Life I Left Behind (A Daryl Dixon Story)

Chapter Fifty-Seven

Charlie

I woke up to the sound of voices, drifting up and into the cell from the lower level of the prison. I shifted onto my stomach, propping myself up on my elbows as I strained my ears, hoping to catch some of the conversation. Something had to be going on. It was late, everything dark and shadowy. Too late for so many voices. I nudged Daryl gently.

“Daryl.” I whispered. He groaned a little, rolling over onto his side so his back was facing me. “Daryl, get up.” I reached out and shook his shoulder.

He halfheartedly brushed my hand away. “Go back to sleep, Charlie.” He muttered.

“No, get up. I think there’s something going on.” I said quietly before turning over and adjusting myself so I was in a sitting position with my back pressed against the cold cement wall. The voices had gotten louder. “I think I hear Merle and Rick.” I could’ve picked out Merle’s raspy, southern drawl anywhere. Same with Rick’s own calm, collected tone. Neither of them were really in their right state of mind at the moment, though, which why it made me worried to hear them conversing at all.

Daryl let out a loud sigh, but finally sat up. I could just barely make out his half-dressed figure in the dark, bare chested with his sandy colored hair sticking up in every direction. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “Merle better not be doin’ nothin’ stupid.” He grumbled. He moved to the end of the bed where he slowly got up and began pulling on his jeans and shirt. I pushed the blankets off my legs, standing up and stretching my arms over my head. I felt Daryl’s eyes on me as I started shimmying into my jeans. “I was serious when I said go back to bed.” He commented.

I rolled my eyes. “You were the one that didn’t wanna get up at first. I wanna see what’s going on.” I pulled my shirt over my head before brushing past him on the way out of the door.

He grabbed my arm, gently tugging me back towards him. “You’re stubborn as all hell, girl. You know that?” He said quietly.

“I know.” I smiled, leaning forward to press my lips to his.

There was worry in his eyes, though, when I pulled away. “Just stay close…Don’t know what the hell kinda mood Merle might be in down there.”

I nodded. Daryl brushed his lips over the top of my head, his fingers curled around the back of my neck. Then he was walking past me, leading the way down the stairs to the first floor. The voices got louder as we got closer to the common area. Sounded like more people had woken up and gotten the same idea we had. When Daryl swung open the barred door that led into the shared main room, my eyes flickered among the familiar faces gathered around the chairs and tables. I froze, though, when I caught sight of a familiar head of blonde hair near the door. It was a face I didn’t think I’d ever see again.

“Holy shit.” Daryl muttered from next to me.

“Andrea?” I asked, disbelief coloring my voice. I shook my head as I stepped forward, stopping near Glenn and Maggie.

Andrea gave me a small smile, which was more than she’d ever given me when we had first met at Hershel’s farm. It was only a few months ago, but it felt like a completely different lifetime now.

“How did you find us?” I asked, sinking down into a nearby chair. Andrea and I hadn’t exactly gotten along. I knew without a doubt that she hadn’t been my biggest fan, but I was still relieved to see that she had somehow made it off the farm and was still alive even after all this time.

“Ain’t that a funny story. You wanna tell ‘em or should I?” Merle piped up. He was seated on one of the gray colored chairs, leaning back with his arms crossed over his chest. Andrea shot him a dirty look and Merle just laughed. It was a cold, humorless laugh, though.