From the Shadows

In the morning, Teagan woke up just after the sun started to rise. She used the restroom, then started to head out the door when she ran into Hershel.

​​“How're you feeling? You're up early, as usual.” His voice was soothing.

​​“Feeling fine. Going out later to get some food.” Teagan saw the concern flood Hershel's eyes, and reconciled his fears. “Daryl will be with me. No need to worry. I feel fine, honest.” Hershel's face relaxed a little bit as he fidgeted with his coffee. Teagan was about to slip out the door when her curiosities got the better of her.

​​“So, Hershel? Do you know where Randall is being held?”

​​Hershel abruptly stopped his project, and almost glared at her. “I don't advise you see him. If other members of your group are correct, he's dangerous.”

​​“I just want to talk to him. See what he looks like. I'll be okay, promise.” It was true, she did want to see him. She was the only one in the group who hadn't seen his face. She wanted to put an identity to the fate she was deciding. Hershel wrung his hands nervously, but answered her question.

​​“He's being held in the barn. Please be careful.”

​​“I will. Thanks.” She trotted off the the barn, making sure not to wake anyone. Even Daryl seemed to still be sleeping. She approached the barn, double checking that she had enough defense. She slowly opened the barn door and saw a seemingly contorted, hooded figure on the ground. Randall shot his head up, his voice cracked as if he was crying.

​​“P-please sir, I told ya all I know. Please d-d-don't hit me. I said everything. I-” Teagan cut him off by pulling the hood from his head. His face was bruised and swollen. Blood had congealed under his noise and around his mouth. Teagan grimaced at Randall's fate. Who did this?

​​“I'm no 'sir', and I'm not going to hit you.” She threw his hood on the ground, and saw his hands were tied. She knelt down a safe distance from him. Randall almost looked relieved to see her.
​She started off with easy, mundane questions. She wanted him to trust her.

​​“What's your name?” Her voice was soft but controlled.

​​“R-randall. Yours?” He shifted his body into a more comfortable position, at least as comfortable as you'd get tied to a post.

​​“Teagan.”

​​“Never heard that name before.”

​​Teagan ignored the commentary and jumped to the next question. “Where's your group?”

​​“I told the guy 'fore you I don't know. Please, I just-”

​​“I am not him. Where is your group?”

​​“I d-don't know. They could be anywhere. They move around a lot, nowhere safe no more.”

​​“How many?”

​​“We got women and kids just like you guys. Please.”

​​Teagan was getting annoyed, and quickly grew stern. “Look, these questions need answers. From the look of it, you're a lot safer with me than whoever did this to you. Answer the questions.”

​​Randall started to tear up out of fear. He didn't know what answers they wanted to hear. He didn't know if they wanted to make friends or enemies. He feared for his life.

​​“Okay, okay. There's about thirty of us. Not sure how many after...” he swallowed hard. “They got weapons, big gun and stuff. They don't want to fight er nothin'. Please.”

​​“How has your group acted with other groups? Besides what I saw the other day. Doesn't make them look too good.”

​​Randall proceeded to talk about how they once encountered a father and his two daughters. He went on explaining how his group brutally ravaged the girls while their father watched and left them to die. Teagan grew sick to her stomach and clenched the knife in her hands. She would never excuse that behavior. Ever. She's killed over it. Randall saw her negative reaction and tried to separate himself from the monstrosity.

​​“B-but I didn't join 'em. I never did none of that. I ain't like them.” Teagan stood up thoroughly infuriated. Randall started blubbering for her to spare his life.

​​In the meantime, Daryl woke up. The camp was still quiet. He stretched and gathered his things. He walked over to the farmhouse to go wake Teagan up so they could go hunting. He carefully and quietly walked inside so as to not disturb Hershel and his resting family. He snuck down the hallway with Teagan's room and knocked on the door softly.

​​“Teagan?” KNOCK KNOCK. “Teagan...?” She must be dead asleep...

​​Hershel peeked his head around the corner. “She isn't in there.”

​​“Where is she? 'Sposed ta go huntin'.”

​​“Last I talked to her, she was headed towards the barn.” The look on Herhsel's face answered Daryl's next question. He asked it to himself anyway. Why the hell she in there? He stormed out of the farmhouse and tromped towards the barn. It wasn't safe in there. He didn't want her in there. That Randall kid could not be trusted. He approached the door and swung it open. Inside, he saw a crying Randall, and Teagan sitting down near him. She turned around expecting someone else, but was a bit relieved to see it was Daryl, until she saw his raw knuckles with dried blood on them. Randall saw Daryl and began a full-on panic. He kicked and screamed and pleaded for his life. Teagan put the pieces together and stormed out of the barn, shoving past Daryl. Daryl replaced the hood on Randall's face and followed her. Teagan had kept walking, not even once looking back. Daryl closed the barn door and jogged behind her trying to catch up.

​​“Where the hell ya think yer goin'?” Daryl's voice was heavy and thick.

​​“Away from here!” Teagan refused to slow down her pace.

​​“Why the hell were ya in there?” Daryl caught up to her, walked by her side at her pace. She kept looking straight ahead, avoiding his eyes.

​​“Stop ignorin' me an' answer me, damnit!” He swiveled in front of her and grabbed her shoulders, looking her dead in the face.

​​“Don't touch me!” She tried to shove his hands away, but failed.

​​“Jus' tell me why you were in there.” His voice was slightly softer, but Teagan paid no heed.

​​“Why does it fucking matter? I'm not a child!” Teagan's voice was viscous and full of thorns.

​​“”Cause it's not safe in there, that's why!” Daryl's voice grew angry again.

​​“Who says? The boy is tied up and blindfolded! He isn't a threat.”

​​“I was talkin' to him. He is dangerous.”

​​“Oh, so now we're calling beating the living shit out of someone 'talking'?” Teagan intended to jab Daryl's violence back at him with her words. She was disgusted by his actions. She tried to storm away again, but Daryl caught her.

​​“Look, I was talkin' to him. Actually talkin'. The shit him 'n' his group have done...” Daryl tried to sound reasonable and sincere. He wanted to protect her.

​​“I know. He told me. And he said it without me beating him bloody.” She yanked away from his grip successfully.

​​“You know?” Daryl's eyes grew wide, his voice resoftened. He didn't even want her to have to hear about such violence.

​​“Yes. He told me a lot of shit, including that.”

​​“And?” Daryl didn't have a better response. There was no coy way of asking how she felt about it.

​​“What do you mean 'and'? Do you really need my opinion on that?” Daryl could sense she was offended.

​​“I just...” He stuttered and paused. He drew back into a little boy who didn't know what to say.

​​“Just what Daryl? What's your fucking problem?” Daryl didn't answer and stayed staring at the ground. Teagan scoffed and began to walk away. The moment she pivoted to leave, he answered in the softest voice she ever heard him have.

​​“I don't want that happenin' to ya.” Teagan stopped and slowly turned around. His eyes were on her, soft and round. His face was flushed with concern.

​​“I'd hate to think we let 'im live and that happen to ya. I couldn't live with mahself.” Daryl continued. He instantly felt ashamed for showing a weakness, and internally kicked himself, but everything he said was true. Teagan sighed softly and relaxed her shoulders. She didn't forgive him for beating Randall, but she now knew why he did it. She approached him, and as she got closer, his eyes fell to the ground.

​​“You still want to go hunting?” Teagan tried to reconcile and change the subject. Talking about what happened and what was said would make both of them uncomfortable, and nothing would change. Daryl looked up at her, grunted and nodded.

​​Most of the trip was silent. Neither of them knew what to say, and they had to keep quiet for fear of attracting walker attention or scaring off wild game. After they killed a few squirrels, they came across a small pond. The water was fairly shallow and crystal clear. The forest reflected perfectly off the water's surface, like glass. Daryl and Teagan wordlessly and simultaneously took a break. This day was hotter than usual. Teagan sat on a rock and played with the water, sending ripples into the perfect mirror. Neither were particularly chatty, but Daryl broke the silence.

​​“What'd ya do 'fore all this?”

​​“I was an EMT for almost seven years. You?”

​​Daryl felt silly for the question. He already knew her occupation. Seven years? Hold old is she?

​​​​“Was a mechanic. Usually jus' odds 'n' ends stuff though.” They both fell quiet for awhile.

​​“How old're you anyway?”

​​“If my calendar is right, I turned twenty-four a few weeks ago. You?”

​​Daryl did some mental math in his head and drew a confused look on his face. He unintentionally ignored her question to ask his own.

​​“How ya twenty-four but worked for seven years? Started at 17? They let people that young save lives?”

​​“Hey, I asked you my question first.” A smile broke out on her face. She was feeling uncharacteristically playful.

​​Daryl grunted and smirked. “Fine. Twenty-nine.” She didn't have a response, so Daryl spoke again.

​​“What 'bout mah question?”

​​“Which?” Teagan knew which one he meant, but she hoped if she skated around it long enough, he'd either forget or stop caring.

​​“Yer work. How'd ya start so young? Weren't ya in high school? I know ya gotta do school fer paramedic work.” Daryl pressed on. He was curious, but not trying to be invasive. He couldn't fathom how his question could be considered personal. I knew she was smart.

​​“Just got lucky I guess.” The answer wasn't hard, but somewhat extensive and would open up for more questions; questions she did not want to answer.

​​“Aw, come on now, stop holdin' out on me.”

​​Teagan could sense the innocence of the question, took a big sigh and bluntly answered. “Graduated early, moved to a new town and I needed a job. I took classes while I was still in school to save time. Did well, got the job.”

​​“Moved? With yer family?”

​​“No. On my own. My boss couldn't legally hire me, but I knew my stuff. He hired me sort of 'under the table'. Couldn't give me legal checks, so he just paid for room and board for me, all expenses included.”

​​“Damn, that's nice. Why'd ya move?” Daryl felt himself getting to personal, but her story simply fascinated him. He was born and stuck in Georgia his whole life, never really amounting to anything. She seemed so smart and so accomplished.

​​“I, uh.. just.. had to do something different I guess.” He voice was slightly shaken and quiet. She dropped eye contact. Daryl sensed the awkwardness and coughed.

​​“We should head back or sumthin'. 'Fore it gets dark.” Teagan nodded, grabbed her weapons and stood up. They walked back in silence, just as they walked in. They caught a few more squirrels.
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