Chaos for the Fly [The Walking Dead Fanfiction]

Chapter 7: Sort of Runaway

        I remember her, the girl with the green eyes. She was beautiful for a seven-year-old. Don't get me wrong, I didn't look at her like I might have other fourteen-year-old girls, ya know, girls my own age. It wasn't like that for her. Back then, I was somewhat of a dreamer. It was back then my mother had read stories about love. Love at first sight. If I ever thought it could be real, it was with her. No words, just a rest in my heart echoing through the courtroom. She looked at me, and it felt like she had stolen my very breath. It would take many years for me to realize that she was breathing life into me. 

        I had a devil on my shoulder; I called him Merle. On occasion, it was pops. But mother was around back then, and she always tried to steal me away from their influences. Blood is blood, and my brother wasn't as bad as everyone made him out to be. Don't get me wrong, he's a real jackass, but that ain't all he is. But when mom died, I lost grip on that side of my heart. I'm a Dixon after all, our hearts ain't pure. 

        It all changed in that courtroom. I still remember what she wore, the white dress with a black ribbon lacing her collar. I sure as hell didn't think I'd ever see her after that night. I should have never gone looking for her, but I couldn't help it. Merle was locked up, serving time for that little girl, and all I wanted to do was talk to her. Something about her made the pain go away, and I chased after her like a faithful junkie. I would do it only once, I coaxed myself into believing. Like any other drug, it's impossible to want only once. And love, also, comes with a price. I payed for it in Alice's blood.

        "Daryl, did you even sleep?" She was visibly upset, obviously guilty over being able to sleep twice in one night. A luxury not granted to many any more. He shrugged, letting his arm lay loosely around her shoulders. As romantic as it seemed to sleep in his arms, he had to make it out to be the most normal thing in the world. Daryl needed to apply pressure to her wound, that's all.

        "Nah. I'm not tired." Alice didn't believe him, and she reassured herself that he'd be the one sleeping when they got the next chance. Wiggling out from under his arms, she realized just how sore she was. Though, nothing compared to the searing pain of ripping open a shoulder, for the second time. The room started spinning, as she started to violently dry heave, having eaten next to nothing the other day. He lept off the bed to steady her, grabbing along her waist and holding her long hair back with his free hand. A knock on the door, Daryl's booming voice scolding whoever it was and then, she was finished. 

        Alice steadied herself on him, and then made it back to the bed. He followed, resting his backhand to her forehead. "Shit, you're burning up." A half hearted smile crossed her dry lips. 

        "Well, it was only a matter of time." Alice was more surprised it hadn't happened before, infection. Daryl did dig shrapnel out with his knife, but he swore up and down burning his blades should've helped ward it away. "I guess I should have been more careful." Prying his hand away from her clammy skin, he stood up, kicking the stand next to them. 

        "And I sent the damn antibiotics with them! Is this why you haven't been eatin'?" Alice didn't really think anything of her actions, but it was all starting to add up. Sophia took up everything, and all that afflicted her seemed to be a stem from her stress. It wasn't. The infection had been eating it's way into her system. "Dammit!" 

        Her shaking hand came up to try and reach for him, to calm him down. "Daryl I--"

        "No shutup! You're not okay." He stormed out of the room, the door now swinging off it's hinges. 

        "Daryl what the hell--" Andrea started, Dale sharing the same concern as he looked towards Alice. 

        "We're goin' to that farm, now!" Before he could make it to the door, Carol's voice pleaded.