Last One Standing ~ TWD Daryl Dixon

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Jo

We ran through the forest as the pouring rain began pelting down on us. Each drop was a sting against my bare skin and I wished I had thought to pull my jacket out of my backpack. I followed the group, keeping my eyes open for any walkers. They would have to be awfully close before I would have been able to see them. We wove through the trees, trusting Daryl to lead us through the growing dark and rising storm. 

The barn was old but it looked like the roof was intact from what I could see squinting through the rain. I was soaked completely though and the water streamed down my bare skin. I shivered as the wind continued to pick up and the temperate dropped. Daryl stopped outside the barn and turned to the group. 

"I didn't check it," he called above the wind. Rick nodded and stepped forward. He jerked his chin to Carol who stepped up beside him. His eyes fell to Glenn and Maggie and then Daryl and myself. We had all done this enough times we immediately understood without him having to say a word he wanted us to clear the place in our assigned groups of two. His eyes fell to Abraham and he jerked his chin towards the trees and he and Sasha turned to watch the rear. Michonne stayed with the rest of the group, her hand resting tensely on the hilt of her Katana. 

Rick and Carol led the way through the door, moving together. Daryl bumped my shoulder lightly before we stepped inside the door. I looked up at him and wasn't quite sure if he was asking if I was okay or if he was just saying hi. I grinned at him and pulled my kukri and the knife from the spine sheath that was up under my backpack. 

He nodded and we stepped in together, shoulder to shoulder. Rick waved us to the right and we moved to clear that side of the barn. It felt good to be working together again. I hadn't realized how much extra tension I was carrying around with me by having someone else watching my back. I don't know why that surprised me. I had never trusted other people very easily and the last few months had done nothing to improve that. 

Once our side was clear Daryl stepped over to an open area to begin working on getting a fire going with Glenn. I found Maggie standing over a dead Walker in a small room off the side of the main area. I stepped up next to her and looked in the doorway to see Walker who had once been an old woman. It looked like she died of natural causes, hidden away in this tiny room away from the world. 

Maggie made a sad sound in the back of her throat. "She had a gun. She could have shot herself..." Maggie shook her head like she didn't understand the woman's actions. 

I could see a shot gun on the other side of the room. Being pragmatic I stepped over the body and picked up the gun. I opened the chamber and checked the magazine. It was fully loaded. I double checked to make sure the safety was on. 

Maggie hadn't taken her eyes off the dead Walker. I looked down at the Walker and back to Maggie. I was not good at this. I knew Maggie was hurting over Beth's loss as well, but I was already failing at comforting Daryl, who I was close to. There was no way I was going to say the right thing to make her feel better. 

"Well," I said thoughtfully lifting the shot gun and resting it over my shoulder. "Some people can't give up. They won't, no matter what happens to them." I snorted, "Like us."

Maggie turned to look at me with a frown, like she hadn't expected me to say something so insightful. I tried to think back to the last time Maggie and I had a conversation. I guess I didn't chat much with anyone, I always seemed to keep myself apart. She nodded and turned back to the dead walker. I let out a sigh and walked back towards the main part of the barn.