In Hope Of Falling In Love (A Walking Dead Fanfic)

Chapter 36: This Might Be Death

Aislynn watched Carl walk away, not turning back once and then let herself be sad.

She remembered hearing Beth tell Maggie some nights ago that they didn't get to be sad, that they all had jobs to do and crying wasn't going to help.

Broken sobs strangled out of Aislynn's throat as she grabbed at the necklace around her neck; the one Carl had risked his life for.

It was a small silver heart threaded on a silver chain and it felt cool against her smooth skin. She thought about what would happen if she died, if she was to die, but distinguished the thoughts. Had it not been her to say that pushing people away was easier? That maybe, just maybe, it was easier not to love and it was better to forget?

And she had also said nobody should have to forget, like she'd never forget when she first fell in love; first fell in love with Carl.

Making her way back to her cell she saw Hershel, Beth and Maggie's father, tending to Michonne who had grown vastly ill over the last few days and was sharing a cell with Sasha and Tyreese while she and Glenn had cells to themselves.

No one wanted to share with a young girl.

Smoothing down the blanket on her small bed, she sat down, her hands now clutched around the bible Hershel had given to her. After Carl's speech just reading the words on the cover of the leather-bound book made her angry.

"Stay away from me!" she yelled, throwing the book at the wall, more bloody tears streaming in a steady line down her face.

Hershel appeared in the doorway, staring at her then at the blood on her face then at the book she'd just thrown. "Are you alright?" he asked softly and Aislynn couldn't even nod as if to say yes, instead a small shriek came from deep within her throat.

"I'm scared," she admitted and Hershel nodded.

"Maybe you just need to take a walk outside. I might have to ask Rick," he replied with a sad smile.

Noticing the expression on Beth's father face, Aislynn coughed once more into her palm and said, "I don't need your sympathy. Go take care of Glenn, I'll be fine."

"You haven't eaten," Hershel insisted.

Aislynn tried not to cry again, still wiping at the blood around her eyes. "Save the food for someone who's going to live. I don't need it."

With another sad smile, Hershel turned and left.

Finally lying down on the white sheets beneath her, she saw the tears of blood stain her pillow, leaving large red imprints near her cheek.

I'm dying, she realised, I'm dying and I'm going to leave Daryl alone.

Aislynn began to cough again, blood splattering her hands as she turned around to face the floor and heaved. Almost as if she had nothing left to vomit up, she let herself collapse back onto the bed then felt something warm worm its way up her throat and she heaved again, coughing.

Blood.

That's all she could see before she felt her throat close up and was struggling for air, trying to scream but nothing but blood came out.