Eve's POV
Following Daryl to the porch railing, I almost walked into his back before freezing.
"Oh my God..." Andrea breathed on my right.
My mouth dropped open staring at the teams of walkers streaming like tired soldiers out of the far treeline.
We were out there not ten minutes ago, how the Hell did we not even hear a herd that size!?
"Patricia, kill the lights." Hershel stage-whispered at the short blonde woman near the front door and a moment later the lights went out, leaving us in darkness but it's no use, they're still headed this way and even if they're slow, it won't take those walkers long to reach us.
"I'll get the guns," Andrea went back into the house. I nodded as she passed me.
"Maybe they're just passing, like the herd on the highway. Should we just go inside?" Glenn asked from behind me and I turned to glance at him before returning my eyes to the hoards of walkers pouring out of the treeline like ants to fallen food.
"Not unless there's a tunnel downstairs I don't know about. Herd that size will rip the house down." Daryl nodded at the masses.
For now they seem to be wandering aimlessly but unfortunately in the exact direction of the house. The barn is splitting them into two streams from what I can see.
"Carl's gone."
"What?" we all turned to the panicking dark haired woman practically running out of the house.
"He was up stairs I can't find him anywhere." Lori put her hands on her rapid chest.
"Maybe he's hiding." Glenn offered weakly. No if Carl were hiding and heard his mom, he'd come out. Plus why would he be hiding? He doesn't even know about this — as far as we know.
"He's supposed to be upstairs. I'm not leavin' without my boy." Lori refuted, voice rising in pitch as panic began to take hold in her eyes.
"We're not." Carol grabbed her hands, immediately. "We're gonna — we're gonna look again, we're gonna find him."
Oh god. If he's out there...
The others aside from Lori & Carol came back to the porch with the bag of guns and heaved it next to my feet between all of us.
"Maggie," Glenn stared at the girl digging a couple shotguns outta the bag and handed him one.
"You grow up country, you pick up a thing or two." Maggie loaded her weapon.
You are just full of surprises, my dear.
"I got the numbers — it's no use." Daryl dismissed their plan.
"You can go if you want." Hershel loaded his shotgun.
"You gon' take 'em all on?" Daryl asked in disbelief but a strange almost respect-laiden undertone laced his question.
"We have guns, we have cars." Hershel loaded his shotgun.
Cars?! You think cars are gonna be the advantage we need?
"Kill as many as we can. And we'll use the cars to lead the rest of them off the farm." Andrea lined her pockets with ammo from the bag beside my feet.
Unless you've got a tank, we're gonna get battered six ways to Sunday.
We need machine guns with unlimited ammo!
Or you know, a helicopter.
Grenades and holes for them to fall into and get stuck would be nice — oh hey, that's actually not a bad idea.
If we live through this, I'll have to remember that.
"You serious?" Daryl asked again, the same tone as before.
Wait wait, are you actually considering this?
I stared at him in disbelief. Trying to figure out what on Earth is going through his head.
He glanced at me but it was brief and answered no more questions than it spawned.
"This is my farm." Hershel cocked his shotgun. "I'll die here."
Uh, no thanks. I choose to live.
I'm not dyin' for a few acres of dirt. No matter how much this place has grown on me and started to feel like home.
"As good a night as any." Daryl tapped the wood railing before tossing his legs over and jumping down.
Are you serious!? Wha— Let's save the dying for another day, yeah?
I didn't make it this far to only make it this far, thank you very much.
I grabbed another two guns and some ammo out of the bag, and followed my partner — however reluctantly — swinging over the white wood just as he had.
My knees bent a little more than anticipated and I hunched over for a moment.
Ooof— Bad idea. Bad idea!
Ah Hell, why did I just do that!?
Especially not now when we're all about to jump head first into a suicidal endeavour.
I took a couple deep pain-managing breaths before straightening back up just before Daryl glanced back at me. Thank goodness.
Cause if he saw that — I don't even wanna think about being benched at a time like this. I don't think we can afford that even if I need to be.
I checked the clips on all three of my pieces, before tossing one to Randall who came down the porch like a smart man.
He caught it more easily than I expected but then again, he was a pretty good shot with that rifle at the bar.
I figured there must've been a reason the kid had it. Let's hope he's as good a shot as I remember. Cause we're gonna need it.
"Eve, Hershel protect the house." Daryl called and I didn't argue. I know I'm in no condition to go out there, sometimes stealth killer has to play stationary. "The rest a you double up and let's move."
Everyone split like a professional team, knowing exactly where to go, with who, and what to do.
Randall and Jimmy took the RV. Maggie and Glenn the green Sudan. T-Dog and Andrea the blue truck. Lori and Carol, plus Beth and Patricia are running around inside the house, so Hershel and I headed to the side, where the spearhead of the walkers is gonna hit any minute now.
I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I really hope your lord is up there Hershel. Cause we're gonna need his help on this if any of us are gonna make it through the night.
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Srry it's a little bit short this time but I need to tell you all, I'm not doing so hot these days.
This recent move has been rlly rough and stressful to the point of heartache for me, so for the forseeable future, there will no longer be a minimum word count for chapters. Some of them could be rlly short. I might even miss updates on occasion, even if I rlly don't want to.
I need to put my health first for awhile and unfortunately, that could even mean I may have to put a pin in this story for a few months until I'm well enough to continue.
I rlly didn't want to be one of those authors who leaves a story hanging and I intend not to be, but I have to confess... if I do need to take a hiatus, in the unlikely event I am never able to return, I will still publish all of my prepared material (everything I've written beyond already published chps); as well as an "ending" detailing everything I planned, the plot, how I intended to finish it. Possibly even Eve's bio and all my notes.
If a hiatus is taken, it shouldn't last for more than a few months. 8 tops before I either return, or publish the ending.
This will not take effect immediately. You can still expect chapters from here forward, every Monday as usual, until/unless there's an A/n note officially giving notice of the break.
I'm really sorry, and I hope you can forgive me. I didn't want this, but it's what I need to do. I hope you understand.