Outlive | Daryl Dixon ²

𝐱𝐯𝐢. 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐬𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐲

Silence descended as Harley fell into a stifling hush behind Astrid. His grip never loosened on her. In the stillness, Daryl pivoted toward Joe. "Look, you want blood, I get it," He uttered softly. Abruptly, he kicked his fallen crossbow further away and raised his hands cautiously, his attention locked solely onto the ruthless leader. "Take it from me, man," He said. "Jus' don't hurt them. C'mon."

"Dar—" Astrid attempted to plea, but Harley's brutal intervention silenced her, his vice-like grip on her hair intensified as his other hand clamped forcefully over her mouth. Tears welled in her eyes, yet she defiantly strained against her captor and her head shook frantically, unyielding in her effort to be heard.

Joe's eyes burned into Daryl. "These people killed our friend," He reminded, his voice a frigid blade. "You say they're good people. See, now that right there is a lie." Astrid observed helplessly as Daryl's hands dropped limply to his sides, his face suddenly contorting with a blend of fear and regret. "It's a lie, Daryl!" Joe reiterated, turning his attention to the other members of his crew who were not currently holding hostages of their own. "Teach him, fellas," He ordered with a sense of detachment. "Teach him all the way."

With a sharp pull, Astrid wrested herself from her captor, managing to free her mouth to plead with all the strength left within her. "No!" She screamed in alarm. Her eyes widened in horror as a man advanced on Daryl, driving the butt of his rifle into his gut. Her hunter collapsed to his knees, gasping and groaning in agony as two other assailants pounced on him savagely. Astrid strained against Harley, her fury fueling her resistance. "Let him go!" She screeched. "I'll kill you all!"

In her peripheral vision, she caught sight of a large man dragging Carl from the car, a wicked knife poised perilously close to the boy's throat. Rick pushed against Joe, despite the gun still on him. "You leave him be!" The father growled. "Listen, it was just me. It was just me!"

"See, now that's right," Joe agreed with a sinister calmness. "That's not some damn lie. Look, we can settle this. We're reasonable men. First, we're going to beat Daryl to death. Then we'll have the girls. Then the boy. Then I'm going to shoot you, and then we'll be square."

Astrid watched as the man shoved Carl to the ground and lunged on top of him. "Don't hurt him!" She pleaded desperately. "He's just a child! Please!"

Harley's hold on her intensified, and he abruptly yanked her to her feet, his voice dripping with malevolence as he taunted her. "In a hurry to get yours?" He hissed in her ear. She was forcefully spun around to witness one man restraining Daryl against the car while another rained blows upon his face. Moments later, they callously released him, allowing her hunter to collapse in a heap, only to subject him to a merciless flurry of kicks.

Astrid continued to fight, her side ablaze with pain, but she could not give up. She could not stop. She needed to save Daryl and Carl.

"LET ME GO!!!" She bellowed.

With that, Astrid swung her head back and smashed it into Harley's face, hearing his nose break beneath her skull, stunning him long enough to break free. She shoved the man to the ground and made a desperate dash towards her gun, which lay just a few feet away. However, her escape was short-lived, as strong arms enveloped her waist, and fingers dug into her bullet wound. She screamed in agonizing pain as she collapsed to the ground, almost immediately finding herself trapped beneath Harley as he crawled on top of her. She kicked and shoved, trying to break free from his new suffocating grip.

"Stop your squirming!" Harley spat down at her.

"Get off of me!" Astrid growled as she fought against her heavy assailant. Harley, undeterred, managed to seize both of her arms with one hand, while the other began to fumble with her belt. Mind-splitting panic and body-numbing fear roared through Astrid's veins, seizing her, knowing what would come next for her. What had been vilely promised for her all those days ago.