Okay, so I was actually having a really shitty day today and I came online and saw some of your reviews and they made me smile a lot so thank you so much for that!
For this chapter I wanted to start a basis between Nikki and Carol as I think anyone that Daryl could be with has to be pre-approved by Carol or it just wouldn't work..
As always, let me know what you think!
"Wonder how long it takes." Glenn sighed, we had just exited our tent. It was the morning after the walker invasion and everyone was helping clean up the bodies that surrounded the camp. Some were walkers, other were people we had come to know and love since the world went to shit.
Glenn was now referring to Amy, the girl who had been my first friend out here. The only other girl that had been around my age in camp. She was now lying beside the RV, pale and cold. Andrea hadn't left her side since it happened, she was grasping her little sister's hand, staring at her face as if trying to memorize every detail.
"I don't know," I mumbled back, watching the scene before me. "I just hope Andrea is ready when she turns."
The sound of Daryl driving an axe through a skull made me wince. I took a moment to shake myself up before following Glenn and helping to clear more bodies from the camp.
A large fire had been made in the middle of camp, the pile of bodies on top of it was growing steadily. I wrinkled my nose at the smell of burning flesh as we passed by.
"The dead girl's a time bomb." I heard Daryl saying, gesturing over to where Andrea was crouched over Amy.
"And what do you suggest?" Dad sighed, rubbing his forehead with the back of his hand. His white shirt was covered in splotches of dried blood and sweat was dripping from his forehead from the heat of the sun.
"Take the shot," Daryl said almost disbelievingly. "Clean, in the brain, from here. Hell, I can get a turkey between the eyes from this distance."
"No," Mom spoke up. "God sake, let her be."
Daryl made a noise that sounded like an angry cat before stalking away, getting back to disposing of the bodies.
I watched as Glenn and T-Dog carried another motionless walker to the fire, Glenn had paused to watch Daryl and Morales heave a body between them. I recognized the man, he had been part of our camp, his family joining us at the beginning.
"Hey hey, what are you doing?" Glenn asked as they dragged the body closer to the flames. "This is for geeks, our people go over there!"
"What's the difference?" Daryl asked, letting the body lay back on the ground as he straightened up. "They're all infected."
"Our people go over there." Glenn repeated firmly. "We don't burn them, we bury them. Understand?"
I smiled sadly at my friend, he didn't even know half of these people very well but he was refusing to associate them with the walkers.
Daryl and Morales watched him closely before they both nodded and began dragging the body of the man in the direction Glenn had pointed to.
"Y'all left my brother for dead," Daryl growled to the camp before he pointed to the bodies. "You had this coming!"
"Do you think he's ever gonna forgive us for that?" Glenn asked, lifting his cap from his head as he watched Daryl stalk off.
"Doesn't look too likely." I shrugged, wrinkling my nose up slightly. I couldn't help glance towards Shane when I thought of how Daryl must feel. Shane had come to our house and told us that Dad was dead, that he couldn't save him. Pretty soon after that he had tried to take his place in our family. I couldn't help but wonder if Shane knew my dad was alive the entire time.
Before I could think anymore into the topic Jacqui's shout made me spin on my heel, my hand going straight to my sickle, fearing more walkers.
"A walker bit Jim." She cried, I watched as Jim slowly backed away from her. He was surrounded by the camp as we automatically made a circle.
"Show it to us." Daryl ordered, stalking around the circle. I felt myself being pushed back by Shane as Jim picked up a shovel. He glared at us all as he tried to keep his eyes on all of us, the shovel held in front of him defensively.
T-Dog quickly ran up behind him and pinned his arms to his sides, making him drop the shovel.
"I'm okay, I'm okay." Jim whimpered as Daryl rushed over and pulled up his top. A large bite mark was engraved into Jims torso, fresh blood oozing from the punctures the walkers teeth had made.
After Jim calmed down we told him to rest before Shane called a small group meeting on the edge of camp to figure out what to do.
"I say we put a pickaxe in his head." Daryl spoke up immediately. I blanched at the idea.
"And who's gonna be the one to do that?" I asked, staring him down. "He's one of our own we're not putting him down like some stray dog."
"What so we let him wander around camp till he turns?" He questioned, meeting my gaze. "Throw in the dead girl too and be done with it."
"Is that what you'd want?" Shane spoke, frustration evident in his voice. "If it were you?"
"Yeah and I'd thank you while you did it." Daryl shrugged.
"I hate to say this," Dale sighed. "I never thought I would, but maybe Daryl's right."
I gaped at the man before finding my voice. Dale was always so wise, so full of advice I couldn't quite believe what he was agreeing to.
"Maybe someone should think to ask Jim what he wants to happen." I suggested, folding my arms tightly.
'He's a sick man," Dad said, glaring between Dale and Daryl. "We fall down that route, where do we draw the line?"
"The line's pretty clear," Daryl argues back. "Zero tolerance for walkers, or the to be."
"What if we can get him help?" Dad asked the group. "I heard the CDC was working on a cure."
"I heard that too," Shane sighed. "I heard a lot of things before the world went to hell."
"What if the CDC's still up and running?" Dad shrugged.
"Well that is a stretch right there."
"Why? If there's any government left, any structure at all then they protect the CDC at all costs. I think it's our best shot." Everyone's heads moved between Shane and my dad as they argued over this point. "Food, shelter, warmth."
"I know you want those things, I do too, but if they exist, then they're at the army base. Fort Benning." Shane reasoned.
"That's a hundred miles in the opposite direction." Mom shrugged.
"But if that place is operational then it'll be heavily armed, we'll be safe there."
"The military were on the front lines of this thing, they got overrun, we all seen it." Dad continued to argue back. "The CDC is our only choice and Jims only chance."
"You go look for some aspirin, do what you need to do," Daryl said, slowly walking backwards, I saw Jim eyeing the pickaxe in Daryls hands as he got closer to Jims resting spot. "At least one of us has some balls to take care of this damn problem."
Dad and Shane sprang into action as Daryl swung the pickaxe over his head, running towards Jim. Shane quickly jumped in front of him while once again Dads python was pointing to Daryls head.
"We don't kill the living." Dad spat, fiercely.
"That's funny coming from a man who just put a gun to my head." Daryl growled.
"We may disagree on some things but this is not one of them," Shane spoke, before gesturing to the pickaxe. "You put that down now."
Daryl threw the pickaxe to the ground before stalking off, huffing to himself as he went.
I watched my Dad and Shane pick Jim up and drag him off before resuming the job of cleaning up the bodies. Walking to where Glenns stolen car was I looked down at the two bodies lying in front of it.
One belonged to Ed and another was a walker, half of the flesh on its face already rotted away. Hearing footsteps I glanced to my side to see Daryl walking over, he stopped when he was level with me, staring down at the two men.
"It's funny isn't it, whoever that walker was before could have been a better man than Ed but yet he's the one being burnt while Ed gets a burial." It was no secret around camp that Ed had frequently physically abused Carol and Sophia. His face was half unrecognizable due to Shane beating the shit out of him for this very reason.
"Doesn't matter what Ed did to his family," Daryl grumbled. "They're not gonna let him rot away like garbage."
I watched as he readied himself to raise the pickaxe but he stopped when Carol had reached us, her face was pained.
"I'll do it," She squeaked. "He was my husband."
Daryl took several steps back and I followed his lead as Carol lifted the pickaxe over her head. It seemed a lot heavier in her hands than it had in Daryls.
I winced as the axe came down on the side of Eds head, crashing through his skull instantly. Tears rolled down Carols face as she raised the axe again, bringing it down on her husbands head.
Glancing quickly at Daryl I saw he was even squirming slightly as Carol continued to destroy Eds skull with the tool.
Finally she stopped, handing the pickaxe back to Daryl and walking away, her shoulders shaking as she went.
I threw Daryl one last glance before walking forward and grabbing the legs of the walker, beginning to drag it to the fire. Ed would be far too heavy to manage even with Daryls help so I left him for T-Dog to deal with.
Once Glenn saw me dragging the corpse he ran to help, taking one of its legs from me and helping me heave it along the ground. When we reached the fire he moved to the head, grabbing the walker under the armpits, I grabbed its feet and together we flung it onto the flames. The fire began crackling instantly as the fire licked its new victim.
Glenn placed his hand on my shoulder, making me stop what I was doing and look to him. He wasn't looking at me however. I followed his gaze to the RV, if I looked close enough it almost looked like Amy was moving, her hands flexing slightly and her chest rising and falling.
I watched in horror as one hand slowly lifted to touch Andreas hair, Dad and Shane were now beginning to walk towards the sisters, hands finding their guns as they went.
Andrea was talking to Amy but I was too far away to hear what she was saying, Amy's head lifted from the ground, being drawn towards the sound of Andreas voice and before Dad or Shane could do anything Andrea had held the gun to her little sisters head and pulled the trigger.
Amy falling to the ground, limp once more.
The gunshot seemed to echo as we stood watching Andrea weeping silently over her sisters cold body. Dale slowly advanced forward, putting his hands on Andreas shoulders.
The bodies of the people we had shared the camp with were loaded onto the back of a pickup truck by Daryl, T-Dog and Glenn. Once every corpse was wrapped and loaded Daryl hopped into the truck and drove to the grave site Jim had been digging the day before.
The rest of us followed the truck up the dirt track to where Shane and Dad were stood over the graves looking tense.
Daryl was already out of the truck and arguing by the time the rest of us drew level with them.
"The china man gets all emotional, says it's not the right thing to do and we just follow him along?" He was saying.
"Shut up, Dixon." I groaned, impatiently, rolling my eyes as I grabbed a shovel.
"These people need to know who the hell's in charge here." Daryl continued on, ignoring me. "What the rules are."
"There are no rules." Dad snapped, ceasing his digging to turn and glare at Daryl.
"Well that's a problem," Mom spoke up, looking to Dad with slight desperation. "We haven't had one minute to hold on to anything of our old selves. We need time to mourn and we need to bury our dead. It's what people do."
I walked over to the grave that Shane was working on, starting to dig the other side.
"You alright, Nik?" Shane asked, watching me as I hacked at the earth with the shovel.
"Fine." I mumbled, not looking at him.
"Famous last words by every woman." He tried to joke, when I didn't crack a smile he continued on digging, not attempting to make any more conversation.
Since getting back to camp it had re-entered my head about who was gonna tell Dad about Mom and Shane being together when he was gone.
By the looks of things Mom was hoping to carry on as normal with Dad and just pretend that Shane had never happened. Unfortunately for her I'd seen the looks Shane gives them whenever they're sat beside each other at breakfast or when Dad is talking to Carl about shooting. Shane wasn't gonna let it go just like that.
After the graves were all dug the men began picking the bodies up from the truck, momentarily unwrapping the head to see who it was before the burial took place.
When Amy's turn came Andrea started forward.
"I'm burying her by myself." She stated, quickly taking Amy's body from Dales arms. Andrea struggled to get the dead weight of Amy to the assigned grave, dropping into it roughly as sobs racked through her chest.
It was difficult to watch as she said a final goodbye to her baby sister. My hand automatically reached out for Carl as the scene played out. He stood in front of me as I rested my arms on his shoulders, his head just coming to my chest.
"Burying other people is bad enough," Dad whispered as we tracked back to the camp behind everyone else. "But the thought of one of us."
"Are we safe now?" Carl asked, his voice sounding so childlike. "Now that we're together."
Mom pulled me closer to her, her hand resting on my back as Dad crouched down in front of Carl, focusing on the young boys hopeful gaze.
"I won't leave again," Dad stressed, looking to each of us in turn. "I promise you that, not for anything."
At the sight of Carls tears I felt a single drop running down my cheek, it felt cold against the heat of my skin before I quickly swiped it away.
I took Carl by the hand and led him back to camp, leaving our parents behind.
"I know you wouldn't break your promise before," Carl said, looking up at me. "When you said you'd come back."
"If I make a promise I keep it." I smiled, ruffling his hair.
When we got back to camp he ran towards Sophia who was sat in the middle of camp looking at the pictures on a book Glenn had no doubt scavenged on one of his runs.
"Kids are great," Carols voice came from over my shoulder, I turned to see her walking up to me. Watching Carl and Sophia. "All the horror that's going on around us and they'll still believe in fairytales and superheroes."
"They're tougher than we give them credit for." I nodded. "Carol, I'm really sorry about Ed, but you know you can come talk to any one of us, right?"
"Thanks Nikki," Carol smiled shyly. "Sometimes the whole apocalypse makes me wonder, I didn't have any friends before all this, and then the world ended and I met all of you people and you're all so nice."
I smiled at that, she had tears shinning in her eyes, all I could do was pull her into a hug, she patted my shoulder clumsily as I released her from the embrace.
Looking over towards the RV my jaw clenched as I saw Mom and Shane having a whispered argument over something. I didn't have to think too hard to guess what it was about.
Narrowing my eyes I watched as Dad stepped out the RV looking between the two of them. My heart began to beat a little faster as I watched his facial expression carefully. Could this be the moment he finds out.
I sighed deeply as I watched Dad and Shane walk with Dale into the woods, obviously not. My gaze wasn't lowered, however, when Mom looked in my direction, noticing that I was staring.
She made her way over to me as I picked up the basket of wet clothes Carol had been washing that morning, walking towards the clothes line with it.
"You okay, Nikki?" Mom asked me, her voice shaking slightly as I began hanging a shirt on the line. I stopped for a moment to look up at her, her eyes were wide but she was trying to stay calm.
"I'm just fine, thanks for asking." I said sarcastically, pegging the clothes a little too harshly.
"Look, me and Shane were just talking-"
"Oh I know what you and Shane were just talking about," I laughed humorlessly. "Woulda thought you'd tell Dad by now instead of making a fool out of him in front of everyone."
"I don't know what you're talking about but Nicole Karen Grimes you better watch your tone." She snapped, I smiled sarcastically again at this, balling a pair of trousers up and throwing them back into the basket.
"Do not insult my intelligence and do not full name me," I scoffed, doing my best to keep my voice low even though my blood was rising to boiling point. "Do you think you and Shane are gonna get away with what was going on? Do you think Shane is gonna let it go? Even if he did Dad still deserves to know what happened between his wife and his childhood best friend when he wasn't around."
"I thought he was dead," Mom whisper-shouted, her hands shaking.
"Well, you sure as hell didn't let that thought go cold before you jumped on Shane." I growled coldly before storming off.
It wasn't too long before Dad and Shane arrived back from the woods, walking to our small gathering around the fire.
"Look, I've been thinking of Ricks plan," Shane announced as they joined the circle. "Now, there are no guarantees, either way I'll be the first one to admit that. I've known this man a long time," Shane continued on, my eyes flickered over to Mom who was sat the other side of the circle, her gaze meeting mine before dropping to the ground. "I trust his instincts, I say the most important thing here is that we need to stay together. So, those of you that agree, we leave first thing in the morning."
That night it didn't take long for Glenns snores to fill the tent, I, on the other hand, lay awake late in to the night, staring at the ceiling of the tent.
What were we gonna face at the CDC? It was hard to imagine, after all we've seen that there was some safe haven that was untouched by the walking dead.
