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I Will Follow You Into The Dark

Chapter 5

They were on the third day of their trek, and Daryl was still keeping them at an aggressive pace. Beth was keeping up alright, but as it seemed they were going nowhere in particular, she didn't see why they were in such a rush. Daryl simply kept reiterating that they were heading away, so at least they were making good time by her estimation. The first night after the cabin, they sheltered under an outcropping of rock in the woods; it was little better than being out in the open. Even though Daryl had taken the first watch, not waking her until predawn so he could catch a few short hours of sleep before moving on, her sleep had been restless and plagued with horrible nightmares that she couldn't remember when she woke, but the fear stayed with her. The second night, they had come across a short dock over a river with a rustic structure at is end containing fishing oddments and such. It seemed like an odd choice of shelter, their fronts to the woods, their backs to the river, and she had said as much to Daryl.
"Can you swim?" He asked her as if his reasoning had been a plain as day.
She told him haughtily that of course she could swim.
"Ever seen a walker swim? I haven't, 'cause they can't," Daryl pointed.
As the sun began to hang low in the horizon of the third day, Beth could feel the tension floating in the air. She was dreading the thought of having to spend another night in the open. In addition, they had encountered no combative people or even seen any walkers since they left the cabin. Neither of them had mentioned this fact aloud clearly in fear of jinxing the situation, but it naturally seemed like the right time for their luck to run out and for things to go from livable to terrible.
"Hey Beth. You see that up there?"
Beth sped up a bit to reach his side; she had started to lag behind a little.
"See what?" She didn't see anything up ahead except trees and the seemingly invisible trail Daryl was following.
"Looks like a clearing up ahead, and I think I can see a chimney." Daryl stopped a moment, pointing straight ahead as if it was as clear as a sunny summer day.
Beth moved forward ahead of Daryl in hopes of seeing what he saw. "I still don't..."
"Watch out for that fence..." Daryl finished his warning just as she came into contact with the rusted barbed wire fence that clawed eagerly at her and caught the hem of her shirt.
Beth turned away trying to get free without ripping the flannel when she saw a mild expression of amusement creep across his face.
"Its not funny!" Beth exclaimed, but she smiled a little too. She could see the humor in her lack of wilderness skills, and if this were the worst thing to happen to her today, it would be a very good day.
"Careful princess, we don't have any spare tetanus shots laying 'round," he teased slinging his crossbow over his shoulder and coming to set her free.
After she was disentangled, Daryl held two strands of barbed wire apart for her to slip through the fence. When she turned to reciprocate, he was already passing her and heading toward the tree line. Just as Daryl had said, they entered a clearing where a lonely stone chimney stood, its house having burned down around it.
"It don't look like they'll be comin' home anytime soon." Daryl at least provided amusing commentary. "But we can at least check out the barn." He gestured toward the solid looking structure about a hundred yards away across the rutted driveway that lead into the woods the opposite direction from which they had come.
"Yes, at least we can check out the barn..." Beth repeated with more than a little trepidation. They didn't really have a great track record with barns.
Daryl had instructed her to stay outside while he checked out the barn. When he returned a few minutes later, he threw open the doors signaling the "all clear".
"Nothin' in there but hay stacked high. We can make our fire right out here then sleep all nice 'n warm on the hay."
"I thought you said your job was to keep me alive?"
"Yeah...didn't I find us a nice safe place to sleep?" He clearly didn't understand her reason for protest.
"Build a fire that close to the hay barn, and you're likely to get us both blown up. Hay isn't just flammable; it can be highly combustible. We can sleep in the barn, but I think we should cook in the hearth," Beth suggested as she headed back to the free standing fireplace across the road. She felt a little pride well up in her chest having known something useful that Daryl didn't.
She could hear that Daryl was following her. All in all, it hadn't been a bad day.
By dark, the fire was burning warm, the squirrels were roasting, their dripping fat sizzling in the fire, and they were sharing a rare treat, a can of peaches they had found in the now burned cabin that had sheltered them at the beginning of their journey. It sort of felt like an unofficial, unspoken celebration. So many bad things hand happened that it only seemed fair to enjoy what things could be enjoyed, no matter how little. And if she focused really hard on not thinking about the world falling apart around them, it almost felt like they were just two friends enjoying a nice fire on a autumn night rather than survivors thrown together by circumstance, fleeing, trying desperately to find their place in the world.
"Daryl..."
"Hmm?" he half answered, wiping peach juice from his mouth.
"How did you not know about the hay?"
"Dang girl, just 'cause I grew up country don't mean I know anything about farming." Daryl gave a good natured reply, reaching out and giving her shoulder a friendly nudge.
"Sorry...I just assumed..." Beth didn't really know where she was going with her thought. In hindsight, it had been a really silly assumption to make.
"You know what they say happens when you assume. You make an..."
"I know, I know..." she cut him off before he could finish.
"Just sayin' how it is," Daryl finished, popping another soft peach slice into his mouth.
"I wouldn't have to assume if you would just talk about yourself every once in a while rather than having to be all mysterious all the time."
"I just ain't all that interesting...didn't think anybody much cared about who I was. They're interested in my hunting, tracking, survival know how, and God knows why, everybody wants my opinion or wants me to make decisions...those are all things I can offer somethin' in. Who really cares what my middle name is or what my favorite movie is?" Daryl stood up to check the squirrels that were blackening over the fire.
It was funny the way he talked about himself. It sounded like he felt the world used him for what he was good at, not really caring who he was or what he felt, but it didn't seem like it bothered him; it seemed like he took a great deal of pride in that.
Daryl cut the spit in two, handing Beth her squirrel.
"Careful, don't burn yourself," Daryl cautioned as he sat back down with his share.
"You know I can't eat a whole squirrel by myself," she told him for at least the 20th time since their flight from the prison, but he always gave her the same amount he took as well as the same reply:
"Eat all you can, and I'll finish what you don't want."
As Beth was carefully pulling off chunks of charred meat, she couldn't help but think about how much she had been able to adapt in the new world.
"You know...I never used to eat food with my hands. Not even pizza or French fries or anything like that," Beth offered.
"I know..." Daryl replied, grinning in the firelight.
"How do you know? See, your assuming now!" Beth called him out with the same good nature he had used when she made her assumption.
"No, I'm not assuming. I know. All anyones gotta do is look at you to figure out something like that."
What was that supposed to mean? Then again...he was probably right.
"And Beth, if you wanna know something about me, all you gotta do is ask..."

Notes

Comments

@Smokey85
Awww...thank you so much for coming back to read! You are amazing. I truly appreciate it!

Aireabella Aireabella
3/30/19

I am so happy you are back! I love your stories and always look forward to your updates! Thank you for sharing your work :)

Smokey85 Smokey85
3/26/19

@McDrogoInaNewWorld
So glad that you enjoyed it! It always makes my day when I can make people happy by doing what I love! Thank you so much!

Aireabella Aireabella
6/14/18

Yay!!! Another great chapter on the books, can’t wait to see what happens next!!

@blesdirishangel
Thank you so much for coming back to my fic and for your comment! I am glad that you love the update. You are amazing!

Aireabella Aireabella
6/7/18