INTRO
Short story based on the Carol and Daryl characters of the Walking Dead TV series. Original idea from my Twitter friend @WindPixie. Out there can be some hidden surprises…
STORY
In an apocalyptic zombie world… well… surviving is not entirely impossible… the truth is Daryl and Carol have seen a lot of weird and wonderful things between blood splashes of ‘Walkers’ and their enemies… sometimes more horrifically, their friends or family.
Bound together in pain, both past and present, they decide to shoot out for supplies. Having endured so much, their hearts have become woven together, stronger than any family… they know what each other are thinking before there’s even a need for words. The ultimate recipe for a survival duo, and they’ve NEVER been beaten.
Hopping on Daryl’s motorbike, exiting at the gates, Daryls ripped muscles and gripping the handles of the motorbike, Carol holding on to Daryl gracefully like an elegant queen, her silver hair shimmering in the morning sun. They have what they need, it’s really just to get out of the chaos of everyone else bustling around in their community, ‘supplies’ is always the best excuse.
At peace together, fighters hearts as one, Daryl speeds down the dusty old roads, his face stern, but Carols face is calm, at peace. Her gorgeous eyes sparkling, glad to be away from the judgement of the community.
Daryl slows and spots a building in the distance… “here?” He grunts
“Yeah, here” she smiles pleasantly. He slows to a stop, and pulls the bike to one side off the main road.
“Alrigh’… got wha’ ya need?”
“Yea, I think so…” she’s just so glad to be away from the judgemental faces, their eyes say so much more than they’d dare speak, and it reminds her of herself. Her own demons. The kind of demons that only Daryl is really aware of.
“Come’on then” he twitches his head absent minded towards the building.
They silently walk towards the building, heel to toe, listening deeply for what they might not see, the shadows are still long, so seeing their footing on the grass isn’t as easy as middle of the day. A dark shape shoots across the expanse of grass, causing Carol to twitch, almost unnoticeably, but Daryl saw of course “dinner fo’ later, watch for ‘em rabbit holes”. Carol tuts, she already knew, why’s Daryl stating the obvious to her? In that moment of distraction there was a dip in the grass which she slightly stumbles. “Told ya” he mumbles, with a smile on his face.
“Shh” she responds, feeling a little tetchy that she lost her balance. She readies her bow to make it appear she had a purpose to her response, determined to show that she didn’t need the rabbit comments. She has done similar on her own before. Cleared a building of men using stealth and cunning, so there was no way she was going to be mocked by losing balance from a rabbit hole.
But now isn’t time for jesting, who knows whats in this partly crumbled broken building in the middle of nowhere? When they get to the entrance, they look at each other in slight dismay, with a hint of humour. A veterinarian clinic.
“So we’re taking back dog food? Is that it?”
“Dog’ll be happy with tha’… maybe some meds?”
“Yeah, we’ll flea treat the whole damn community!” Carol exclaims
“Wai’… ya hear tha’?”
“Just tap the doors already, maybe we’ll find Dog a zombie dog friend?”
Daryl knocks the door “hey, anyone home?”, A distant moan can be heard, “not many here… ladies first, righ’?”
Carol responds sarcastically “uh, thanks Daryl” she tries the door but it’s locked.
“Shi’… uhhh, plan b?”
Daryl kicks the glass with his foot, and it easily crumbles away. Both of them can crawl under. He uses his jacket and rests it leather first on the broken glass… “here”
“Still ladies first?”
“Yeah” he smiles to himself
“You’re a real charmer” she says with a mild chuckle, as she stoops low to crawl under. Daryl watching carefully for any danger, you almost can’t tell how all his senses have suddenly picked up, listening, watching… scent in the air, the glass crackling under his jacket in a multi-tone of sounds…
As soon as Carol stands up and he knows her senses are ready, he awkwardly shuffles through the gap himself.
They stay in place for a few moments, acknowledging the reception hall, doors, light visibility, trying to pin what they can hear and what direction. “Wait…” says Carol quizzically… starting to sneak off again as she sometimes does. Daryl silently follows behind, taking in and watching everything closely… “wait, tha’ a kitten?” A weak sound can be heard, of possibly a small kitten.
“Got milk?” Carol smiles
Daryl gives an awkward half smile, “I’ll look around”
Although there are some muffled sounds, behind the doors it’s difficult to really be sure what’s what… so Daryl slips around, checking which doors are open, acknowledging most are locked… familiar groaning behind a couple of the locked rooms. Doors that were unlocked lead to small veterinary examination rooms, with a few basic supplies and implements for animals, but not really much use for any other purpose.
He finds a different door, carefully turns the handle, hears the latch click. Groaning can be heard on the other side and gets louder as whatever inside must have heard the mechanism… pretty sure there’s only one sound, Daryl pulls the door open as quick as possibly and swiftly readies his crossbow.
Carol, considering how to get the wooden door unlocked, where the sound can be heard, decides to explore the reception area in case their might be keys. Swiftly and stealthily pulling draws open, rummaging through crumbling paperwork and stationery supplies. Contents rattling slightly inside each draw. Something grabs Carols legs, “ahh dammit” she mutters, pulling out her blade. She uses her leg to pull the walker forward from under the desk and with swift precision delivers a quick stab to it’s brain. She pulls the corpse out, only to acknowledge that there’s only a top half to this one, his guts trailing gruesomely across the tiled glazed ceramic floor.
Acknowledging his smart shirt with the vets logo, she speaks softly to the unanimated man “hmm, where are your legs, then?”
Daryl starts searching the room he’s discovered, walking cautiously around where thick walker blood had pooled. Cages of long dead mammals rotting and flies swarming and breeding within the corpses. He seems unfazed. Spotting a small desk with papers, he decides to search for anything useful. As he opens a drawer he acknowledges a metal clattering noise inside.
Carol follows the ‘gut trail’, appalled, but thankful. And a nearby chair with a dropped nightstick indeed has a pair of legs missing the top end. “Ugh, there you are” the owner probably aware of his future had tied himself tightly around the stomach around the chair, his own ankles too. Around his waist is indeed a set of keys. “I’ll take these, thank you” Carol mutters. She wriggles them free from the belt.
Daryl pops his head around the corner, “hey, found keys…”. Carol stands up to turn around and clumsily drops the keys she found. She immediately goes to pick them up again, tutting to herself. “Ahh ya found some too, huh? Well lets go see wha’s behind tha’ door, yeah?”
“Yeah, if it’s a kitten, we’re keeping it!” Smiles Carol. Daryl chuckles.
He follows her to the door and keeps watch as she tries the keys she found, after trying a few of the keys “ughh, this ones stuck” fumbling around, Daryl goes to reach and offer help. “I can do this, y’know! Just needs a bit of positivity… like” grimacing “THAT!” The key slips freely from the lock while she tries others. “Ah-ha!” *click* goes a mechanism inside the door lock. She cautiously pushes the door open.
A blood bath. Mother cat, and baby kittens half eaten and some blood appears somewhat recent? The smell of faeces and urine hung heavily in the air and mini black bombs of disturbed flies started to shoot around the room. Even Daryl’s face turned in disgust. “Ugh, wha’ we do now? Shall i see if there’s anything useful? You can, stay here, if you wan’”
Just as Daryl turned his back *MEW!*
“Huh? You were righ’?” He turns facing Carol
“What, you didn’t believe me?”
Carol spots a tiny shivering furry figure in a dark corner under a table. “Hey there lil guy, we’re not going to hurt you” she finds a little space to sit down in the examination room, where the floor isnt filthy. “Daryl would you be a dear and fetch a carry case?” She says with a super sweet voice and a charming smile across her face.
“Huh, I’m your erran’ boy now… yeah, alrigh’” he turns to exit the room and to find anything that Carols new ‘pet’ might need.
Daryl checks each room systematically for flea wash, worm treatments, kitten formula, bits of medication that is still useful for humans too. All the while he can hear Carols soft smooth and sweet voice dancing around the corridors and rooms around him. Popping walkers with his crossbow smoothly and efficiently. Carols tone changes slightly, into a happy teary tone. He knew that meant there was progress. He finds a carrier case, and with a full rucksack he heads to the entrance of the building carefully so not to startle the kitten. He can just make out Carols words.
“So, you’re going to come home with us? We’ll be friends, and we’re going to survive together… is that something you’d want?” *MEW!*
“Being on your own isn’t a good thing, but we won’t be alone anymore”
Daryl considers her words carefully, realising this isn’t about fun, but about connecting. About comfort. Something a tiny kitten can provide that he can’t. Something that needs nurturing in order to survive, that’ll make Carol feel whole again. He’s glad, in his heart he knows it’s just what she needed in order to face the future days to come much easier.
He says gently but just loud enough for Carol to hear, “got’ya carry case. Other things too”. After a short silence he hears shuffling movements.
“Come on then, lets get you out of here and somewhere safe”
The kittens so tiny, you can barely see it in Carols small arms. A small, scraggly ball of fuzz that definitely needs some of Carols love in order to reach full health. She pops it into he carry case. “Is there some sort of blanket? Maybe a brush?”
“I’ll go check…” Daryl disappears again as she continues to talk with the kitten. He finds what was asked, pops the brush in the rucksack and passes Carol the blanket.
“She’s so tiny Daryl. Should I maybe carry her in the blanket?”
“Her? You sure?” He chuckles, “nah, I think it might be a ‘he’”
“I’m sure we’ll figure something out” Carol looks at Daryl quizzically.
“How you gon’ hold on if you’re carryin’ a case n a kitten?”
“Good point”. Carol picks up the kitten, adds the blanket to the inside of the case, and gently pops the kitten back inside “there, she should be safe like that…”
“Yeh, I’m sure he will” he casts her a half smile
Carol slaps Daryl playfully on the arm “Hey!” He chuckles.
They look into each others eyes for a moment, like sparkly multi-faceted crystals from both sides. Without saying another word, Carol crawls through the gap, Daryl passes through the carry case, rucksack and equipment. He slips through, pulls his leather jacket off the broken glass, shakes off the excess, pops it back on.
“Everythin’ ok?” He watches Carol for a moment as she assess the situation.
“Yeah, we going home? Should be back in time for lunch, right?”
“Yeh, I’ll grab somethin’ first, can’t go back empty handed, righ’?”
“Right… I’ll take this stuff to the bike and meet you there”
“Yeh, careful though, don’t want anythin’ to happen to ya now, you’re a mom again”
Although a kitten can’t compare to a loss of a child, she felt Daryls sentiment and taking her time cautiously makes her way with all the stuff to the motorbike.
She faintly hears some familiar sounds around the forest, crossbow clicks, footsteps on overgrown terrain. Then the sound of a match strike as Daryl lights a cigarette. He appears with a couple of rabbits strapped to his belt. “Ya ready?”
“Yeah.”
“Good, I’ll finish this n we’ll head back”
“Yeah.” She smiles. Looking at the sun flashing through the dense trees as it comes for midday. Light bouncing occasionally from Daryls hair, making him look slightly ethereal with the matching copper tones.
He stubs out and goes to mount his bike, ready to help Carol get on too.
“Ya gon’ name it?”
“I think we need to know if it’s a he or a she.”
“It don’t have balls”
“So I was right! You! What would you name her?”
He revs his bike “dunno, s’up to you”
They pull off and head back towards Alexandria.
Short Story about Carol and Daryl finding a kitten
Idea from @WindPixie
Written by @K8eP3
June 2021
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