Kill or Be Killed

Rick signs heavily, before taking his leave; allowing Daryl and I, to talk. Shaking his head and looking at me in his disbelief, takes a step away from me. Throwing his hands in the air, Daryl yells at me, “Are ya fucking kidding me Rach?”

Running a hand through his hair, he questions, “You came out here, knowing you’re pregnant?!”

“I.. I just didn’t want to be away from you,” I attempt to defend myself, knowing I don’t have a leg to stand on, It was a self move on my behalf.

Staring at me in disbelief, he yells back frustrated, “So ya think it’s alright? Putting you and the fucking baby in danger?!”

I begin to crumble, a mixture of hormones, lack of sleep and disappointment in myself; knowing he is speaking the truth. I can no longer face him,

I can’t take him yelling at me and my emotions take over. I turn my back to him, in shame and begin crying, knowing I have not thought this through. I cover my face with my hands, and cry into them.

“Rach,” Daryl groans, “You know I can’t handle it when ya cry.”

Sighing heavy, Daryl pulls me into his chest, wrapping his arms around me. I mumble an apologise into his chest, which causes him to tighten his hug.

Resting his chin on top of my head, he demands into my hair, “Just make sure ya’ll with me at all times.”

Agreeing with him, I reply sincerely, “I promise. I’m sorry Dar, I honestly don’t know what I was thinking.”

Nibbling on my bottom lip, I look up at him and whisper, “I can’t believe I have fallen pregnant.”

A cheeky smirk plays on Daryl’s lips as he teases, “That tends to happen when you have unprotected sex, babe.”

Winking at me, he continues to tease, “Plus, aint my fault, I can’t keep my hands off you.”

Rolling my eyes at him, I playfully push him lightly on his chest. We both laugh, removing the tension in the room. I take a deep breathe in through my nose, and release it via my mouth. I wipe away any stray tears, with the back of my hand.

Placing a finger under my chin, causing me to look directly at him. Daryl states seriously, “I’m not joking Rach, you need to be at my side, at all times. I can’t lose you and this baby, as well as Merle.”

Nodding my head, I agree, “Understood.”

Licking his lips, he tells me off, “Don’t ever do this again. Don’t do stupid shit like this, tell me next time.”

“I promise,” I exclaim honestly.

Putting his arm around my shoulder, Daryl leads me to the others, who are waiting on us. We all gather around in one of the empty offices, in the abandoned office building. I lean against one of the desks next to Daryl, listening while Glen unveils his plan to us.

He suggests Daryl and I to watch his back from the store’s alley, while Rick and T-Dog cover a second alley two blocks away. Everyone reluctantly nods their head, knowing their job for the retrieval of Rick’s bag.

“Hey kid, whatcha do before this?” Daryl asks Glen curiously.

Shrugging his shoulders, Glen casually replies, “I delivered pizzas.”



I take a nervous deep breath in as I watch Glen make a run for the bag. He sneakily makes sure to avoid the walkers, and not draw their attention. I close my eyes as a wave of nausea washes over me. I try to breath through it, placing my hand on the wall, to help keep my balance.

“Shit, you okay?” Daryl quizzes me worried.

Nodding my head, I mumble softly, “Yeah, I just feel little sick.”

“Is that morning sickness or whatever it’s called?” he questions, standing beside me..

Opening my eyes, I focus on a spot, on the ground. I shrug my shoulders, I mumble, “Might be.”

“Now?” Daryl asks annoyed, looking back over to Glen.

My head snaps up at him. I glare at him, snarling, “Oh I’m sorry, how inconsiderate of me!” Raising my hands up, I continue, “I just had a splendid idea, why not just distract the walkers, by unleashing my morning sickness. Who knows, perhaps they’ll love the taste of vomit!”

Before Daryl can reply to my sarcasm, we hear something coming from further down the alley way. Daryl immediately strings into action, aiming his cross bow at the sound.

“Woah, don’t shoot me! Whata want?” A teenager, dressed like a gangster pleads.

Still aiming his crossbow at the boy, Daryl replies, “Looking for my brother, he’s hurt real bad. You seen him?”

I see the fear on the boy’s face and that he is unarmed. I can’t help but feel sorry for the young boy, so I push myself away from the wall, and ask Daryl to put his crossbow down. He ignores me, continuing to scare the living shit out of this boy.

Then it all begins to unfold, as the boy begins to scream out to someone. Daryl demands he needs to shut up, and answer his question regarding Merle.

I curse loudly as Daryl walks towards the boy, before hitting him in the face, in an attempt to shut him up; to not wishing to draw walkers. He tries to cover the boy’s mouth. Two large guys appear from nowhere, they kick Daryl off the boy.

“Daryl!” I call out, drawing the attention on to me.

They change their plan, now one of the guys turn around to grab me,. I attempt to dodge him, but trip over the uneven concrete, falling back into the brick wall of the building. The guy wearing a blue bandana, hits Daryl repeatedly with his steel bat, that he brought with him.

I quickly climb onto my feet and I put my fists up in defence mode, mentally thanking my father dragged me kicking and screaming to self-defense class when I was 16. The tall man taunts me by laughing, and shakes his head at my attempt to appear tough. When he comes at me, I sucker punch him to the face, with my right fist. He spits out some blood and mumbles, “You fucking little bitch.”

“Rach,” Glen gasps, as he enters the alley.

The guys see Glen and head straight at him saying that he has the bag of guns. They chance after him and smack him to the ground. I react without thinking, quickly moving to try help Glen. I jump on the blue bandana guy’s back, wrapping my arms around his neck, attempting to cut off his air supply. He responses by reversing back into a wall. I let out a small scream of pain, as a let go of him.

The tall guy cries out in agony, i look into his direction to see a crossbow in his butt check. I am suddenly pulled in front of him, being used as a human shield, from Daryl’s crossbow. I scream as he drags me by my hair, I call out for Daryl desperately.

I watch as panic covers Daryl’s face. He holds up the crossbow, sprinting towards the running car but before he can get to the exit of the alley way, I am roughly pushed into the back of the car, along with Glen too.

“Rachael!” I hear Daryl yell out, after the car.

I try to call back to him, but the blue bandana guy threatens, “Shut your pretty little mouth, or I’ll cut your tongue out.”

“Rach, just do what he says,” Glen pleads with me.

I nod my head, not only thinking of my safety, but also my unborn child’s. I look out the back window, helplessly, seeing the walkers surrounding the entrance way to the alley. I also fear for Daryl’s safety.

The the tall guy groans in agony, and yells at the driver and the other guy about having an arrow in his ass. The car speeds around the corners, swerving around the parked and abandoned cars. I grab a hold of Glen’s hand, to reassure us both.

Glen looks at me concerned. I liked my lips and whisper, so only we can hear my lie, “It’s going to be okay.”

“We didn’t get the fucking guns!” The blue bandana guy states frustrated, slamming his hands on the wheel.

“Who gives a fuck about the guns?! I got shot in the ass, by that fucking redneck hill billy!” The tall guy replies.

“You tell that to Guillermo,” the driver smirks.