordered.
I saw Gabriel was quietly crying and praying in the corner and I just shook my head. We then heard footsteps echo through the church and stop.
"I guess you know we're here, because we know you're here." A voice said, and it was Gareth. "And we're armed. There's really no point in hiding anymore. We've been watching you."
We remained quiet and backed up against the wall. They started walking more into the church. It was so quiet that we heard the floor boards creak.
"We know who's here. There's Bob, Eugene, Sasha's brother Tyreese, Father Gabriel, Kelley, Carl, and Judith." Gareth taunted us. "Rick and the rest walked out with a lot of your guns. Carol and Daryl left..." Gareth said and paused. "How rude. A husband leaves his pregnant wife alone in the middle of a horrible time like this."
I filled with rage again at his comment. I quietly filled my clip and reloaded my gun. I bowed my head and took a deep breath. The footsteps got closer and stopped again.
"It's just you and me now... Listen we don't know where you are, but there are only two doors that are closed. We'll find you soon if you don't give up now." Gareth said.
We heard footsteps get closer to our door and stop. I nodded at everyone and they pulled out their weapons.
"How about the priest? Father, come on out. We'll get through this, no one will get hurt." Gareth tried to persuade.
I looked at Gabriel and signaled him to stay put.
"Open the door and come out. Take the baby with you. What do you say?" Gareth asked.
Gabriel shook his head at me and I nodded at him. He stayed quiet and in the corner.
At the worst moment, Judith started crying. I turned around and started to panic. Carl tried to cover her mouth so she'd be quiet, but she still cried.
"Judy... shhh." Carl whispered.
She soon quieted down but it was too late. Footsteps walked right to our door and I aimed my gun.
"This is your last chance to come out." Gareth raised his voice.
We stayed quiet and I kept my gun aimed at the door. A moment passed before Gareth gave in.
"Shoot the hinges." He ordered.
There was a single gunshot and the door shook. Before it could give, two gunshots rang out and bodies fell to the floor.
"Put your guns on the floor. Get down on your knees." I heard Rick order.
Weapons clattered to the floor and bodies were dragged away from the door.
"Stay here." I ordered.
I opened the door and shut it behind me. I saw Gareth on his knees along with five others. They were lined up just like he had us. Rick held a gun up to Gareth's head and stared at him.
"No point in begging right?" Gareth said.
"No." Rick said.
"We used to help people. Saved people." He said and paused. "Things changed. They came in and..."
Pain from the memories filled his face and he sighed. But I felt no sympathy. Nobody did.
"I know you've been out there a long time, but you don't know what it feels like to be hungry." Gareth said. "You don't have to do this, and we can just walk away."
Rick shook his head and put away his gun. He then pulled out his red-handled machete and looked at Gareth.
"I already made you a promise." Rick said.
He lifted his machete and stabbed Gareth in the head. He yanked it out and Gareth's body fell to the floor. I walked over the group who were standing in front of the last of the Terminus crew. I pulled out my knife and stabbed one of the guys in the head. I repeatedly stabbing him until his face was unrecognizable. I took out all my anger on him and dropped his body. Everyone else killed the rest of them, and quickly there was no more threats.
I looked back and saw that Glenn, Maggie, and Tara were frozen in shock at the massacre in here.
Blood covered the floors and the pews. Rick's face was sprayed with blood from Gareth and my hands were covered in it.
Gabriel then opened the door and walked into the church. He saw the massacre and was appalled.
"This is the Lord's house." Gabriel said, still stunned.
"No." Maggie said. "It's just four walls and a roof."
I saw Michonne bend over and pick up her sword that was on one of the dead bodies. She smiled as she slung it across her back.
"This could've been us." Rick said.
He stared at the bodies and blood, and was emotionless.
"But it isn't." I said. "We are still who we were before."
Rick nodded his head and started helping move out the bodies. I sighed and looked down my at hands and clothes.
I was covered in sweat and blood.
"This just isn't us... it can't be..."