From the Shadows

Teagan decided to go looking for something to simulate a cross. She dug through a pile of scrap slabs of metal and wood. She found two small, thin planks of wood. She searched some more for a stray nail or screw. She found a rusted, slightly bent nail. She put the nail and planks of wood securely in her hand. Teagan turned a corner too fast and slammed into Daryl. She heard him breathing heavily, trying to catch his breath.

“Are you okay?” Teagan was confused.

Daryl coughed and relaxed his stance. He tried to play off the fact he was sprinting, looking for her. “Uh, yeah. Where'd ya go?”

Teagan held out the supplies in front of her. “I need a hammer.” Her voice was childlike.

Daryl smiled, amused at her tone. “I'm sure there's one 'round here somewhere. I'll help ya find one.”

After a few minutes of searching, they found a partially broken hammer. Together, they made a cross. Without another exchange of words, Teagan grabbed the cross and jogged back to the grave. Daryl rolled his eyes and followed. She knelt on the ground and scooped several handfuls of dirt creating a small hole. She stood up, dusted her hands on her pants and grabbed the cross. She gently slid the cross into the dirt. She took a step back, realized the cross was crooked, and fixed it.

“Look okay?” She turned to Daryl for approval.

“Looks fine ta me.”

Teagan and Daryl stood at the grave in silence for several minutes. Daryl saw Teagan's previously determined face quickly fade into sadness.

He coughed. “Maybe we should head back inside.”

“Yeah...”

Daryl could hear the hesitation in her voice. “It'll be alright. 'Sides, we need ta get some food in you.”

“And what about you?” A slight smile spread across her face.

“I ain't worried about me.”

Teagan's face contorted into concern. “Shouldn't worry yourself with me, either.”

“Gotta worry 'bout somethin' to keep me on track.”

The two exchanged blushed smiles and went inside.

The prison was eerily quiet. Carol was cleaning up the table. She looked up at Daryl and Teagan. “Missed dinner.”

“Sorry...” Teagan wasn't sure what else to say.

“No worries. Saved you both some food. Not much, though. We'll need to go out soon and get more.” She paused and looked directly at Teagan. “Feeling alright?”

“Y-yeah. Just fine.”

Teagan headed towards her room.

“Ya gonna eat?” Daryl was already sitting at the table, stuffing his face with food.

“Yeah. Just need to grab some things. I'll eat after.”

Daryl had finished eating, and Teagan still hadn't returned. He walked to her cell.

“What're you up to now?” Daryl's voice was low and sprinkled with frustration.

Teagan turned to look at Daryl. “Don't worry. I'm not running away.” She tried to lighten the mood, but melancholy stuck to the walls like glue.

“Then what are you doing?”

“Going on watch.”

Daryl could see through her lies. “Nah. Merle's on watch tonight. Ain't your turn yet.”

Teagan sighed heavily and awkwardly ran a hand through her hair. “I can't sleep here.”

“What do ya mean? It's safe an' all.”

“Not with Rick and Carl just down the hall. I don't know. I just.. can't.”

“If you weren't sleepin' here, where did ya plan on sleepin'? Outside? Ain't safe.”

Teagan shrugged. “Wasn't going to be in the open... was just going to sneak into one of the guard towers.”

“No need. I got plenty of room.”

“What?” Teagan heard his request clearly, but couldn't believe he offered. A second time.

“You can sleep in my room.... Ya know... only if ya want.”

“You sure?”

Daryl chuckled nervously. “Yeah, sure. Ya know, as long as ya don't leave this time.”

Teagan smiled. “I won't be leaving again.”

Daryl nodded. “Come on.”

Teagan followed Daryl up the stairs into his room. There was a lot more room in his room than any of the cells in the block; even the bed was wider.

“What do you think they'll say?” She laughed at her own silly comment.

“Not much more than last time. What side ya want?”

Teagan shrugged. “Up to you. It's your bed.”

“I got the outside. In case I gotta piss.”

Teagan smiled at herself. Charming. She sat on the end of the bed and started untying her shoes.

“So, you take yer boots off now?”

“Hush.” She smiled gently and took her boots off, gently placing them in the corner of the room.

Daryl smiled. “Alright alright.”

Teagan crawled to the side of the bed against the wall. She faced the wall, and laid her head on the pillow and closed her eyes. Even in the dark, Daryl could see every muscle in her back and shoulders relax. Daryl roughly plopped himself on the bed, lying on his back. Invasive thoughts started to creep into Teagan's head. Daryl could feel her tense up again.

“Everything alright?” His voice was always gruff.

Teagan took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Can I ask you something?”

Daryl rolled over to face Teagan, propping himself on his elbow. “Yeah, sure.”

Teagan rolled over on her other side to face Daryl. She had a hard time looking in his eyes. “What happened to your mother?” There was a long silence. “I'm sorry. You don't have to answer.”

Daryl's voice was quiet. “Came home one day... fire department was in front of my house. Tried goin' in but... they wouldn't let me. She always went to bed smokin'. I always hoped it wouldn't be the thing that took her.”

“I am so sorry.” Teagan always had a feeling Daryl's mother's passing was tragic, but she still didn't know what to say.

Daryl shrugged, stretched and groaned. “She didn't have to deal with my ol' man no more... Didn't have to deal with all this neither.”

“That's one way to look at it.”

Daryl looked back at Teagan. Months ago, he would have never been comfortable enough to sit and talk about his past. He has strangely intrigued by her, and wanted to learn about her. What made her this way? Somethin' bad always happens to make someone that tough. Daryl coughed. “Can I ask you somethin?”

Teagan had an inclination to his question, but proceeded anyway. “It's only fair.”

“Wha' happened to yours?”

Teagan squirmed a little bit. “She died before all this, too. I was twelve... came home on the last day of school and found her.” She looked at Daryl. She could read in his eyes he wanted more detail, and she knew he would be too awkward and polite to keep pressing her. She kept talking. “She, uh... got fed-up I guess. She simply had enough; got off the boat early.”

“Sorry.”

Teagan felt compelled to keep talking. What is with this boy and making me want to talk? “I keep having nightmares about finding her, you know?” She couldn't bring herself to describe the gritty details. “I hated guns for the longest time. Hated blood, too.” She had a nervous chuckle. “And white kitchen walls and floors and counter tops; stains like no other.” Her voice got sad again. She sighed. “She got away, though. Took me a lot longer to figure out how to do that.”

“You did though, right?” There was concern in Daryl's eyes. He knew she did get out, she had to have. He just needed to hear her speak of her own triumph.

“Yeah. Four years later... Just left a little differently.”

“Glad you chose that way... whichever way that was.” Teagan nodded and sighed softly. After a few moments of silence, Daryl spoke again. His voice was quiet.

“You asleep?”

“Nah.”

“Tired at all?”

“I'm mentally exhausted and physically aching. Too much on my mind to sleep, though.”

Daryl grunted in response. “You remember that song you was singin' the other night?”

“Yeah. What about it?”

“Can you sing it now?” His voice sounded nervous. Teagan could barely see Daryl biting his lip with nervousness.

“Aren't you trying to sleep?”

Daryl shrugged. “Not tired.”

Teagan chuckled. “No singing. Not now.”

“Why not?” Daryl sounded disappointed.

“I promised I'd sing to you if we made it out of this alive. We're not out yet, not quite. Still have an enemy coming our way and plenty of other troubles.”

“I always sleep better with some music.” Daryl sounded like a bargaining child.

Teagan partially sat up and leaned her weight on her elbow. “I can sing you a different one.” Daryl made a face, hoping for the one he wanted. Teagan's voice became playful. “Okay. Fine. No song at all. Goodnight!” She was smiling.

“Wait... sing it.”

“You sure? I don't want you disappointed.”

“Nah. Sing.”

Teagan coughed and began singing in a low, hushed tone.

Sing me to sleep, sing me to sleep
I'm tired and I want to go to bed

Sing me to sleep, sing me to sleep
And then leave me alone
Don't try to wake me in the morning
'Cause I will be gone
Don't feel bad for me
I want you to know
Deep in the cell of my heart
I will feel so glad to go

Sing me to sleep, sing me to sleep
I don't want to wake up
On my own anymore

Sing to me
Sing to me
I don't want to wake up
On my own anymore

Don't feel bad for me
I want you to know
Deep in the cell of my heart
I really want to go

There is another world
There is a better world
Well, there must be
Well, there must be
Well, there must be
Well, there must be

Halfway through the song, Daryl was asleep. She kept singing until nearly the end of the song. She began to feel tired, and incessant yawns made it impossible to sing anymore. She closed her eyes, and felt Daryl shift his sleeping body closer to hers. They faced each other and were inches apart. She could hear his heavy, slow breathing, which soothed her. She wanted to reach out and touch his face and stroke his hair, but kept her arms and hands glued to her own body. She didn't want to startle him, or weird him out. She didn't want this to become awkward after having had such a decent experience. She instead cherished the moment and blanketed herself with the joy. What are you doing to me, boy? Within a few minutes, both Teagan and Daryl were asleep.