Unexpected Hospitality

Daryl POV

Late in the afternoon

It was my own stupid fault I was out here. My stubborn ass couldn't sit still behind the walls of Alexandria; hell I slept on back porch of the damn house more times than I'd bothered to sleep in the bedroom Carol set up for me. I just wasn't comfortable behind four walls, especially in that fancy ass house.

Now I was running my ass off to get away from the small herd that I encountered a while back. Seemed like them fucking Walkers were faster these days but it was probably because my old ass wasn't as fast as it used to be. I was only a couple miles from Alexandria when I encountered them but now I was about four miles out and headed in the wrong damn direction; so much for a nice peaceful hunting trip to clear my mind. It would be dusk soon and I won't be able to see where I'm going; I needed to find a place to hole up for the night.

I found a faint path in the leaves, it was only a trail left by deer and other critters but a path usually meant the trees would open up to either a clearing or a water source. I knew from previous visits of the area there were few scattered houses and cabins near a creek, now I needed to find them. I couldn't hear the shuffles or groans from the Walkers any longer so either they turned in another direction or I put enough distance between us. It still wasn't safe for me to head home in the fading light so I needed to push forward.

I followed the path for another half mile or so before the trees opened up to a small meadow. I walked closer to the high grass realizing it wasn't just a clearing, it was a fenced in pasture; the old barbed wire fencing hung loose between the fence posts that were obscured by the tall brown grass. I could faintly see the outlines of a couple of buildings across the other side of the pasture and I headed there.

The first thing I noticed when I approached the buildings is that I wouldn't be spending the night in the house. The small cabin's roof was completely caved in and it offered no protection. I looked over at the other structure, it was typical storage shed for supplies and small equipment. There were only a couple of small air vents towards the roof peak, no windows. I looked around and that's it, not another standing building on the property. There was no time to look for something else, it would be dark soon.

I approached the shed door cautiously and aimed my crossbow with one hand as I reached out for the door latch with the other. I took a deep breath before quickly swinging the door open, hoping to surprise anyone who was inside. I heard a surprised gasp and the clanging of gardening tools falling as someone in the shadows tried to hide. I kept my crossbow trained on the shadowy figure and growled out, "Don't fucking move!"

I quickly scanned the interior of the shed or more accurately workshop; there weren't any places to hide so this person was here alone. I stepped into the shed and heard a faint but definitely female, "Oh shit". As my eyes adjusted to the dim light I could finally make out the short curly headed woman hiding in the corner.

She had a small hunting knife in her hand but you could tell she wasn't expecting company. I looked her over as I inched a little closer, "I ain't gonna hurt ya unless you try anything, got that?" She nodded at me but didn't look too convinced. I didn't blame her, she was barely 5'3" and I towered over her. She had long, crazy curly brown hair and even though her face was a little dirty I could tell she was pretty. How the hell she survived out here alone I couldn't tell ya.

"Lower the knife and toss it on the ground"

She shook her head, those brown curls bouncing like crazy as she hissed, "Fuck that, I ain't giving up my only way of protection."