Chasing Amy (Daryl Dixon/The Walking Dead)

Chapter 16 - "Chat"

"Where is she going?" Randall questioned, looking up at me. Rick had come to collect me, and after unlocking the cuffs that bound me to the wall, I stood up from the ground with haste.

Rick didn't answer, his face looking tired. I knew I didn't get any sleep last night either, if I was honest with myself. I felt like something bad was going to happen, and that feeling didn't seem to want to go away.

There was a silence in the barn, Rick looking down at Randall for what felt like an hour. The boy shifted where he sat, looking uncomfortable with the man's hard stare. I was waiting to leave, wanting to get as far away from Randall as humanly possible after what had happened last night.

Without another word to me or to Randall, Rick turned on his heel and walked towards the door. I followed, only because I knew if I didn't leave now Randall was going to say something else.

As we were walking through the double doors to the shed, I jumped in surprise when I saw a figure standing right beside me.

Daryl stood there, a grim expression on his face. He was wearing a different shirt, this time it was a dark blue long-sleeved one. On his back was a black leather jacket. His crossbow was in his hand. It felt like he never set it down, always keeping at an arms distance.

Rick stopped walking, so he could turn to the man and nod his head in what looked to be a thank you. I didn't think much of it, my eyes wandering from the man for a second, before looking back to Daryl.

He seemed to have not heard Rick, or maybe he just had nothing to say.

I couldn't help but let my eyes linger on his, even though he wasn't looking directly at me. He'd actually not even acknowledged I was there, as he was looking off into the distance.

I remembered his image in my head, urging me to save Rick.

Rick seemed to realise Daryl wasn't going to reply to his nod of appreciation, or whatever it was. My guess was that Daryl would have to watch Randall, which was something nobody wanted to do.

He hesitated for a second, before heading off in the direction we were meant to be going in. As Rick left, Daryl caught my gaze, his sharp blue eyes questioning. It was a silent exchange of eye contact, me just trying to figure out what he was thinking of, and him trying to tell me to go away.

Daryl then turned away, his shoulders tense, as he pulled the door to the shed open before strolling inside the building.

I turned to see that Rick had stopped walking, and was waiting for me to join him.

He must've figured that I wasn't going to run, seeing as I had already been outside of the shed many times. In all honesty, I didn't even know why I was still there. There were so many opportunities that I could've taken to run away.

He waited until I was almost beside him to start walking again.

"Do you still have that knife on you?" Rick asked, slowing his walking so I could hear him easier. I could feel my cheeks redden as I nodded.

I quickly fumbled in my pocket for the knife, even though it was the only object inside it.

"How did you get it?" He questioned, as my shaking hand passed him the weapon by the blade. I had no idea how to handle these things.

"Da-" I choked on my words for a second, the thought of being sent out again because of this little knife was making me feel very nervous and uncomfortable. I quickly swallowed back the extra saliva and continued my sentence. "Daryl gave it to me. To hunt."

"I didn't intend on keeping it, I just didn't know how to give it back without..." I paused. "Y'know."

Being killed.