Make it Till You Don't

The Accident

I watched as Dale stormed out the door and into the fields a few minutes before the rest filed out, heading to the campsite. "They're gonna execute him in the barn."

I glanced at Daryl for a moment as he made his way down the steps, leaving me with my thoughts. Should I go? I pondered to myself. I don't like seeing people get killed or die in front of me, but what he and his group did, I don't think I could ever forget.

Seeing the sun beginning to go down, I let out a sigh and made my way to the barn. It could be the closure I need. Reaching the barn, I slid down against the doors, propping an arm up on my knee as I waited.

"Hold on. Hold on. Hold on." I heard a voice, making me turn my head, seeing they were heading this way. I got up off the ground, wrapping my arms around me.

Rick noticed me as they got closer. "What are you doing here?"

I saw Rick was accompanied by Shane and Daryl, pushing Randall towards the barn. "Rick, I need to be here for this. Not want, need." I told him, pointedly.

"This ain't no place for girls, why don't you just go back to-"

"Shane." Rick silenced him, glancing at him before turning to me. "Look, Shane's right. I don't think you should be here for this."

Frustrated, I pulled my knife out, pointing it at Randall. "I'll do it my damn self if I gotta." I stared at Rick with a hard gaze, showing him I meant it.

"Alright, fine. But stay behind us." Rick consented, to which I nodded and put my knife away, moving so he could open the doors.

"Wait, wait. Ah!" Randall exclaimed as he was dragged into the barn.

Rick pointed in front of him. "Put him there."

Shane took Randall from Daryl's grip, tugging him along. "It's all gonna be over soon."

"What?" Randall asked, looking at them. "What's gonna be over soon?" He glanced right at me as Shane began to blindfold him. "Wait, wait! That is you, isn't it, (Y/N)?" I bit my lip, not saying anything as the other three turned to look at me. "Come on, tell them it wasn't me! I didn't do anything!" He thrashed around. "Tell them!"

Rick looked at me as he checked his pistol to which I nodded. Randall began crying when I wouldn't answer. "Would you like to stand or kneel?"

"Oh no, please." Randall begged again. "I don't wanna die- Ah!"

Daryl walked forward, kicking the back of his knee, making him drop down. "Do you have any final words?"

"Please, I never did anything to you (Y/N), that was the others! I didn't, I swear!" Randall sobbed. "No, please."

"Exactly. You didn't do anything..." I tightened my arms around me as my eyes began to sting with tears. Rick looked at me one last time, as if trying to tell me now would be the time to leave before looking at Randall, raising the gun to his head.

"Do it, dad." Carl's voice came from behind me, causing Rick to tense up. "Do it."

Shane walked over to Carl, taking Carl out of the barn. I looked back over to Rick, seeing he lowered the gun. "Take him away."

Without a word, Daryl grabbed Randall, taking him out the barn back to the shed. I gave Rick a reassuring look, telling him I understood why he stopped before he left.

I stood in the barn a couple moments longer, feeling a few tears run down my face, I sniffled and quickly wiped them away. When I didn't feel the stinging in my eyes anymore, I walked out the barn as I heard a scream come from the fields. I saw Rick and a few others take off, assuming in the direction the scream came from, and ran in that direction.

I heard another scream as I saw a Walker get tackled and killed. "Help! Over here!" Grouping up with the other, we made it to where Daryl was shouting.

"Oh my god." Andrea gasped out, stopping at Rick knelt down to the ground.

I threw my hands over my mouth, seeing the state Dale was in. "No..."

"Okay, hold on now. Get Hershel!" Rick screamed, standing up as Andrea took his place. "He needs blood. We got to operate now."

"Hang on." Andrea chanted, holding Dale's face in her hands.

"Listen to me, okay, listen to my voice." Rick told Dale, trying to keep him conscious. "Alright? Please, Hershel! WE NEED HERSHEL!" Rick screamed again, kneeling next to Dale. "Just hold on."

"What happened?" Hershel shouted, coming up behind Rick, looking at Dale's condition.

Rick looked to Hershel. "Can we move him?"

"He won't make the trip." Hershel told him, glancing at the wound."

"You have to do the operation here. Glenn get back to the house!" Rick began to grow frantic.

"Rick!" Hershel grabbed his shoulder, giving him a look, shaking his head.

Rick understood immediately. "NO!"

I felt tears roll down my face once more, only this time, they wouldn't stop. "He's suffering." Andrea's voice broke through all the sobbing coming from everyone. "Do something!"

Rick pulled out his gun, aiming it at Dale's head. A few moments passed and I could tell by Rick's face, he couldn't do it. Daryl came around and grabbed the gun from Rick, aiming at Dale once more. Dale looked to Daryl, moving his head closer to the gun, giving him the go ahead.

Daryl understood, cocking the gun. "Sorry, brother." He said before pulling the trigger.

I collapsed to my knees, sobbing with everyone else. I might not have known Dale for long, but he was one of the few in the group I grew close to. And seeing him have to be put down in front of me, brought back painful memories.

I wasn't sure how much time had passed, nor how long I sat there, but the tears had dried up. I wrapped my arms around myself from the cold, staring at Dale. "Come on, it ain't safe here." I heard someone speak, but I didn't budge, never tearing my gaze away from Dale.

...

"Don't say that!" I whimpered, pressing harder on the wound. "You're not gonna die!"

"(Y/N), it's no use..." I shook my head, squeezing my eyes shut. "I can't run in this condition, you have to go now-"

"Damn it, will you shut up! We're not leaving you behind!" I screamed, breathing heavily as I held a hand on her leg to stop the bleeding. "We can get help..."

I saw her look away from me and nod before I felt a hand yank on my arm, pulling me off the ground. "Come on, we gotta move before they find us!"

I struggled to get out of their grip. "I don't care!" I shouted as we got further away as I watched as a few military men rushed over, one of them bringing their gun up before a shot rang through the air. "MO-!"

I felt a hand cover my mouth, as I was pulled behind a wall nearby. "Quiet, or they'll find us too..."

I shook as tears racked my body, clinging onto the arm covering me. "Why are they doing this? She- She wasn't even bit..." I sobbed.

"I don't know... Come on, let's find the others and we'll head to Atlanta, they've been broadcasting that a refuge is there." I wiped my eyes, nodding.

"I'm scared, dad."

...

"(Y/N)? (Y/N), can you hear me?"

"No use man, she ain't hearing you."

"We can't just sit here, it's not safe here anymore. For all we know, another Walker can come out of those woods."

Coming out of my thoughts, I tried to answer, but nothing seemed to come out, as if I wasn't in control of my body.

"You take her back to camp, the two of us will handle this."

"Ya sure?" I didn't hear anything else as I felt someone pick me up off the ground as I eventually fell asleep.

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Published: 04/09/2024