Chapter 7
Weather: overcast
Yesterday was full of everything. I don't even know where to start! The rest of the group came back. They seemed sceptical at first till Lori and Dale explained what was going on, so I guess we are accepted in now. Shane seems like the leader of the group. He's very bossy and stern, but I guess you need to be in a world like this where all political structure and rules have vanished. I also met Carol and Miranda's husbands Ed and Morales, Carols husband was a bit strange but Mirandas husband just seemed like a normal person, he actually thanked us for saving his kids - unlike Ed. And, I met Andréa and her sister Amy they are both older than me, beautiful blond hair on both of them. Andrea seemed distrusting towards us but because Shane said we are okay I think she won't attack, but I don't know, I'm just getting a lot of bad vibes off her. Lastly I was introduced to Glen, who Merle insists of calling Chinese but is really Korean. He seems so optimistic, or maybe he's not I'm just used to pessimists nowadays, but it's a nice change. All of the new people in my life seem cool, it could be worse, right? I could still be by myself, slowly starving away or could even be a walking corpse, so I guess I can't complain.
Moving onto the thing bugging my brain. Daryl. I believe we had a very big moment. We actually cuddled, in the rain. It was magical, till a stupid stinky walker ruined it. The five or so minutes of being surrounded by Daryl were the best moments of post apocalypse so far for me. What if that walker didn't interrupt? Would we have gone further? Kissed? Or even further? Or would that be too far? See what I mean? These questions have been dancing on my mind since it happened. Daryl seems to be acting normal since it happened, maybe it was nothing to him... I want it to be something. I want more of it, but I have no idea how to get it. I guess I will have to continue life as me and let fate take the wheel.
Anyway, chow.
Gretel.
As I'm drawing a flower to sign off my entry, Daryl comes into the tent, letting the freezing night air in. I quickly shut the book as if I'm protecting it with my life. The last thing I want is for Daryl to read my journal. He looks at me with a funny look on his face. I try to act natural, like my super secret tween diary is just like any other book.
"Keep all your secretes in there?" he asks looking at the book between my hands curiously.
"One could say that," I reply, setting it down on my chest. A smile emerges on Daryl's face.
"Anything 'bout me in there?" he enquires with a teasing grin. I'm chocked for words, do I say yes or no?
"Um, ah" I stutter. I can feel myself blush.
"Well if it's taking you that long, then there must be some good stuff in there about me," he teases, then continues to tease, this time putting on high pitch mock women voice, "Mrs Gretel Dixon." He has a chuckle to himself.
"Hey! You stop that, I'm not that much of a 12 year old girl!" I say still trying but probably failing to play it cool.
"Oh! So you are agreeing with me, I am in there," he debates. Well he got me.
"Fine, you are in there, but please don't read it," I say putting on my puppy dog eyes hoping they make him follow my request.
"I won't read that girly crap," he says shuffling under his blankets.
"That won't mean Merle won't, hide it from him, he used to always read my cousins dairy, then tease the shit of 'er," Daryl adds.
"Thanks for the advice," I respond. He nods. The light is still on while Daryl fiddles with his arrows, fixing them I think. It's silent for a moment when we can hear an argument coming for next door, Carol's tent.
"Can't even have clean fucking clothes ready for me when I come back?!" a male voice yells agitated, in failed attempts to keep his voice down. I can hear Carol speak but it's too soft. We both hear a slap. Daryl stops fiddling. Somebody leaves the tent. We can both hear Carol sobbing inside her tent.
"Mommy?" I'm guessing Sofia heard her mum crying.
"Go back to your tent, sweetie; mommy is okay." Carol reassures.
"I'm going to see if Carol is okay," I tell Daryl as I leave. He grunts a "whatever" unwillingly.
I crouch outside Carol's door. She is still sobbing.
"Carol, you okay? You mind if I come in?" I ask gently. No response so I hold the curtain-like door open. She is sitting up facing me, cheek red raw.
"Oh my god, Carol!" I say rushing in to hug her. She hugs me back, I feel her head press into my neck. I rub her back with my hands and rock her slightly. There is nothing I can really say, I think me being here for her to hug is really all the help I can give her right now, because I don't know what it is like to be in her shoes.
"Oh, I'm just being silly, I shouldn't really be crying," she mumbles brushing this obvious injury off.
"No, no Carol this is bad," I say.
"Who the fuck are you!" Ed's voice booms.
"Oh, sorry I just heard Carol was up sets, and-" I am cut off.
"You're trespassing in my tent, you worthless woman," he says gritting his teeth. He approaches me. Carol yells, "Stop!" but Ed does not even flinch. He grabs my shoulder, his grip is hard.
"Let go of me!" I say loudly and firmly. He grips harder. I am actually feeling scared now, I can't squirm free.
"Help!" I yell but I am muffled by Ed's other filthy hand.
"Let 'er go," I hear Daryl's voice say calmly from the door way.
"Stay out of this man," Ed huffs frustrated.
"Let's my woman go!" Daryl yells. I can see half of Daryl's body outside the door.
"I'm doing what you should have done to her long ago - she is out of control," Ed belts. I can see Ed raise his fist. Oh no. I squirm and squirm but Ed's grip is too tight. Just as he is about to release his fist into my face, a godly force stops him. Daryl. Ed's grip on me releases. Daryl drags Ed outside.
"I think you need a lesson too," Daryl yells. Ed swings a punch at Daryl, Daryl moves out of the way. Then quickly gets a direct punch to Ed's ear.
"Ain't nobody gonna mess with me or my little brother, you watch out sir!" Merle yells joining in the fight by giving Ed one from behind. Daryl gets another punch to the head, knocking Ed to the ground.
"That's for messin' with little missy," Merle says with a kick, then "that's for messin' with Daryl," second kick, then continues, "and that's for hittin' women!" And does a final hard kick, to Ed's back. Ed lays on the floor. I don't think he's going to go anywhere soon.
"He messes with you again little miss, you call me," Merle says pointing at me then walks back to his tent. The three or four spectators return to their tents as well, I don't think they cared much about either side of the fight. I'm a little shocked, I'm just standing outside Carol's tent frozen. Daryl lightly grabs my arms from behind and leads me back to our tent. Once inside, I fully hug Daryl wrapping my arms tightly around him as we stand.
"Did he hurt you?" He asked.
"No, no, I'm just shaken up," I respond. From outside we hear, "you better watch your backs in there!" I tense up, I think Daryl feels it, because he grips me tighter.
"He won't get you as long as I'm here," Daryl says quietly. I nod my head against his chest. Daryl pulls me over to his bed and lays me in it, while he pulls the blankets off mine.
"You sleep with me tonight, I know you're scared," he says moving his arrows from the other side of his bed. Daryl hops over me, and shuffles under both of our blankets. It's already nice and warm in here. Daryl and I spoon, he's on the outside, his legs curling with mine as he snuggles closer to me. One of his arms is supporting my head while the other draped over my shoulder and tracing over my arm. Daryl's smell fills my lungs. It's the smell of comfort, safety and security.
"You comfy?" Daryl whispers.
"Yeah, you? I ask.
"Yeah," he responds.
This is the most comfy I have been in months! I feel utterly amazing here. I can feel Daryl's breath tickle the fine hairs on the back of my neck as he exhales, it's rhythmically soothing. I'm starting to fade, sleep is taking over. My thoughts and worries slip away as I sink into Daryl's grasp, I'm asleep now. Safe and sound.
I'm yelling but no sound leaves me. I can feel the vibrations of my vocal chord but I can hear nothing, only the wheezing of injured lungs. I yell again - nothing. What's going on? Colours buzz in front of me all of a sudden, like the static from an analogue television. Slowly a picture forms from the pixels. It's a person. The picture stops forming and it's too blurry. My hands come into sight, they are crystal clear. I can't control them, I try to move with all my might but they won't do anything. Gradually, they creep towards my eyes. I can't move my head either. I can feel my heart speed up, my hands won't stop, they are almost at my eyes. The blurry figure is walking away. "Come back" I try to force out unsuccessfully. No. My hands are pressing in on my eye balls. Wrapping around them in my skull. The pain is intense. Abruptly, a loud monotone constantly engulfs my sense of sound. Then I feel nothing. Only the sound of the constant bleep.
I wake in a cold sweat. Head pounding. It's dark. Rain pelting outside, bombarding the tent walls, roaring with anger. Where is Daryl? My heart rate increases. I feel around the air mattress. Where is he?
"Daryl" I yelp, but it's drowned out by the intensity of the rain. I feel around for the lamp but I'm unsuccessful, only clutter. I need vision. My eyes are wide open but I can't see.
"Daryl," my voice sounds fainter. The rain sounds distant. My eyes are feeling a pulling sensations, like I'm 100 feet underwater. I feel a hand grab my arm but I can't respond. My body won't move. That monotoned pitch is all I can hear now. The black in my eyes turns to white, then gain colour. It's fuzzy. Somebody is there. But who? My eyes won't focus for me. The figure moves it's head closer to me. It's an inch away from my nose when I realise it's Daryl. He moves back away, blurring himself again like an illusion. Blackness sets in and Daryl leaves the picture. Unconsciousness grabs me by the ankles and pulls down.
Hey guys ! Hope you are getting as much enjoyment out of this as I am. Please leave a review, I would really like to get some feedback so I can improve on areas I might be not very good at yet, this is my first time writing so I still have my training wheels on.
Thanks for reading ! Love you all !
Selina