Chapter 20
"Thinking about Daryl?" Glenn walked into the house carrying a basket of vegetables and immediately noticed the absent-minded Lina.
She practically sliced the potatoes into pieces!
"No, no," Lina said guiltily.
Glenn handed the basket to Carol, sat down next to Lena, took the potatoes from her, and started peeling them. "When did you two start dating?"
“Us? No,” Lina said, pursing her lips. “We…are okay.” She seemed reluctant to discuss the topic.
But Glenn was stunned. "Hey, you two have been sticking together for so long, is that okay?" His eyes seemed to say, "Do you think I'm stupid?"
Lina glanced at the other people in the kitchen. "There isn't any," she said, slowly moving back towards the kitchen, propping herself up on the table.
Lori took the potato from Glenn's hand and gestured for him to follow. Glenn nodded blankly, caught up with Lena, and helped her back to her room.
"...We really have nothing going on, there were no promises, we weren't even friends with benefits," Lina said.
Glenn paused for a moment, "Really?"
"Why would I lie to you?" Lina said, speechless. "He might have left with Moore." Lina said sullenly.
"Huh? Really?" Glenn let out a second sharp screech.
“Who knows? Anyway, neither of them ever wanted to stay,” Lina said unhappily. Glenn put Lina on the bed and sat down on a chair next to her.
"Moreover, what about you? You and Maggie," Lina looked at Glenn with a mixture of curiosity and confusion, "do you like her?"
“Of course,” Glenn said, “otherwise…” He’s not that casual, you know!
"Why?" Lina asked, bewildered.
"Then why do you like Daryl?" Glenn asked sincerely.
"I don't like him at all," Lina frowned. "Not even a little bit!"
“You better really be,” Glenn said, as if to say, “Let’s see how long you can keep up this stubbornness.”
"...I just don't hate it when he kisses me. Anyway, it's the apocalypse, so I don't have a choice," Lina said, half-sulking.
“Yeah, the apocalypse,” Glenn took off his hat and fiddled with it in his hands. “Lina, we don’t know how long we’ll live, so don’t leave any regrets,” Glenn said earnestly.
“…This isn’t just my problem. We’ve only known each other for a short time. Moore is his older brother,” Lina said dejectedly. “I do like him a little, and I think he likes me a little too,” Lina sighed. “Liking someone doesn’t mean anything. Maybe he’ll meet someone he likes even more, maybe he’ll stay for her.”
“Don’t wallow in self-pity,” Glenn frowned. “Have you even tried?”
“I already said he wanted me to come with him. I also said I wanted him to stay,” Lina said angrily. “Now it seems that old bastard Moore won! No, what makes me think I can compare to him?”
Glenn, seeing Lina's anger, wisely shut his mouth. However, this was indeed a difficult decision for Daryl.
“Let’s talk about something else,” Glenn sighed.
Lina shut her mouth, looking somewhat listless. "What did you say? Have you done anything earth-shattering lately? Besides Maggie?"
Glenn choked for a moment, "Uh, we found a walker in the well? And then..." Glenn became animated as he spoke, but suddenly he stopped, his mood turning somewhat somber.
"What's wrong?" Lina asked, puzzled.
"Honestly, I found it quite exciting back then," Glenn stammered. "You promise you won't laugh at me."
Lina raised her hand in a vow gesture, "I promise."
“I’m a little scared now,” Glenn said hesitantly. “I’ve been feeling a bit scared lately. When I think about the people I’m worried about, I just… I get a little terrified.”
Lena grasped Glenn's hand. "No, that will only make you stronger. Protect yourself so you can better protect them."
“…You’re right,” Glenn sighed in relief. “I’m going out to help. Don’t overthink it.” Glenn patted Lina’s hand reassuringly and stood up. After a moment’s hesitation, he spoke up, “Don’t let yourself regret it. I suggest you give him three chances. Three chances won’t be enough, right?”
"Why are you speaking up for him?" Lina looked at Glenn with displeasure.
“No,” Glenn smiled helplessly, “Don’t let yourself regret it, you know?”
Lena forced a smile as she watched Glenn leave. She didn't want to regret it. She'd already tasted enough regret.
Lina looked out the window, feeling dejected.
*
Let's rewind to the afternoon.
Moore looked at Daryl, who was intently tracking his prey, and asked with some displeasure, "Seriously, you've decided not to leave?"
“We’ve already said that,” Daryl replied, somewhat annoyed.
"I just don't understand. That kid's figure is pretty good, with a full bottom and big breasts, but he's not... well, let's just say ...
“Shut up,” Daryl glared at Moore.
“How about this, when we get back I’ll take care of the others for you, you can do what you’re supposed to do and have your fun…” Moore said thoughtfully, stroking his chin.
"Shut up!" Daryl stopped and angrily snapped.
“Oh boy, are you really angry?” Moore looked at Daryl in a daze.
Daryl turned away and continued tracking his prey.
“Don’t act like a child,” Moore grabbed Daryl. “She’s not right for you, and that place isn’t right for you. They’ll kill you.” He stared intently into Daryl’s eyes.
"Shut up!" Daryl said irritably, trying to break free from Moore's grip, but Moore held on tightly. He looked at Moore helplessly, "Are you ever going to stop?"
“Okay, we don’t want anything, let’s go now,” Moore said.
"Are you crazy?" Daryl looked at Moore in disbelief.
“I’ve had enough of that garbage place. They’re going to die sooner or later. I don’t want them to kill me, and neither do you, do you hear me?” Moore roared.
“I thought after all this time, you and that blonde idiot woman…” Daryl said dejectedly.
“What’s that? You think I care about that?” Moore sneered. “Little brother, I’m not like you, naive and foolish.”
"Stay in that godforsaken place and be a lackey for those two cops? Are you out of your mind?" Moore released Daryl, who staggered back two steps.
“You’re just a coward. You’re too scared to stay. You’re too scared to try,” Daryl said angrily.
“Don’t talk to me like that, Daryl,” Moore leaned closer to Daryl, their noses almost touching, their similar eyes filled with anger.
"Afraid of the truth?" Daryl scoffed.
For some reason, the two started to scuffle. Moore really wanted to punch this idiot kid who didn't know his own brain, and Daryl wanted to too, but neither of them made a move. The two of them were like elementary school students, pushing and bumping each other.
"Enough!" Moore had had enough of this boring behavior and gave Daryl a hard shove. Daryl rolled down the slope. Moore was startled and lunged to try to grab Daryl.
Daryl had already rolled down the slope, and to make matters worse, his crossbow bolt was stuck in his waist.
"Damn it." Moore slammed his fist into the ground, and Daryl seemed to pass out.
He carefully grabbed the tree roots and slid down, tumbling and crawling to Daryl's side.
“Hey, little brother, Daryl?” Moore patted Daryl’s face.
Daryl groaned and groggily opened his eyes. "Go to hell, Mor."
Moore breathed a sigh of relief. He tore his clothes open, tied them around Daryl's wounds, and then pulled him back.
“No,” Daryl shook his head and looked into the woods, where two walkers were chasing a deer.
“Deer,” Daryl pointed over there.
"To hell with the deer, you need to go back and get treatment," Moore roared.
“…I promised her,” Daryl said. “At least before I leave, I want to give her this.”
Mohr felt a little uneasy, but he still forced Daryl to make a choice.
"Seriously, you're so stupid." Mor put Daryl down and rushed to finish off the two walkers. Just then, a crossbow bolt pierced the neck of the deer.
Mohr looked at Daryl, who pulled the crossbow bolt out of his body.
Damn it.
He's gone mad.
Daryl stood up and swayed over to Moore. "Let's go, we'll take it back."
Moore was speechless. Even the two of them would be exhausted if they carried the deer back, and now Daryl was still half dead. What was there to carry?
"Hurry up!" Daryl snapped.
Moore rolled his eyes, picked up the deer, and said, "You're really sick."
He felt like Daryl was going to drive him crazy over the deer that weighed over 100 pounds.
After walking for a short while, Moore was exhausted. Daryl clicked his tongue and said, "Together."
"Can't you forget about this deer, you damn fool?" Moore shouted angrily.
“…What else do you want?” Daryl said sullenly.
Moore's anger subsided immediately. He really owed him something. Oh well, as long as he could leave, he would be fine once he was away from these people.
Moore and Daryl carried the deer all the way back, exhausted. If it weren't for their foolish act of carrying the deer, Andrea would have shot them both.
Even Rick and Sean couldn't understand what the two brothers were thinking.
Daryl was pulled into the room where Lena was temporarily staying. Herschel didn't have any more rooms to share with them, and given that they felt there seemed to be some kind of relationship between Lena and Daryl, it seemed perfectly reasonable to choose this room for Daryl's treatment.
Lina sat to one side, watching Daryl's disheveled appearance, but he didn't dare to look at her.
“Those two actually managed to carry a deer back,” Glenn whispered in Lina’s ear, secretly pointing to his head.
Lina rolled her eyes at him.
He's not mentally unstable; he's feeling guilty, so he's self-harming and insists on hunting a deer.
He made a decision.
Lina lowered her eyes.
“The medicines are being used up faster than I expected,” Herschel said. “We need more medicine.”
As Herschel wiped his hands, he said to Rick, "It's a miracle that your men, who are so reckless, are still alive."
Lina looked at Mor at the doorway. He had just been standing there, staring at Daryl's back, silent and not saying a word.
After the wounds were treated, everyone left. Moore seemed to want to say something, but after glancing at Lina, he turned and left. Lina waited until it was quiet outside, then looked at Daryl, "When are you leaving?"
“…Tonight, or tomorrow, we’ll see Moore,” Daryl said dryly.
“You’re a real bastard. I’ve got your deer, get lost,” Lina said.
Daryl glanced at Lina, silently got out of bed, and left the room.
Lina sat motionless, she was alright, really, it was nothing.
Daryl returned to the tent and saw Moore staring blankly into space, with a handprint on his face.
"What did you do?" Daryl asked Mor in confusion.
Moore snapped out of his daze. "Damn it, you should at least have rested there for a while."
Daryl lay down. "I don't want to stay there."
"Did you two have a fight?" Moore asked.
"..."
"That means they're arguing," Moore thought.
Daryl scratched his head in frustration. "When are we leaving?"
“…We’ll talk about it after you’ve recovered,” Moore said.
"Are you crazy?" Daryl suddenly sat up, and then refused to leave.
“I didn’t know he abused you too…” Moore suddenly said.
Daryl fell silent. "Yes, he abused you, just like you did, which is why you left home first."
“I have to go, brother, or I’ll kill him,” Moore said sadly. He was still reeling from the shock of seeing Daryl’s back in the house; he had recognized him in just a glance.
Daryl didn't say anything more. It was all in the past, what was there to say? He turned away in frustration.
Moor opened his eyes in frustration and stared blankly at the top of the tent.
He got a real tongue-lashing from that blonde girl, damn it. Moore covered her face; she saw him packing his things and quickly realized he was leaving.
Damn, that girl was really quick.
“You’re a coward! You’re too scared to try to fit in with us! You don’t care about anyone! You know Daryl wants to stay, you’ll fit in with us, but you can’t. You don’t even dare to try. Did you force him? Coward, selfish! You don’t care about your brother at all! You don’t care about his pain, his difficulties! You know he’ll follow you, just like you’ve always thought, that he just needs to be your shadow—”
"Go to hell, Moore, you're the biggest bastard in the world."
How dare she say that? In this world, he dared to say that no one cared more about his brother than he did. Moore clicked his tongue in annoyance. To hell with Amy.
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