Chapter 13: I Hear You
"It might as well be gold," Glenn insisted. "A Target superstore, far enough on the outskirts of Atlanta that it's not overrun? We could find more than we can carry. And I doubt anybody else has had the guts to go inside, dark and big as it is. Especially not with all those cars out front."
"Right," Rick said. "Because it's probably full to the rafters with walkers."
"So?" Daryl spat into the fire. "I ain't afraid of no walkers."
"There are a thousand dark back rooms inside a Target," Lori said. "Not to mention all the aisles. It's a deathtrap."
"Who says we gotta pick through that maze for 'em?" Daryl asked. "When the first gunshot goes off, they all come runnin'. So why the hell don't we ever shoot it off before we go in, then pick 'em off as they come to the door?"
Carol hid a smile, getting up to go to his motorcycle and dig in one of the side pockets.
"What you doin'?" He got up and came over, cagey as he always was about his few possessions.
"Easy there. I'm not trying on your panties." She held up his whetstone and waggled it, going back in for the oil he'd taught her to use with it. "Just sharpening my knife."
He grunted, but didn't respond to her joke. Things had been a little uneasy with them since she told him in no uncertain terms that he wasn't allowed to yell at her anymore. She came back to the fire and sat down, pulling her knife out of its sheath.
"Daryl's right," she commented to the group. "It's what we should have been doing all along."
His boots paused next to her, not kicking or scuffing around like they usually did when he had to stay in one place long enough for a conversation. She could feel him staring at her. Well, he could just get used to it. Sometimes he had good ideas and too often, Rick adopted them so fast that it seemed like they'd been his ideas all along. It would be good for Daryl to take a little credit now and then.
"So we pull the walkers out front, maybe try to finish 'em off with bats and knives, save our ammo. Take a little breather, then clean the place out." Daryl spoke as if he were in charge, though there was still an undercurrent of defensiveness to it.
"The sound could draw in more, though," Carol said, slicking her knife along the whetstone. Daryl was watching her very closely and she kept expecting him to adjust her angle or something. Why else would he be staring at her hands like that? "I'll come along, wait out front to keep watch so they can't get in behind you."
"What the hell would give you a stupid-ass idea like that?!" Daryl exploded.
Carol's head snapped up and it was like the whole camp held its breath. He broke off only half a sentence into his new rant and his teeth clicked together audibly, he shut his mouth so hard. The fury in his eyes only flamed hotter, but she could tell this time it was aimed at himself. He whirled toward the forest but she dropped the knife and whetstone and caught his sleeve before he could get away.
"Hey!" She jumped in front of him, ducked her head to try to see his expression. Her heart was pounding because she only had one shot at this. Daryl guilty was damn near as volatile as Daryl mad. There was no end to the stupid things he could do if he thought he'd been treating her like Ed. "Because you think it's too dangerous, right? Me standing watch?"
His throat bobbed and his eyes narrowed. "If there's enough of 'em to be a threat to us, there ain't nothing you can do out front alone, 'cept die. Ain't worth it. Not even for a big store. I ain't that hungry."
She just about kissed him. Full on the mouth in front of everybody, for quoting back the words she'd said to him after he risked his life for a deer.
"Okay," she said instead, letting go of his sleeve. "That's all you had to say. And it's a good point. What if I stay in a second car out front? It's a big open parking lot. I should be able to see for a ways. If it's just one or two, I'll handle them. If a whole herd blows in, I'll bonk the horn once so you'll know to come out. I'll stay in the car so they can't get me, or I could even try to lead them away, then hit the gas and circle back. What do you think?"
He stared at her for a long, long moment. Long enough she heard Carl whispering, "Mom, is Daryl mad at Carol?"
"Shh, sweetie."
Finally, Daryl nodded. Cleared his throat. "Uh-huh."
Rick covered his grin by coughing into his fist. "It's settled then. Glenn, me, Daryl and Maggie will go in. Everybody else will stay in camp. And with any luck, that store will score us enough supplies for the rest of the winter."
Rick and Glenn turned back to the map and Carol nudged Daryl. "You should try not to look so surprised when people actually take your advice. It's just common sense, after all. Don't take no brains," she drawled at him.
He scowled half-heartedly. "Stop."
"You don't have to yell at me, is all I've been trying to tell you," she said, dropping her voice so the others couldn't eavesdrop. "I hear you just fine."
Author's Note: Short chapter today, so I'll update again very soon. Up next, Daryl confesses a secret to Carol about their time at quarry camp.