TWD: Just Another Reason to Hold On (Daryl x Reader)

~28~

     "We have to leave!" you hear someone yell. It was Glenn. He was warning everybody. You wonder why. "LET'S GO!"
     Immediately, you hurry to grab your axe. You hear more screaming. You rush outside as fast as you can. Chills run down your spine. The walkers. Too many. You see the group stocking up on weapons and ammunition, ready for battle. That's when you notice it. The reason why they are still alive. The reason why you are still alive. They did not fear.
     "Listen," Carol appears next to you. "You are the strongest female out of the group. Take Carl and Judith. Wait for us about five hundred miles east"
     "But...Rick?" you hesitate. You can't just take them. They aren't your kids.
     "His orders," she replies. "You better go, fast"
     That's right. It was all happening so fast. Just moments ago, we were all relaxed. One big happy family. Suddenly, Carol aims her gun at you. Your eyes widen as she pulls the trigger. You feel the slight breeze of something collapse behind you. It's not safe here. It was never safe. You hear a loud crash. It was the sound of the fence falling. Walkers begin to invade. There are more. You finally agree with Carol. You spot Carl. He was with Judith. Protecting her. Something you failed to do for your loved ones.
     "Carl!" you scream, grabbing his attention. You run over to him. "We must leave. Now. Get in the truck. I'll take Judith"
     "No," he replies stubbornly. "I'm not going to run away"
     "But...Carl," you remember. Your dad. You ran away. You regret it. You understand now. "Carl, give Judith to me. We are not leaving"
     Carl looks at you with his trusting eyes and nods. He gently passes Judith to you. She was crying, not able to stop. The moans. The gunshots. The yelling. It was all too much to handle for her. The walkers were already making their way inside. You run towards Rick. Carl follows. Many walkers notice the screaming Judith and they start heading to you. With as little noise as possible, you kill it. It drops dead. No longer a threat. Rick takes Judith from you.
     "I'm going to battle front lines," you say firmly.
     "With Daryl? He said to keep everyone away from him. No one is allowed to join," he responds, but he doesn't look at you.
     "I never asked," you say and run off before he could say another word.
     You make your way to the destroyed fences. You kill countless walkers easily. They were all instantly replaced with more. Too many. There's too many. They'll all die. That's when you realize it. The group will die if we continue.
     "RUN!" you scream, warning the group. No, your family. They're your family. "RUN WHILE YOU CAN"
     You kill many walkers, not seeing an end to it. From the corner of your eye, you see the rusty old yellow bus. Your family is going to make it. They'll be able to escape. Rick, Carl, Judith, Carol, Beth, Hershel, Maggie, Glenn. Daryl. He isn't there. You look around desperately. Only walkers surround you. One pounces on you. You were off guard and you knew it. You hit the floor, struggling to kill the walker. You finally kill it, but you aren't able to get up. You hear the bus drive away. Daryl isn't on that bus. It was all you could think of. You busily kill more walkers, but you knew. You knew you aren't going to make it out alive.

     Pain overwhelms your body. You were bit. You decide not to scream. Instead, you smile. A dead end. Without hesitation, you plunge your axe deep in to your skull. All you could see is the darkness. It was the same darkness you once feared.