𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞, 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝

𝟎𝟓. 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐭

"What for? We got it covered," Shane scoffs out, sprinting ahead. T-Dog and Glenn follow behind him.

"Damn it! Come on," Rick urges Grace as he runs ahead and Grace follows behind him. 

Grace starts to fall behind from the men and her heart pounds against her chest. Rick, T-Dog, Shane, and Glenn come to a slow stop and so does Grace.

Rick steps ahead of the others and raises his gun at the walker. Grace furrows her eyebrows and peers her eyes at the man.

Every inch of his pale skin is covered in blood and dirt. Most of the blood is gushing out from the side of his lower torso and Grace's breath shudders.

"Hold on. Isn't that Daryl?" Grace asks, squinting her eyes. Beneath the blood and dirt, she can recognize his blue, gleaming eyes.

"That's the third time you've pointed that thing at my head. You gonna pull the trigger or what?" Daryl scoffs out, grimacing with disgust.

Relief runs through the veins of Grace, T-Dog, Glenn, Rick, and Shane. Rick slowly starts to lower his gun.

Suddenly a gunshot rings throughout the air and strikes Daryl in the side of his head. He collapses into the grass and Grace's jaw drops open. She glances back at the RV and her mind spirals.

"No!" Rick screams out, rushing over to Daryl's side. 

"I was kidding," Daryl retorts harshly as Rick and Shane grab onto his arms and pull him up. Andrea and Dale come sprinting over to the others, worry written all over their faces.

"Oh my God! Is he dead?" Andrea calls out, her voice breaking as the tears fill up to the brim of her eyes.

"Unconscious. The bullet just grazed him," Rick explains and relief washes over Andrea's body.

"But look at him, what the hell happened? He's wearing ears!" Glenn's eyes widen at the necklace of walker ears around Daryl's neck and Grace gulps, shifting her weight uneasily.

"Let's keep that to ourselves," Rick speaks through gritted teeth, ripping off the necklace and tugging it into his shirt pocket.

"Guys, isn't this Sophia's?" T-Dog asks, holding up a mangled doll. Grace watches as everyone's expression drops and their eyes soften.

"What happened?" Hershel asks with a harsh voice, rushing over to the others.

"Bullet grazed him," Rick informs Hershel and he knits his eyebrows together.

"He's gonna need stitches, Hershel," Grace informs him and Hershel nods his head. 

Rick and Shane carry Daryl into the house and into the spare room. They gently place him down on the bed and Hershel lets out a tiny sigh.

"Lori and Carol made dinner. Go ahead and eat while I stitch him up," Hershel demands and Grace nods her head. The others follow Grace out of the room and into the dining room where an extra table is set up.

Dinner is filled with silence expect for the sound of the forks scraping against the plates and chewing.

Rick and Grace sit across from each other, stealing glances at other each. The silence is unsettling and uncomfortable. The door clicks open and Hershel walks out.

Rick's eyes fill with concern and he perks up his head.

"Daryl will be okay. He just needs a little bit of rest," Hershel clears his throat as he sits down at the dinner table. Rick nods his head and unclenches his jaw.

"Does anybody know how to play guitar? Dale found a cool one. Somebody's gotta know how to play," Glenn chuckles out nervously, his voice shaking and breaking the silence over dinner.

"Otis did," Patricia speaks up, a frown forming along her face. Hershel's kind eyes flicker over to Patricia and he grabs onto her hand.

"Yes, and he was very good, too," he nods his head, gently patting her hand. A frown tugs on Grace's face and she lowers her head. 

Rick slightly nudges her foot with his own and she glances up from the table. She gazes into his blue eyes that are screaming a million things. Grace clears her throat and quickly pulls away from him.

The unsettling silence starts to play again and Grace's mind ponders of the uncertain future.