The scream tore from the kid's lips right in my ear, leaving my eardrum ringing. I slammed my hands over his mouth but his scream was still too loud for me smother.
I shot a desperate look at Rick before I reeled my fist back.
One shot to the side of the head and the kid was out.
I shook out my aching fist, taking my piece from Rick, and covered him while he pulled the kid off the dumpster and threw him over his shoulder.
As soon as Rick was on his way, I followed him, walking backwards until I reached the street and booked it to the car.
I jumped into the back seat just as Rick finished piling the kid in, and shoved the kid's legs outta the way, slamming the door while Rick slammed the driver's side and put pedal to the floor.
Daryl's POV
I stared at the roof of my tent for what felt like hours, before I finally sat up and started pickin' at my crossbow.
It's gon' be sunrise soon.
I heard footsteps and peeked outside, unzipping the tent.
Carol? The Hell she doin' back 'ere?
I left my tent, going up behind her while she was looking at my ear-necklace hanging next to my most recent kills strung between two trees.
A twig snapped when I was right behind her, and she whirled around. "What're you doin'?"
She jolted seeing me right behind 'er. "Keepin' an eye on you."
"Ain't you a peach." I circled around her.
"I'm not gonna let you pull away. You've earned your place."
"If you spent half your time mindin' your daughter's business instead of stickin' your nose into everybody else's, she'd still be alive!" Carol took half a step back, as I got closer.
I moved back, and she swallowed.
"Go ahead."
What? The Hell is she talking about?
"Go ahead and what?" I stepped closer again, scowling.
She didn't move, or say nothing. Just stood there, starin' at me.
"Just go! I don't want you here." I swung my arm, moving to go back to my tent but she didn't move; didn't so much as blink.
God, it's almost like lookin' at Eve.
"You're a real piece a work, lady." I jabbed my finger at her, stepping closer again.
"What, are you gonna make this about my daddy or some crap like that?" I moved back again, scoffing. "Pfft, man. You don't know Jack"
The Hell is she doin' just starin at me like that? Like she thinks it'll accomplish somethin' and what was that crap about me not lettin' me pull away?
I know what she's doin'. She's tryna pull the same crap Eve does. Just standin' there takin' everybody's shit but you ain't Eve! That woman can pull shit like this cause she can handle 'erself.
You wanna walk in that woman's shoes? Fine. This oughta get rid of you, then.
"You're afraid. You're afraid cause your all alone. You got no husband, no daughter. You don't know what to do with yourself."
"You ain't my problem! Sophia wasn't mine!" I moved towards her again.
"All you had to do was just keep an eye on 'er!" I stepped closer again.
Carol flinched back and I stopped. My gut tightened as I stepped back, seein' echoes of that flinch; Recognizin' it.
...She thought I was gon' hit her.
Carol released a breath I didn't know she was holding, and I watched her take another one; trembling for a second before it was gone again.
My jaw tightened, remembering seein' it at the quarry. When 'er husband used to...
"Just go." I stalked off back to my tent.
3rd person POV
Eve rubbed her forehead with her fingers, sighing. 'This has gotten way more complicated than it needed to. These last few days— no since we got onto that stupid highway, it's been one thing after another.'
'People making big deals out of nothing, and in reverse, big deals faded into the background like they weren't issues. Freaking out over what happened, and not bothering to look deeper, into why they did.'
She watched the dark slowly lightening scenery whooshing by outside the vehicle's cabin as it flew down the street.
Less than a mile has never felt so far before, and she decided. 'It's time to put a stop to this over-dramatic bullshit. If you're gonna act like children, that's how I'm gonna treat you. Starting with these three.'
"Pull over."
'It's time to pay the piper, kiddies.'
Rick glanced in the rear view, meeting a hard scowl and although confused, he's known her long enough to know she doesn't speak without reason. So he did as told.
Parking in the middle of the deserted road, surrounded by open fields, gave some solace about being attacked. However confusion was churning like butter in the atmosphere.
Everyone piled out of the vehicle, and stood on the side of the road in a row before Evelyn Rider.
They already knew she had something to say, despite the calm exterior that was actually giving Glenn chills and whatever it is, it doesn't bode well for them.
"I'm disappointed in you." Her voice cut that churned butter like the trusted knives sheathed at her sides.
The men glanced between each other, baffled and already somewhat worried about where this is headed.
"Out of everyone in the group, you are the last people who get to lose your heads."
"What are you talkin' about?" Rick took half a step forward, shifting his weight to one leg.
They all would've been reluctant to admit, they flinched in the next moment, when Eve's eerie calm snapped to cold fury in a split second.
"You don't get to decide to forsake a life whenever you feel like it, or to save your own skins."
A powerful urge pulled at all three of their backs, to step away from her but whether it was through pride, confusion, or pure stubbornness, they couldn't.
"I would've expected this from Shane, or Merle, or even a fair number of the others but not from you three."
Glenn shrunk in on himself a little, feeling far too much like a teenager being scolded by his parents than he was comfortable with.
Hershel, still a little on the tipsy side, simply blinked; startled and having some trouble processing. Even after the sobering events of the night.
Eve sighed, her weight shifting to one leg and let her hands rest on the hilts of her knives, as they were at the perfect height for it. It didn't come off as threatening. A little more casual than 'mom's hands on hips', but perhaps that's only because they know her.
"It's okay to be scared out of your wits, and to not know what the right thing to do is, but letting fear control your actions is not something I will stand for when the fate of everyone I know & care about lies in your hands. Your decisions affect all of us, even when we're not close by."
Guilt pricked all the men standing before her.
Being reminded of their responsibilities after a long rough night that nearly cost all of them their lives, made their tense shoulders drop.
Eve's flaming irises could almost see the weights dragging them down.
Under other circumstances, Eve would have eased up on them at this point; knowing the added pressure wouldn't help. However, this is not one of those times.
They can't afford that luxury anymore, and tonight they've shown her she's given them far too much liberty with it.
She trusted them to make sound calls, and apparently that was a mistake.
It's time they learn this lesson. The hard way. Before they do something that gets someone killed.
"This, will never happen again or by the devil's hand, I will give you something to fear. Do I make myself clear."
Glenn cast his eyes to the ground, an ashamed nod being all the response he could muster.
He knew this was directed more at Rick & Hershel but it twisted his gut. Every word.
Eve is right. She's always right. The very fact she is speaking— that she felt the need to, means something wasn't right.
When he saw her get shot… when he looked back at watched her hit the ground, he just… He froze.
The only thing that went through his mind was Maggie. How devastated she'd be if it had been him and not Eve.
He wanted to pull her to safety but if she hadn't told him to stay put(more or less), he doesn't think he would've been able to.
It scares him.
To think he would've left his best friend to die, because he was afraid of Maggie losing him.
Rick has stared down all kinds of people before. He's looked into the eyes of innocents, killers, criminals, and held his ground; not wavered for a single moment. But as he stared into the burning embers of amber eyes, he couldn't do it.
His eyes directed to the pavement before the thought had even crossed his mind.
Evelyn Rider is no doubt one of the most formidable people he has ever met. He's seen the woman take on Dixon's without breakin' a sweat. He's seen this soul-chilling gaze before, but he hadn't ever thought to imagine the day when those eyes were turned on him.
If she voiced this warning, she will do it. This is not a slap on the wrist.
Eve was furious. It's amazing she's been able to uphold her rational mind.
She's just scolded grown-ass men like children, and the worst part? Is she had to do it at all.
This is not the first scolding she's given to members of this group, unfortunately it won't be the last either. Since she seems to be the only person around, who can set her personal feelings aside and focus on solving the damn problem without making life 20 times harder in the process.
Hershel looked into the familiar unwavering eyes of a dangerously patient woman, who has reached the end of it.
The peeking sunlight cast over her shadowed face, scorching the amber spheres. Only to shine an unnerving light on the overlooked fact that almost nobody has any idea exactly what this silent killer is capable of.
Hershel is not one to take a warning shot lightly; especially a woman's. His late wife Josephine made sure of that.
His gaze averted to the pavement beneath his shoes. Overwhelmed by the distinct feeling, she's being merciful by warning them at all.
Eve waited until she was certain they'd gotten the message before heading to the car, and pulling the door open.
"Do not force my hand."