peaches & softie | daryl dixon ✅

Chapter 43: Hounded

Carter's P.O.V

" Everybody okay?" I look up from my filled bowl of food, seeing Rick come out of the corridors.

" Yeah we are," Maggie answers for us.

" What about you?" Hershel asks.

" I cleared out the boiler block."

" How many were there?" Daryl asks beside me.

" I don't know. A dozen, two dozen. I have to get back. Just wanted to check on Carl."

" Rick, we can handle taking out the bodies," Glenn states, getting up from his table. " You don't have to."

" No, I do. Everyone have a gun and a knife?" he questions Daryl, walking towards us.

" Yeah, we're running low on ammo though."

" Maggie, Glenn and I were planning on making a run at noon," I explain, making the man look at me. " Found a phonebook with places we can hit up, look for bullets and some formula."

" We cleared out the generator room," Daryl adds. " Axel's there trying to fix it in case of emergency. We're gonna sweep the lower levels as well."

" Good. Good," is the only thing he mumbles before walking into the corridors again, Hershel trying to call him back. I sigh in disbelief, passing my bowl to Oscar before walking outside, seeing the sun beginning to go up.

I stare at the sky, hearing the prison door open and close in the distance. I pick at the grass on the prison field as the person sits next to me. " Eat." I look to the side, Daryl having my bowl in his hand. I shake my head no, looking past the fence.

" You not eating isn't gonna bring Lori back." I tense up, my jaw clenching for a few moments.

" I still coulda' done somethin'," I state, letting out a heavy breath.

" But it's over. We gotta learn from it now. Alrigh'?" I stare at him again, giving a sad smile before taking the bowl, finally taking slow bites of the food. A smile forms on his, only staring at me.

" What?" I question, my mouth full of food.

" You're something else," he explains, a small grin on his face now.

I swallow the food, finally looking back at him. " I really don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing."

" It's a good thing. Don't worry." I look away from him, a grin forming on my face as I place the now empty bowl down. He tackles me to the ground, a smile playing on my face as he kisses all over my face.

" Okay! Enough, enough!" I holler, making him stop and look at me. " I gotta get my shit together man!" I explain, a few giggles escaping in between.

" Fine, fine!" He gets up of me, now in a sitting position as I stand, jogging back inside the prison. " Wait!" I turn around, only to have his lips on mine. He pulls away after a few seconds. " Now you can go." I roll my eyes, giving a small peck before running back inside.

---

Carter's P.O.V

Glenn slows the car down, stopping in front of the store. I hop out the back seat, slamming the door behind me before grabbing my bow and an arrow from my quiver.

" Alright, let's get shit done," I state, walking to the entrance behind the two. The couple stops, starting to make me cringe as they have a small make out session. I clear my throat after a minute, making the two look at me.

" Oh c'mon. You act as if you and the redneck didn't do anything outside either," Maggie state, Glenn giving a laugh at my reddening cheeks as I pass the two, sticking my tongue out in a child manner. I grab the bolt cutters from the backseat, using them to destroy the lock on the door.

Pulling the door open, birds fly out, scaring the shit out of us. I shake my head, making the imaginary dust disappear. Placing the bow and arrow back, I use my knife instead, my other hand holding the flashlight for my eyes. Glenn follows behind me, his holding his knife and flashlight too.

" Glenn get that duck." I look over at Glenn, seeing a toy duck beside him. I start laughing a bit, seeing Glenn trying to keep a calm manner but failing.

" Are you serious?" he questions, a laugh following.

" Yeah, a kid growing up in the prison could use some toys." I roll my eyes, continuing to look around, the two chattering a ton.

" Jesus, it's a god damn romance novel up in here," I mumble, walking outside once we finished scavenging the place

" We just hit the powdered formula jackpot," Glenn states as I give an eye roll.

" We got our asses beans, batteries, cocktail wings, yada yada. Should be a straight shot to the prison," I add. " Probably make it by dinner."

" It's so quiet."

" I like it better than my old home. Had my neighbor's dogs barking twenty-four-seven," I state, making the girl chuckle.

" And where is it y'all good people are calling home?" I pull my gun out, aiming at the voice, only for me to lose my mind again.

" Am I hallucinating again?" I question, seeing him looking the exact way I saw him in the woods.

" Merle?" Glenn questions out loud, the two now aiming beside me. Merle drops his weapon, his hands, well, hand and knife in the air. He looks like he just got his ass handed to him though.

" Hey, back the hell up!" Maggie hollers, the redneck trying to get closer.

" Okay, okay honey. Jesus."

" You made it," I mumble.

" Can you tell me, is my brother alive?" he questions. Glenn looks over at me, which I only shake a no to. " Huh?"

" Yeah."

" Hey, you take me to him and I'll call it even on everything that happened in Atlanta. No hard feelings. Huh?" he tries to deal, which I only scoff at. " You like my new weapon? I found myself a medical supply warehouse. Fixed it up myself."

" I'll tell Daryl you're here an' he can come out to meet you," I state, making the man look over to me.

" Hold on. Just hold up. The fact that we found each other is a miracle. Come on, now. You can trust me."

" You trust us. You stay here. And wait for your brother," I state again. He only gives a small, fake smile before pointing his gun at me, barely missing as I crouch down. The window of the car shatters behind. A hand grips my should before a blade is put to my throat, already knowing who it is.

" Let go of her!" Maggie exclaims, seeing me caught.

" Put the guns in the car," Merle orders, the two comply before lifting their hands in defeat. " There you go. No we're gonna go for a little drive. You two sit in the front."

" We're no going back to our camp," Glenn states.

" No, we're going somewhere else. Move Glenn! You're driving! You move too honey!" They slowly move, Merle, opening the door with his free hand, pushing me inside before closing the door quickly, his blade on my neck again. Glenn starts the car, driving us off to who knows where. " This is gonna be fun."