"I can explain," I whispered timidly, focusing on the tree-line. I wished I could run in there to get away from Daryl at the moment, but I know he'd come and haul my ass back.

"How do you see 'im," Daryl questioned me, biting his thumb nail. I never really thought about how he was there, ever. I couldn't really stop or bring him up.

"I don't know," I mumbled. "He's just there. Why?" I contemplated what I was about to say, hoping it wouldn't set him off. "You wanna see him?" I stared at him out of the corner of my eye. He was rigid, stiff as a board. I cussed to myself.

"Nah." He tossed his cigarette on the ground, stomping it out.

"Are you sure," I whispered, looking back down at the ground to help ease the growing tension between us.

"I'm sure. Wanna know why?" Daryl turned to me, his big boot stomping on the porch. My eyes flicked up to him. "He was never 'round for me. He was always off breakin' the law while I was stuck at home gettin' my ass kicked by my old man." His voice began to grow louder. "So why the hell would he be here for me now? He cared for you more than he ever did me; heard 'im say that with my own ears." Daryl stepped closer to me, causing me to look up at him even more. He was livid. "I know how he talked 'bout me, sayin' I'm a pussy."

"He was just joking," I whispered, trying to calm him down. I could feel my hands raise a little to defend myself, palms facing outward.

"The fuck he wasn't," Daryl hollered. I shrunk back. "Ye're blinded by all the good that only you saw in 'im, aren't ya." He glared at me. "There's no way in hell you can see ghosts, Strawberry. If ya really could, you should be able to see the whole group by now since everyone we know is dead!"

"Daryl," I hissed in disbelief.

"'Sides, I wouldn't be able to see 'im if I actually tried." Daryl's voice trailed off as tears welled up in my eyes. I really wanted to be smart and talk back, but I couldn't do it. "You cryin' now?"

"I ain't crying," I muttered, looking back down at the ground.

"Stop actin' like a crybaby," he snarled at me before trudging off the porch into the trees. When he disappeared, I let my tears fall. I stared out at the tree-line again. I was really contemplating making a run for it in the other direction. I could hear the screen door creak open. I quickly turned my head away from the door, sniffling.

"Aften," Carol asked softly. "Everything okay?" Her foot was in the door, not sure if she should come out to comfort me or just shrink back into the cabin.

"Yeah," I said, quickly wiping my tears away. "I'm fine."

"Do you need anything?"

"The knife on the table."

"Aften, I don't think—"

"Please," I insisted rather loudly, actually surprising myself as my bottom lip trembled. "I'll be okay." Carol was quiet as she shrunk back into the cabin, grabbing the knife and coming back out to hand it to me. I took it and headed towards the tree-line. I needed to get away, clear my head. 

A loud crash came from my right, catching my attention and making me jump. My grip on the knife tightened, but relaxed after figuring it was Carol. My foot was across the threshold before angry growls came from the crash site. I sighed, walking over to the noise. A biter was sprawled out on the ground growling faintly, already on the verge of death. It had been impaled on a now broken, decaying piece of fence near a small shed. I stood over it, stabbing it in the head to end its miserable life.

I wiped the bloody blade on my pants, turning back around to return to what I was in the middle of. Another biter stumbled out of the trees at top speed, almost running me over. I fell back in surprise, swinging the knife through the air at it. It caught its chest, intestines spilling out onto the ground. I dodged the biter and it fell to the ground. It hissed at me and grabbed ahold of my ankle. I grunted as I swung down at its arm, accidentally cutting my leg. I cussed loudly as blood flowed down my skin, the biter now trying even harder to get a taste of me. I swung the knife again. It sunk it into its head. Our blood mixed together on the ground, weaving its way to sink in-between my toes. I breathed heavily and cussed to myself again while yanking my foot out of the biter's grasp. I trudged back to the front of the cabin, feeling a bit dizzy at the feeling of the trickling blood on my skin.

I stepped onto the porch, opening the door and stepping inside to leave behind a bloody footprint on the floor. Carol who sat on the couch turned around to look at me. She noticed my wound and rushed to my side.

"Aften, what happened?" Her hand touched my face. "You need to lay down, you're as white as a sheet." She began to lead me over to the couch, but I stumbled and she had to catch me to keep me from hitting the ground.

△

It was dark by the time I made it back. Just needed to get away, find a drink or somethin' to make me forget. You can't see dead people. That shit ain't real, only in movies.

I opened the screen door and slammed it shut behind me, a bit of rage still left over from earlier. A few candles were lit on the table, flame the only light source. Everythin' was quiet. No one seemed awake until Carol stood up from the couch. She sauntered over to me, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Where the hell have you been," she hissed, obviously pissed off.

"Out," I responded shortly.

"You shouldn't have left," she said, disappointed. "I know she was telling the truth."

"How," I challenged. She thought briefly, quiet. I scoffed at that move, thinkin' she had nothin' else to say.

"Rick was seeing Lori after she died. It's the same thing."

"Bullshit," I spat. "I would've already seen Merle myself if he was actually out there!" I could hear Carol sniff.

"You smell like alcohol."

"So what," I mumbled, pushin' past her to the ladder.

"If you're going to be in the loft, you have to sleep on the floor," Carol said, stoppin' me. "Aften's recovering and needs all the rest she can get." A sudden urge of heartache hit me.

"Recoverin' from what," I asked a bit too quickly. Carol smirked, swivelin' around to face me.

"She cut her leg killing a walker."

"No bites," I questioned with concern.

"Just the cut," she confirmed. I nodded before climbin' up the ladder. I saw her layin' there, peaceful, at ease. Her leg was wrapped up in bandages, her face pale. I laid on my side a few feet away from her, watchin' her chest rise and fall with every breath she took.

△

I sat on a tree stump, cleanin' my crossbow. Aften had gone out to look for somethin' for dinner but not too far from where I was. A scream ripped through the silence of the afternoon. I immediately jumped up, runnin' to the source.

"Aften," I called out, tryin' to locate my girl. The screams increased in volume as I got closer. When I got there, I shot the walker that had a hold on her. Aften gazed up at me, her bottom lip tremblin'. She revealed her arm, blood drippin' onto the ground. She'd been bitten. I rushed over to her, grabbin' her and fallin' to my knees. Tears welled up in my eyes as she cried from the pain. I squeezed my eyes shut in disbelief. When I opened them back up, she was gone. Everythin' was black and I started to fall, plummetin' into an abyss away from her.

I jolted awake, my heart beatin' outta my chest. I grabbed Aften's arm and ran my fingers over her untouched skin, shakily bringin' it to my mouth and kissin' it. She turned on her side, bringin' us face to face. I ran my thumb back and forth across her hand. I never intended to hurt her, never wanted to.

The screen door slammed shut, makin' me jump. Aften stirred, rollin' onto her back. I left her and climbed down the ladder to look outside. No one was there. I grabbed my crossbow and held it up, kickin' the door open. I was ready to kill whoever it was trespassin'. I turned my head to the left. A dark figure was leanin' up against the cabin.

"The hell're ya doin' on my property," I hissed at it.

"Your property? Last time I checked, you took this place like every other damn thing you've lived in," they scolded me. I lowered my crossbow, squintin' my eyes to see 'im better. The figure stepped outta the shadows, revealin' itself. I stared at Merle in disbelief. He smirked. "What's wrong, Darlina? Cat got yer tongue?"

"I... I didn't think... I never... I never thought I'd see—"

"I see you," Merle said. "I'm just givin' you a hard time, baby Brother, that's what I'm 'sposed to do." I hesitated before huggin' him, holdin' him tight to make sure he was real and I wasn't still in a dream. Merle returned it, pattin' my back. "Don't you ever hurt that girl again or there'll be hell to pay," he whispered in my ear.

"I won't, promise," I mumbled before pullin' away. He slapped me on the back again in approval. 

"See ya 'round." Merle sauntered out into the woods, disappearin' into the trees. I rubbed my eyes and looked back out into the distance to see if I could spot him again, but he was already gone.