Living Among the Dead: Day 118
A brown haired guy slowly walked behind a car, peeking to a pack of Goners. He sighed as he tightly held his knife. A mini store is just 3 feet away from him, but he can’t go any near, since the pack is roaming around the store.
It’s been almost 4 months, since the patient zero has infected patient one, until all of the human race is about to end.
He decided to enter the car and start it, to attract the attention of the Goners. As the car starts to make sound, he ran and hide behind a near car. The Goners starts to attack the car and making unpleasant noise.
He maked a signal, ran around the store and opened the back door.
The brown haired guy walked out the store, and a red haired guy followed him while eating a bag of chips.
“Why don’t we go to Maryland?” The brown haired guy paused and raised his eyebrow.
“And where did you get that idea from, Daryl?” Daryl handed a note to the brown haired guy. And he read the note.
If you survive, go to Maryland.
“Hey! What are you doing?!” Daryl tried to stop the brown haired guy from tearing the paper. But the pieces of papers immediately flew away.
“What is wrong with you Rick?!” Rick just shrugged and start to walk.
“We can’t find enough food for a week, we’re low in ammo, and Washington is dead, full of rotting Goners!” Rick stopped and look back.
“And we can’t take the risk to go there. Do you know how far Maryland is?! We’re in the god damn Washington, it’s 2,220 miles from here!”
“We can look for a car and scavenge enough gas. We need to try Rick.” Rick pause for a while and stared at Daryl.
“Okay, fine. But you’re the one, who’s going to that.” He returned to the store and sleep down the counter.
Rick woke up soaking in cold sweat and holding dearly his MP5 gun. Trembling in fear, as he recall his nightmare. Daryl died, as he shoot himself.
He directly point his gun to the back door as he heard a sound, a tiredly soaking in blood Daryl came in. He jumped and ran to him, checking for bite marks or wounds.
“I’m fine. Just tired.” Rick helped him to seat in the counter. He ripped his clothes that made Daryl yelp.
“Don’t be a baby, I already saw everything back in the camp.”
“I was jus-just startled.”
Rick looked every inch of pale white Daryl’s body to look for a wound or scratch. He then get a bottled water and damped a cloth, when Daryl stopped him.
“Why are you wasting the wat-“
“Could you just shut up?” Rick starts to clean the blood stain in Daryl’s body.
Daryl couldn’t stop staring at Rick. He never did this to him, even back in the military camp. He would just stay away from him, to avoid getting stained. Then he felt a sensation in his stomach.
“What are you staring at? You being gay to me?” Rick smirk and throw a new shirt.
“How many bullets left?” Rick opened a can of sardines and started to eat.
“I used 20 bullets, so maybe around 20. And you have 24, plus the remaining bullets you have in your gun.”
“Damn it. Maryland better pays.” He gave the remaining sardines to Daryl and stood up.
“Eat, then sleep. We go when the sun rises.”
Cold breeze and fresh air flashed to their skin, as they pass by the landfields. After a long time, they felt peace. They would exchange anything, just for a day like this.
“It’s nice, right?” Rick looked at Daryl, he smiled and nodded.
They stopped when they saw a man and woman, waving at them. They looked at each other.
They slowly get out of the car, and approached them.
“We have food and water, but we run out of gas. We could exchange food and water for gas.” The woman smiled warmly.
“Yeah, we can enjoy the food together. My wife’s a good cook.” The man stepped forward.
Daryl seemed to be pleased, excited for new people. While Rick, is cautious, analyzing if they should be trusted.
“No thanks, we have eno-“
“What are you saying? We don’t have food for tomorrow, there’s only 2 cans left.” Daryl pulls the hem of the shirt of Rick.
“You don’t trust anyone, besides me.”
“And that keep us safe.” Rick look at Daryl sternly.
“We’re good. Thanks for asking.” Rick’s about to turn around when he saw a M16 rifle in the woman’s back.
“But weren’t asking.” Then the man started to shoot.
Rick immediately pushed Daryl, but a bullet shot Daryl in the shoulder. He pulled him behind the hays.
He pulled Daryl’s mini uzi gun and started shooting them. They shouted in pain and starts to crawl.
He checked Daryl. Seing he passsed out, he cursed.
They started to shoot again, he peeked and saw that they’re crawling back.
Then they shoot again, he analyzed that they have 30 rounds of bullets. They got at least more than half of the bullets.
He lifted his gun and shot 2 times, they backfire. He repeated it, and exactly as he thought, they reloaded.
He smirked and stood up, aiming at them. Looked at them, and mercilessly shoot them multiple of times.
He returned to Daryl, sat him besides him and tried to wake him up. Fear, pain and anger start to overflow. Tears slowly fall on his face, till they flood and blur his eyes.
“Daryl, wake up! Come on, man!” He wiped his tears, but silence answered him. He put his ear to his mouth, to see if he’s still breathing.
“I-I’m fine…” Daryl whispered. Rick gasped and tightly hugged Daryl. Thinking how painful it is to lose him.
They stood up, and approached the van. Rick left Daryl few feet away, and check if there’s still someone in the van. Nothing to see, he comes back to Daryl and helped him lean on the van.
“I’ll be back. I’ll just get our things, then fix you.” Daryl nodded.
He immediately took their bags, with their few canned goods and ammo.
As Rick walked back, he heard a child babbles. He slowly and cautiously approached the van, aiming his gun and ready to shoot.
Then he saw Daryl holding a year old baby. He furrowed his eyebrows in curiousity. Daryl look back at him with a smile and excitement.
“Where did you get that thing?” He walked pass them and checked the van.
“First of all, it’s not a thing. It’s a baby, a baby boy. And I saw him inside the van.” Rick paused and looked at Daryl. He rolled his eyes, as he saw guilt in Daryl’s eyes.
“I don’t feel guilty for killing them. They shoot us first, they shot you.” He look inside the van, and saw a box of food supply, water bottles, and baby formula and bottles. He smiled and looked back, he saw Daryl playing with the baby, he frowned.
“Drop that thing, and let’s go!” Daryl looked at him dead shock.
“You didn’t just said that.” Rick scoffed.
“I just did, and I’m not telling it again.”
“Why not?! They shot you, Daryl. They almost killed us!” He angrily punched the van, that cause the baby to cry.
“For Christ’s sake! I hate baby noise, they crap smelly, the-“ Daryl stopped Rick from talking, by kissing him. Rick’s eyes widened in surprise, an unfamiliar and odd sensation in his body emerged. Without realizing, he’s kissing him back.
They stopped to breath. As they breath, they deeply and meaningfully looked at each other.
“Let’s go, before it gets dark. I’ll fix my shoulder, just drive.” Daryl tapped Rick’s shoulder and leave him speechless.
“Idiot.” He smirked and approached the van.
“How’s your wound?” Rick looked at the rear-view mirror, as he drives.
“Fine, good thing the bullet went through.” Daryl starts to play with the child again, and Rick just shooked his head.
Then the car slowed down, Rick looked at the dashboard and saw the gas is empty. He hitted the wheel in annoyance.
“We need to walk, Maryland is near.” He looked back at Daryl, and the baby.
“How are we suppose to bring that thin-“
“Karl. That is his name.”
“Whatever. What do you suggest Mr. Tagg we do?” Daryl smirk.
“Did you put your silencer in your gun?” Daryl nodded.
“Let’s go!” Rick lit the cloth and throw it to the van, it immediately burn. The Goners start to approached the van and create noise. The slowly walked, far away from the van.
They were covered in blanckets, with blood and guts from Goners. To disguise like them. While Karl is hiding in Daryl’s blancket.
Suddenly Karl started to cry, getting hungry. Daryl and Rick looked at each other, as they immediately take the baby bottle from their bag.
Some Goners heard the noise, and started to approach them. As Rick got the bottle, he gave it to Daryl.
Rick started to stab Goners’ heads. Blood splattering to his face.
“Run! Find a nearest shelter!” He said, as Daryl ran to looked for a hideout.
As Goners starts to crowding Rick, he pulled his gun and start to shoot them. Kicking and pushing them, to prevent them getting near.
“Ahhh!” Rick looked back, and saw Daryl bitten by a Goner. He ran to him and shoot the head of the Goner.
He looked at him teary, Daryl just smiled sadly as he pulled his gun to fight. They nodded and started to shoot.
Packs of Goners started to surround them, adding that Karl started to cry again. Feeling that death is about to take them. They held each other’s hands and kissed, for the last time.
They tremble as grenage thrown near them. Rick hugged Daryl, to cover him.
They looked up as the explotion stopped, and bright light is focused on them. They slowly stood up.
A man approached them, big, muscular and hairy one. He smiled at them warmly.
“We came to help you. Are you okay?”
“Who are you?” Rick pull Daryl behind him.
“We are the Hope, a community here in Maryland. We have foods, medical facilities, and security.”
“How can we know you’re telling the truth?”
“You should go Rick, take Karl with you.” His forehead furrowed.
“What?! No, you’re coming with us.”
“No! I’m bitten, but you and Karl aren’t. Please take them!” Daryl looked at the man.
“Please! Just go, and leave me here.”
He took off his blanket, and gave Karl to Rick.
“Can’t we take him there, until he become- I’ll deal with it when he turns.” Rick looked at the man.
“I’m sorry we can’t take the risk.” He clenched his fist.
“Put us in a room, then if he turn into a Goner. I’ll kill him. I ju-just can’t leave him here. I want to give him everything before he dies. Please!” Rick kneeled as he beg. The man stood him up.
“Okay, fine. Make sure to end it, okay?” Rick nodded. He looked back at Daryl and smiled.
“Why Rick? Why?” He pulled him closer.
“Because I love you.” The he kissed Daryl.
A brown haired guy walks down the stair, taking flower from the table. He enters a room, smiling at a red haired boy. He offered his hands, and the boy took it.
They passed few people, greeting them with warm smiles, they enter a yard. Full of cross statues, names were engraved and dried flowers besides them.
A red tomb with an engrave says “Here lies Daryl Tagg-Hax”. They sat near it, as he put down the flower.
“Karl this is Daryl, a very good friend of mine.” Rick pointed the tomb, and smile sadly.
“He’s already 4 years old, Daryl. But still can’t say a word.” Slowly touching the tomb, a tear fell on his cheek.
“Da-da.” Karl giggles. Rick looked eye widen at Karl, joy and satisfaction arise to him.
“Maybe I’m wrong, Daryl. Maybe.”
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