Last One Standing ~ TWD Daryl Dixon

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Jo

There were more Walkers than I thought. Some had moved into the cells to feed off the people that had still been recovering. They all came staggering out at the sound of my boots hitting the cement. There were twenty at least. I glanced back up at the cat walk over my head but it was too high even if I jumped and there were too many walkers between me and the stairs. There was no going back now. I sucked in a breath and drew my kukri and the hunting knife in one smooth motion.

My mind was all over the place as fear tried to worm its way into the forefront of my consciousness. I sucked in another ragged breath and focused. There was no one here but me. No one to help me, but also no one else I had to keep safe. All I needed to do was protect myself. All I needed to do was survive. I was good at surviving.

I closed my eyes for a moment and thought about all the months I had spent getting better and learning to control myself. I thought about all those horrible memories that would take me back to that place that I had blocked out. I thought about that place and remembered. I let myself remember how it felt to be locked in that cage, and how it felt every week to be dragged out into that arena. I let myself remember the sand and the lights and the snarls of the walkers and I let myself focus.

When I opened my eyes nothing mattered except the Walkers in front of me. It didn't matter if they had been men or women, all that mattered was the tactical information I gathered and how it kept me alive.

I needed to get fifteen feet to my right to the door to the tombs. It would have to pull open, so I would need to make a gap. They were advancing in me quickly and would reach me in seconds. I slashed with the kukri and stabbed with the hunting knife catching the first two. I kicked back the next one that came close to me to open up some room to fight. The Kukri was comfortable in my hand and it felt like I hadn't stretched my muscles in days. I was weaker than I would have liked, and a little short of breath but it was just another factor I had to compensate for.

I killed four more before I realized I had lost a little control and wasn't heading towards my goal. I needed to get to the door. I kicked and spun and ducked and slashed. Each movement tight and as carefully controlled as the last. I wasn't as strong as I was when I was there, but my body still felt like the weapon I had trained it to be.

I lost myself for a few moments again and recovered when my back hit the door. I flinched and looked back at the path of destruction I wrought. At least ten Walkers were on the ground but the rest continued to shuffle towards me. I wasn't as fast as I used to be, I was out of practice and they were starting to herd up. I needed to move. I needed to keep control. Walker blood was coating my hands and running down my forearms as I kicked back the female walker closest to me. I stabbed down with the hunting knife, killing her.

I had to open the door, but I would mean turning my back to the room. The walkers growls echoed through my head. I couldn't hear gunshots anymore, and more Walkers were piling through the opening in the wall. I had to get out of here.

I took a deep breath and risked it. I whirled around and grabbed the door knob. I jerked it but the door was stuck. I sucked in a breath and swore. I was in A block, this door had taken both Daryl and I to open when we tried to clear the tombs. I swung back around and killed the two walkers we were closest and kicked two more back into other Walkers.

My breath was wheezy in my chest and my arms were starting to shake. Being sick was starting to catch up with me and if I didn't do something I was going to be trapped here. I grabbed the door, put my foot against the wall and heaved with all my might. The door moved and started to pull open. As soon as it was barely wide enough for me to slip through I did.