Built For This World

CHAPTER 10

“You gotta understand” Dave sighs as he pours himself a glass of liquor, “We can’t stay out there”
“I miss the part where this is our problem” I hiss giving him my full attention.
The man doesn’t seem irritated by my words, in fact he smiles.
“Listen man the farm is too crowded as it is.I’m sorry.You’ll have to keep looking” Rick tries to mediate, throwing at me a hard gaze, imploring me with his gaze to keep my mouth shut.
Dave nods.
“Keep looking” he murmurs with his lips pressed against the rim of the glass, taking a moment to swallow the amber liquid.
“Where do you suggest we do that” he finally replies, placing the glass in front of him.
“I hear Nebraska’s nice” I respond immediately with a toothy smile.
Dave laughs in response, throwing his head back.
“Nebraska.You’re so feral, I like you” he chuckles and in a blink of an eye he grabs his gun but Rick is much faster than him exploding a shot straight at the man’s head.
Without thinking twice I turn my back on Rick, leaning it against his and without even aiming I fire two shots at Tony’s chest.
But something seems to be wrong.
There's something wrong with the man who slowly raises a hand to his chest and collapses to the floor.
The man's big, sweaty face transforms into a completely different one.
His round cheeks take on a more angular appearance.
His smooth cheeks are now covered with a light layer of beard.
Some dark locks slide across his forehead and cover his dark eyes.
Actually no...no dark eyes...eyes as clear and blue as a summer sea.
The prominent abdomen fills with blood as it changes shape into a broader, more muscular chest.
The black shirt gradually darkens as the blood soaks it.
A strong calloused hand rests right where the bullets have pierced the flesh.
In horror, I let go the gun, kneeling in front of the man who, moment by moment, is struggling more and more to breathe, gurgling gasps abandoning his lips which are taking on a worrying shade of grey.
“Daryl.I'm Sorry.I'm so sorry” I whine pressing my hands on his wounds trying to stop the bleeding.
Blood slips through my fingers unable to slow the process.
Continuing to press, I look behind me.
“Help me.Help him”
My scream hurts my own eardrums.
Rick, Glenn and Hersel look at me without moving.
Not even a shadow of the panic on their faces that is currently consuming my every cell.
I return my eyes to the man lying at my feet, his eyes are absent.
“Why don't you do anything!” I scream desperately feeling the heartbeat under my fingers slow down inexorably.
No noise behind me.
The blood flows from the two holes more and more slowly now.
“Please stay with me, big boy.I need you” I sniff at him, my vision blurred with tears.
It can't end like this.
I couldn't tell him how I felt about him.
I didn't have time to tell him how special he was to me.
I couldn't thank him for saving my life in every way a person can be saved.
I didn't tell him that I love him.
“Daryl” I whisper as his eyes turn glassy and a final trembling sigh leaves his lips.
Daryl slips away in front of my horrified eyes.
I lost him.
I lost him forever.
And it's all my fault.
With a clouded mind and a heart full of anger I stand up unable to take my eyes off the archer's lifeless body.
I killed a human being.
I killed Daryl Dixon.
I killed the greatest love of my life.
In the fog of my thoughts I can hear the sound of Rick's boots coming alongside me.
Then another shot.
And now Daryl's face is also covered in blood.
I killed Daryl Dixon.
His coagulated blood between my fingers only reminds me of that.
“Why didn't you help him, Rick?” I ask, my heart shattering as I move my gaze to his face.
The room is dark now.
There are no more tables.
There are no more chairs.
Nothing.
Just me, Rick and Daryl's dead body.
I killed Daryl Dixon.
Rick looks at me with a look of pure hatred, his features a mask of contempt.
“It's all your fault, Summer.You killed him.You killed us all the moment you came into our lives.I won't kill you” he whispers placing his gun in the back pocket of his jeans, “You deserve to live with this weight in your heart.This is what you deserve”
Saying this, the man turns his back on me and disappears surrounded by darkness.