The Walking Dead *Daryl Love Story*

A Little Further Away

"No, I got the truck." Shane started walking to the truck.

"What about the others?" Jimmy asked.

"We bury the ones we love and burn the rest." Andrea said.

"Let's get to work." Lori whiped the sweat off her forehead.

**

When we got done with the holes, T-dog said, "That's it." 

"Where's Daryl?" I asked anyone who was listening.

"He's in the RV with Carol." Shane answered.

"I'll go get them and let them know we're finish." Andrea said.

"No." I said quickly. "I'll do it." 

As I walked to the RV, I tried to hide the thoughts of my deepest fears happening in that RV. I hesitated to knock on the RV door. But I did, then opened it. When I saw Daryl sitting on the kitchen counter and Carol sitting at the table looking out the window, I felt relief. "They're ready." I told them. Carol shook her head shyly. "Come on."

"Why?" She said weakly.

"Because that's your little girl." Daryl said.

Carol looked at Daryl. "That's not my little girl. That's some other thing. My Sophia was alone in the woods." Carol looked out the window again. "All this time, I thought: she didn't cry herself to sleep, she didn't go hungry, she didn't try to find her way back. Sophia died a long time ago."

Daryl sighed and got off the counter. I walked away, while he followed shortly behind me. 

*

Everyone stood in a line facing the freshly dug graves. Carol wasn't there though. Hershel was in a tux, and Daryl was about five feet away from everyone. No one spoke. No one cried. When everyone started to break up and walk away, I walked over to Daryl. I put my hand on his shoulder, but he walked away from me. 

*

When I walked into the house, I didn't see anyone. "Hello?" I called out.

"In here!" I heard Maggie say.

I walked into the room I heard Maggie yell from. I saw Glenn and Maggie around a bed that Meg was laying in. Meg looked frozen.

"What's wrong with her?" Maggie asked me.

"She might be in shock. Where's Hershel?" I asked.

"We can't find him." Glenn answered. 

*

Rick, Shane, Glenn, Maggie, and I were in Hershel's room. 

"Looks like he found an old friend." Shane picked up a flask and waved it.

"That belonged to my grandfather." Maggie took it from Shane. "Gave it to him when he died." 

"I didn't take Hershel for a drinker." I told Maggie.

"No, he gave it up on the day I was born. He didn't even allow liqueur in the house."

"What's the bar in town?" Rick asked.

"Hatlens. He practically lived there in his drinking days." 

"I bet that's where we'll find him." I said.

"Yeah, I know the place. I'll take you." Glenn replied.

"No." Maggie commented.

"It's an easy thing." Glenn told her.

"Like the pharmacy run?" She said.

"Hey, Maggie? Ami and I will bring him back." Rick told Maggie.