Chapter 41 – Daryl
Man, I was tired. It was a long day hunting, but between me and Charlie we bagged three nice size turkeys. He kept one and I had the other two over my shoulder. Dusk had come and gone and stars filled the night sky as I entered the clearing that led to the cabins. I saw Rick rise from a chair on the porch and wait for me at the top of the stairs. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.
"Daryl, we have a problem…" Rick started to say.
I had already dropped the birds onto the ground and ran up the steps. "What? Is it Lauren?" I growled at him. "Where is she?'
"Come inside and…"
"Tell me!" I shouted at him. "Where is she?"
"Inside Daryl, come inside." Rick took my arm and pulled me inside. Everyone was there…but Lauren.
Everyone stood and stared at me and fear completely took over. I looked at Rick. "Is she dead?"
"No," he said. "We don't think so."
"You don't think so? Either she is or she ain't?" I shouted. It was Merle and Atlanta all over again, but this time the stakes were way higher. "Someone tell me what the fuck is going on. Now!"
Rick started to talk and Glenn stopped him. "I'll tell him. I was there."
Anger… a tremendous anger overtook me. I clenched my hands, yet I knew my face was stone cold. "Tell. Me."
"We did a run this afternoon to a sporting goods store on the outskirts of Radway," he started to say.
"Hold on…a run? We didn't talk about any run last night. Why the fuck did you go on a run and with Lauren?" I moved quickly so I was right in front of Glenn. "Where is she?"
"Tara and I left the store with a cart full of guns, ammo, and knives. Lauren stayed inside. We tried to get her to follow us, but she wanted to look for … for…" Glenn hesitated.
"For what? She knows not to split up, why did she stay in the store and why the fuck did you let her?" I was nose to nose with Glenn. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Rick take a step towards me.
Tara came over to me and grabbed a hold of my arm. "She wanted to find more bolts for your crossbow. She was supposed to come right out, but when Glenn and I got outside there were walkers all over the place. A herd must have moved in while we were inside the store. We barely made it to the car. We saw her in the store through the window. She told us to go. She knew she'd never make it to the car. She told us to go and disappeared into the store."
I shook her hold off my arm. "You left her there? You fucking left her there alone? What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you still here and not out looking for her?" I couldn't think straight. They left her alone, at night in a walker infested area and no one went back to find her?
"She'll find a place to hold up in tonight. We'll head to find her at first light," Rick told me.
I looked at everyone in the room. The people I had considered family and once again family had let me down.
"Fuck you. Fuck you all!" I growled at them all. "I never woulda left any of you there and you know it. I'll go get her myself."
"Daryl it's dark out…maybe you should wait," Carol said softly.
"No! I'm going now. She knows once I find out, I'll go find her. I will not lose her. No way, no fuckin' way will I lose her now." I pushed by Rick and went to the back room where we kept the guns. I grabbed a Beretta and jammed a couple extra magazines into my shoulder bag. A quick stop in the panty I put two bottles of water and a few protein bars in there too.
When I got back to the living room I looked at Glenn. "Show me on the map where she is," I demanded. He spread it out on the dining room table and showed me the route they took. I memorized it instantly. Still glaring at him, I whispered in his ear, "You'd never woulda left Maggie like you left Lauren, you prick. I'll never forget this. Never!"
I walked through the house and out the door without looking or talking to anyone. I hated them all at that minute. I climbed on my bike and took a deep breath. I was so angry and so scared at the same time and if I wasn't careful I'd make mistakes. I couldn't afford to make the smallest mistake. I started the bike and took off roaring down the drive. I had to find her…my life meant nothing without her.