Show Me the Scars You Hide

[08]

"The fear of losing someone always brings out what's in your heart."

~Anurag Prakash Ray

Skye Taylor

I walked away from the bloodied man. I was so angry, I knew I had to get out of there. I grabbed my bow off the ground along with my quiver. I started stomping off to the woods, knowing I needed to cool down.

"Skye!" I turned around to see Amy looking at me. She ran over to where I was and asked,

"Where are you going?"

"I just need to be alone for a while." I told the young blonde before stomping off into the forest. This is what happens when I stay. This it what happens when I start to care about people. I can't. I can't care about them, they'll all die. Caring about people makes you weak. I should have left this morning.

I finally decided I had walked far enough. I sat on a log and sighed loudly. Caring makes you do stupid things. Stupid things get you killed. I could leave right now, they wouldn't even know where I went.

What did it matter anyways? If I leave now or wait till Daryl gets back. This was his plan, I thought. He wanted me to stay, get close to these people before he gets back. But for what? For them to be ripped apart by those... things. Is that all life is anymore?

I looked down to my bloody hand and sighed. The adrenaline that had been coursing through my veins had disappeared, now all I could feel was the pain of my bleeding knuckles. I didn't even care though, the pain never seemed to bother me anymore.

The pain in my hand made me realize that I couldn't leave. No matter how much I wanted to. If I leave Ed will just continue hitting his wife and possibly his daughter.

See caring about people sucks.

Carol didn't deserve his abuse. I don't know if he hit his daughter but I do know that she doesn't deserve it either. I couldn't help but want to stay to protect them.

It's not your job to protect them.

But someone has to, I argued with myself.

It was like part of me wanted to help them but another part of me said to just back away, that they weren't my problem anyways.

Now I sound like a dumb redneck.

I had nothing against rednecks, in fact I grew up around them. But I could never call myself one, no matter what rusted up trailer park I was from, it didn't matter, not anymore. I didn't hold onto those roots after I left home.

I could go back to camp but I don't want to. I felt like taking my pent up anger out. I held my bloody fist in my hand and before I even knew what I was doing I punched a tree right in front of me. Like I said my adrenaline had worn out so it hurt like a bitch. I didn't cry but I held my hand to my chest as I bit my lip, trying to contain a scream. I began to get a strange taste of iron in my mouth, I immediately recognized the taste as my blood

I gabbed my bow off my back and decided to hunt moments later. I ignored the throbbing of my right hand. I looked up, noticing the sun was about to set. I must have been out here longer then I had thought.

I looked down quickly noticing a pair of rabbit footprints. I smiled to myself as I began to follow the trail. The one good thing my father ever did for me was putting me in boy scouts. He wanted me to be a boy so desperately he tried getting me into things that only guys typically did. I guess he's to blame for me never truly getting along with girls or liking things like nail polish or  shopping. Not that it mattered, to me it was a good thing I was a tomboy because at least in this world; I knew how to survive.

I finally got to the end of the trail, the rabbit stood alone next to a tree with its back facing me. It looked to its right and then to its left, almost as if it knew something was about to attack it. I pulled back my bowstring. Right as I was about to let go a blood-curdling scream came from the direction of camp.

"Shit." I hissed as the rabbit scattered. I looked over to where the scream came from and without even thinking I sprinted towards the noise.

I came through the trees to see walkers surrounding the camp. People screamed, and some fought. I watched some of the women backing away. I looked around at all the scared faces and I knew what I had to do.

Gun shots went off as I ripped my machete out of its sheath and ran up to the closest walker. I hit it in the head twice and it fell to the ground, dead. I looked over seeing two walkers closing in on Carol and Sophia. I quickly pulled my bow off my back and launched an arrow in one of the creatures heads. I loaded another arrow and shot, hitting my next target spot on.

I ran over to Carol and Sophia, tears streamed down both of their faces. I didn't know if I could help them, I didn't know how to help them. Over all the noise I yelled out,

"Get in the RV with Lori and Carl, lock the door and stay put!" Carol nodded at me and dragged her daughter over to the door. I covered them as they made their way over there along with Lori and Carl. I instantly recognized the blonde laying in the grass, blood pooling around her small frame. "No, no!" I yelled. I ran over to the girl and killed the walker that was on top of her. "Amy..." I whispered.

I felt warm tears slide down my cheeks. I quickly took my bloodied hand and wiped my tears away. I turned around and ran straight into a crowd of walkers, swinging my machete left and right; bringing each walker I hit down to the ground in one simple motion. I felt something grip my arm, I quickly spun around to see a big walker in bloodied clothing latched onto me. It held onto my hand with my machete in it, I fought against it but it felt hopeless, the creature was much stronger than I was.

Suddenly and arrow went straight through its head, its grip on my arm faltered. I looked over and saw Daryl Dixon and his famous crossbow. I nodded at him and he nodded back at me, a smirk on his face. I turned back into the crowd and in one motion killed the last few walkers in camp with the help of Daryl.

I looked around, nothing but dead bodies and scared people. I fought to catch my breath, I was too shocked and too tired to even comprehend what had happened. All of a sudden I felt a hand on my arm again. I spun around and met none other then the crystal blue eyes of Daryl Dixon.

"Are ye okay?" He asked. I nodded my head.

"Yeah, are you?" He nodded his head as well and pulled me into a hug. It was unexpected but returned. I had almost lost him tonight, I had almost died tonight.

***

Sorry it's not longer but its like 1:30am and I kinda want to take out my contacts and sleep lol.

And now it's 1:50 and I had to edit it before bed... wow watch I missed something whatever I always do.