With Michael leading the way, the two slowly made their way back to his camp where he meticulously packed up the must have necessary essentials, like a couple of small packs of laundry detergent, body soaps, shampoos, deodorants and spices like peppers and salts, all placed in one backpack.
Michael then packed some change of clothes, mostly underwear and a skillet hanging on his backpack before picking up a small gun maintenance kit from inside his tree house.
He walked over to Daryl and handed him the backpack containing the body essentials. "Here"
Daryl was looking around the camp before taking the bag from Michael and donned it on his back. Daryl was awed at the sight around him. "You built all these?"
Smiling, Michael nodded. "This walled area? Yes, but the tree house? No, it was already here when I stumbled upon this place"
"Come on, we don't have all day"
Michael took one last look around his camp for one last time. The sanctuary which... has kept him safe for many days. Michael smiled and with a whisper. "Thank you. I'll be leaving now"
Walking out the gate with a jerry can on his hand, Daryl was there to greet him. "You done?"
"Yeah, let's go"
This time, Daryl led the way with Michael following closely behind him.
At their backs were the lonely silhouette of Michael's now former home. Its gate was left ajar, something Micheal deliberately left, so that like him, someone else who would also stumble upon this place by chance, would easily be able to get inside and keep themselves safe for another day.
Halfway through the trek, Daryl suddenly spotted something on the forest floor and slowly approached it.
Michael also paused in his tracks and watched him. "What is it?"
Daryl didn't immediately answer him. He examined the thing he saw on the ground. "Food, deer tracks. Probably the one I've been tracking for miles before I stumbled on you"
Michael thought of something. "How many?"
"Just one. Come on, it's this way" Daryl gestured, and the two men carefully followed after the tracks.
'It seems this is the deer scene on the show' Michael thought while closely following behind Daryl.
It didn't take long before the two spotted their prey, drinking from a small stream. Daryl slowly crouched down behind a tree and loaded his crossbow while Michael just watched him from a distance.
There was at least fifty meters of distance between him and the deer.
Michael took a quick look around their surroundings before turning his attention back at the scene ahead.
Daryl took a moment to aim..before letting the arrow loose.
Twak!
He had tried to aim for the neck, but instead, the arrow flew and struck the deer's side, between the rib cage and its shoulder.
Kyakakak!
Startled, the deer let out a scream of pain as it staggered forward. It then bolted across the stream and fled!
"Son of bitch! Let's go!" Daryl was a little ashamed and angered that he had actually missed and immediately went after the deer. He reloaded while moving while Michael closely followed after him and kept a close eye on their surroundings in case of a sneaking zombie.
Daryl shot another two arrows on the deer. Both landed on its rear end, but it remained stubborn and resilient as it kept fleeing from them.
"Damn deer," Daryl cursed as he spat on the ground. "The only good news is that it fled towards the direction of the camp. Let's hope there's no walker nearby when it drops, or else all of this is would just turn out to be a waste of energy"
"Let's hope so. It has been a while since I've had meat and I've been thinking about it after you mentioned you were tracking a deer" Michael smiled. He was praying, in hopes that the event that would unfold sometime later wouldn't happen since he's really craving meat today, like a lot.
'Please, please! Meeting Daryl is already a huge deviation from the story. At least extend it until we reach the place where the deer would drop dead'
Daryl plucked off a berry along the trek and turned to Michael. "The camp is just ahead"
Kyaaaa!
Daryl had just uttered those words when a distant, blood-curdling scream of a woman echoed through the trees, and it sent shivers down their spines. Daryl and Michael exchanged a look and made haste ahead.
'No! My meat! Bloody prick!'
Michael, on the other hand, was screaming and cursing inside, and the target of his cursing? Only the man himself knows.
Daryl and Michael emerged from behind a large and rocky boulder. Where they were greeted by several familiar faces.
"Damn it Daryl" The man who had aimed his shotgun at them heaved a sigh of relief. Before turning his attention to the new face behind Daryl. "Where'd you get this guy?"
"Son of a bitch! That's my deer!"
Daryl was about to answer, but then he noticed the state of the deer they had been tracking since earlier and let out a curse!
"Look at it. All gnawed on by this…filthy, disease-bearing, motherless poxy bastard!" Daryl slowly walked over towards the walker and started kicking it in anger as he cursed.
Then the oldest man among them chimed in. "Calm down, son. That's not helping"
Already feeling agitated, Daryl walked up to the man's face. "What do you know about it, old man? Why don't you take that stupid hat and go back to On Golden Pond?"
"I've been tracking this deer for miles." Daryl turned around and walked over to the deer and started yanking off the arrows stuck on its body.
While all this was happening, Michael just quietly stood on the side, with this mysterious look on his face.
'Damn, now this is what you would call a first-class seat! If I remember this right, the one with the shotgun is Shane, that old man is Dale, and that's Rick and Glen with the pipes. Sorry Mexican dude, I don't remember your name, and this guy beside me..hmmm. he's Jim. Those two blondes, I think they're Amy and Andrea. Dang, they're hot! My hormones acting up, must be because it has been a while since I've seen a woman'
"Geez, was gonna drag it back to camp and cook us up some venison."
"What do you think? Do you think we can cut around this chewed up part right here?" Daryl suggested, but instead of asking his group, he actually turned towards Michael, clearly asking for his input. A minor deviation from the story.
Slightly caught off guard, Michael pointed at himself. "Me?"
"Yeah, you. I'm looking at you" Darly grunted, a little annoyed.
Michael looked around and saw their stares that were full of wariness mixed with curiosity. "That's a bad idea. I would not risk that. Animals don't turn, but contaminated ones can turn us into one of them"
Letting out an annoyed snort. Daryl looked on regretfully at the deer. "That's a damn shame then. Ohh, good thing I got some squirrels, about a dozen or so. That will have to do"
"Oh god!"
The decapitated head of the walker suddenly moved. Disgusting the Harrison sisters that they quickly walked away from the scene.
In a humorous tone, Daryl fired off his crossbow at the head. "Come on people. What the hell?"
Twak!
"It's gotta be the brain." Pulling out the arrow from the head, Daryl slightly retreated to the side and then looked at them. "Don't you all know nothing?"
"Let's move on from that. Who is this guy you came with?" Shane gestured towards Michael.
Startled, Daryl quickly turned towards Michael and let out a chuckle. "Dang, I keep forgetting you were here"
"He's Michael. I met him while I was tracking this deer. He said he's a friend of my brother, so I brought him with me. Where is he anyway?" Finishing up with the introductions and suddenly thinking of his brother, Daryl quickly left them for camp, while Rick looked on, mulling over.
"Sup?" Michael smiled, and he immediately noticed their now unfriendly gazes directed at him. He realized then that he had completely neglected one very important detail.
'I completely forgot that these people don't like Merle. Now, I'm painted in the same light as him. He ain't even here, but he sure can still cause some trouble to other people'
"Anyway, I'm going after Daryl. Nice meeting you all." Michael smiled and gave them a nod before he hurriedly walked past them and went after Daryl.
"Damn. I thought we'd finally have some little peace with Merle gone, but another one shows up!" Initially looking friendly and smiling at Michael. Now, the Mexican dude was a little annoyed at the arrival of the newcomer.
"..."
Not one of them said anything. They just slowly made their way back to camp in silence.
"What? I know you guys were thinking the same." Feeling slightly awkward, the Mexican dude let out a nervous chuckle and followed after them last.