It Comes With The Name

Chapter 32: Run, Boy, Run

"What?" She whipped her head, trying to figure out what had him so concerned. "Oh my god."

"Patricia, kill the lights." Hershel said, his face one of pure horror. Hundreds if not thousands of walkers were stumbling through the field, heading straight towards the house.

"Maybe they're just passing?" Carol suggested, "Like the herd on the highway. Should we just go inside?"

Daryl shook his head. "Not unless there's a tunnel downstairs I don't know about. A herd that size will tear the house down."

"You can go if you want." Hershel said, cocking his rifle.

Lauren took another look at the hundreds of corpses making their way towards them. "You're gonna take them all on?"

"We have guns. We have cars." The old man shrugged.

Andrea nodded. "Kill as many as we can, and we'll use the cars to lead the rest of them off the farm."

Daryl shot Lauren a look before turning back to the old man. "Yer serious?"

Hershel nodded firmly. "This is my farm, I'll die here."

Daryl looked at the herd once more and shrugged. "It's as good a night as any." And hopped over the porch railing, making a beeline for his bike.

Lauren blinked in surprise. Was he serious? This was a horrible plan. Like top 10 stupidest plans she had ever heard. Taking on all of these walkers at once? It was a suicide mission.

"Dixon!" She called out, jogging over to him. She stopped in front of him and Daryl looked at her expectantly. She opened her mouth and then paused, suddenly realizing that she actually had no idea what she wanted to say.

She wanted to tell him to be safe, let him know that the past few days she had realised that he meant more to her than she had ever imagined he would. She tried but the words simply wouldn't come out.

"C'mon, I ain't got all day." Daryl said, looking at her expectantly.

She suddenly pulled him into a hug, causing Daryl to tense up in surprise. He didn't return the embrace and she hadn't really expected him to, she knew he wasn't exactly the most physically affectionate person, but it was the only thing she could think to do with all the adrenaline running through her.

"Just- don't die, okay?" She told him quietly, pulling back and barely looking at him long enough to take in his shocked expression before turning and running back to the house.

Daryl peeled off on his bike, leading a small section of the horde off in a different direction. Lauren hurried back to the porch where Maggie was frantically handing out every gun at their disposal. Lauren grabbed a few rounds of ammo, shoving them into her pockets when Lori suddenly burst out onto the porch from where she had retreated moments ago.

"Carl's gone!" She was in a panic. Tank's leash was held loosely in her hand with the pup in tow.

"What?" Lauren almost screamed. "He's supposed to be upstairs with Tank."

"Maybe he's hiding?" Carol suggested, but the uncertainty in her voice didn't give much comfort.

"He's supposed to be upstairs." Lori reiterated, tears brimming her eyes. "Tank was up there but Carl wasn't. I'm not leaving without my boy!"

"We're not. We're gonna look again, we're gonna find him." Carol assured her, taking the leash and passing Tank off to Lauren before ushering Lori back inside the house.

Lauren took the leash, looking down at Tank who was panting anxiously, disoriented from all the chaos. She stroked the top of his head in an attempt to calm him a little but she could barely focus with everything happening around them.