Surviving The New World (Book Six in the Surviving The Walking Dead Series)

Unexpected Company

We sat around the fire, eating our dinner in silence. Off in the distance, Justin was giving Rick shit about Daryl, but Daryl and I ignored him. "Ya alright?" I softly asked.

"Mmm," Daryl grunted his signature grunt, which could either mean yeah, no, whatever, or piss off.

"How's your hand?"

"Fine." The space between us fell silent.

"Did I do somethin' wrong?"

"Nah, just wanna go home, is all."

"Daryl, ya can go home, I'm fine stayin' here for the night."

"Mmm," Daryl grunted a grunt which I instantly knew it meant piss off.

"Daryl, I'll be fine."

"What if ya ain't? What if ya freeze?"

"Did Alden talk to ya?"

"Yeah, he asked me to talk to ya since he's busy with Enid."

"Aww," I smiled.

"What the fuck, Michaela?" Daryl grumbled. "Ya just talk to everyone but me, or somethin'?"

"I'm sorry that we were too busy hackin' off Aaron's arm to chit chat, Daryl, but I wasn't hidin' it from ya."

"Not much help, huh?" Daryl scoffed. "When were ya gonna tell me?"

"When everythin' fuckin' settled, Mike Tyson!"

"Oh, don't give me that shit! He fuckin' deserved it!"

"I'm not sayin' he didn't! But don't come at me with my fuckin' problems when your hands are just as fuckin' dirty!"

"What's goin' on here?" Rick asked as he approached us.

"Ain't a fuckin' thing goin' on," Daryl grumbled.

"Michaela?"

"Ya wanna know what's goin' on?" I asked as I rose to my feet. "Okay, but let me tell Daryl, too, since he's tired of me not talkin' to 'em about anythin'. I'M MARRIED TO A FUCKIN' SELF-CONSCIOUS ASSHOLE!"

"WHAT DID YA CALL ME?" Daryl snapped, quickly rising to his feet.

"YA HEARD ME, DIXON! YOU'RE A SELF-CONSIOUS, ALWAYS-JUMPIN'-TO-CONCLUSIONS, BOSSY, ARROGANT ASSHOLE!"

"BETTER AN ASSHOLE THAN THE SLUTTY PSYCHOPATH!" The camp let out a loud gasp as I tossed my bowl of leftover gazpacho in Daryl's face.

"Okay, I think we need a break." Rick butted in as he quickly stood between Daryl and I. "Daryl, go get yourself cleaned up. Michaela, a word?"

"No, I apparently spend too much time talkin' to everyone but Daryl." I grumbled as I sat my bowl down on the log seat. "If ya don't mind, Rick, I think I'd rather just start my shift early."

"But ya don't gotta start until midnight."

"Looks like I'm pickin' up a double." Without another word, I stormed off towards my post on the edge of camp, grabbing my pack on the way. "You, beat it." I called out as I approached Beatrice.

"What?" Beatrice asked with confusion.

"I'm takin' your shift, go back to camp, eat, and get some sleep."

"Are we trading?"

"No, I'm pullin' a double."

"But you've been up since this morning."

"I'll be fine."

"Are you alright?" Beatrice asked with concern.

"As right as a fuckin' Georgia peach." I let out a frustrated sigh. "Sorry, I don't mean to take it out on ya, B. I'm just in a bad mood and workin' will hopefully keep my mind off it all."