Chapter 19

BPOV

The next morning, I woke early like I usually did to go hunting with Daryl, but instead of getting up, I rolled onto my side facing away from Daryl. He woke up or decided to move when he heard me, but he seemed to hesitate for a while before finally grabbing his stuff and leaving the tent. I had been up with him every day the past week or so, so he must have found it odd when I didn't get up with him. While I laid there, I thought of the best way to get rid of Randall. I wondered if I could actually kill someone alive face to face like that, but after hearing them on the highway along with Alice's warning, I knew that I could. I wouldn't let that happen to Amy, Beth, Sofia; nor would I let them murder the others.

It was probably an hour or so before I decided to buck up and leave the tent. When I stepped outside I was surprised to find Daryl lounged out up against a tree not too far away, fletching bolts for his bow. He looked up as I came out, but went right back to working on his bolts without saying anything. Was he waiting on me? As happy as that made me inside, I was also slightly worried. I needed to slip away without having anyone really pay any attention so I could deal with Randall.

As I went into the woods to take care of business, I wondered why he hadn't gone hunting this morning. The woods seemed to be one of his favorite places, a place he actually enjoyed being. I knew with how observant he is, he had known I was awake this morning. Then there was that very slight suspicion that Rick asked him to watch me, but I shoved that idea away once more. I really didn't think Daryl would do that. He seemed to have a genuinely good time with me most days, didn't he? Ugh, now I was questioning myself. When I returned to camp, Daryl was in the same spot I had left him, "Did you decide not to be Robin Hood today?" I joked with him trying to figure out why he didn't leave. He typically shrugged his one shoulder and went back to work. I decided to sit and watch him work while I figured out what to do about Randall.

I was lost in thought as someone approached, ruining our silent morning "We're cooking breakfast at the house, just wondering what kind of meat ya'll had this morning." It was the Shrew aka Maggie Greene. We both turned to look at her standing there waiting, like we were going to pull something out of our ass or something. I gave her my best bitch face, then noticed Daryl's shoulders starting to shake, probably remembering the condom debacle. He turned his head away from her still laughing, which made me start to crack up. The look on her face just made me laugh harder. She put her hands on her hips and pursed her lips "What the hell is ya'lls problem? Give me the meat so I can go." "Well someone's in a bitchy mood this morning, I guess I should go find some more" I said, getting a snort out of Daryl as he tried to play it off by tinkering with his bow. "What are you even talking..Look. I don't have time for this if I want to get food on the table, so just give me the meat so I can get the hell out of here."

Now I was getting kind of mad. Did Daryl ever get any thanks besides from Sofia or Carol? Well I once heard Hershel say "Thank you young man" and pat him on the shoulder, but I don't know if it was about to food he provided. Daryl had shied away from the praise with his head down and escaped the room as quick as possible like no one ever thanked him in his life; which in reality, it probably was something he rarely ever heard with his life history. I never heard anyone else thank him for going out early into a chilly Georgia morning while they all sleep in late staying nice and warm, nor did they offer to help prep the meat. They just expected him to do it all and hand it over to them. If it wasn't for Carol putting a large plate aside for him, I'm sure they would just eat it all without a second thought. Even if it made him slightly uncomfortable, at least he would feel appreciated. I make sure to tell him thank you for anything that he does out of his way for me just so he knows that I really I do appreciate it.

She was still standing there, tapping her foot impatiently. The smile had faded from my face with those thoughts and I turned to glare at her. Daryl had noticed immediately and stopped working on his bolts with a serious look on his face. "Does it look like there is anything here for you?" I spat out. The Shrews face twisted with her own anger and annoyance "Every morning he brings something in.." I cut her off quickly "And does anyone ever say thank you? Can he not have a day off to do whatever the hell he wants for once?" She finally just threw her hands up and stomped off back toward the house. I stared a hole in her retreating back, then turned to look at Daryl. He was still looking very serious and the tension in the air seemed pretty high. I looked back to where Maggie was still heading to the house and grumbled out "I don't know what Glenn even sees in her." When I looked back at Daryl, he had a slight smirk on his face and said "You really want the answer to that question Everdeen?" and at that, we both cracked up laughing before getting back to work. I had started to clean my guns and his while he continued making more bolts for his bow.

I had enjoyed the calming morning, after cleaning the guns and reorganizing my pack, I brushed and rebraided my hair. As I was just tying up the ends, I noticed Rick coming out of the house heading this way. I abruptly stood and grabbed my stuff, telling Daryl I was going to see how Sofia was today. He seemed startled by my sudden departure and I hoped he wouldn't take it personally, but I wasn't ready to see Rick yet today. I was still too angry, especially after Maggie's visit this morning, and I didn't want to cry my angry tears in front of any of them. So until I could work my anger into indifference, I would just avoid them. Sofia was busy showing Carl some different types of snares and the boy actually seemed to be listening; maybe there was hope for him after all, so I left them to it not wanting to interrupt.

I had walked around for a while thinking of some way to kill Randall without it being overly obvious that he was murdered. The only thing I could come up with so far was euthanasia; I mean who would notice a pinprick on someone that was still all fucked up. It's not like we had CSI shit around to test his blood and what not, for all they would know he died of blood poisoning. I was still trying to convince myself this was the right thing to do, when I was suddenly approached by Shane coming out of the tree line. Damn..., this day just gets better and better. He looked even worse than the last time I saw him. He really looked crazy now; his hair was slightly patchy and sticking up in all directions like he had been pulling at the parts that has grown back from his buzz cut. He also had some kind of nervous tick in his shoulder, and appeared to be conversing with himself while he approached. I was honestly a little frightened to be in his presence alone at this point.

"Bella!" he said like he was actually happy to see me… it was very strange. "Bella, Bella, Bella.. I need to know about Randall. You said he's bad righhhht? What makes him bad Bellllla?" "Uh, what is it you want to know Shane?" I asked taking a small step back, hoping he wouldn't notice. "You told Rick that his group is a bunch of murdering rapist. How did you know that?" he asked.

His voice was changing slightly, the last question he almost sounded normal, but the first one, he sounded like he was drunk. It was disconcerting to say the least, I had to proceed with caution on this one. "His group was on the highway and we heard them talking about it, Sofia and I, while we were hiding" I said softly taking another small step back. "What else did they say Belllla?" he said, dragging out my name once more. "That's pretty much it Shane" I said.

His hands flew out like lightning and grabbed both my upper arms, shaking me hard, "Pretty much isn't good enough! Are they a threat to my family?! Tell Me!" he yelled in my face. "Yes Shane, they are. They will kill anyone in their way and take what they want from the women whether they are willing or not. If Randall gets away and shows them this place, the men will be dead and the women will have a fate worse than death." He released me after I finished, then started to stroke my braid… It was freaky to watch his personalities switch on a dime up close and personal.

If Shane really thought Lori was his family and what not, as bad as it was, I figured I could use this to my advantage. Clearly no one was keeping an eye on him, (surely someone would have mentioned the crazy by now if they were) and he could come and go to see Randall without anyone blinking an eye. "Uh Shane?" I said, trying to get his attention as he mumbled to himself. When he finally looked up I continued "If Randall gets away we're all in danger. Lori and the baby, Carl… no one will believe what I said about Randall. I'm scared Shane." I even played it up by letting some of the angry tears I held in earlier fall. He stroked my shoulder and said "It's going to be ok Bella, it's all going to be ok. Shane's going to make it all better." He then turned and walked off leaving me slightly stunned and with a feeling of unease.

He was worse off than I thought; I was hoping to play him into my hand, have him kill Randall, but he was completely psycho . There's no telling what he was going to do now and I figured I better keep an eye on him, but he had already vanished into the woods. Not wanting to be out here alone with him anymore, even though I could track him, I high tailed it back to Daryl's tent, hoping he was there so I could ask if he had noticed Shane acting differently and to warn him.