Wow, chapters have been getting so long lately. I hope that's not a problem lol
Daryl's POV
The shack ain't exactly soundproof, so I listened to Eve try her way through the wall, after she kicked me out.
It took a bit before I was able to come back 'ere and just lean against the wall without wantin' to throw the door open. But I'm glad I didn't when I wanted to.
I've no idea what the Hell that woman did to the kid but since I been listenin, he hasn't shut up.
Keeps running his mouth and she's just lettin 'im.
The boy will be goin' on about something and then he'll just snap back to what he was saying like he'd been threatened.
I haven't heard a sound from Eve this whole time though. I wonder what she's doing to set the kid back on track…
After about ten minutes of him rambling on about some stupid dog, I was startin' to lose my patience.
Only thing that's stopped me from going back in is the fact he's still talkin' and whatever she's done, she's gettin' a lot more outta 'im than I was.
It's hard to guess how she did it. Knowing her, she could have anything up 'er sleeve.
I don't understand why she's been so nice to the kid all this time. Sneaking him that water the other night.
He and his buddies tried to kill 'er, and the others. I wouldn't have saved the kid in the first place. I'd a left him where they found 'im but not her.
Kid's lucky it was her & Rick that went to drag that old man's ass back 'ere. Anybody else had gone and there's no way they'd have brought this doofus back.
Sometimes I think I got her figured out, then she does shit like this and it's like bein' stranded in the desert and all of a sudden it starts rainin'.
I don't care what happens to this kid, to be honest. I don't got no opinion whether he lives or dies.
Way things are goin' right now, this group ain't gonna last much longer.
"For the pain" Eve's muffled voice caught my ear and I turned, listening for anything else but all I heard was crinkling then the door opened and Eve stepped out.
Eve's POV
Daryl and I followed the dirt path back towards the camp, where the whole group is waiting to find out what we've learned, and I explained what I'd learned on the lengthy walk up.
When we reached the group, Rick jerked his chin towards us and all eyes turned our way.
"Boy there's got a gang. 30 men. Got heavy artillery and they ain't lookin' to make friends. They roll through here, our boys are dead. And our women they're gonna— they're gonna wish they were." Daryl's paraphrasing deserves an award. It really does, but it made me shift and I only noticed I was rolling my shoulder because Daryl looked at me.
A grim atmosphere descended over the group; the somewhat gloomy overcast morning seeming even heavier than before.
"What did you do?" Carol's voice filled with an unexpected note of curiosity, as she looked between both of us; mostly Daryl's bloody knuckles.
Daryl glanced at his hand holding the strap of his crossbow at his shoulder and dropped it to his side, a bit uncomfortable as he moved towards the edge of the group taking up a spot in the somewhat circle that's been formed by the waiting party. "Had a little chat."
We should disinfect those cuts sooner rather than later. Don't wanna risk an infection. He hit him in the mouth more times than he should have.
"No one goes near this guy." Rick declared as a few of us shifted around. Me & Daryl moving to stand near one of the trees by Glenn.
"Rick, what are you gonna do?" Lori asked her husband somewhat hushed, but I don't think it was meant to try and hide her words from the rest of us.
"We have no choice." Rick muttered back to her before speaking a little louder, "He's a threat."
"We have to eliminate the threat." Rick spoke with less conviction in his decision than normal, but my stomach dropped.
"You're just gonna kill him?" Dale stared at Rick incredulously, almost like a scornful parent who can't believe what just came out of their kid's mouth.
"It's settled." Rick stated, not looking at our —most definitely— wisest member of the group.
"I'll do it today." Rick walked away before anyone could speak, and Dale didn't hesitate a second to go after him, into the grassy fields.
I don't think Rick wants to do this anymore than I do, but while everyone else was walking away, I found myself watching Dale yell at him and I know he's yelling even from this distance, because Dale is only that animate when he's worked up.
Daryl tapped me on the elbow and I turned. He motioned he was leaving and I nodded, going with him; sparing one more glance at the two in the field, watching Rick walk away.
Halfway back to Daryl's camp, he glanced at me for about the 10th time and finally asked, "You okay?"
I looked at him and honestly couldn't answer. I opened my mouth to, but an answer is not what came out. "I… I need to think. I'll see you later, Daryl."
I didn't wait for any acknowledgement as I split off from the path; heading towards the quietest corner of this land.
It's amazing how many acres this place is, how few people are living on it, and it still feels so crowded. So small.
I've given up on an idea such as a 'peaceful' day without conflict. Something always seems to be going down and I'm so sick of it. All of it.
I keep having to remind myself that I decided to stick this out and try to save my family from pulling themselves apart, but the fact I even have to do that is foreboding.
I'm not entirely sure this group can be saved. And I can't stop thinking it.
3rd Person POV
Half an hour after getting back to his distant camp, Daryl heard twigs cracking as he picked out some newly crafted arrows.
He looked over, expecting it to be Eve but scoffed when he saw a white haired old man.
"Whole point of me comin' up here is to get away from you people." he went back to what he was doing.
"Gonna take more than that." Dale didn't miss a beat.
Daryl could only think of two reasons he's up here and it's either because he's here to 'ask a favor' like everybody else who seems to come up here (save for Eve). Or, "Carol send you?"
"Carol's not the only one that's concerned about you, your new role in the group." Dale propped his foot on a log, so he could rest his hand on his knee a bit. Old joints slightly aching from the long walk out here; reminding him he's no longer the young man he once was.
"I don't need my head shrunk." Daryl groaned. The sound reminisce of a stubborn teen not wanting to talk to listen to their parents lecture them.
"This group's broken. I'm better off fendin' for myself." Daryl didn't bother looking at him and just continued to prep his bow for a hunt. One of the few in the last couple days Eve probably won't be joining him for.
Daryl had hoped she'd come up here before he left, but…
He sighed. 'She's got some stuff to figure out. Could see it on 'er face.'
"You act like you don't care." Dale stated as Daryl reached for his jacket, tucking his partner into the corner of his head that he somehow ended up designating for the sneaky somewhat childish woman.
"Yeah, t's cause I don't." He looked at Dale, pulling on the denim jacket & leather vest that's been accompanying his shoulders as of late; as the weather continues to get colder. Turning back to his gear, fixing the collar, before grabbing his knife from its place stuck in the log he's been finding himself sitting on.
"So live or die, you don't care what happens to Randall?"
"Nope" Daryl looked him in the eyes, sliding his hunting knife into the sheath on the front side of his hip.
"Then why not stand with me, try to save the kids life? If it really doesn't matter one way or another." Dale tried.
"I didn't peg you for a desperate son of a bitch." Daryl picked up his crossbow, gettin' his hunting stuff ready.
"Your opinion makes a difference." Dale tried.
"Man, ain't nobody lookin' at me for nothin"
"Carol is, Eve does, and— and I am. Right now. And you obviously— you have Rick's ear."
Daryl turned and stalked back towards him. "Rick just looks to Shane." He couldn't keep the venom out of my voice over the man's name. "Let 'em."
Daryl began to walk away again but Dale persisted. "You cared about what happened to Sophia."
Daryl turned a hard stare on Dale and the old man continued. "Cared what it meant to the group."
"Torturing people? That isn't you" Daryl walked back towards him.
"You're a decent man. So is Rick" Dale jabbed his thumb over his shoulder. His near pleading gaze didn't phase Daryl in the slightest.
Daryl's face fell neutral, and for a moment Dale noted the resemblance to Evelyn's calm, calculative demeanor.
"Shane, he's different."
"Why's that? Cause he killed Otis."
Dale's face fell grave and he moved towards Daryl. "He tell you that?"
"He told some story — How Otis covered him, saved his ass. He showed up with the dead guy's gun." Daryl didn't want to re-have his & Eve's entire conversation, with Dale. So he kept it short and to the point; paraphrasing as much as possible.
"Rick ain't stupid." he shook his head, staring Dale down. "If he didn't figure that out it's cause he didn't wanna."
Daryl turned, stalking off and this time no matter what Dale said short of someone dying, he was leaving on his hunt.
"It's like I said — group's broken." he called back to make sure Dale couldn't stop him again.
Hey guys! I have another question for you today.
A friend of mine and I were talking the other day, and it made me curious. Do you prefer longer stories or shorter stories?
She prefers shorter but personally, I like a nice mid-ground between the two. And yes, I see the irony in asking this on chapter 80 of a story, but what can u do? lol