Leah Grimes

Chapter 19

Roughly half an hour later Daryl came back to camp holding a dead snake. The thought of eating it made me want to get sick again. I watched as he cooked it over the fire not saying a word to either of us. When it was finished he set a plate in front of me. I just looked down at it not sure if I was going to eat it or not. "What's your problem?" He grunted. I just shrugged, "I'm not hungry." Daryl grabbed the plate and shoved it on my lap, "unless you want me to start forcing it to ya, get going." I sighed picking a piece of it up and taking a small bite. "I need a drink." Beth said looking over at Daryl. He threw her the water bottle, making Beth stand up. "No a real drink I've never had one because of my dad, but he's not exactly around anymore so I thought we could go find some." Daryl ignored her so she stormed away from camp. Leaving the two of us. He got up, "stay here." I nodded digging my knife into the ground. I looked up when I noticed the two of them were back. "What the hell you brought me back?" Beth yelled. Daryl grabbed her arm, you've had your fun. We can't leave Leah. We're staying here." Beth pulled away angrily, "no I can take care of myself and I'm going to find a damn drink." I pushed myself up knowing Daryl wasn't going to win this one. Once I pulled my backpack over my shoulder I started walking. "You good?" Daryl asked walking beside me. I didn't answer just kept going. "You ever gonna talk?" There was nothing I wanted to talk about. All I wanted was to see my family and Liam. But they were all ripped away from me.

We walked until we saw a golf course, "golfers like to booze it up right?" Beth asked. The three of us walked into the building, there were walkers hanging from the ceiling. More walkers started banging on glass making me run to the next room. We eventually ended up in some sort of shop. There I found a pair of leggings, and a purple quarter zip hoodie. I set some extra clothes into my bag and followed Beth and Daryl out of the room. Suddenly the tower clock started ringing and walkers began stumbling up. "This way." Daryl shouted. We made our way into another room where we found the bar. I could tell from the look on beths face she was excited. While Beth searched for her drink I sat down at the bar playing with my knife.

"You find your drink yet?" Beth nodded, "peach schnapps is it good?" Daryl shook his head no. He began playing darts and I pulled a calendar in front of me. June 26th, it was my birthday. A hell of one too. I looked up to see Beth wiping away tears, Daryl sighed walking up to her. I watched as he grabbed the bottle from her smashing it on the ground. "Your first drink ain't gonna be no damn peach schnapps. Come on." He held the door open for us and I followed Daryl to a shack in the middle of the forest.

We broke into the cabin and Beth sat down with an empty glass. A couple minutes later Daryl carried in a basket full of moonshine. He poured Beth a glass and we both watched as she took her first sip. "That's the most disgusting thing I've ever tasted." Daryl scoffed, and she reached for another glass. "Slow down." Daryl advised. Beth turned to me, "you want a sip?" I shook my head but before I could decline Daryl shot up, "nah she ain't drinking." Beth rolled her eyes, "what are you our chaperone now Mr. Dixon?" He ignored that comment sitting down. "We're stuck here you might as well make the best of it." Beth said handing Daryl the glass. He took it and shrugged, "might as well."

After a while Beth made us sit around a table and play a drinking came, called never have I ever. "I've never shot a crossbow." Beth said, making Daryl drink. "I've never been out of Georgia." Daryl said next. Beth sipped. "I've never been drunk and done something I regretted." Daryl drank. Beth then went again. "I've never been in jail, as a prisoner." Daryl scoffed, "is that what you think of me." He got up and went to take a piss, then smashed his glass. "Daryl shut up." I hissed. He turned around in shock that I even spoke. "It's my turn right Leah? Well let me ask Beth something here okay?" I swallowed looking over at her as Daryl began to scream, "I NEVER GOT ANY PRESENTS FROM SANTA CLAUS, I NEVER HAD A PET PONY, I NEVER RELIED ON ANYONE FOR PROTECTION BEFORE, HELL I NEVER RELIED ON ANYONE FOR ANYTHING. AND I SURE AS HELL NEVER CUT MY WRISTS LOOKING FOR ATTENTION." The walker outside was getting louder, "hey he's calling all his buddies. You two never shot a cross bow before, well come on, it'll be fun." He stormed past ripping me off the ground behind him not caring I hit my head off the doorway causing blood to trickle down my forehead.

Beth ran out behind, "stop it your hurting her." I pulled away from him as he went to load the bow. Shooting the walker pinning in to the tree. He then wrapped his arm around me holding it up again firing more shots. "It's not supposed to be fun." Beth screamed at him. "It's not a game." Daryl scoffed, "What do you want from me girl, huh?" Beth yelled at him, "I want you to stop acting like such an asshole like you don't give a crap about anything or anyone, like all of the people we lost mean nothing to you." Daryl rolled his eyes, "ME? I DONT GIVE A CRAP ABOUT ANYTHING? YOU LOST TWO BOYFRIENDS AND YOU DIDNT SHED A TEAR. YOUR WHOLE FAMILIES GONE AND YOU GO OUT LOOKING FOR A DRINK LIKE SOME DUMB COLLEGE BITCH. EVERYONE WE KNOW IS DEAD." I stepped in front of Beth, "you don't know that." He threw his arms up, "might as well. YOU AINT EVER GONNA SEE THEM AGAIN. RICK CARL JUDITH." I lunged forward pushing him back making him rip my arm back, "don't even try." I didn't want to cry in front of them, so instead I looked him dead in the eyes, "fuck you," then pulled my arm away and took off up to a stand in the trees.