Last One Standing ~ TWD Daryl Dixon

156

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Jo

It was full dark when we pulled up in front of the gates of The Kingdom for the second time that day. After contacting Dwight we had been running messages between the communities non-stop. I was exhausted and I knew Daryl was no better. Riding all day and the stress of needing to be constantly on guard and aware was taking it's toll. Daryl stopped the bike, the engine rumbled as we waited for the gates to open. After a minute or so of waiting I frowned. Every other time we had come to The Kingdom the gates had opened as soon as we approached.

"Hey!" Daryl called loudly. "Open the-"

There was shout from behind the wall, cutting off his words. I squinted into the dark trynig to make out what little movement I could see at the top of the wall. I stilled, straining to hear anything over the engine. My whole body tensed. Something was going on. It would be easiest for us to just turn and leave, but if something had happened here in the hours since we had left...Carol and Ezekiel were in there. We couldn't just leave them.

"Turn it off," I called so Daryl could hear me. My mind was racing, it didn't feel like The Saviors were here. I was almost positive if Negan and his men had taken The Kingdom Negan himself would be standing at the top of the gate gloating about it and pointing a hundred guns at Daryl and I. Had there been some kind of revolt? Most of Ezekiel's men seemed to love him and I didn't think that was something Carol or Jerry would have allowed. This was something else.

There was more shouting from the gate and I caught the glint of light off their bows.

Just as Daryl reached down to turn the key something slammed into our right side. Daryl lost his balance and the bike started to fall. In the dim moonlight I could just make out the herd as it poured towards us. Several of the ones closest to us dropped, but it was too dark for the archers on the wall to see well. There was more shouting, but I didn't pay attention to that. We were still falling. If we both landed under the bike we could be pinned. Helpless.

It went against every instinct I had to stay as close to him as possible to protect him. But I couldn't fight for us if I was trapped under the bike, and I wasn't strong enough to lift the bike if it fell on me. I shoved myself backwards away from the bike and away from Daryl. My low back jammed against the back of the seat catching the edge as I rolled free. I landed flat on my back on the asphalt, knocking the wind out of me.

All I could hear was the rumbling engine of the bike and the only light was from the headlight. I couldn't hear the herd, I couldn't hear Daryl. I tasted panic on the back of my tongue and I flipped myself up onto my feet. I landed unsteadily as my chest continued to scream for air, but I pushed myself past it. I whirled to see Daryl still trapped by the bike, lifting his crossbow.

This, it was stupid shit like this that got people killed. I wasn't willing to let Daryl and I die tonight. I palmed two knives and let one fly at the walkers closest to Daryl. I ran straight towards where Daryl was half pinned under the bike. He was firing his crossbow towards the herd. If I could buy him a few seconds he could get himself free.

I jumped over the top of the motorcycle running straight for the herd. I drew a second knife as I moved.

"Damnit Jo!" I heard Daryl's angry snarl but as usual I ignored it.

I started slashing and hacking at anything the moved, anything that tried to get past me to get to Daryl. I heard Daryl yell again. I heard the thwack of his crossbow, and I gritted my teeth in frustration. He was supposed to get himself out, not give up the chance I was giving him trying to foolishly protect me. I fought even harder, snapping off knives as needed and twisting too fast for one of them to get a hold of me.