Chapter 30
Ringing the dinner bell
The next four days were a haze. Emma was only aware of the passing of time because Joel or Daryl would wake her up for meals. In the beginning, everything came straight back up. They kept pushing fluids at her until that stayed down. She was still pretty much just eating soup and bread on the fourth day.
At least she wasn't puking anymore.
Emma leaned against the stall of the bathroom, and closed her eyes.
She was jolted awake by banging on the stall wall. "No sleepin' Emma." Daryl warned her. If ya fall asleep I'm gonna open tha door."
"I'm up, she groaned." She knew from experience he wasn't making idle threats.
When she emerged he was leaning on the wall across from her. "Wash up. Joel says you c'n eat with th'others."
She nodded stifling another yawn as she washed her hands and splashed water in her face. Her hair was a mess and she still felt like she ought to be a smear on the floor. When she was done, she walked over to Daryl and leaned into his hug.
He kissed the top of her head. "Ready?"
"Ready."
She kept her arm around his waist and he maintained a protective arm around her shoulders as they slowly made their way to the dining hall.
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Everyone was pretty happy to see her, except Gordie who was generally miserable anyway. After he heard what Roger tried he'd tossed his companion's packs until he found the drug used on Emma. Gordie presented it to Cap and made it absolutely clear he didn't want to have anything more to do with Roger.
"Turns out," Rick had advised her. "He'd found Roger badly beaten at the side of the road."
"Guessin' the last group didn't like fuckin' rapists either." Daryl added.
"Gordie says he's been nothing but trouble." Rick confirmed.
The big council agreed to let Gordie stay, since technically he hadn't done anything but be an ass.
Daryl sat Emma next to Michael and went off to get them food.
"Hey sleepyhead! Are you feeling okay?" Michael had visited her daily, mostly he just read while she slept.
She smiled at him. "Better. Still tired, but it's not so hard to stay awake today."
Daryl sat down and grunted. "Nearly fell asleep in th'stall again." He put a plate in front of her. "Eat." He ordered, watching until she took a bite.
"What did they do to Roger?" Emma asked.
"Rick's crew drove him south to the next city. They dumped his ass in the middle of that subdivision with all the townhomes."
Emma cringed. She knew the area. They'd never bothered trying to clear it. It was too packed.
"Fucker kept yellin' at us." Daryl chuckled. "Like ringin' a goddamn dinner bell."
"So…" She wondered "He's still out there?"
"Naw. Got swarmed." Daryl smiled. "Won't be 'nough left ta make a walker."
She sighed. "Damn, I really wish I could've seen that."