The Fear (The Walking Dead / Daryl Dixon)

Chapter 29 - Split Second

Laughs echoed around the woods as I pulled my horse to a stop, Shawn's coming up beside me.

"You can't beat me!" Beth giggled, yelling over her shoulder to Maggie behind her as the two cantered up ahead.

"Do you have to go back?" Shawn turned to me as their sisters rode off.

"You know I do, Shawnie." I replied with a sad smile. I hated leaving them. I loved college because I loved what I was studying, but I missed my family when I was away. Maggie was 17 and she would soon be leaving as well, but Shawn was 15 and Beth only 12. Shawn would look after Beth, he always did, but who would look after Shawn?

It was my over protective sister mode kicking in. I couldn't help it, but I felt like I was abandoning them.

"It's just... It's better when you're here." He stated.

"You know I'll come back the second you need anything."

"I know." He smiled.

"Come on." I kicked my horse into a canter as Shawn followed quickly behind me.

My eyes slowly opened a slight smile on my face as I rolled over only to see the bars to the door of my new bedroom. Daryl then came to the doorway, knocking on the frame.

"Rick wants us outside." He explained.

"I'll be out in a minute." I said back in a small voice.

"You alright?" He asked as I ran a hand through my hair, beginning to sit up.

"Yeah." I whispered. "Yeah, I'll be fine." He nodded before leaving as I slowly got up and followed him out.

***

"Okay, let's get the other car in." Rick stated. We had started moving the cars into the prison, starting with Betty with Dary's motorbike still tied down on the back, then the Cherokee, a Toyota truck we had picked up along the way and now the green soccer mum hatchback was left. "We'll park them in the west entry of the yard."

"Good." Daryl stated. "Our vehicles camped out there look like a giant 'vacancy' sign."

"After that, we need to load up these corpses so we can burn 'em." Rick gestured around to the dead walkers scattered across the courtyard."

"Gonna be a long day." T-Dog commented.

"Where's Glenn and Maggie? We could use some help?" Carol asked, walking back over to the group after having moved the truck.

"They're up in the guard tower." I informed, nodding over to the largest of the towers, not to far from us as I stepped in closer to the group as well, coming back from Betty and stopping beside Daryl. I took the red rag out from his back pocket, wiping a little oil off them after I had undone the straps that held down the bike once the car was inside the gates.

"Guard tower?" Rick asked. "They were just up there last night."

"I think they've been a little preoccupied." I muttered, just before Daryl decided to yell out to them.

"Glenn! Maggie!"

A few seconds later the door out on to the balcony of the guard tower opened and Glenn appeared, shirtless and seemingly buckling his belt.

"Hey, what's up, guys?" Glenn called as we all lightly chuckled. I mean, yes he was up there with my little sister, but Maggie was 22 and I approved of Glenn.

"You coming?" Daryl yelled up to him as we laughed a little more and I lightly whipped his arm with the rag.

"W-what?" Glenn stuttered back.