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KEZZ 1- Thank you.
Enjoy, review... or don't. I can't tell you what to do.
Danny's POV
We've been inside this yard now for two days because we're in no rush to push through to the other areas. Instead we've decided to take our time and kill the Walkers in the other yard through the fence. It's a lot better than going in there, so much safer.
There are a few Walkers in there that are wearing full riot gear and we've found it pretty much impossible to kill them with the helmets they're wearing. So, they'll just have to wait until we can go in there because even though the helmets are mainly used against melee attacks there's no guarantee that a bullet will destroy the brain enough. Another concern we have is the civilian dressed Walkers that are coming up to the fence. Does it mean there's a breach somewhere inside?
Standing on the bed of our truck with my rifle resting against the roof I look around the perimeter. Daryl went out for a hunt early this morning and as soon as he walked into the trees I took over watch and I'll stay here until he steps back out again.
Behind me I can hear Sophia slamming her metal pole against the fencing and shouting to get the Walkers to come closers, I know without looking that Merle is beside her because he enjoys it too much to not be there.
Carol is going through some supplies to see if things like batteries need stocking up.
I know I'm not the only one who hears the oncoming sound that's getting louder by the second, because Sophia is suddenly very quiet.
That sound is 100% the sound of approaching vehicles. I can't tell how many but it's definitely more than one. Merle comes skidding to a stop on the ground to my left, gun out. The truck shakes as Sophia jumps up to join me, Daryl's gun in her hand. Carol is on the ground to my right holding Merle's rifle in her hands.
It doesn't take long for the two cars to appear, as soon as they are in our sight they come to a stop and then the passenger door is opening. I ready my rifle and get the potential danger in my sight.
Merle's voice comes out as if he's barely moving his lips. "If they take one step, you shoot".
Daryl steps out of the passenger seat but I don't lower my gun or relax because it doesn't mean anything. Instead when the drivers door opens I move my aim over to it. Hands appear, held up high palms facing us and then the person slowly steps out. Sheriff?
"Don't lower it", Merle is still whispering.
I don't.
Daryl and the Sheriff walk to the front of the car, Daryl looks pretty relaxed but the Sheriff still keeps his hands raised in surrender.
Merle walks forward until the closed gate blocks his path. "Isn't this the fourth time she's had a gun pointed at your head? Maybe it's 'bout time she pulls the trigger".
Daryl looks at me and gives me the tinniest of nods, I flick the safety on and lay the rifle down on the roof. As soon as my fingers are no longer touching it the doors all open and the group come out one by one. Maggie, T-Dog, Lori, Carl, Beth, Herschel and Glenn. None of them move once out in the open. It's been near on eight months since we last saw each other. Who's to say they're the same people we left. It's not hard to see they're also treating us with the same caution.
The early morning chill is still in the air so I'm still wearing my oversized jumper, you can't even see my bump through it but Lori is so undeniably pregnant. She looks like she's literally about to pop any second.
Carol rests her gun against the tyre and rushes over to open the gate. She heads straight for Lori whose smile is tired as she embraces Carol in a hug.
I turn my attention to Glenn who is already looking at me, he looks like he's aged years in these months. Their hard life on the road is obvious, I offer him a smile, the hard lines on his face relax and then he's smiling back with that boyish grin I've missed. His smile makes Maggie smile and then one by one all their faces relax.
The Sheriff lowers his hands as they all start coming towards us. "You all made it".
I glance at the empty cars and then back at the Sheriff, "You didn't".
He shakes his head. "We lost a lot back at the farm".
Merle pushes the gate further open so they can all walk in. "We saw".
Daryl comes over to us as they all stop just short of stepping through the gate. The Sheriff front and centre. "It happened not long after you guys left".
Carol grips Lori's hand, "We came back but we just missed you. It didn't look like it had been long".
The Sheriff sort of nods in the direction of Daryl. "He said you came back".
Merle makes a sound somewhere between a scoff and a chuckle. "Yeah, unfortunately".
That raises a few eyebrows.
I lean my arms against the roof and glare right at him. "Shut up, I know it was partly your idea to".
"Fuck you do, If you weren't so fuckin' unlucky we wouldn't have had to even think 'bout it".
I slam my hand against the roof, "Wanna say that again, huh?" I stare at him, daring him to say something else but he just clenches his jaw.
Daryl sighs heavily. "This is what ya've missed for the last eight months. It's gettin' on my fuckin' nerves."
The Sheriff chuckles. "It sure has been quiet without the two of you bickering".
"We don't bicker..." Merle and I argue at the exact same time which causes a few more of the group to chuckle. I think most of the tension seem to have gone between us now.
Daryl points at an approaching Walkers, "We should get inside the fence". The Sheriff takes Glenn with him to go and get the cars while Sophia jumps down and with her mum leads the others through the second gate.
Merle reaches up for my hand and then helps me down, once both feet are on the ground I shove him in the chest. "Unlucky, really?"
He quickly looks down at my hidden bump and then back up to my eyes. "Ya know I'm right. No matter how ya feel 'bout it now".
Daryl hooks and arm around my neck, my rifle in his other hand. "Close the gate Merle".
I'm using one of our two camping chairs, hiding the secret under my jumper. Lori has the second one as she digs into the food Daryl fetched from out of our truck. They barely have anything, a few bed rolls, some weapons and that is it. They have no food. They lost everything they had scavenged a month or so ago when the place they were staying in got over run.
Merle is in a mood because he realises that our supplies will now be shared out between us all no matter what happens now. He's managed to not say anything instead he's just keeping a very close watchful eye on our truck to make sure no one goes through until he's ready.
Herschel is holding some dirt, letting it run through his fingers when he looks over at the five of us, we've automatically just sat together on the other side of the circle.
"Why'd you come back so soon after leavin'?" A couple of people lean forwards.
The five of us quickly share a look before Carol decides to speak for us. "Some things happened that made us have to rethink the decision we made to leave." She doesn't say anything more and neither do the others, I don't think they want to reveal my secret unless they know I'm ready to tell them.
The Sheriff and his group cast glances at each other. I can tell they aren't happy with the vague answer. He wants to force us to answer but the looks Daryl and Merle have on their faces are stopping him from asking. If Shane had still been here there's a full guarantee that they'd be an argument happening already, but Carl said he died the night of the fall of the farm and that he'd tried to kill his dad who instead killed Shane himself. Honestly, I'm kind of glad. That man was as unstable as they get and a danger to anyone who wasn't Lori or Carl.
I take a deep breath and then let the air out at the same time I reveal the secret. "I'm pregnant". Nothing but shocked faces stare back at me. "About eight or so months.".
Glenn suddenly gets to his feet, steps in front of me and pulls me to my feet. He then wraps his arms tight around me. "I'm so sorry we were gone."
I pull back to look at him. "It's okay. We saw your note on the car and we looked for you for months but the herds were throwing us all over the place. I'm sorry that we couldn't find you". He pulls me in again. God, I've missed him.
They're back.