Chapter 38
T-dog and I were chosen to go around and check the fence line. My mind wandered to Jacquie. Dale had told me that T-dog had begged her to go with them. I knew I shouldn't bring it up so I pushed it from my mind. We saw a lone walker along the fence line. T-dog raised his gun but I pushed it down. He looked at me and I held my finger to my lips and shook my head. He nodded and I bent my bow. I let the arrow fly straight into the walker's head.
"Where you learn how to shoot like that?" He asked.
"I started doing archery when I was around 8 and got my first real bow when I was 17 years old. I've been doing it ever since. I used swords too but I never got one. I prefer long range weapons. Just not guns." I said.
"You ever bag a deer?" He asked.
I smiled.
"I remember like it was yesterday. I was 18 years old and it was my first time hunting. Had some good venison." I said.
He smiled and laughed.
"Bet you'll remember that for the rest of your life."
"Hell yeah! My mother hated hunting. My father didn't mind and he went with me the first few times. Then I started to go with Anthony and then alone. I've been hunting ever since." I said.
He nodded and we kept going.
"What happened to your family?" I asked.
"Dad died when I was little and my momma passed away 4 years back. I was an only child. I was used to being on my own when all this happened. Then I found the group and never looked back. Not much to tell about me." He said.
"I'm sure there are lots of interesting things about you. You just don't realize it." I said.
He looked at me and smiled. He put his arm around my shoulders.
"You know….you're the closest thing I ever had to a sister. You and Jacquie. Course that means I get to mess with you. What happened back there in those woods? Care to give a brother some details?"
I laughed and pushed him off.
"You perv!" I said.
"Hey you're the only one getting some action. Well….you and Glenn and maybe Andrea." He said.
"Andrea?"
"You didn't know about that? About her and Shane?" He said.
The look on my face must have told him I didn't. He whistled low and shook his head.
"Pissed Dale off. Pissed her off after she saw what happened to you. Shane's losing it." He said.
That I had to agree with. The sun was going down as we returned. Alex came over to me. We shared a sad look. He knew about Rick's decision and that I didn't like it. He put his hand on my shoulder and looked over at Daryl. He came over and put his hands on my shoulders. He opened his mouth to say something but couldn't find the words. I saw what he wanted to say in his eyes.
"You do what you have to do. I'll always love you. Just….give him a humane death. A clean death." I said.
He pulled me into a long kiss. When we separated he nodded. I watched him walk away. I saw Shane start to walk over and I ran to him.
"Shane you have to talk Rick out of this! You're his best friend! He'll listen to you!" I said.
She didn't say anything. My eyes widened. That wasn't the Shane I once knew. I slowly backed away and he walked away. I saw what Dale had seen that day when he watched Shane aim a gun at Rick's head. I ran straight into Alex.
"What is it hermana?"
I grabbed his wrist and we ran across the field towards the house. I found Dale and pulled him into another room.
"Shane…."
He looked away and walked outside. There was nothing anyone could do. I sat down in a chair. It felt as though I had been there for hours when Daryl walked inside. I ran to him.
"His kid wanted to watch. He couldn't do it."
Randall was alive. I smiled and then ran outside to tell Dale. I heard something out in the field. I pulled out an arrow as I ran forward. My eyes widened.
"DARYL!"
I ran forward and let an arrow go straight into the walker. Daryl, Rick, Shane and Andrea came. Dale was on the ground and his body was ripped open. I ran and dropped down next to him.
"Dale! Dale hold on! RICK!" I shouted.
"HERSHEL! WE NEED HERSHEL!" Rick shouted.
Andrea dropped down next to me. Hershel came running over with Glenn, Alex, Maggie, Lori and Carl.
"Hershel we have to move him we…"
When there was no answer I knew what had to happen. I put my arms around Andrea.
"Someone help him! He's suffering!" She begged.
Rick walked forward and pointed the gun at his head. I turned Andrea's face away and then something happened. I watched Daryl walk forward and take the gun. He now aimed at Dale.
"I'm sorry brother." He said.
I squeezed my eyes shut and heard Daryl pull the trigger. Andrea screamed and buried her face in my shoulder. I helped her stand up and led her away.
"Shhh! It's okay. It's okay. Come on you don't want to be here right now." I whispered.
As soon as I sat her down in the RV T-dog came over.
"You should go talk to Daryl."
I nodded and ran to find him. He was still out in the field.
"Daryl?" I asked.
He didn't look at me.
"I'm sorry." He said.
I rushed forward and put my hand on his arm.
"No! No Daryl you have nothing to apologize for!" I said.
He still wouldn't look at me.
"Should've made them damned fences stronger." He muttered.
"Daryl look at me!" I said.
He ignored me.
"MIRA ME MI CORAZON!" I said.
I turned his face to mine and held it there.
"This is not your fault! This was the fault of a walker. You helped him! Saved him from suffering. He would have become one of them!"
He still didn't say anything. I took his hand and gently pulled him towards the woods. We stopped where the fence was.