The Walking Dead *Fan Fiction/Bethyl*

Chapter Seventeen *Fable's POV*

"Hold that stance" Daryl instructed. I peek up from under my eyelashes and look over to where he stands leaning against a rotten tree. His arms are crossed, and I watch his chest rise and fall to the steady beat of his breathing. My eyes wander lower until they come to a stop at his feet where his shiny black crossbow lay. It was now covered in dust, from where he threw it down minutes ago in frustration. A slow smile crept upon my face knowing that I was the one who had caused it.

I focus my gaze back on the prize in front of me and the shiny new weapon in my hand. Made out of an old oak tree, Daryl was able to make me a small bow, which only took a few days to complete, other that the hunting which turned out to be a couple months for me to master.

"Now focus." Daryl's growls under his breath at me. His eyes land on the squirrel perched on the tree in front of us. We had been hunting since the break of dawn and now that it was past noon, I was becoming agitated and ready to give up. "Count your breaths, feel the rythm of you heart. Don't let anything distract you."

"All your talking is distracting me" I mutter under my breath. He didn't hear me. I wipe my cheek with my bow to get a lock of my blond hair out of the way. I take a deep breath, hold it for a while, and then let it out. I could feel my heatbeat slowing until it came to a relaxing beat. I reach for the bows string and pull it until it rested on my cheek, like it was meant to be there. I take one more deep breath before letting go of the string and letting the arrow fly until it hits its target.

"Yes!" I scream, jumping up and fist pumping the air. It was loud enough to alert walkers for miles away, but it didn't matter. After months of practice I had finally gotten it. Now I would be able to hunt with Daryl and bring more food back to Beth. And best of all, I was able to count on myself for my own protection. A rough hand rested on my shoulder and I turn my gaze up tp Daryl.

"Nice job, kid." He says with a wide grin on his face. 

"Thanks."

He picks up his bow from the ground,"Feel like scouting some houses for supplies?" He asks. "There's a small town about a mile away. We could make it there and back before sundown."

I nod slowly, slinging my bow around my body to keep it close to me. "Sure, might as well give it a shot." I start walking in the direction the town is. The wind is strong at this time of day, causing the autum leaves to fall. In these moments I think of the days before the outbreak happened, where the most I had to worry about was what my friends thought of me. And then my father, who had protected me until the very end, until the day that I met Daryl and Beth. They are all that I have left now, and like my father did for me, I would do for them. 

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A short while later we reahed the town, which Daryl had said was small. But as I look at the large suburbs surrounding us, I realize that this was anything but small. I walk to where Daryl stood a few feet before me. 

"Whats the plan?"

"I was thinking that you could take tan house over there and I can take that blue house across the street." Daryl says reaching for his crossbow on his back. I reach behind me and grab mine as well.

"How long till we meet back again?" I ask quietly.

Daryl reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small black watch that still ticked. I stare at it in amazment. 

"Where'd you get that?"

"When Beth and I raided a country club I snatched it off a dead body. Thought it would usuful." He clicks a few buttons on it before handing it over to me. "I set it for thirty minutes for you to scout. When it goes off I want you to get over here as fast as you can."

I nod and strap the watch onto my wrist. I turn my heel in the direction of the house and slowly make my way there. 

"Fable!" Daryl calls out. I turn but continue walking backwards towards the house. 

"Yeah?"

"Be careful." He says.

"Gee Daryl, don't get all soft on me like that." I say sarcasticlly.

"I mean it Fable, don't do anything stupid."

I smile before turning around and mounting the stairs of the house. I turn back to him to find that he is still looking at me. 

"I'll be careful, I promise." I call out to him before turning the knob and entering the house.

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The house is silent other than my footsteps which tells me that no walkers were actually in here. Outside was a different story, by peeking through the borded windows and down the street, I could see a few stranglers making there way towards us. I back away and make my way towards the kitchen, opening the cupbards when I get there. I find shelves full of food, which suprises me. Canned peaches and soup, crackers and dried beef. I couldn't contain my excitement , I reached for everything all at once. 

It took forever until I had it all loaded up in my bag. I even found a few extra bags to carry my new goodies. I look down at my hands, noticing that there wasn't dust there. My mind started racing, if there wasn't dust on it that meant that it was newly stocked. Which means someone was still here. 

I wasn't alone. 

The floor creaked behind me and my bow was up in an instant.

"Hello sweethart". The stranger says, taking a step towards me. "I see that you have wandered into my stash. You know it is very impolite to steal from people you don't know." He takes another step.

"Stay back." I say, my voice wavering. I pull the string of my bow to my cheek.

"Ah... don't do that... I just want to be friends." Another step

"I said stay back!" I scream. But he kept on taking more and more until he came face to face to me. I was frozen in fear, shaking to my knees. I thought of Daryl and how dissapointed he would have been for me giving up a fight. I thought of Beth and her warm hugs. 

He leaned forward. "I told him to stay away, but he didn't listen. Now I have what he loves most." His breath is hot in my face.   

I try to scream but his hands cover my lips. I am muted, I am done.