Fighter

~218 ~ 3904

Daryl was helping to load up the truck for him and Rick to make the journey to drop Randall off wherever Rick deemed best.

T-Dog came around the truck and handed Daryl a gun. “Only got so many arrows.” T-Dog reminded.

Daryl took the gun, recognizing it. “Is that Dale’s gun?” He checks the cylinder to check how much ammo was inside.

“Yeah.” T-Dog said with a small amount of regret.

Daryl stuffed the gun inside the back waistband of his jeans. “Wish I knew where the hell mine is.” He said, mostly to himself. Daryl looked up to see Rick heading his way.

“Ready?” Rick asked Daryl.

Daryl nodded. “Yeah.” He turned, dropping a water bottle into the bed of the truck and picked up his crossbow.

“I’ll get the package.” T-Dog said. He pat the rail of the truck and turned to go towards the shed.

“Thanks.” Rick said.

Daryl opened the passenger door to the truck and went to hop inside.

“Hey, Daryl?” Rick called.

Daryl paused in his attempt to climb into the truck and looked to Rick.

“You got the chance to talk to Isabell yet?”

“Nah, somethin’ happen?”

Rick sighed and nodded. “Carl took your gun. Thought he could handle a couple walkers.”

Daryl stared at the man for a moment, waiting for him to continue. When Rick didn’t, Daryl spoke again. “Well, did he?”

Rick shook his head. “It was the one that got Dale.”

Daryl nodded.

“Isabell said I could give the gun back to Carl.” Rick added. “Said he may need it some day.”

Daryl nodded again. “Good. She’s right.”

“That’s how it always is? Isabell bein’ right?”

Daryl shrugged. “She was always the smart one. Damn smarter than me. Had an answer for everything.”

“Yeah, I know that now.” Rick joked.

Daryl nodded. “Since we’re with ya, you should probably start listenin’ to her now, too.”

“I have been.” Rick promised. The man’s eyes narrowed as he turned his head, seeing T-Dog headed their way.

“Rick!” T-Dog called. “Daryl!”

“T?”

“We gotta problem.” T-Dog was nearly out of breath when he arrived to the truck. “He’s gone.”

Daryl furrowed his brow. “What do you mean gone?”

“I mean he’s missin’. He ain’t in the shed.”

Daryl tightened the hold on his crossbow and led the way towards the shed to check it out for himself. He opened the door, quickly letting Rick in and then following himself. “Son of a bitch.” Daryl said, realizing T-Dog was right.

When Rick entered, he knelt down in front of the spot where they had Randall sitting.

Daryl exited the shed, knowing his tracking skills would be able to help them in finding the stupid kid. He looked out in a few directions, not really seeing a clear path, but from around the side of the shed. Daryl went off towards it a little.

As the others in the group came out of the house, they all debated on how Randall could have gotten out.

Daryl was still focusing his attention to the tracks.

“Daryl?” Rick called getting the archer’s attention. “Whatchu got?”

Daryl took his crossbow from his shoulder. “Not much. Maybe a trail.” He reloaded his weapon, pulling the arrow back so it was ready to fire.

“Rick!” Shane’s voice boomed through the property.

Daryl looked up from his weapon and the group behind him took steps towards Shane as he came from the treeline.

“What happened?” Lori asked, being part of the group that came from the house.

“He’s armed!” Shane called, taking heavy steps towards the group. “He’s got my gun!”

“Are you okay?” Carl asked, noticing the blood coming from Shane’s face.

Rick immediately got into action, he pointed towards the doctor. “Alright. Hershel, T-Dog, get everybody back in the house. Glenn, Daryl come with us.”

Daryl looked around the group in search of his partner, but he couldn’t find Isabell.

Shane pointed towards T-Dog. “T! Imma need that gun!”

“Just let him go!” Carol begged. “That was the plan, wasn’t it? To just let him go?”

Shane approached T-Dog with his hand held out for the gun.

“The plan was to cut him loose far away from here.” Rick corrected. “Not on our front step with a gun.”

“Don’t go out there, you don’t know what could happen.” Carol said.

Rick looked to the woman. “Get everybody back in the house.” He said, turning back towards his deputy to follow him into the woods.

Daryl followed after Rick, watching Shane closely. It was no surprise that Daryl had absolutely no trust for Shane.

“Lock all the doors and stay put!” Rick ordered the group over his shoulder.

As Daryl passed through the group, he looked around for Isabell. “Hey, anybody seen Izzy?” He looked specifically at Shane to gauge his reaction.

Shane shook his head. “Nah man, I ain’t seen her in a minute.”

Glenn noticed Daryl’s anxiety about the blonde and caught up to him. “I’m sure she’s fine.” He said, comfortingly.

Daryl scoffed. “I know.”

Shane pointed towards his left. “I saw him head up through the trees that way before I blacked out. I’m not sure how long.”

“He couldn’t have gotten far.” Rick reasoned. “He’s hobbled, exhausted.”

“And armed.” Glenn reminded.

“So are we.” Rick countered. He stopped and turned towards Daryl. “Can you track him?”

Daryl shook his head, eyes on the ground as they walked. “Nah, I don’t see nothin’.”

Shane became nervous as his plan began to fall apart right in front of him. “Hey, look, there ain’t no use in tracking him, okay? He went that way.” Shane pointed again. “We need to pair up. We spread out, we just chase him down. That’s it.”

Daryl knew, now especially, that his reasons to doubt Shane and what he was saying were right. The man reeked with anxiety. “Kid weighs a buck-twenty-five soaking wet.” Daryl looked to Shane. “You tryin’ to tell us he got the jump on you?”

“I say a rock pretty much evens those odds, wouldn’t you?” Shane countered.

Daryl scoffed.

Rick got between the two, waving his hand. “Alright, knock it off.” He pointed to Daryl. “You and Glenn start heading up the right flank. Me and Shane’ll take the left.”

Daryl nodded, listening to Rick turning in the right direction.

“Remember.” Rick added, making Daryl and Glenn turn back. “Randall’s not the only threat out there. Keep an eye out for each other.”

!@#$#@!

Isabell hadn’t noticed how dark it was. She still sat against the tree, staring at the picture of her and her daughter. It was amazing, Isabell thought, how she could just think of Harley and be taken away from the world around her. Being in a walker-filled world wasn’t scary when she was in that place.

Isabell sighed, knowing she had to head back soon. She hoped Daryl would be back from dropping Randall off and the two could eat something he may have caught along the way. Isabell hadn’t realized how hungry she was. Normally, there was just a dull ache in her stomach, but it almost felt like pain in her stomach. Thinking about it more, it may not have been her stomach, but her gut. Isabell got up from the ground and packed everything back into the bag. She started to head back towards the farm, collecting from her and Daryl’s other traps that surrounded the property. Isabell wasn’t finding anything, but behind her she could hear sticks cracking on the ground.

Isabell turned quickly at the sound. She remained quiet, unsure if what made the noise was living or dead. Isabell began to move faster through the trees, but the cracking still continued. She quickly turned, thinking she had to change up her direction, but she ran smack into a walker.

“Randall.” Isabell whispered, walking backwards and wishing she had easier access to the knife that was in her boot.

Randall was coming at her and backing her up against a tree.

Isabell’s boot got caught in one of the roots, stopping her from being able to slip herself out of her predicament. A huge wave of panic rose over her as she realized she could hold Randall and get her knife from her boot. Clenching her teeth and holding Randall by his shoulders, so tried to figure another way out from under Randall. That’s when she heard talking.

Daryl’s voice.

Isabell could breathe again. “Daryl!” She shouts. “Daryl, help!”

“Iz?!” Daryl shouts. His voice is followed by leaves and twigs cracking under the steps he took to get to her. Daryl comes upon Isabell being held back by Randall. He grabbed the kid by the back of his shirt and pulled him away.

Isabell was shaking against the tree, wishing she’d stop having so many close calls with walkers.

Daryl quickly tried to shoot at Randall, but Glenn’s hold on the boy wasn’t strong enough. The bold missed and got caught in the tree behind them.

Glenn released his hold, not wanting to be the next victim.

Randall walks towards Daryl and knocks the man down.

Glenn grabbed Randall again, pulling him off of Daryl at the same time that he pushes. This action made Glenn fall back, landing with Randall on top of him. Glenn swallowed his fear, flipping them over. He grabbed his weapon and slammed it into Randall’s head.

Both men get up, standing over Randall for just a moment to be sure that he was dead.

Daryl pat Glenn’s stomach, taking steps towards Isabell. “Nice.” He said. As Daryl approached Isabell, he checked her over. “You okay?”

Isabell quickly freed her foot from the root, stumbling forward and throwing herself onto Daryl. She held him around his neck tightly. “I’m done having near death experiences.” Isabell said into his ear.

Daryl pushed her away, holding her at arm’s length. “How many times have I told ya not to go out on yer own?” he asked. “And with Randall out?”

“I wouldn’t’ve if you’da gotten everything from the old camp.” Isabell said, pulled herself away from Daryl. She moved to pick up the backpack that she’d dropped in the scuffle with Randall. “And I didn’t know he was out. Not until I found him. Dead. Sorta.” Isabell joked, throwing the strap of the bag over her shoulder. She pushed the stray hairs from her ponytail out of her face. “How the hell did he get out?”

“Shane said Randall got past him.” Glenn informed.

Isabell shook her head. “Don’t tell me you believe him.”

“You don’t?”

Isabell scoffed. “I don’t trust him for a second.”

“What about you?” Glenn asked Daryl.

Daryl shrugged, pointing his flashlight towards Randall’s body. “Well, let’s see.” Daryl knelt down next to Randall and moved his head around. “He got his neck broke.”

Isabell looked over at Glen with an ‘I told you so’ look. “Any bites?”

Daryl grabbed the front of Randall’s shirt and rolled him over onto his back, checking him. “He’s got no bites.”

Glenn knelt next to Daryl. “Yeah, none you can see.”

Daryl shook his head. “Nah. I’m tellin’ ya. He died from this.” The man said, pointing to the kid’s neck.

“How’s that possible?”

“I really have no idea why you’re even asking that question.” Isabell said.

Glenn fidgeted in his place, not wanting to take what she implied as the truth. “We don’t know that this was Shane.”

Isabell shrugged. “I think we do.”

Both Daryl and Glenn got to their feet. Daryl moved to pull his arrow from the tree it had landed in. He then started to drag Isabell back towards camp.

Glenn stayed behind, trying to make sense of Shane and Randall. He shook his head in the confusion.

Isabell stopped Daryl and looked back at Glenn. “Come on, Glenn. Ain’t no sense in you gettin’ lost out here next.”

Glenn looked up at Isabell and nodded. He backed away from Randall before turning and following his group members. “Should we say something to them? To the others?”

“I think we give them the facts.” Isabell suggested. “Let them come up with their own assumptions.”

“Iz is right.” Daryl shared. “Some of them people still like Shane for some awful reason. We go in there spoutin’ off somethin’ like this, we’ll be the ones gettin’ kicked out.”

“What if he didn’t do it?” Glenn asked.

“Then we move on. Forget what we thought.” Isabell sent a pointed look towards Glenn. “But that doesn’t seem to be the problem, does it?”

Glenn sighed, unable to give a good answer.

Isabell looked to Daryl. “If Shane did this, I want him gone.”

“Rick’ll make sure of that.” Daryl promised.

Isabell shook her head, knowing Daryl wasn’t understanding what she said. “I don’t mean just kicked out of the group. I mean, dead.”

Daryl looked to her for just a second before he looked back to the ground to watch his steps.

“Any man like that, doesn’t deserve to still be fightin’.”

“Not my call.” Daryl said, quietly.

Isabell bit her lip, nodding. “Sure.”

The sound of a gunshot echoed throughout the trees before Isabell could argue any further.

“Tell me I wasn’t the only one to hear that.” Isabell begged, looking to each man.

“You weren’t.” Glenn confirmed.

Isabell sighed.

“We gotta get back.” Daryl said urgently, his steps speeding up.

“Good idea.”

!@#$#@!

The three walked right through the front door of the white house, looking around at the people gathered around the living room inside.

“Isabell?” Carol asked, noticing her first. “Where were you?”

Daryl interrupted, not giving Isabell the chance to answer. He walked into the center of the room. “Rick and Shane ain’t back?” He asked.

“No.” Lori answered.

“We heard a shot.”

“Maybe they found Randall.”

“We found him.” Daryl corrected.

Maggie stood from her chair. “Is he back in the shed?”

“He’s a walker.” Isabell said. “Or at least he was.”

“Did you find the walker that bit him?” Hershel asked.

“No.” Glenn responded. “Weird thing is…”

Daryl looked to Glenn, wondering what the kid was going to say.

“He wasn’t bit.”

Daryl nodded. “His neck was broke.”

Patricia spoke up. “So he fought back?”

“The thing is, Shane and Randall’s tracks were right on top of each other.”Daryl shared. And Shane ain’t no tracker, so he didn’t come up behind him. They were together.”

Lori approached Daryl. “Will you please get back out there and find Rick and Shane and find out what on Earth is going on?”

Daryl nodded, but looked to Isabell to double check with her. When he received a nod from her, he looked back to Lori. “You got it.” Daryl said, heading for the door.

Lori pat Daryl’s arm before he left her. “Thank you.”

Daryl gave Isabell’s head a quick kiss. “Stay safe.”

“You, too.” Isabell’s eyes followed him out the door. Her eyes landed on Glenn. Isabell asked the boy with a simple look if he would go with Daryl.

Glenn nodded and followed Daryl out, Andrea following shortly after.

Isabell sighed in relief, knowing at least that Daryl wouldn’t be alone. “And now we wait.” She joked.

Hurried steps came from outside and Glenn appeared back in the house. “We have a problem.” He said to Hershel. Everyone followed Glenn outside onto the porch on high alert.

Isabell pushed herself in front of everyone so she could stand next to Daryl. “Shit.” She gasped. In front of them was a large herd of walkers, hundreds of them, all headed in their direction.

Hershel looked behind him and spoke in a whisper. “Patricia, kill the lights.”

“I’ll get the guns.” Andrea said, leaving to complete her task.

“Maybe they're just passing, like the herd on the highway.” Glenn suggested. “Shouldn’t we just go inside?”

“Not unless there’s a tunnel downstairs I don’t know about.” Daryl said to Glenn, glancing by Hershel before his eyes landed on the herd of walkers heading their way. “A herd that size would rip the house down.”

“Well, we have to do something.” Isabell insisted. “We can’t just stand here and wait for them to come and get us.”

Lori rushed from inside the house. “Carl’s gone.” She said in a panic, gaining everyone's attention.

“What?” Daryl asked.

“Of course he is.” Isabell said under her breath.

“He - he was upstairs. I can’t find him anymore.” Lori said.

“Maybe he’s hiding.” Glenn brought forth.

“He’s supposed to be upstairs.” Lori stressed. “I’m not leavin’ without my boy.”

“We’re not. We’re - we’re gonna look again. We’re gonna find him.” Carol promised, knowing that she couldn’t let something happen to Carl like it had to her own daughter. Carol pushed Lori back into the house to search for Carl.

Andrea appeared on the porch with the bag of guns and started to pass them out.

“Oh, my God.” Glenn muttered, brushing a hand over his hat.

Maggie grabbed a couple of shotguns, handing one to Glenn and keeping the other for herself.

Glenn was surprised by her picking up the gun, ready to defend her house.

“You grow up country, you pick up a thing or two.” Maggie explained.

“I got the number.” Daryl said. “It’s no use.”

Isabell nodded, agreeing with him. “There was no way with what little ammo we have. We won’t make a dent in that herd.”

Hershel had a gun himself and was loading it. “You can go if you want.”

“You gonna take ‘em all on?” Daryl questioned.

“We have guns. We have cars.”

T-Dog came up, picking a weapon for himself.

Andrea, still bent down by the bag, prepared herself and looked up to Hershel. “Kill as many as we can, and we’ll use the cars to lead the rest of them off the farm.

Daryl couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Are you serious?”

“This is my farm.” Hershel stressed. “I’ll die here.”

“Alright.” Daryl said. “It’s a good a night as any.” He went to slide himself over the railing with his crossbow firm in his hand.

Isabell grabbed his arm, stopping him. “D.” She chastised, wondering what the hell he was thinking.

“Stay safe.” Daryl said. “Stay with Glenn.” He shot a look back at Glenn.

Glenn nodded to Daryl, quietly saying he’d keep an eye on Isabell.

“You’re joking.” Isabell insisted. “I’m coming with you.”

“Nah.” Daryl said easily. “I’ll be right back. Gotta get my brother’s bike.” He realized Isabell’s hold on him and went over the railing, landing on the grass.

Isabell groaned. “Him and that damn bike.” After the words left her mouth, the barn in the distance burst into flames. “What the hell?” Isabell questioned, shortly realizing that the fire could have been started by Rick and Shane to draw the walkers there. “It’s a distraction. We need to go there. We need to get there now.” She said, knowing with them all being gathered around the barn, the walkers would be easier to take out.

“Okay.” Glenn said. “Let’s get to Maggie’s car.”

Isabell bent down, grabbing a gun of her own. “One second.” She begged, grabbing some ammo. “Go get the car started.” Isabell entered the house. “Carol!” She shouted, heading towards her and Daryl’s claimed corner to grab their other backpack of clothes. The one from the woods with Harley’s picture in it was still secured around her shoulders. “Carol!”

Carol came down the stairs. “What’s wrong?”

“Have you found him?”

“No. Where could he be?”

Isabell shrugged, thinking quickly. “Maybe he’s with Rick and Shane.” She offered. “Do not leave this house until we say, got it?”

Carol nodded.

Isabell left the house quickly at the sound of a horn honking outside. She threw herself into the back seat on the driver’s side and tossed her bags to the floor of the vehicle. Isabell rolled the windows down and pushed herself to sit in the window spot. Her feet were planted firmly on the inside to keep her from sliding around.

Maggie drove the car towards the barn and both Glenn and Isabell began shooting.

Isabell’s body shook almost violently as Maggie drove over the bumpy terrain.

“Keep it steady!” Glenn ordered.

“I’m trying!” Maggie shouted back.

“Circle back!” Isabell yelled at Maggie when they had run out of fence. She watched as T-Dog spun the truck out, getting a bit stuck in the mud. Isabell turned her body to continue shooting at the walkers surround the barn. They kept circling around the fence, firing shots, but it seemed like the walkers were multiplying. Both she and Glenn fell back into the car. “We can’t do this anymore.” Isabell insisted. “We’re not gonna have any ammo left if we even survive. We need another plan.”

Maggie watched T-Dog driving his truck back towards the house, through a crowd of walkers. “Where are they going?” She looked to Glenn. “Should I follow them?”

Glenn looked behind him. There were walkers coming up on them quickly, seeing that forward was the best bet.

“We need to stay together.” Isabell said.

“I agree. Follow them. Swing it around.” He told Maggie, making her do a u-turn.

After Maggie turned, she was forced to a stop as another crowd grew around their vehicle.

Isabell pulled on the button for the window to roll up and Glenn did the same.

“Oh, my God.” Maggie gasped at the sight of the walkers around them, growling and banging on the glass. “I can’t get through.”

Isabell’s heart beat loudly in her chest. All she could think and wonder was if Daryl was okay.

“Head out.” Glenn ordered, surprising both Maggie and Isabell.

“What?” Maggie asked.

Glenn looked to Maggie. “Get off the farm, now.”

“Don’t say that.”

“Maggie it’s lost!” Glenn stressed.

“The others - we can’t leave them.”

“I’m not leaving without Daryl!” Isabell insisted.

A walker banged hard on the windshield, gaining Maggie’s attention. The girl screamed loudly and put the car in reverse. Doing so, got a majority of the walkers off the front of the car so that Maggie could see clearly.

“Get off the farm now!” Glenn shouted.

“No! Stop the car!” Isabell yelled. “I need to get Daryl!”

“No, Izzy! You can’t!”

“You don’t get it! He’s all I have left!” Isabell begged.

Glenn reached over Maggie, locking the door and making it so Isabell couldn’t unlock it herself.

Isabell fumed, pulling hard at the door handle. “Glenn fucking Rhee, I swear to God if you do not open this door right now, I will feed you to a walker in your sleep.”

“Isabell, shut up!” Glenn shouted. His loud tone made Isabell stop pulling at the door. “Daryl said to stay with me! I practically promised him that I’d keep you safe and you need let me until I can keep my promise.”

Isabell’s lower lip shook. She quickly sucked it into her mouth to stop it. She took a deep breath in through her nose and roughly wiped at her face with her hands. Isabell tried to calm herself, pulling most of her hair out of her ponytail as she did. She sat back in the seat, not wanting to comply with Glenn’s forcefulness, but having no choice but to do so.

Glenn glanced back at Isabell. “I’m sorry.” He said, quietly as Maggie drove them off the farm.

“You’ll be worse if he’s dead.” Isabell promised with a mumble.