Wake the Dead

It had be days, maybe even a week, since we arrived at the cabin. No one unpacked their bags or even walked around without a weapon, we weren't stupid enough to make the same mistakes we have before. We always had at least two people on watch at a time and even some that circled the perimeter. People tried to sleep and eat as much as they could, especially Lori who now had a visible baby bump.

Rick had barely talked to her, but he did check up on her to make sure she was feeling alright. They would rarely even make eye contact, Rick had enough of her shit and I could tell. Daryl, on the other hand was becoming a better part of the group and he had fully become his own person. I think Merle getting left up on the roof was for the best, besides the fact that it upset Daryl.

I hung out with Glenn and Maggie when Daryl was on watch and I ended up becoming close with them the past week. I had talked to Beth sometimes, but she reminds me too much of Syd and it gets hard to control the depression that wants to creep up on me.

I let out a sigh and continued to stand watch in the front of the cabin. Glenn and Maggie where walking the perimeter and Rick was on look out in the back of the cabin. I had been out here since the break of dawn, letting Daryl get as much sleep as he could because he had taken the watch all night the past few days.

I heard footsteps on my right and saw Rick approaching. "Glenn and Maggie should be coming around now. Why don't you go inside and eat something and they will take over?" He said to me as he looked off in the distance. I followed his gaze and saw Glenn and Maggie coming up the hill to the cabin, hand in hand.

"Alright. I'll bring ya out some." I told Rick, looking back over to him. I walked inside before he could deny. He would always give all his food to Lori so he never really got much to eat. I on the other hand will just completely forget to eat until I'm dizzy and dehydrated. Daryl always gets mad at me for not remembering and constantly annoys me about eating, but somehow I can't seem to get it to stick to my mind.

I let out a sigh and got a plate of some meat and beans that Lori had made. I leaned against the counter as I quickly scarfed it down. I've had so many beans and the same type of meat for so long now that I'm numb to the taste.

After finishing my plate of food I got another one from Lori to take to Rick, it had almost become a routine this past week. I walked outside, saying hi to Glenn on my way over to Rick. I handed him his food and he gave me a nod. There was a lot of meaning inside of his nod and I understood it completely. Rick was my friend, probably a best friend, but it feels weird to put labels on anything anymore. All I know is he needs me and I need him.

I gave him a nod back and then headed over to my room to see if Daryl was up. I pushed open the door and was greeted with his bare back. He jumped and spun around, but relaxed when he saw it was me. I knew he didn't like anyone seeing his scars, let alone him with his shirt off. He turned back around and started to dig through his bag for a new shirt. His shoulder and back muscles flexed and I felt myself let out a shaky breath.

I walked over and ran my hands around his back and hips. He immediately froze and tensed up from my touch on his scars, but he slowly started to relax into me. He stood up straight and turned around so he was facing me. He looked at me and then down to my neck as he lightly ran his fingers on the scars there. I felt my eyes close and my body shiver from his touch.

I felt his fingers disappear so I opened my eyes to be met by his intense blue ones that sent chills down my spine. Someone knocking on the door made me jump and snap out of the trance Daryl put me under. Daryl quickly backed away and put his shirt on. I walked over and opened the door, revealing Glenn. " Hey Fiona, do you mind taking over the perimeter while T-dog and Daryl take over watch?"
"Sure, we'll be out in a sec." I said, then he nodded and closed the door. I walked over to my bag and moved it to the dresser by the door so I could dig inside of it easier. I pulled out my jacket and set it down, then dug around for a sweater. I found a warm one and then pulled off my shirt. I reached over to grab my sweater, but jumped back in shock when the door opened again. "Oh and- shit! Oh my god sorry!" Glenn stumbled out when he saw me and then looked over to Daryl. He quickly shut the door and I was just standing there shocked, why does Glenn always walk in at the wrong times?

Daryl stormed over and grabbed my sweater off the dresser and shoved it in my direction. "Ya want everyone to see ya shirtless!?" He angrily snapped at me.

"What the hell? No." I said confused why he was so mad at me.

"Then cover up." He hissed.

I slid on my sweater and looked over at him. "What's your problem?" I hissed back at him.

"Ya just gave Glenn a close an' personal view." He snapped.

"I didn't know he was gona come back in!"

He looked down at me. "Ya just stood there so he could get a nice look at'cha."

"You're being fucking ridiculous, Daryl." I said, grabbing my jacket, now angry at him.

"At least I don't go around showin off to all the guys around here like a damn whore would." He spit out and then swung open the door, storming off.

I was now just standing there, pissed off as hell and dumbfounded. He just called me a whore? What the hell was his deal? I angrily threw my jacket on and then slammed the door behind me as I left. I walked straight out of the cabin, not even acknowledging Daryl as I passed him. He was being the Daryl that would dick off to everybody the first chance he could get.

I started to walk around the perimeter, next to the tree line, and far enough away so the cabin was small. I was so pissed off at Daryl. He was fine one second, but the next a was just a whore. He was just probably in one of his pissy moods, getting himself worked up about shit.

I sighed and continued to walk, looping around the perimeter so that I was now close to the cabin again, but still a good distance away. The rustle of leaves on the trees next to me, caught my attention. I pulled out my knife and took a slow step forward, cautious not to get taken like last time. I heard the familiar groan of a walker and sighed in relief that it wasn't people.

I walked in the forest and the walker saw me and immediately started to run over. I had a smirk on my face, this dumb ass would never win. I ran, meeting it halfway, and then shoved my knife into its forehead, earning that sickening sound of brains crunching.

I put my foot on it's chest to help me pull my knife out easier. I let out a sigh when I got it out and wiped it off on the walkers shirt. I started to turn around and walk out of the woods, but stopped when I heard that all too familiar sound. I spun around, and there they where; hundreds of starving walkers groaning and moaning at the sight of flesh. "Shit." I mumbled as I turned around and ran out of the forest.

When I got to the clearing of the fields I sprinted over to the cabin and saw that walkers where already coming up the hills towards the back of it. Daryl looked over at me and then noticed the walkers, causing his eyes to widen and him to start shouting things at everybody.

By now I didn't have a clear path to the cabin; I had walkers coming up behind me and from my right, where the cabin was. I was going to have to make a run for it away from the direction of the others, so maybe I could distract some of the walkers from them. I locked eyes with Daryl and he seemed to already know what my plan was. "Fi!" He shouted, trying to run over to me, but was cut off by the walkers coming from behind. I gave him one last look and a reassuring nod, then pulled out my gun and started shooting at the walkers behind me. The ones to my right turned their attention over to me. Good, this is working.

I started to run to my left while I shot, bringing a lot of the walkers away from the cabin. "Come on you filthy bastards!" I screamed at the walkers so they would follow me. Their groans got louder as they all stumbled over each other to get to me.

I stopped shooting at them and focused on running. I ran across the field, distracting tons of walkers. I was faster than them, but they didn't get winded, so I was going to have to find a place to hide soon, and then go back to the cabin.

I made the quick decision to duck into the woods, maybe I could lose a lot of them and find a good tree to climb. I was now dodging trees left and right as I started to breathe heavy and get tired. The moans weren't as loud behind me, so I assumed I either lost some of them or ran fast enough ahead. I looked around quickly and picked a tree that looked good enough to climb and hide in.
I ran over and grabbed onto the branch that looked the most sturdy and started to pull myself and walk up the tree. I climbed up and little higher and then propped myself up on a branch and tried to catch my breath. I was wheezing hard from all the running and my throat was dry.

I was high enough off the ground that no walkers could reach me and hopefully they wouldn't smell me, either. I leaned my head back on the tree and waited for all the walkers to wander by. I couldn't help but think if everyone was safe. I had managed to get over half of the horde to follow me, so they should have been able to take on the little that was left. I also couldn't help but to worry; I had no food, no water, and no shelter if they did leave, but worst of all I would have no group... no Daryl.

I sucked in a breath and shook the thoughts out of my head. I'm sure they are fine and I will be fine too. Everything will be fine...

I sat there for what felt like forever, but in reality was probably more of half an hour. I looked down and all around the tree, seeing that it was clear from the walkers; they had stumbled past the tree in search of me. Dumb asses. I climbed down from the tree and landed on the ground with a soft 'thud'.

I took a deep breath and then headed back the way I came, towards the others. I kept my mind and reflexes on high alert, but nothing came out at me. I walked for a while and noticed it was starting to get later in the day, I didn't realize I had ran so deep into the forest.

I finally saw the trees break and the field appear. My heart skipped a beat and I started to run again, I needed to get back to them.. to Daryl. I was now running up the hill that lead to the cabin, but stopped dead in my tracks when I approached it. My face completely fell and I felt my heart shatter as I looked around. The cars where gone and walkers where roaming around the field and tearing the cabin down. They where gone.

I felt my knees start to shake and the numbness threaten to come back up. Groans next to me caused me to spin around and notice that they where coming towards me. I couldn't stay here, it wasn't safe and it was starting to get dark. I had to go... Alone.