Trending the Wrong Way
Daryl watched the sun set on distant mountains. The heat of the August day was fading and a cool wind was beginning to remind him that soon another cold winter would be upon them. He turned and looked at the mountain meadow. The hay had been cut last week and moved to the barns. He could hear the lonely call of the mourning dove and the sweet whistle of the cardinal. It was a peaceful place. He and Carol had walked here a hundred times to look at the sunset with Dayton. It was calming and restful place. That is why the family had chosen it for their grave yard. Daryl sighed. Two new graves marred the smooth meadow now and he wondered how many of their family would be buried here soon.
Twelve Hours Earlier
Daryl stood on the roof of the Lodge and waved toward Morgan and Jenny. She had an appointment in Roanoke today with her cardiologist. Morgan was driving her. He watched as Duane came out of the house and got in the Suburban. The boy was growing like a weed. His parents were taking him along so that he could try on some new jeans.
"Stop dreaming, Sunshine. We need to finish this watchtower before we need a watch tower." Jesse put the last bolt into the foundation of the watchtower.
Daryl jumped up and down on the newly built deck. "It feels secure. This will be the easy party. Getting the plywood and studs up here will be a bitch. Morgan won't be back until this evening. Merle is in town. Theo is moving. Looks like it is the four of us."
James and Aaron were lifting the winch into place. Jesse used the drill to bolt it in. They could use the winch to pull up the bulky items.
James wiped his face, "I'll get Carl and Elias to start bringing up the deck railing. We have the windows and doors on the Lodge secured. We'll finish this and start securing the barns and shops. We've got time. Nothing in the news. Maybe this will all blow over."
Aaron stood up and stretched, "We have this window to get things done. It's not going to just go away. Eric is monitoring the Internet and putting up more security cameras with Carol. Michonne, Christie and Jada are shopping for things we might need. Andrea had to be in court today and Rick is with her."
The watchtower was finished by late afternoon. The deck was larger than the tiny building perched on top of the house. There was a railing around the deck floor that would give those on watch to sit outside and enjoy the view. Daryl was on watch and he saw Morgan's Suburban headed toward the Lodge. He gave a sigh of relief. Everyone else was back from all their errands but Morgan and his family. And now they were home and they could all relax and have a nice dinner.
Morgan stopped in front of the Lodge and got out. Daryl leaned over the railing and wondered why Morgan went inside without opening Jenny's door for her. Morgan treated his wife like a queen and he always opened the car door and helped his wife out. In less than a minute the vehicle was surrounded by family and they were carrying the bodies of Jenny and Duane inside.
Daryl sat down in the camp chair. He knew he should go downstairs and help. The threat was real. Wasn't some bogey man that Rick and Aaron had dreamed up. Jenny and Duane were dead. If they could die then Carol and his children could die. Morgan was one tough son of a bitch. He was a one man army and he hadn't been able to protect his family. I could lose them.
He heard the trap door inside the little house open, but he didn't turn around. He felt the touch of cool fingers against his face and knew it was Carol. "What happened?"
She pulled the other camp chair close to him and sat down. She'd been crying but she was in control. Carol took his hand, "They had gone shopping and bought Duane clothes. Had lunch. The appointment wasn't until 1:30 so they enjoyed the day out. Then Morgan headed toward the doctor's building beside the hospital. He parked the car on the bottom floor of the parking garage and their parking spot was close to the elevator. Duane was ahead of them. Morgan went around to open Jenny's door and help her out. Duane was waiting at the elevator. It opened and a man ran out and bit his throat out. Morgan saw it all. He got Jenny back in the vehicle and ran toward Duane. The killer was gone by the time Morgan got to Duane. He bled out in seconds and Morgan couldn't do anything. He ran back to Jenny who was struggling to breathe. She died in his arms before he could get her into the hospital. Her heart gave out when she saw Duane killed. The hospital was overrun with people that this guy had attacked. A doctor signed the death certificates and Morgan brought them home to bury." Carol's face was pale and Daryl kissed her hands.
She went on after a bit, "Aaron says that we need to bury them as quick as we can. Juan and Elias are making the caskets. Merle needs you to help dig the graves with the tractor. Christie and Michonne are preparing the bodies for the burial. Jesse is with Morgan. We need to do it now."
Daryl stood up, "There wasn't anything on the news."
Carol stood up and leaned on him. "Total media blackout for a couple of hours. Then there was someone on the television saying that a man flipped out on some sort of drug had attacked a few people on the street. Total whitewash. They have Roanoke on a city wide lockdown trying to find the guy. Morgan managed to slip out. I'll take watch. Sophia and Daniela are tending to the kids in the nursery. Go on. This needs to be done now. We'll do our grieving later."
Daryl bent and kissed her. Her lips tasted salty from her tears. "There's water in the tower room. Make sure you keep drinking. I'll get back as soon as I can. Love you."
Merle filled him in on the way up the hill. "His wife didn't take the guy to the hospital when he started running a fever. Their religion doesn't believe in going to doctors so she kept him at home. His fever dropped and he went to sleep. Then this morning he seemed to be in some sort of stupor. The wife threw the preacher out and called an ambulance. She and her son put a pair of jogging pants and shoes on the guy. He woke up in the emergency room. He killed a security guard and a few patients and escaped by following a man into the elevator. He bit him and then when the elevator door opened there was Duane."
The meadow was long and narrow running along the brow of the hill and Merle decided to dig on the western side. "Graves are dug facing the east. It's a pretty spot. Jenny would like it."
Daryl maneuvered the tractor toward the spot. He dug two deep graves using the attachment for ditch digging. Merle kept walking off in tears and Daryl kept brushing back his own tears. It didn't seem real that he was digging a grave for a woman who had beat him last night playing pool. He and Carol playing Jenny and Morgan. Carol beat Morgan and he lost to Jenny and then Carol the hustler had whipped Morgan like a red headed stepchild. Everyone laughing and drinking beer. Can't believe she's dead. Duane is Sophia's age.
Sophia, Carl, and Duane were close. Always playing video games and listening to music. Looking forward to being old enough to drive. Duane was going to join the army when he finished high school. He was never going to get to do any of those things now. Sophia must be sad but she was like Carol. She would do what she had to do before she broke down.
He and Merle stood over the empty graves for a few minutes. Merle knelt down on the soft dirt and prayed. Daryl had been attending church on Sunday with his family. Between his family and Merle's they filled up a pew. Same church as they were married in. James singing with the choir and it had felt right to Daryl to be there, but how could a loving God let this happen?
He and Merle had brought the tractor down and put it in a barn. They would cover up the caskets by hand. Their last act of kindness toward a woman and her son who had accepted them as a brother and an uncle.
Daryl found Carol in their apartment making lists. She had showered and put on a dress. Looked so pretty even with her eyes all red. Carol always amazed him in that she could look so different from day to day or even minute from minute. There was the efficient Carol who wore suits to work at Graham and Grimes. The casual Carol in jeans and t shirt. The sweet Carol who nursed Dayton and braided Sophia's hair. And there was the Carol who ordered him to take his clothes off while she watched. He loved all the Carols because they were all who she was. He was particularly fond of naked Carol but he loved them all. Even the Carol who made lists instead of expressing her emotions.
That Carol looked up at him and said coolly, "Morgan just wants a graveside service. We're walking behind the wagon that is carrying the caskets. You need to get ready. Jesse and Michonne will walk with Morgan. Aaron and Eric are going to be on watch. Maria is watching the children. Hershel is bringing his family to the services but he refuses to move in here. He is sure that he, Shawn, and Glenn can protect the Greene homestead."
Daryl got ready. Showered, shaved, and dressed as efficiently as possible. Carol talking to Sophia when he got out. Sophia had put on a dress and she looked so much like her mother that the tears threatened to fall again. They looked beautiful but fragile. Both with long slender legs that always reminded him of thoroughbred horses. Graceful. They turned toward him as he came into the living room and he saw that they were both pale but stoic.
"Let's go see Dayton before we go." Carol was already moving toward the door. "They need you to carry Jenny's casket."
Downstairs the family was gathering. Juan and Elias were carrying the caskets back to Morgan's apartment. Hershel's family was there. Hershel and his wife Annette were making the rounds talking to everyone. Daryl brushed by everyone with Carol behind him. He hurried to the nursery to see his boy. Dayton, Andre, and Judith were playing with toys and totally oblivious to the ways their world was changing.
Maria smiled as they opened the door. All three children looked up and then rushed toward them. Daryl wasn't surprised that Dayton went to Carol before him. He had an armful with Andre and Judith. He and Carol played with them until it was time to go.
Sophia was waiting for them at the door. The big room was crowded but silent when Daryl walked to Morgan's apartment. The two wooden caskets were closed and he saw that Juan had put handles on the wooden boxes. Daryl, Jesse, Merle, and Shawn picked up Jenny's casket and Theo, Elias, Rick and Carl carried Duane's out through the great room toward the waiting wagon. Outside the rest of the family lined up on both sides of the walkway. Then after both caskets were pushed on to the old hay wagon Hershel softly ordered his team of horses to start down the farm road that led to the high meadow.
Hershel kept the pace slow so no one would fall behind. Morgan was between Jesse and Michonne. He looked dazed. Jesse practically holding him up. Carol handed Dayton to him. Daryl saw that Shawn took Andre from Maria and Rick carried Judith. Carl and Sophia were walking together. Carl wearing a dress shirt and a tie. Looks like Rick standing there. Like a man instead of a boy.
It was a beautiful evening; the orange of the butterfly weed and the yellow of Jerusalem artichoke along the road mixed in with the Blue Lobelia. The gold finches and bluebirds seemed to be almost magical in the elfin evening light. Dayton chortled in delight at the antics of the birds. It still doesn't feel real. Like a nightmare and I hope it is over soon.
Finally they reached the newly dug graves and Morgan buckled when he saw them. The caskets were gently lowered into the graves with ropes and Merle stood at the head of the graves with his Bible, but it was James who spoke first, "I'm going to sing Precious Lord, Help Me Stand". Thomas Dorsey wrote this song in 1932 after a terrible tragedy. Rev. Dorsey had to leave his pregnant wife to go to another state to lead a church service. During the service a messenger came in and gave Rev. Dorsey a telegram that his wife had gone into labor and died. The child had been born alive but died within 24 hours. Thomas Dorsey was ready to give up his faith. He felt like God had deserted him. A week later he went to a friend's house and there was a piano there. He sat down at the piano and this song came to him. He wrote it down and he returned to preaching. I'm so sorry, Uncle Morgan."
James sang Precious Lord, Take My Hand a capella. Carol bit her lip and grabbed his hand but the tears flowed anyway. Daryl concentrated on staring at the orchard at the far end of the hill. The trees were heavy laden with apples, nectarines, and pears right now. They were in a continual battle with the local deer population to keep them out of the orchard. He and Merle were always threatening to take go "Varmint hunting" and clear out the deer. It was Jenny who protested the loudest and they had always let her talk them into building stronger fences to keep them out of the gardens and the orchard. Jenny loved those deer and Daryl could see two does and three fawns come out of the tree lines to watch the service. Maybe to say goodbye.
After the song, Merle read from the Bible and then spoke from his heart, "We are here to put these bodies into the earth, but Jenny and Duane are not being interred here. They are with the Creator and the Savior now. We loved them and we're going to feel the pain of their loss from now on. They didn't suffer a long and painful death. They passed from this life quickly and the Bible promises us that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. They are within loving and sheltering arms now. I want all of you to share your memories of Jenny and Duane."
Merle picked up a shovel and paused, "Jenny told me one time that I should always remember that I didn't deserve a woman as good as Christie as my wife but that was okay because she didn't deserve to have a husband as good as Morgan either. I love you, Jenny." He used the shovel to gently deposit dirt on top of her casket.
Michonne took his shovel, "Jenny, I was just a kid when Morgan met you in church. He told me on the way home that day that he was going to find a way to marry you. He fell in love with you at first sight and he still feels the same way. A sister is forever friend and that is what you are to me."
Michonne released a shovelful of dirt on Jenny's casket and she prepared another one for Duane, "Remember when I used to babysit you? We'd make mac and cheese and watch "The Jungle Book" over and over. I love you, Mowgli." She let the dirt fall on his Duane's casket."
One by one the members of the family took the shovel and told a story or expressed a memory. There were tears and a few laughs as they spoke. Slowly the graves were filled. Morgan was silent until the end, "I want to thank you for sharing your love for Jenny and Duane. They loved you too. I feel so alone but you have reminded me that I am not completely alone. Thank you for that."
James led everyone in singing "Amazing Grace." Almost everyone left then. Daryl wanted to finish putting the earth around the graves and Carol waited with him. She offered to help but he shook his head, "Not in that dress. Just wait with me."
Daryl finished and took a minute to look at the hills. Carol had wandered toward the edge of the meadow. He never liked to think about what she had went through during her marriage to Ed. Carol had survived being beaten and brutalized over and over and he knew too well what they was like. She was strong. There was a fierceness in her; she might bend but she never broke. She would do what she had to do to keep those she loved alive.
She smiled at him and he both regretted and relished that almost automatic interest his dick had in her. The regret was because it was entirely inappropriate to lust after your wife at a graveyard. He put his arm around her and she leaned toward him and he ruffled her curly hair and tried to discourage his dick. Wasn't working. He couldn't stop his fingers from tracing a line from her ear to er neck.
Carol pulled back. "Daryl, what the hell? We're at a graveyard." She don't sound mad and she had a glint of that fierceness in her eyes. "Let's walk over to the orchard."
Morgan, I know you would understand why we're going this. Cause you loved Jenny and I'm scared I can lose Carol. Maybe Carol's scared she could lose me.
They held hands as they crossed the meadow. Daryl opened the gate that led into the orchard. Carol moved deeper into the center of the orchard and the sweet smell of ripening fruit was all around them. She leaned against an old cherry tree and Daryl kissed her hungrily. He unzipped her dress and she stepped out of it and unbuckled his pants. He kicked off his boots and pants while she pulled her slip off.
He put his pants against the tree and she leaned her back against it. He kissed her again and this time she met him with equal hunger. There was that fierceness again. She pulled him closer and stroked his dick. He was hard and he wanted to take her right then but he slowed himself down. He moved his mouth to her nipples and she leaned back against the tree to give him better access. He pulled her bra down and sucked greedily loving the way she arched into him.
His fingers slid into her warm wet slit and stroked her clit. Daryl knew by the way she moved that she was close but so was he and he pulled his fingers away and put her legs around his waist. His dick moved inside her and he sucked harder at her breasts and began to thrust. She urged him on with her moans and bucking into him. He fucked her until she came calling his name and then he released inside her.
They held each other for a space of time while they caught their breath. Carol used her slip to clean them up and they put their clothes on. Daryl found two apples that were ripe and they ate the sweet fruit while they talked about how to keep their family alive. It was twilight by the time Daryl shut the orchard gate behind them and they started down the hill. Daryl saw that the two does and their fawns were standing in the meadow as they left.
AN
Remember in this story Morgan and Michonne are brother and sister. Michonne was Duane's aunt. So she would have babysat him and maybe ate mac and cheese and watched endless renditions of "The Jungle Book." I did with my nephew so maybe she did too.
If anyone wants to hear the song "Precious Lord, Take My Hand" here is a link to one version. watch?v=qxVpHiyT5kE
Here is another version. video/xnpy2a_marshall-hall-angela-primm-jason-crabb-take-my-hand-precious-lord_music
The Thomas Dorsey story is true. I just put in the cliff note version. Here is the story as Thomas Dorsey tells it. .
Carol and Daryl doing the nasty right after a funeral? They are both afraid.
Review?