Tattoos and Tears

Chapter 26: Intuition

Glenn is yammering on about Maggie as I drive down the road, five walkers stammering out ahead of us. I weave the truck around them, clipping one as I hit the apron.

"We need to get in, find the shit on that list and get the fuck out. Got me, I ain't kiddin around." Glenn nods his head to me, his eyes lock on the road.

"I'll go look for the baby stuff, Maggie and Lori told me what to look for while you get any food you can find. Daryl, this place could be swarming with walkers." He checks the machete strapped to his hip as he slides his handgun in place.

"This ain't the Big Stop, we'll be alright." The morning sun was burning by fast, afternoon was going to fade into night and we had to be back on our way to the lookout by then.

When we pull up to the store front, I see the parking lot is empty all but a few cars. Glenn checks the store entrance, seeing some walkers rambling around inside. He holds up both hands, informing me at least ten of them are up front.

We slide up to the front glass, Glenn placing some of the raw deer meat at the door. He opens the door, letting the walkers pour out. As they enjoy their meal, we head to the back of the store. The back entrance was jarred open, the lock looked broken.

"It might be wiped clean." Glenn looks over at me with his machete raised.

"Might not be." I gently push the door open, a walker waiting for us as soon as we walk in. I jab it in the eye with the bolt in my hand, Glenn squeezing past me and taking out the walker coming at us.

When hack, slash and smash our way through the few walkers in the store, Glenn slinging the brain matter from his machete as he heads down the baby aisle.

A walker comes crawling towards me, its legs gone. I take out my knife, ending its miserable existence. Making my way to the middle of the store, I take out the burlap bag in my jacket and start filling it with any can food or dry beans I find. The bag is half full when Glenn comes running up behind me, nearly out of breath.

"We got a shit ton of trouble coming our way. Those walkers at the front are done and are looking for more." He places his hands on his knees, his bloody blade in one hand, and a sack full of shit in the other.

I look at the sack and know it ain't nearly enough, but with the sound of the roaming walkers getting closer, I know we have to get out of the store.

Glenn takes the lead as we make it to the back of the store. I stop for a moment to grab a pack of smokes lying on the floor. Shoving them in my jacket, I close the door behind me.

When we finally make it to the truck, Glenn takes out a box and tosses it to me. I look at the words on the front and feel a heat crawl over my face. "Listen Glenn, you and Maggie might go at it like rabbits, but last time I checked … B.J. is pregnant."

"There for after the baby is born. You'll thank me later." He picks up the box of condoms and puts them in my jacket pocket.

A feeling as if something is wrong washes over me, settles in my gut and won't leave. I look out to the road ahead of me, seeing the sun starting to set. Glenn goes through my bag, pulling out a can of beans. "It's all I could find … maybe we can hit one more place before headin back."

"Wasn't there a Gas n' Go right before we leave the highway?" I remember that place, had gassed my bike up there a few times.

Seeing a gas truck sitting in the parking lot, I wonder if there was any gas on the tanker. I slowly pull the truck up next to the semi, Glenn looking in the cab. "The keys are still in it."

I climb out of the truck, looking at the hoses stuck in the ground. "Don't matter; he was dumping the load when the shit hit the fan."

Rummaging through the store, we find some canned meat, beef jerky and chips. I stuff them in a plastic bag, Glenn taking some candy as he runs by. I see two red gas cans sitting at the back of the store, blood and vomit trailing down towards them.

As I bend over to pick up the nearly full containers, a jawless walker comes out of the storage room. I'm jerking my knife free when Glenn's machete sails into the walker's skull. "Time to go."

Rhee was right, it was time to go. I run towards the truck when a herd of walkers starts pouring out from behind the gas station. Glenn jumps in the truck, starting it up. "Get in Daryl!"

I jump in, the door still open when Glenn peels out. The walkers grab at the door, almost pulling me out.

Kicking at the dead corpse pulling at me, I slam the door shut. I look down to the rotten severed fingers in my lap and quickly toss them out the window. Glenn lets out a yell, both of us feeling the adrenaline pumping through our veins.

The sun was setting now and I was sure the feeling still gnawing at my gut wasn't good. "Pass me some of those chips … I'm starving."

Tossing him a bag, I open one for myself. As I'm chewing on the corn chips, the truck starts sputtering. "What the fuck?"

He eases the truck over to the side of the road, the engine knocking. "Keep yer eyes peeled Glenn."

Popping the hood, the engine was steaming up a storm. "Son of a bitch … this damn thing is overheated; radiator has a hole in it. We can't fix it here, gonna have to hoof it back to the lookout."

Slinging the crossbow over my shoulder; I take the gas cans in hand. Glenn looks like a pack mule as I toss my sack at him, watching as he lets out a huff. "You want me to carry all of this?"

"Can't shoot walkers with my hands full." I point to the crossbow over my shoulder, gripping the gas cans tight.

We walk till the sun starts to come over the hills; Glenn looking like he'd ran a marathon. My feet were screaming but I still couldn't shake the feeling that something was way wrong.

"Hey Glenn, we can take a rest." We stop at a burnt out house, Glenn drinking the last of his water from the canteen.

"You worried about B.J.?" He closes his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"Nah." I lie to him; my thoughts had been with her since we left the store.

"I worry about Maggie and the others every time we leave. I worry one day we won't come back or they'll all be dead when we do come back." I didn't want to tell him I had the same fears, that I had that feeling in the pit of my stomach right now.

Climbing back to my feet, I pick up the gas cans and nod back towards the winding dirt road. "Just a few more miles."

"We've been gone all night, do you think they're worried. I mean, you did tell Bobbi Jo we'd be back by dark." I watch him try to walk up the hill with his load, making me smirk.

"More walking, less chattin." I motion for him to walk on, feeling my calves burning.

Rounding the bend to the lookout I hear the sound of growling, instantly dropping my load. Glenn does the same, the two of us going on the defense.

"Psst … Daryl." Glenn softly whispers to me, pointing at the edge of the forest. I place my finger to my lips as I crouch and slowly make my way towards the lone walker.

When I get to the tree line, the morning sun is starting to shine through the trees. I squint my eyes, not sure I'm really seeing what I'm seeing. Before me is a walker limping deeper in the woods, long flowing red hair and a gold ring on her finger.

"Bobbi Jo?" I call out to the corpse, making it turn to look at me. Was I too late, had I been gone too long and the lookout had been attacked. My heart sinks in my chest as the walker turns, my finger relaxing on the trigger of my crossbow.

It's as if my vision blurs, tears were forming in my eyes as the walker looks at me. The face looking back at me wasn't my Bobbi Jo; it was just some random redhead.

I quickly lift the crossbow, sending a bolt through her head. If it had been my B.J., could I have ended her, could I have killed her as easily as I did this nameless woman before me? I wasn't sure, my head tells me yes, but my heart tells me no.

Walking back towards Glenn, he's wiping his machete on his pants. "We're seeing more and more this way every week. We may have to leave the lookout before spring comes."

I nod to him, placing my bolt back on the crossbow. Loading our haul back up, we make the last mile in no time. T-Dog is keeping watch on the catwalk, his hand pounding on the front door. "They're back!"

Rick, Hershel and Maggie come running out, Maggie descending the steps as if she's got wings on her feet.

I smirk at Glenn as she nearly knocks him down, their arms and lips tangling in a heated mess.

Rick pats me on the back, picking up one of the bags. "You need to get up there."

I'm not sure if I should be worried or not, Rick has the usual haggard look on his face. I look over at Hershel, looking for any sign of what may have happened while I was gone.

Hershel nods towards the stairs, patting me on the back as well.

My mind races with all the possibilities, Carol walking out on the catwalk with Beryl. I run to the stairs, seeing tears in Carol's eyes as I reach the catwalk. "B.J.?"

Carol nods her head, tears flowing down her face. "Bobbi Jo!"

I begin to scream as I rip the front door open, Lori stopping me with her hand on my chest. "Daryl, calm down. She's over behind the blanket, sleeping."

Taking a deep breath, I walk over to the blanket and pull it back. "Sweetheart, are you awake."

The most beautiful blue eyes smile back at me as she looks up from the nursing child in her arms.

I fall to my knees beside her, tears now in my eyes. "When?"

Her hand strokes my cheek tenderly, the baby looking so tiny in her arms. "Early this morning. My labor started not long after you left. I wish you could have been here, but Carol, Lori, Maggie and Hershel took real good care of us."

She pulls the baby from her breast, wrapping it up tight. I look down at the most angelic face, the small baby wrinkling its nose. "Boy or girl?"

I take the baby, holding it to my chest as I watch Bobbi Jo move from the makeshift hospital bed. "Boy. What should we name him?"

Looking up from my son, I see Beryl walking in. "Daddy … I has a bruther."

Sitting back on my heels, I reach one hand out to her and hold both my children close to me. "What should we call him sweet pea?"

She twists her head from side to side, laughing as she kisses his forehead. "Dilly."

I look up to my beauty, her smile warming my heart. "Dylan … I like it. So husband, how about it? Dylan Dixon?"

Kissing my son on his tiny face, I close my eyes and thank the lord for my beautiful family and keeping my girls safe. "Dylan it is sweetheart."