𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆 | 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘺𝘭 𝘋𝘪𝘹𝘰𝘯 ¹

𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒚 𝑺𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏

Chapter Forty Seven,
A Drink

GATHERED around the cozy campfire they had built, Chloe and her companions formed a circle. Impatience grew within Beth, and Chloe struggled to keep her calm. She vividly recalled the time when Beth had attempted to take her own life, a traumatic memory that lingered. Back then, Maggie had been there to intervene, but now Chloe felt responsible for looking after her.

"I'm heading out to hunt for food," Daryl announced, his own internal struggles evident from his demeanor. Lost in his thoughts, Daryl's distant expression didn't escape his brother Merle who was watching his brother closely.

"Nah, I'll do better alone."

"Chloe, why don't you join my little brother?" Merle suggested with a meaningful look.

Chloe's mental state mirrored her burdens with sleepless nights, stress, fatigue, hunger, and thirst. Her patience was wearing thin. "Why me?" She responded with a touch of frustration.

"You have a bow, and you two get along," Merle nudged, urging her to spend time with Daryl, perhaps seeking solace in each other. However, he failed to realize that it wasn't what they both desired.

"I don't know how to hunt," Chloe replied apathetically.

"He'll teach you," Merle insisted, glancing at Daryl, who also appeared uninterested for some undisclosed reason. "What's going on with you?"

"Fine, I'll go," Chloe retorted, shutting down any further questions from Merle. She intended to keep her feelings hidden, not wanting anyone to know the truth about what happened back in the prison. She resolved to maintain the facade of normalcy between her and Daryl, hoping that one day things would truly be fine between them while uncertainty lingered about whether Daryl had shared their secret with his brother, but Merle's confusion indicated otherwise.

Chloe followed behind Daryl at a deliberately slow pace, maintaining distance while he occasionally looked back at her, sensing her reluctance for conversation, and respected her silence.

Suddenly, Daryl halted, signaling Chloe to stay put as he spotted a squirrel on a tree. His shot missed, leaving them empty-handed.

"Is it broken?" She asked, watching him retrieve the bolt from the tree. His surprise at her attention was evident.  Chloe, despite her reservations about animals, acknowledged the harsh realities they faced and understood the necessity of hunting at times. So she didn't complain about hunting that poor animal down.

"Yeah," he responded, stealing a glance before resuming their walk.

"Darkness is setting in; we should head back," Chloe suggested.

"Yeah." She anticipated him to turn back towards the camp, but he continued onward."Yeah?" She inquired.

"There's a road up ahead; maybe we can find a car," he proposed, quickening his pace.

Crossing through the trees, they discovered a car, confirming Daryl's instincts. "Check it; I'll keep watch," he directed.

Sitting in the driver's seat, Chloe tried to start the car, only to notice the empty fuel gauge. She shook her head at Daryl in disappointment. "Let's go," he urged, motioning her out of the car. He seemed to be searching for something, and suddenly, it dawned on Chloe. The sound of approaching walkers reached her ears, prompting Daryl to grab her hand and pull her towards the car.

In the blink of an eye, Chloe found herself in the car's trunk, with Daryl joining her. The close quarters made her uneasy, but with the threat of walkers, there was no other option. Chloe clutched her knife tightly, while Daryl had his crossbow ready, both waiting anxiously.