survival

injury and tears>>6

"i said i'm not hungry, for fucks sake!" i hear daryl's loud voice boom, his back facing me as he stares out the window, swatting his hand behind himself quickly.

"i-" i hesitate for a second "i-it's only me, i'm not here to feed you"

he turns his head, looking back at me, making a small grunting noise before motioning me to come over.

"carol send you up 'ere?" he questions.

"no, no one sent me up here" i sit on the bed, crossing my legs.

"why you here then, kid?" he growls.

"i-i wanted to see how you were doing and i figured it wouldn't be that much trouble as i'm in the room just there" i point towards my room.

"why aren't you out with the others girl? why you stayin in there?" daryl glances at me.

"i injured my leg while i was lost and accidentally tripped up the stairs today, maggie said that i need to stay in there for a few days, wait for the swelling to go down" i look at him, lopsided smile in place.

"then why are you in here, you should be in your room restin" daryl raises a brow, turning towards me.

"well i-"

"perth?!" the door bursts open, maggie and glenn standing in the doorway, panicked.

"yes?" they both sigh loudly.

"you can't worry us like that!" glenn exclaims, marching in, pulling me into his arms and lifting me up.

"you need to rest" maggie says "we're gonna taking her, that alright daryl?"

"ya won't find me complainin" he scowls before turning around.

i frown slightly, watching as he turns back around, glenn carrying me out of the room.

"why was he so mean to me?" i look at glenn and maggie as i'm placed on the bed.

"i don't know sweety" maggie sits next to me on the bed, placing a plate on my lap gently.

"it- rick was talking to daryl the other day, while you were in the woods, i think the conversation might of scared him a little bit, just give him some time" glenn reassures me.

"bullshit!" come the shout from the next room "i just don't wanna be lookin after a snotty nosed little rat that's gonna do nothin but waste my time!"

maggie sits there silently, a sympathetic look painting her features.

glenn blinks a couple times, removing his cap and scratching at his scalp "we- we didn't know you could hear us"

"well i can! so shut it!" daryl yells back.

"eat up, then get some rest" maggie whispers, patting my leg.

glenn and maggie leave, closing the door behind them.

i grab the slice of bread that sits on my plate before taking a bite, small salty droplets trickling down my face.

i wipe my face, placing the plate down before laying down and cuddling into the blankets.

i slowly start to drift off, little sniffles sounding through the quiet room.

darkness starts to take me as i slowly fall asleep.

~~~

i open my eyes slowly, rubbing at my sore eyes, i look across to the bedside table, noticing a new plate of food as well as some water and a little box with a sticky note on it.

i pick it up, ripping the note from the box,

perth,
found this when we were on the highway, thought you might like it
~sorry, kid

is scribbled on it in messy hand writing.

i put the note down and open the small box, inside is a little chain necklace with a little dragon attached to it.

i pull the necklace from its case and slip around my neck carefully.

i grab the plate, nibbling on some of the meat on the plate.

"perth?" lori whispers silently, pushing the door open gently.

"yeah?" i mumble.

"hey, you didn't eat much from earlier, daryl came in to check on you, and your plate was still full. everything alright darling?" lori brushes my hair aside.

"i just wasn't all that hungry" i mumble softly.

she nods silently, "how- how are you holdin up?"

"my leg doesn't hurt all tha-"

"no, i mean- perth, you're all alone- your family, you don't know how they are, you're only a little girl" lori runs her fingers through my hair gently.

"i don't really know, i- i try not to think about it, i need to focus on what's happening right here right now, or who knows what might happen" i reply, picking at my finger nails.