The Fear (The Walking Dead / Daryl Dixon)

Chapter 23 - Picking Them Off

"Light it up!" Daryl yelled from his position once Rick was out of the firing range. T-Dog and I stepped back from the fence and grabbed our handguns, beginning to fire at the remaining walkers along with everyone else. It wasn't long before they were all down.

T-Dog laughed a little out of joy as I turned to him with a big smile, however I didn't get to say anything before he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled my in for a big hug that left my feet dangling as he spun me around. That's when I started laughing as Daryl and Carol joined us. I knew better than to tackle Daryl with a hug so instead I let T-Dog give him the manly pat on the back as we walked while Carol looped her arm around my shoulder.

"Nice shooting." Daryl complimented Carl once we had made it back to the others.

"You okay?" Carol asked Lori when she opened the gate up for us to head into the yard.

"I haven't felt this good in weeks." I stopped, waiting for everyone to go in first.

"I'll get the gate, you go in." I said, taking her place and waiting for my dad and the others. Lori smiled and nodded before walking away.

I could hear laughing and cheering coming from Carol and Carl and Beth's distinct laughter as they approached the gate. My dad gave me a kiss on the cheek as he walked through which was followed by a pat on the shoulder by Glenn and a smile from Maggie. I waited for Beth and then closed the gate before walking with her. I placed an arm around her like Carol had just done to me and she rested her head on my shoulder as we walked.

Rick took immediate watch, pacing around, trying to find any possible weak points while Daryl perched himself up on an overturned bus. The rest of us started a fire and cooked the squirrel.

"Mmm, just like mum used to make." Glenn joked.

"Tomorrow we'll put all the bodies together." T-Dog started. "Want to keep them away from that water. Now, if we can dig a canal under the fence, we'll have plenty of fresh water."

"The soil is good." My dad added. "We could plant some seed. Grow some tomatoes, cucumbers, soybeans."

I finished mine quickly, which wasn't hard considering there wasn't much, and then grabbed a little more.

"I'll take this up to Daryl. Is Rick going to come in for his or should I take some over there as well?" I asked, looking to Lori.

"He'll come over when he's ready." Lori stated.

"That's his third time around. If there was any part of it compromised, he'd have found it by now." My dad informed as I stood and began to make my way over to the bus.

Now, getting up on top of the bus, which was actually more like a prison transport van, that was the trick. You had to go through the back doors, crawl between the seats that were above and below you and then jump up and hoist yourself through an open window to get up to where Daryl was. Thankfully he grabbed my hand and helped pull my through the window, but it still certainly used a lot more energy than I was willing to admit.

"Next time, I'm just throwing it up to you." I grunted as I finally stood on my feet, a little wobbly at first due to the bus being on a slight tilt considering it was lying on its side. "It's not much, but I knew you wouldn't eat at all if I didn't bring it to you."

"I guess Little Shane over there has got quite the appetite." He joked and made me chuckle. Whenever we were away from the others we often called the baby 'Little Shane,' but Carol would often scold us. In the fast few months she had come around to Rick's leadership and her hesitance from before was now gone.

"Going to need more though. She could go into early labour if she doesn't start eating properly. They're going to pile up the bodies tomorrow, dig a canal for the water. I want to get up early, around dusk, try and find a deer. You in?"

"Mm-hmm." He nodded, taking the final bite of the squirrel meat. "We should head back. Rick won't be going to sleep anytime soon so he can take up watch. Practically doing it anyway. I'll go down first." Daryl said.

He jumped down into the bus and then balanced on the chairs, waiting for me. When I was halfway through the open window he grabbed my waist and lifted me down.

As we got closer to the group sitting by the fire I could hear Beth singing. I soon recognised the song as 'Parting Glass,' and smiled as I sat down next to her. Daryl sat on my other side as Beth continued to sing.

'And all I've done

For want of wit

To memory now I can't recall

So fill to me

The parting glass

Good night and joy be with you all'

Beth looked over to Maggie and they then began to sing together.

'Oh, all the comrades

That e'er I had

Were sorry for my going away

And all the sweethearts

That e'er I had

Would wish me one more day to stay'

I knew what was coming next as the both looked at me expectantly. My smile dropped as my eyes narrowed a little. I hadn't sung since the farm, never having a chance and never really feeling like it unless I was humming to myself out on a run. But when Beth nudged my side lightly I sighed and gave in, joining them just as Rick finally sat down by the fire.

'But since it falls

Unto my lot

That I should rise and you should not

I'll gently rise

And I'll softly call

Good and joy be with you all

Good night and joy be with you all'

Once we were finished I leant back, adjusting my jacket as a pillow to lie down.

"Beautiful." My dad commented.

It was silent then more a while before Rick finally spoke. "Better all turn in. I'll take watch over there." He nodded to the bus. "Got a big day tomorrow."

"What do you mean?" Glenn asked.

"Look, I know we're all exhausted. This was a great win. But we've got to push just a little bit more. Most of the walkers are dressed as guards and prisoners. Looks like this place fell pretty early. It could mean the supplies may be intact. They'd have an infirmary, a commissary."

"An armoury?" Daryl asked.

"That would be outside the prison itself, but not too far away. Warden's office would have info on the location. Weapons, food, medicine. This place could be a gold mine."

"We're dangerously low on ammo." My dad informed. "We'd run out before we make a dent."

"That's why we have to go in there... hand to hand. After all we've been through, we can handle it, I know it. These assholes don't stand a chance." Rick finished before standing and making his way over to his lookout post.

We all began to shuffle around, getting ready to go to sleep. I readjusted my jacket and was asleep in no time, the exhaustion catching up.

I've got some more original scenes coming, it's just a lot of group stuff at the beginning of season three.