Broken strings---➤ Daryl Dixon

4

"A lot of people have died, haven't they." Carl looks at me solemnly. I take a deep breath and nod. No point beating around the bush.

"Yes, unfortunately a lot of people were badly hurt last night, including Amy."

The boy nods and continues his drawing. "I think my mum blames my dad."

I pause for a moment, before carefully saying, "I think your dad just wanted to do what was best for the camp, it was very shit- I mean- poor- timing. Your mum might be a bit upset but she cares about you and your dad and doesn't want anything bad to happen."

I ruffle his hair slightly and he smiles. I smile back at him, glad that I could help.

"Will you teach me to use a bow?" He asks

"Uh, not sure your parents will be alright with that," I say glancing around the camp, I spot Glenn talking to Dale and Daryl sitting on his own, Rick, Shane and Lori seem to be in a heated conversation. "Tell you what, when things calm down and we are somewhere safe, I'll talk to your parents about it okay."

He grins a me excitedly and then runs off to find Sophia. I reckon I'd be a great mother.

Eventually, the discussion surrounding the CDC is brought back up in the group. Rick and Shane are still at odds with Lori seemingly torn between the two. As I watch them, I notice something, in the way Shane's glance keeps falling to Lori, and the way she actively avoids looking at Shane altogether.

Later that afternoon, I find myself sitting next to Daryl. He is skinning a squirrel, at least I think it's a squirrel.

"Do you have any thoughts on the CDC situation?" I ask

"No."

"Riveting," I say flatly and that ends the conversation. I watch him start to cook the dead animal, and even though I grimace, my stomach rumbles. I see his eyes glance over at me and I know he heard it too. My skin heats slightly and I internally condemn my body for betraying me.

"Here", Daryl hands half of the dead squirrel to me. I look at it and hesitate. I can't bring myself to say anything, I don't even want to think about it. I take it from his hands and quickly eat before nausea can consume me.

"Thanks." I meet his gaze and he nods before picking apart the rest of the squirrel. He does it so naturally, I wouldn't be surprised if he did this before the world even ended.

Shane and Rick gather up the group and it seems like they've agreed on a plan. I wonder how begrudgingly Shane is as he explains that the CDC will be the better option. Most of us will be going with them but Rick gives us the option of whether we want to or not.

"We leave first thing in the morning."

As Glenn and I pack our things left out in our tent, he checks with me if I definitely want to go.

"I'm not sure we have much choice. As much as I love you, I think I'd go insane with just us two surviving alone. Plus where else would we go?"

"I agree, I just wanted to check you were alright with it."

That night I sleep with my shoes still on my feet.

I spend the morning placing my bags in the RV with the rest of Glenn's stuff and alongside Dale and Jacqui.

"Nice bike." I grin at Daryl as I walk past him. He huffs "Like you would know."

"Uh oh." I hear Glenn aim at Daryl as he walks past us.

"Hm, looks to me like a chopper-style bike, right." I scan his bike in more detail, just to prove a point. "I'd say maybe a Triumph Bonneville. But it looks modded."