Born 2 Be Wild-A Merle Dixon love story

Chapter 43

We spent the entire winter running from house to house. Trying to find a place we'd be safe and failing every time. During that time Daryl and I decided our relationship was best left at friendship. Truth is, we don't love each other, not in that way. We're still best friends. He covers my ass and I cover his, just like it always has been. I think he's been thinking of Lily a lot too lately. But the decision was mutual. It was a one time thing.

Lori is about to pop. We're trying to find a safe place where she can have the baby. But nowhere is safe enough. After walkers chased us away from another house Rick decided we need to head west, so that's what we're going to do. We stopped at a creek we'd found to get more water. I was gathering some of the water jugs while Daryl loaded his crossbow.

"Hey, while the others wash their panties, let's go hunt." Daryl told Rick.

I gave him a one finger salute for the pantie washing remark and joined the others. I could hear him laughing as I walked away.

When Daryl and Rick came back from hunting they were empty handed, but they had news. There's a prison not far from the creek. Not many walkers were behind the fence, enough for us to handle. We cut through the chain link fence and slipped in. Glenn and Daryl wound some wire through to patch it back up. This could be our new home. We ran up through a fenced in walkway and stopped at the main gate.

"It's perfect. We can shut that gate, prevent more from filling the yard, we can pick off these walkers. We'll take the field by tonight." Rick told us, pointing around the prison yard.

"So how do we shut the gate?" Hershel asked Rick

"I'll do it. You guys cover me." Glenn volunteered.

"No. It's a suicide run." Maggie told him.

"I'm the fastest." Glenn argued.

"No, you, Maggie, and Beth draw as many as you can over there. Pop 'em through the fence." Rick said pointing to the side of the fence. "Daryl, go back to the other tower. Carol, you've become a pretty good shot. Take your time, we don't have a lot of ammo to waste. You and Jess do the shooting. Hershel, you and Carl take this tower. I'll run for the gate."

We all ran off to our positions right before Rick slipped through the first gate. Carol and I picked off zombies in the guard tower with Daryl. Trying to get the ones closest to Rick. Rick stopped right as a shot landed at his feet.

"Sorry!" Carol yelled.

Like she'd just stepped on his foot, not nearly shot it off. I had to resist the urge to laugh, it'd mess up my aim. Rick got the second gate closed and secured while we continued taking out walkers. Soon enough the inside of the fence was clear. Our first step in making the prison was done. Everyone was happier than they'd been since we left Hershel's. We camped inside the fence that night. It was great to be in such an open space.

There was an overturned prison bus at the first gate. Daryl stood on the side of it and kept watch. I sat up there with him to keep him company. Carol came from the campfire and brought us both food. Daryl helped her up onto the bus with us.

"It's not much, but if I don't bring ya'll something, neither of you will eat at all." Carol said, handing us both a metal bowl.

"Thank you." I told her before stuffing the cooked meat into my face.

"I guess little Shane over there has got quite the appetite." Daryl said.

I started laughing.

"Don't be mean." Carol said with a smile. "Rick's gotten us a lot farther than I ever thought he would, I'll give him that."

Daryl and I both nodded our agreement.