cassette tapes |d. dixon| [1]

30

"We've lost enough people. My mother died. My father was killed in front of me. But nothing could have prepared me for someone willingly walking out of my life."

CAROLINE CALLED OVER THE BOY wearing the sheriff hat, "You got everything covered here?" He nodded, "Good. I'm going back out to the tower. I'll send Carol and Axel in through the back. If you have any trouble fire a gun without the silencer. I'll be right in."

Carl watched as the blonde girl left the cell block.

She sent the two back, warning them not to go through the main entrance. They asked why, she said they had company, but it was taken care of.

She didn't want to exactly leave them alone with those strangers, but they didn't seem dangerous. Carol could shoot, Caroline trusted her. And she knew Carl wouldn't hesitate to protect his sister.

She just hoped the others would be back soon.

Soon Carl came out to join her, "They're going to bury the body."

Caroline nodded, "I hope the boy's okay."

Carl shrugged, "I guess we both have something in common."

The blonde watched the boy staring at the ground, kicking around a few rocks. He had been so much more quiet, so much more serious since they had lost T-Dog and Lori. He wasn't a kid anymore.

"It sucked that he had to grow up in this world. But, in a way, it can make him stronger. And hopefully that little baby girl in there will be just as strong as her brother."

"Your mom was proud of you." She stated smiling down at him,

"For what? Being mean to her?" Carl replied,

Caroline shook her head and her heart broke a little bit, "No, you can't think about that, Carl."

"It's all I think about." He responded.

"Hey," Caroline pulled him to her, her arm around his shoulder, "She didn't think that. She loved you no matter what. We're all doing our best in this situation, okay?" She grabbed his hat and gave him a grin, "Besides, you're a teenager. You're supposed to be a jerk to everyone."

Carl smiled up at her, "There's that smile." Caroline laughed, before shoving the hat back on, "Is lunch ready?"

"Yeah." He answered,

"Perfect, cause I'm starving. Could eat a whole horse."

"Ew." Carl laughed and they began heading up the path.

Suddenly, they heard tires in the gravel. They both turned, "Please be them." Caroline whispered, her hand on her gun,

"It's them." Carl stated as the green car came into view.

Caroline tossed him the keys, "Open it up." He quickly unlocked the front gate and they opened it, letting the car through. She quickly closed it, preventing any walkers from getting through. Rick got out and Caroline got a glance in the car, noticing a few less people than what they had left with.

"My heart dropped. Daryl... Daryl wasn't in there and I thought the worst. I thought he had been killed. I literally wanted to drop and curl into a ball."

"Hurry. Drive 'em up. I'll meet you there." Rick stated before closing the door and hugging his son, "Thank God. Where's Hershel?"

"He's in the cell block." Carl answered.

Caroline stopped and stared at Rick, "Is he-"

"Daryl's alive." Rick stated before she could finish her sentence.

"Then where the hell is he?" She asked angrily,

Rick looked down at the ground before staring back at her. "He found his brother."

"And...? Rick you gotta finish your story, man." She responded,

"They went off."

Caroline paused, "He left? Daryl left?" She shook her head, in complete denial, "He's gone? Is he coming back?"

Rick didn't answer and Caroline sighed, blinking the tears away, "He wouldn't do that. He wouldn't abandon us."

"I'm sorry, Care." Rick placed his hand on her shoulder and she was quick to step back,

"Don't." She quickly made her way back towards the prison, kicking every rock that she spotted.

"Daryl never seemed like the type of man to just... leave. No, men don't do that. Cowards abandon their people. That's what Daryl is. A coward."