Execute Chapter 2

Daryl lay against the ground after finally having conquered the massive slope. He would've lain there all day if it weren't for the scream that jolted him up instantly. He couldn't make out what they were saying but it was distinctly female and that was enough for him.

He hoped more than anything that it was Sophia. He burst into a run towards the yelling. The closer he got the clearer the voice became. The hope that had flickered in his chest died instantly. The voice was older. A woman.

"TRAVIS!" He slowed down, but continued in the same direction. Whoever it was, was sure to be attracting walkers, and he wasn't leaving her to fend for herself.

Then he found her. The top half of her body was soaked with blood and a baseball bat hung loosely at her side. She was wearing a ball cap and for a moment he thought he was watching a cartoon: the feminine ball player goes rogue.

His thoughts were quickly dispelled when a walker came up right behind her, attracted to the noise. Daryl lifted his bow and released a bolt straight into the walker's head. It dropped behind her with a loud thud and she spun around bat raised and ready.

She looked from Daryl to the walker's head and then back to the bow, still aimed in her direction. He knew he was just as coated in gore as her, maybe even more so with the ear necklace around his head.

"Thank you," she said.

Daryl blinked. "Who's Travis?" he inquired, still not lowering his weapon.

Her eyes locked on his neck, hesitating to trust him. Then they lifted back to meet his. Her red-rimmed green gaze was impossible to look away from. "He's my-," she paused, her eyes falling to her hand. "My little brother."

"Are you with anyone else?"

She froze, tensing all over. Then, her eyes grew wide. "That's it!"

He could tell she was about to make a run for it, but then her eyes rested on his bow. "I know where he is. He's only ten, I need to find him." Daryl nodded, finally lowering his weapon.

"I'll come with you." She nodded and started north. He could sense she wanted to be moving faster, but judging by the blood, the bat, the dark circles under her eyes, and her awkward walk, she was in no condition to be. Daryl was glad for it, he wasn't sure he could move that quickly either.

"I'm Casey by the way," she said, holding her hand out to him. Daryl took it.

"Daryl."

He was surprised she didn't ask about his current appearance, or about the ears hanging around his neck.

"You haven't seen a little girl around have you?"

"No," she noticed his shoulders fall in defeat. "But I haven't seen a little girl as one of them either."

"Good."

It wasn't too far before she slowed down. Daryl didn't see anything yet, but she had slowed drastically. Whatever they were nearing she wasn't eager to get to.

"You alright?" he asked her.

"Is anyone anymore?"

They came to a clearing, and there he was. The little boy she was looking for. If only finding Sophia was that easy. Then his eyes caught onto the corpse he was clinging to: a young man, dark hair, and a small dark circle on his forehead right where the bullet went in.

Casey dropped the baseball bat and carefully approached the boy. "Travis we need to leave him. He's gone," she said quietly.

The kid's head snapped up instantly. His eyes were red and full of anger.

"You killed him!" he accused. Jumping to his feet he glared in her direction. Casey didn't say anything. She just stood there as Travis stomped towards her.

"I thought you loved him! He could've died on his own time. We could've had more time with him." He pushed her back but she held her ground.

"Did you want him to suffer? He was dead before he even came back Travis," her words were cruel and the kid flinched.

He then shook his head and reached out, slapping her hard across the face. "You're a killer Casey. And you killed all I had left."

Daryl didn't know what he was supposed to do. These weren't his people. This wasn't a fight he was responsible for stopping.

He watched as Casey bent down and gripped Travis' shoulders. "He wasn't all you have left Travis. I'm never leaving you."

He wrenched himself away from her. "You already did! Last night!"

"Travis I had to. I'd be dead right now if I stayed by that tree. You just have to trust that if we get separated I will do everything I have to, to find you again. You're not alone in this world. I promise."

His eyes found hers again, and now they were filled with worry, all the anger drained away.

"What if you get bit too?"

Casey didn't reply; she froze. There were certain promises you couldn't make in this world. This was one of them.

"I'm with a group," Daryl interrupted. Casey turned to face him, and Travis eyed him for the first time. The kid hadn't even noticed him until now. He'd never make it out here on his own. "I'd have to talk to our leader. Make sure s'okay. It's safe though."

Travis' eyes lit up.

"I don't know if that's the best idea," Casey reasoned, careful to trust anyone. Smart girl.

Travis grabbed Casey's hand, turning her to face him. "We can't do this on our own. Last night you nearly got killed."

She smirked, punching his shoulder. "Nearly."

"Casey please," he begged.

"I can't look that bad," Daryl interjected with a hesitant smile.

"You're covered in blood," she shot back.

Daryl looked at her pointedly.

She looked down at herself, at the gore splattered everywhere, and sighed. "We'll check it out, but any sign of crazy and we're out."

Daryl tilted his head in the direction of the farm. "Let's go."

Rick was thinking over everything Shane had said. Was it time to give up on Sophia? His own gut told him no, never. But another part of him wondered if they'd ever find an answer.

"Walkers!" Andrea called, sitting up straight in her chair. A group jumped to attention.

"Hershel wants to deal with walkers," Rick reminded them. He held his hand up to Andrea as she lifted the rifle. "No shooting."

Rick picked up his gun and hurried towards the walkers, a group following after them. When they were within a few yards they all lifted their weapons.

"Is that Daryl?"

"That's the third time you pointed that thing at my head. You gonna pull the trigger or what?" A gunshot rang out and Daryl fell to the ground. Rick dropped to his side instantly, assessing the damage. There was a red line ripped across the side of his temple.

"I was kidding," Daryl groaned. Rick began to lift him up. Someone else was at his other side supporting him, and it took Rick a second to realize he had no idea who she was.

"Nice friends you got here," she commented. Daryl grew heavier, and they realized he was out cold.

They started helping him towards the house. Getting to know the new stranger would have to wait.

"Oh my god! Oh my god! Is he dead?" Andrea panicked, running towards them.

"He's unconscious," Rick responded.

"What the hell happened to him?" Glenn called out. "He's wearing ears!"

"Let's keep that to ourselves," Rick replied quickly. His eyes shot across to Daryl and landed on the girl helping him. Then his eyes darted further over, catching onto a little boy close to her side.

"Guys is this Sophia's?" Rick's heart sunk instantly. He found her. Or what was left of her.

"He didn't find her," the stranger spoke up. "Alive or dead."

Relief flooded back into Rick. He had no clue who this girl was, but he was grateful she could keep the camps panic at bay.

Without Daryl in commission, I was starting to grow a little nervous. I could feel everyone's eyes on me as I helped Daryl to the house. We had finally put Daryl in a room with a bed, an actual bed: one with clean sheets and a constant purpose. Not one that had been left behind in the chaos. Not one that you lay in knowing full well the owner that had lain in it last was probably not around anymore.

After leaving Daryl to the old man they all referred to as Hershel, the man that had helped me carry Daryl led us to the kitchen. I slipped my backpack off my shoulders and exhaled a breath of relief. I hadn't realized how heavy it had become. Once I sat at the table, I was rushed with exhaustion. I really needed to get some shuteye.

Travis fell into the seat next to me, his feet swaying back and forth. The man in front of me had short curly hair and tired eyes. "I'm Rick, and this is Shane," he introduced pointing to the man behind him.

I debated if giving them our names would be a good idea. Could I trust them?

"I'm Travis and this is Casey!" the kid responded way too cheerfully. It was crazy how quickly he had bounced back. We hadn't seen other people in weeks and Travis loved this.

Rick smiled, kneeling beside him. He had the kind of smile only a father could manage, and it broke my heart to see it. My thoughts drifted easily to my own father, and I quickly shook the image away.

The bald man behind Rick cleared his throat. Shane, I reminded myself. Man I was so bad with names. "How many walkers have you killed?"

I shrugged, "I don't keep count."

"Last night she killed 27 from what I saw!" Travis jumped in. Both Shane and Rick raised their eyebrows. Rick seemed impressed and Shane seemed doubtful. I was getting the feeling that I was in the middle of a good cop bad cop situation.

I turned to Travis. "You counted?"

He nodded eagerly. "I had to attract myself somehow."

I laughed, ruffling his dark curly locks. "It's distract, Trav."

"How many people have you killed?"

My back straightened and my hands reflexively clenched into fists. I focused on the pain my fingernails were causing on my palms, not the face that had clouded my vision.

Travis brought me back to reality when his chair screeched harshly against the ground and he ran out of the kitchen. I started to follow but Rick placed his hand on my shoulder. "He'll be okay. It's safe here I promise."

I nodded, sitting back down. I knew Jem would kill me if I let Travis run off with a bunch of strangers around, but I needed to gain their trust. And the best way to gain it was to give it. I also wasn't quite sure how I could face Travis right now. What would I even say?

I looked up into Rick's eyes, and pushed back the knot in my throat. "One," it was a whisper, but I knew they'd heard me.

I knew the real questions were coming. Ones I wasn't sure I could answer. Because if I'm being honest, I haven't let myself off the hook in the slightest. I looked the man I loved in the eye and pulled the trigger. He even begged me not to. And how could I expect these strangers to trust I wouldn't harm them after hearing I killed my husband?

"Daryl's awake," a voice broke in from the doorway. I turned to look at her. She had dark hair in short waves, and her eyes were calculative and assessing, as she looked me up and down. Rick nodded and stood up.

A second woman entered and she rushed to Rick, embracing him instantly. "That gun shot nearly gave me a heart attack," she scolded him.

"Lori, this is Casey," he said. She held her hand out for me and I shook it. They were very thin and bony. Geeze, I thought I hadn't been eating enough lately.

"Nice to meet you," she said with a genuine smile.

"You too," I replied with the best smile I could manage. I knew it was weak, but it was all I had at this point.

"Let me show you around, get you cleaned up," she offered. "Your boy's already asleep in Daryl's tent. He probably won't need it for a while anyway. I hope you don't mind I gave him one of my son's shirts."

Another kid? Damn that was a great sign. I'm sure Travis was excited to find that out. He hasn't seen another kid since this all started.

I followed Lori outside, and while the eyes still followed me I didn't feel as threatened. After gaining Rick's approval it seemed I somehow gained theirs.

Lori took Casey to the side of the porch where a bucket full of water sat and tossed her a washcloth. She started to wipe the grime and blood from her face and arms. Lori noted to herself that she needed to find this girl a clean shirt. The woods had not been kind to her it seemed.

"How have you two managed on your own for so long?" Lori asked.

"I'd do anything for him. And so would his-," Casey paused for a long moment. "Travis is pretty capable when it comes down to it. Nothing is too high for that kid to climb if he needs to." Casey laughed.

Lori tried to smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "What do you think about raising kids in this environment?" She desperately wanted to hear from someone who was actively raising a kid right now. She didn't want to talk to Rick just yet, and it didn't feel right bringing it up to Carol.

"I'm not his mom," Casey blurted out.

Lori shrugged, "You're still raising him."

"Sometimes I think he's raising me," Casey replied, watching the boys as well.

Lori eyed her curiously.

"In this world it's easy to forget to laugh, to make jokes, to find fun in anything. Travis sees everything differently than me. He doesn't complain that he has to sleep on the dirt at night. He doesn't complain when we eat burnt rabbit for dinner. He doesn't complain about running for his life. He just accepts it. I think he sees it as one great adventure. And I need to see it that way sometimes. He helps me lighten up."

Lori smiled, this time it felt real. "Does he really not complain about anything?"

Casey snorted out a laugh. "He definitely hates the fact that I won't let him touch a gun."

Lori's smile faltered, as her mind darted instantly back to Carl. Small, pale and passed out in the bed. "Yeah I've had that argument before."

Casey rested the washcloth against the brim of the basin and stepped down the porch. "I think I'm gonna get some sleep. It's been a while."

Lori pointed her in the direction of their tent and mentioned something about dinner but she needed to lie down. Everything was finally starting to weigh down on her.

She briefly caught sight of Travis; curled up in a corner of the tent on his own, and lay down falling asleep instantly.