Better off dead

Chapter 07: Tell it to the Frogs Pt2

The group comes upon a Walker that is busy eating the carcass of a deer. Andrea and Amy come up and notice how disgusting it is. When the Walker sees them, it starts to turn on them. Rick, Shane, Glenn, Jim, and Morales start to beat on it with their objects. Dale finishes it off by chopping its head off with an axe. Dale is shocked "It's the first one we've had up here. They never come this far up the mountain" Jim suddenly suggests "Well, they're running out of food in the city, that's what" They hear branch snapping and footsteps. Daryl Dixon comes out of the forest and seems very upset that the Walker.

"Son of a bitch!That's my deer! Look at it. All gnawed on by this... filthy, disease-bearing, motherless poxy bastard!" Daryl yells as he kicks the carcass of the Walker "Calm down, son. That's not helping" Dale chides. Delilah narrowed her eyes and pulls Carl closer to her protectively not liking the new comers aggressive behavior near her already deemed loved ones "What do you know about it, old man? Why don't you take that stupid hat and go back to "on golden pond"? I've been tracking this deer for miles. Gonna drag it back to camp, cook us up some venison. What do you think? Do you think we can cut around this chewed up part right here?"Daryl says making Delilah relax as she realized Daryl's frustration.

"I would not risk that" Shane says making Daryl sigh and Delilah gives him a sympathetic look "That's a damn shame. I got some squirrel... about a dozen or so. That'll have to do" Daryl gestures to the squirrels tied together with a string and tossed over his shoulder. Delilah suddenly got a better picture of the younger Dixon as she gave Daryl a soft look. Suddenly, the head of the Walker starts to move its teeth "Oh god!" Amy gags and Andrea drags her away with Delilah doing the same to Carl who clings to her waist as she runs her fingers through his hair sympathetically.

"Come on, people. What the hell?" Delilah hears Daryl say before he shoots it with one of his arrows "It's gotta be the brain. Don't y'all know nothing?" The group comes back at camp and Delilah calls out to Daryl catching his attention "I'm sorry that the walker got your deer" Daryl eyes her up before awkwardly looking away and mumbling out "Not your fault...the kid okay"Delilah smiles and looks down at Carl who peers up at Daryl and says "I'm fine, thank you Mr. Dixon" Daryl sighs and says "It's just Daryl" and walks off.

Daryl starts yelling making Delilah's heart squeeze "Merle! Merle! Get your ugly ass out here! I got us some squirrel! Let's stew 'em up!" "Daryl, just slow up a bit. I need to talk to you" Shane starts "About what?" Daryl demands as Delilah inhales deeply to take in the new scent. The voices fade into the background as she memorizes Daryl's strangely comforting and alluring scent

"About Merle. There was a... There was a problem in Atlanta"

"He dead?"

"We're not sure"

"He either is or he ain't!"

"No easy way to say this, so I'll just say it" Rick speaks up catching Delilah's attention.

"Who are you?" Daryl demands "Rick Grimes" Rick introduces "Rick Grimes, you got something you want to tell me?" Daryl asks growing angrier by the minute "Your brother was a danger to us all, so I handcuffed him on a roof, hooked him to a piece of metal. He's still there" Rick explains "Hold on. Let me process this. You're saying you handcuffed my brother to a roof and you left him there?!" "Yeah" Daryl goes to attack him, but Rick shoves him off.

"Hey! Watch the knife!" T-Dog warns Rick as Daryl pulls his knife out, but Shane is able to come up behind him and put him in a chokehold. Delilah whispers to Carl "Go to your mom, right now" and nudges him towards Lori "What about you? What are you gonna do?" Carl asks worriedly. Delilah sighs and says "I'm going to try and calm Daryl down" Carl reluctantly leaves Delilah's side and approaches his mother who yanks her to her side and gives Delilah a nasty look.