Ok, here we go. Warning for walker yuck. Also, mention of abuse, nothing too graphic.
Again, thanks for reading.
Chapter 4 Down Fall
Carol hummed to herself as she stood at the desk. The shift she was covering was easy, most of the guests were already checked in. So, all she had to do was finish up some laundry and answer the phones. She put another stack of clean towels on the desk and started folding. She kept one eye on the television on the wall, watching the news footage. She couldn't believe what she was seeing, she almost thought someone would break on and say, just kidding. Almost like Olson Wells' War of the Worlds, because there was no way this was real.
The reporters were saying that the sick people were turning violent and killing people. It made a shiver run down her spine and she picked up the remote turning off the television. She needed to get her mind on something else.
She had plenty to think about. Reaching up she touched her lips, it had been a long time since she had kissed him. It still made her heart race after all these years. Deep down she knew that Daryl was a good man, the kind of man that most women dream about. When they met, she was as low as she could be.
Adam wasn't planned. She had been young and dumb when she got pregnant with him. Her father had died and her mother had been dead for years. They didn't have much so there was nothing left after his funeral for Carol to keep the house.
So, she did the only thing she knew to do. She moved in with her boyfriend Ed Peletier. She was seventeen and he was twenty. At the time, she thought it was cute how Ed seemed to parade her around while they were dating, he made her feel beautiful. But it all changed when she moved in with him. Being with him all the time made Carol see a dark side of him. He drank too much and when he drank too much he was rough with her, very rough with her. The first time he hit her, he brought her a gift the next day like many abusers do. He had cried saying it would never happen again, but it was a lie. Even then Carol knew it was a lie but she didn't know what else to do.
So, she stayed, until she missed her period. It was right before her eighteenth birthday and she knew staring at the test in her hand she had to get away from him. So, she packed a bag and ran.
But the one thing she didn't count on was she had nowhere to go.
So, that first night after she got off the bus, having bought the ticket with the last of her money, she found herself behind an old bar in an alley. It was raining but she figured the alley would at least help keep the rain off of her. She huddled up against an old dumpster and sobbed holding her belly. That's when a loud noise made her jump, a squeal escaping her lips.
Then it happened, she looked up into a pair of stormy blue eyes, eyes that held pain and loss in them. His rough voice was soft cutting through the rainy night, his hand in front of her, "Let me help ya."
That's how it all started. He saved her in ways she never knew a person could be saved and she saved him right back. Now they were together again after five years and she didn't know what to do. Most women would have left their husbands. But she couldn't.
She loved him.
Carol snapped back to reality and smiled as she picked up the towels. Humming she walked into the back to put them away.
She didn't hear the automatic doors slide open. She didn't see the bloody man that walked inside standing in the lobby dripping with rain water, his eyes cloudy.
She was too busy thinking of the past.
-Titans-
Daryl stood up watching as his kids fought over the last grilled cheese sandwich. He chuckled eating his at the counter, hissing when it touched his lip. The phone started to ring and he smirked looking over at the kids, "Ya best quiet down we all know it's your momma checkin' up on our asses." Daryl smirked at Micah and Sophia as they both saluted him. Picking up the phone he shook his head, "Hello."
"Jesus fuckin' Christ, I wasn't sure if it would go through."
Daryl's face crinkled, "Merle?"
"YES you jackass. I'm on the way home with Andrea. Those fuckin' things are god damn everywhere. I shot one five times and it kept comin'. You have to get to my house and be with the boys. I can't fuckin' believe this shit."
Adam stood up sensing that something was off, Daryl looked at him, "Get the crossbows out of the basement and any weapons ya can find take your brother." Daryl heard Andrea screaming in the background on the phone, "MERLE YOU THERE?"
"I'm fuckin' here, GET TO MY HOUSE!"
The line cut out and Daryl felt fear grip him, he looked over at Sophia, "Get whatever you can and get it into the truck FAST!"
Adam came upstairs with Micah, holding two crossbows, "We have these."
Daryl nodded, holding the phone out to his son, "Get on this fuckin' phone and get ahold of your ma. NOW."
Micah was wide eyed, "Should I get the shotguns out of the basement?"
Daryl shook his head, "Go pack a bag with clothes, get some for your brother. Tell your sister to pack for me and your ma. GO!"
Adam started dialing the hotel, but it just rang and rang. He watched as his father went to the corner of the kitchen and used a knife to pull up two loose boards, "What are you doing?"
Daryl didn't answer he just started grabbing boxes of ammo and put them next to him. Next came a large roll full of knives. Looking over at his son he pulled out a few hand guns and stood up, "Did your ma answer?"
Adam shook his head. Daryl growled grabbing Micah and Sophia's school bags he dumped the contents on the floor, "TRY AGAIN."
Daryl knew in his heart that he would have to go get her. He just hoped he'd find her.
-Titans-
By the time that Daryl pulled up in front of Merle and Andrea's house he wanted to throw up. The front of Merle's truck was covered in a dark muck with blood spatters. He pulled Sophia close to him as they took their things inside.
Caleb stood up and ushered Sophia and Micah into the living room with the younger kids who were quietly sitting on the couch. As soon as five-year-old Andrew launched himself at Sophia. The girl hugging him tight as he whimpered sucking his thumb.
Caleb motioned to his waist band and Daryl saw he had a 9mm sticking out. Daryl nodded and headed toward the kitchen where he could hear Merle pitching a fit, Adam right behind him.
When they entered the kitchen, Merle was trying to get Andrea to quit fussing over him. Daryl looked his brother up and down, there were small cuts everywhere that Daryl could see, "What the fuck happened?"
Andrea shook her head, "I was at work, it's all my fault."
Merle pulled her into his lap, kissing her hard. His eyes meeting hers, his voice soft, "We didn't know sugar tits, I told ya, I heard from Ken how bad town was and I came to get ya. I don't regret it. I'm fine, your fine, kids are fine. Now stop."
Andrea nodded, steeling her face, "Ok."
Merle released her and looked at Daryl, "Where's Carol?"
Adam spoke up, "She went to work."
Merle stood up, "We gotta go get her ass. These things brother, these sick people. They're dead. Like REAL fuckin' dead and they're eatin' people."
Daryl felt sick, "Like some kinda sick zombie movie?"
Merle nodded, grabbing his gun, "Let's go."
Daryl put his hand on his brother's shoulder, "No, stay here and take care of my kids. I'm gonna go get her."
Merle looked sick, him and Daryl almost having a conversation without saying a word. Merle nodded, "Alright, but shot them in the fucking head. I had to bust my ass through one of the big windows at the diner to save her. I shot that fucker five times. It kept comin', I finally got a head shot. Has to be the head baby brother."
Daryl nodded, "Alright. Take care of them." He turned to Adam, "Watch out for your brother and sister, I'll be right back."
He was almost to the door his crossbow on his back, knife on his hip, and a good shoved in the back of his pants. He heard boots behind him and turned glaring at Adam, "Stay, ain't up for discussion."
Adam nodded, his own crossbow on his back, "Yup, we're wastin' time and you said you wouldn't leave me again. So, let's go get momma."
Daryl growled knowing there was nothing he could do. He looked one more time at Merle, "We'll be back."
-Titans-
Carol walked back up to the desk and stopped in her tracks. She had an armful of towels as she stared at the back of a man she didn't remember seeing before. She noticed the water dripping from him, he was soaked to the bone. Setting the towels down she walked around to the other side of the desk, "Sir are you alright?"
She froze when the man sniffed the air, as he turned around she could see that a large hunk was gone from his cheek. She stumbled backwards falling onto her ass as he growled at her. Scrambling to her feet she ran around to the other side of the desk, but he was following her, his jaws snapping as he advanced onto her. She ran toward the back room, she tried to push the door shut, but he pushed against it, his arm reaching for her his weight against the door.
Carol cried out as she put her back against the door frantically looking around for any kind of weapon. He pushed hard and she swore there were now two people outside the door pushing against it. She felt herself sliding but she wouldn't give up. She had to get out of here, she had to get to her family. She pushed harder against the door remembering all the times that Daryl had told her she was a Dixon. She saw a hammer sitting on a nearby shelf. Stretching she reached for it. She was a Dixon and she was gonna fight.
-Titans-
Daryl and Adam stared at the hotel. They had seen those things all over once they got to town. People they knew walking around, but not so much people anymore. Daryl had run down several. He was silently hoping that Carol didn't kill him for bringing their son along.
He pulled into the parking lot and looked over at Adam, Daryl nodded at him, "Remember what Merle said. Has to be a head shot. Stay the fuck behind me and if anything gets fucked up you get the hell back to Merle's and I'll get your momma."
Adam nodded at him. Both men got out of the truck and grabbed their crossbows from the back. As they walked inside Daryl took down one walking over he grabbed the arrow from it's head and looked at Adam, the kid looked like he might be sick, "You can't do this, just get in the truck. I'll bring your momma along with me."
Adam shook his head, "No, I'm….I'm good."
The two of them advanced into the lobby. Daryl counted five of those things, he advanced and brought up his crossbow only to have an arrow go by him hitting the one closest to him in the head. He turned and smiled at his son. The two of them advanced on the rest. Daryl taking three and Adam two.
That's when they heard it, both of them froze, it was a blood curding scream that came from the back room. Daryl hopped over the desk and advanced toward the laundry, Adam hot on his trail.
When they got there they couldn't believe their eyes. Straddling what was once a man was Carol, she was covered in blood a hammer in her hands as she continued to hit the thing over and over again. She was sobbing as she did. Behind her was one that was already dead.
Daryl moved toward her, "Whoa, whoa!" She grabbed her arm and pulled her up into his chest, the hammer falling to the ground. He held her tight in his arms, "I got ya my rose, I got ya."
She pulled away from him and looked around them, "I'm going to jail, what have I done?"
Adam spoke up from behind them, making both of his parents turn and look at him, "They're already dead mom, but they keep walking around until you hit the brain. They're walkers."
Daryl held onto her moving her toward Adam, she threw her arms around him, pulling Daryl with her. The three of them hanging onto each other. Daryl's head snapped up when he heard the shuffling of feet. Looking up he saw a woman coming toward them with one of her arms missing. Carol gasped as Daryl put Adam and Carol behind him. He could see others behind the woman, "Is there a back way out of here."
Carol nodded into his back, "Yes, the emergency exit."
Daryl pushed Adam and Carol toward the door, the siren going off. As he pushed them out the door he saw the noise made the walkers advance faster. He slammed the door, Adam already pulling a bench the workers used on their smoke breaks toward the door. Once they had it wedge against it the three of them ran for the truck. Adam shot one that was close to the truck as Daryl shoved Carol inside.
Once they got the truck going and they started driving through town Daryl felt Carol lean into his side, "What the hell is happening?"
Daryl grabbed her hand, staring out the windshield, "I don't fuckin' know but I ain't gonna let anything hurt this family."
Leaning her head against his shoulder she believed him. She gave her other hand to her son as they drove into the night. Hell might have come to Earth but the Dixon would fight it together.
I hope you understand that this Carol is strong already. So there was no way I wouldn't have her take down a few walkers. Yes she will feel it when they get back to Merle's, but adrenaline is a wonderful thing. Thanks for reading, Shelby.
