Back: A Bethyl Survival Story

The Mark of Beauty

The Mark of Beauty

Sitting on the snowy porch, I ready myself to cut fire wood. It's early in the morning, probably around 6:30. I am the only one up. I haven't slept a full night since Beth left. Her fragrance of supple flowers have left my senses, and I only long for it back. As I lace up my left boot, I try hard to remember every detail of her. It's only been a year, but with every passing day, I lose a little bit more of her memory.

I truly only remember her piercing blue eyes. Those beautiful ocean eyes that captivated me since I met her and long since. Those eyes that sing even when she's silent. Those blue eyes that caress yer face, without a single touch. And those blue eyes, that I would never forget.

Walking out back I pick up my axe a swing it high over my head and points into a walker that had fallen at our front gate. I make sure it I frozen, by killing it either way. It's lost it's touch recently. Nature that is. One moment it was peaceful, then it plagued us with these monsters and now it's in tranquility with only an occasional rotting carcass to remind us that life used to be hell.

As I stack a price of wood onto my block, I steady it before I swing my axe down, splitting it clean in two. I quarter it so that they're smaller pieces for our fire. I repeat this excessive and stress reliever for almost 150 more swings. I begin to stack all the wood on the front porch in neat piles that perfect to a neat pyramid.

It's around 7:45 when I head back for the last few pieces. Heading around the corner of the house I see a small figure hunched over in the snow. As I get closer, I see it's a blondish brown curly haired girl. She seems to be crying as she hunkers herself above the snow. Shivering, shaking, crying, and sobbing. I don't know how else to say it, but this small girl looks like a painting I saw in Dr's. house a long time ago.

"Sweetie? Are you okay?" The small girl looks up at me. She seems frightened and I am taken aback. Those tears she cries come from bright blue eyes that burn into my soul. I get down on my knee and stick a hand out. "Yer alright. Are you alone?"

"Lost." Is all she mutters, her speech very broken, almost like when Judy was two or three. By the size of this girl, I'm assuming two, he's much smaller than Judy is.

"Do you know where yer mommy or daddy is?" She shakes her head and starts crying again. Kneeling back on my heels I stand up and look around. Scratching my head, I can't imagine people migrating through this great woods without walkers to push them here. "Sweetie, when's the last time you seen them?"

"This mornin'." I breathe out of relief. If she seem them this morning then they're near by. Her lips are blue now and I'm too worried to care about searching for them. If they're smart, they'll come to the smoke from the fire.

"Alright. Why don't we go inside and wait for them. Okay?" I put a hand out and she slowly stands up. She looks slightly weakened from the cold so I pick her up and carry her to the house. "What's yer name sweetheart?"

"Taylor Grace" She lil girl slurs her name and I can't help but fall in love with it. Taking her inside, I kick my boots off and head into the living room. I snag a fleece blanket off the arm of the chair and take Taylor's boots off and wrap her up tight in the blanket.

As I go to leave, her small hand wraps around my finger.

"You stay?" Her blue eyes call to me and I can't deny her. Sitting on the carpet in front of the couch, she lets go of my finger, but now twirls my hair as she falls asleep.

I too end up falling asleep. Only to be woken up by Judith.

"Daddy? Who's that?" Her sweet voice is quiet as her eyes longer over Taylor, still very much asleep on the couch. I pick Judy up and take her into the kitchen for breakfast.

"That's our new friend Taylor. She'll be staying with us til her parents find her. Okay?" I hand her a bowl of cereal and grab the cow's fresh milk out of the fridge that Tyreese got to work after it being broken for a while.

"Oh. Are her mommy and daddy gonna stay with us?"

"I don't know sweetie." I kiss her head an then put the milk away. She's still so little, but very mature for her age. Bentley rolls outta bed and makes his way to the kitchen with us.

"Mornin' dad. Who's the baby on the couch?"

"That's Taylor. She gonna stay here til her mommy and daddy find her." Judith answers and then hands Bentley the cereal. Who would've thought I would be a single dad with two kids... even if they're not mine technically.

"I see." That's all Bentley says before going into the dining room to eat.

After everyone is up an I explain to then the Taylor situation, we all part ways to do our own things. Judy right now, is keeping an eye on Taylor, who is very shy to everyone else. Bentley has decide to maintain the fire as he reads, like I tell him too. Tyreese goes hours and farms and Carol makes soup for dinner.

"Daryl, we need more fire wood for the barn. Could you cut some?" Carol asks as I pass the kitchen archway.

"Sure."

"How's that lil girl doing anyway?"

"I assume fine. Probably scared cause she don't know anyone. I hope her parents come soon." Carol nods and them dismisses me. As I walk out to the barn, I hear something in the distance.

"Taylor!" The sound echoes throughout the woods and I'm compelled to go find them. As I get farther into the woods, the sound turns feminine and scared.

As I walk further out, the sound becomes like a phantom around me. Familiar, yet different. As I head down into the valley by the spring, I see a female figure, dressed in winter garb, standing with her back to me calling for Taylor.

"I found her!" the woman stops yelling when I make my presence known. I hold my breath when the woman turns around.

Life could not prepare me for the pain and joy I experience seeing her.

Beth.