In the Sound

“What do you mean?”

“Think ya know what I mean. Don’t be hella dumb,” Daryl said, scoffing.

I shook my head numbly. One second of hesitation and he was already retreating back into his bitterness and his self wallowing. It was such a shield. A thin shield that made my teeth grind. I could feel my cheeks warming with red. Stupid redneck turned me mad like something fierce.

His rage was rising quickly too, “Hell, ya jus’ gon’ sit there or what?”

“Well,” I gulped a lump down my throat. “I’m just- well- a bit shocked ya know.”

Another one of his scoffs. “Thought tha’s what ya wanted.”

What I wanted was my Dad back. For Kit to be safe and sound. What I wanted was to live in a world where I didn’t have rotting bodies trying to claw at my neck. Their dark, beady eyes so trained on the blood coursing through my veins.

Rolling my shoulders back, I lifted my head back and watched the tops of the trees. The sky was littered with spots of prickly leaves. They swayed over a blue hue, threading together and drawing apart with the soft tide of the wind.

I wanted to feel life again.

Feel my heart thumping rapidly in my chest. Feel my fingers wriggle excitedly at anything. To just feel.

My voice was soft, “I guess I feel it too.”

When he didn’t reply, I forced my bulbs on him. They fell over his face, which was tilted down. He dug the toe of his boots into the mud, one and then the other. I’d never seen Daryl so lonely. I slipped my fingers beneath my thighs and heaved myself to my feet. Slowly, I ambled over to him, boots cutting through the grass. I plopped on the log beside him.

Daryl nudged his chin in my direction, just noticing my closeness. Our thighs were touching. Shoulders only centimeters apart. I could hear his shallow breaths, the soft rise and fall of his chest. And I did the most logical thing I could think of doing. Catching my breath in my throat, I slipped my fingers over his hand.

In that moment, his hand was a magnet. I never wanted to take mine away.

His fingers wriggled nervously under my own before he looked up and squinted at me. His eyes were thin and hard, like he was trying to see straight through the back of my head.

A smile flickered over his dried lips. “If ya’d met me back then ya’d hate me. Me and my brother both.”

I nodded, “Probably.” A smirk brimmed on my jaw. “And back then you’d look at me, spit at my feet and call me a ‘no good priss bitch who aint seen nothin’ bad in her life.’” I tried my best with his southern drawl. It was stronger than mine, and harsher.

But Daryl didn’t laugh like I hoped. Didn’t crack a grin. He just stared, with those squinted lids and dirty, sallow cheeks. Just stared at me. Eyes burning with wildfire. My chuckle died down to an awkward hiccup.

“Nah,” his voice was firm. “Would jus’ look at ya, tryna think of somethin’ dumb ass to say. And ya’d jus’ be walkin’ right by me like I aint even there.”

My heart folded in my chest, and I pressed onto him. Our lips wedged together, warm and dry. We squeezed and pulled at each other, and trailed small kisses after every long one. The shadow on his chin scratched at mine, grazing on my skin. Daryl’s thick fingers snaked around the back of my neck. His other kneaded at my hip. My own writhed up around his collar bone, tugging at his flannel collar.

He began awkward pulling me over, until I was forced to slide one knee over. Knees to hips. We were so close now. Chest to chest. Drugged on fast kisses.

Dixon’s fingers both scraped down my back, feeling every ridge on the way. They nestled above my jeans, the tips of his fingers digging in. But before they sank any lower, he was frozen.

We locked up. Bodies completely tight with alert. The sound of cracking branches grew louder. I practically fell off of Daryl, thumbing for my knife. With a wordless groan, he heaved the crossbow into his arms and aimed. The footsteps quickened, and I could hear the drawback of his slick arrow. Our deer was caught. I trained my eyes, expecting to see a walker.

But peeking through the trees at us were two very wide eyes.

Lori Grimes.