Endure and Survive (Sequel to How We Live Now)

Chapter 9

"Let me go," I said softly.

"Not until you say that you're not going," he said.

I slapped at his arms.

"Daryl! I'm serious! LET ME GO!" I shouted.

He released his hold on me so quickly and I pushed him away from me. I crossed my arms around my torso and tried my hardest not to cry. I took in deep breaths to calm myself down.

"Kari...I'm..." he started.

"Just don't," I exhaled.

I took a few minutes.

"Dammit," I said.

I turned back around and headed to the fence again.

"Hey," Daryl said this time, gently grabbing my arm.

It was still enough to make me flinch. He slowly pulled me toward him.

"I ain't gonna hurt you," he said a little softer.

I moved away from him.

"I don't like being touched like that," I said.

"My bad. I didn't mean to," he said.

"It's not your fault," I said.

I sighed heavily and turned away from him.

"I'm sorry for the way I acted with you earlier. It's just...after everything that's happened...that son of a bitch really screwed me up," I said.

I took off my backpack and laid it next to me. I went ahead and took a seat.

"I'm not gonna go," I said.

Daryl placed his crossbow down next to me and sat as well. We looked up at the sky.

"I get that you want to take him out. But what Hershel said was right. We gotta figure this out together," he said.

"I see that place every time I close my eyes. I see the room he took me to, I see..." I couldn't finish.

I wiped away my tears and cleared my throat. It was then that I noticed Daryl's hand was in a fist.

"Are you okay?" I asked looking over at him.

"I'm good," he said.

"You sure? That looks like a pretty scary fist there," I said.

He quickly relaxed his hand.

"I'm good," he said again.

I needed to lighten the mood. I nudged his arm with my elbow. He looked over at me.

"You know, for what it's worth, I'm really glad you came back," I said.

"I tried to go back to the farm. To see if you were still there...but then...then I thought of what you ask me to do. To promise to keep your family safe and all. So I didn't. Your words kept playing over and over in my head," he said.

"I'm glad you didn't. The farm was overrun," I said.

"How'd you get out of it?" he asked.

"I waited it out. Once there's no food out in the open, they just...move on. I took out the ones that lingered which weren't all that many," I said.

"You're tough as hell. You know that?" he said.

"You're just now realizing this?" I retorted.

He rolled his eyes.

"I appreciate the compliment. See I can take a compliment," I said.

"Whatever," he said.

I chuckled lightly.

"I guess we should go in, huh?" I said.

"I mean, if you aren't gonna go," he said.

I sighed.

"We have to figure out something," I said.

"We will. He'll pay for what he did to you. I know he will," he said.

I grabbed my backpack and stood up. I went over to lock up the fence again then looked out to the field where I could briefly see the walkers roaming around. Daryl stood up and was looking in the same direction.

"How are we gonna take care of this?" I asked.

"Again, we'll figure something out. Now, come on," he said.

"Hey, Daryl," I said.

"Yeah?" he said.

"Thanks for keeping that promise," I said with a half-smile.

"Any time," he said.

I nodded and turned around. The both of us headed back to the cellblock.