Hope Lost: A Daryl Dixon Story (The Walking Dead/ Bethyl )

19- Five

Five people. A grand total of five people stood in an awkward circle around a makeshift grave. The rocks were unevenly piled on top and someone, Daryl wasn’t sure, made quite an ugly cross. Daryl stood next to Michonne, who leaned her weight onto one foot, and watched Bob pile the last few stones on the grave top. Daryl counted for the third time, and came back to five people. Glenn Rhee only had five people at his funeral. It didn’t quite hit Daryl at first, but he only realised a while later that not everyone from the prison made it to the farm. He asked Michonne before the ‘funeral’ and she said the bus broke down not too far from the farm. They were quite a few walking around in the forest. By the time they reached the outskirts of the farm, everyone except the five of them and Judith had died. Daryl barely knew any of them though.

“All done,” Bob spoke up. The wind shifted a bit, blowing Daryl’s long hair in his face.

No one said anything. Daryl tried to remember how funerals went: the pastor said a few words, someone spoke about the deceased and they all said their final goodbyes. Daryl wondered who would speak up.

“I ain’t gon’ say he was a good man,” Maggie said. “Cos’ he wasn’t one. No one in this world is good.”

Her words were followed by silence until she spoke again, “But he didn’t deserve to go like this.”

She spoke in a cold tone, which made Daryl grunt a bit.

“He was my world, my reason for living. And now my world has ended.” Maggie said solemnly. She then turned on her heel and walked in the direction of the house. Daryl felt like that wasn’t enough so he added, “And hell, he was one tough son o’ a bitch.” He spat on the ground next to him.

Michonne nodded in agreement.

Back at the house, Robin prepared something small for Beth to eat. She stood in the kitchen and wiped off a dusty plate. She opened a can of tinned beef and beans that Daryl had stocked up in the car. Robin placed the plate on a tray, picked it up and spun around. She was met by the hard face of Daryl.

“That for Beth?” He asked.

Robin nodded. Things were a bit weird between them. She was actually quite fed up with this going in circles trying to figure out Daryl. She tried her utmost to compensate for his moods, but he was pushing her limits by pushing her away. It reminded her of her high school days, which seemed like a decade ago. Daryl stared at her and took in her unique features. He noted her eyes had lost their sparkle, and he almost felt bad.

“How do ya feel about me, Daryl? Am I not good enough?” Robin asked in a shaky voice.

Daryl frowned at her and felt the rage building. Glenn Rhee, the man whom Daryl has been through so much with, now lay rotting in the grass outside and she was worried about this thing between them? Daryl’s frown deepened when he thought of how Ted, the maniac behind Glenn’s death, was Robin’s so-called stable friend. Daryl wanted to knock the shitty looking food tray out of Robin’s hands, but instead just sighed.

“Not now, Robin.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning, not now. Dammit woman!” He raised his voice.

“Don’t you know by now that I care? Is that so hard for ya to understand, that someone is actually crazy enough to care about ya?” She raised her voice as well

Beth cared, Daryl thought to himself. He quickly waved the thought away. Robin glared at him, waiting for a decent enough reply. Daryl couldn’t think of one. So instead he grabbed the tray out of hands and headed for Beth’s room. He arrived and opened the door while balancing the tray on one hand. He shuffled inside and shut the door behind him. He set the tray down on Beth’s lap and took a few steps back.