Arrowhead ➳ Daryl Dixon

t h i r t y - f o u r

Dead.

Death was everywhere. It had been a common occurance before. People died from old age, sickness, injury... It wasn't an unusual thing to see. It was heartbreaking, no doubt, but they accepted it for what it was. It wasn't like it could be changed.

However, death... It happened more than life did. Death was daily. It even walked around the earth, feasting on the living and bringing them right down with them. Death had once been common, but now it was very common. People simply didn't live to be ninety-five anymore, as you were lucky to survive at all. You didn't see babies, either.

The Governor stood in the middle of the prison, surrounded by death. Walkers lumbered through what had once been a safe haven, and dead people were scattered across the grass. Ruined. He noted. I've ruined their lives just as mine was. In his eyes, the destruction was beautiful.

The Governor hadn't always been a crazy man. He'd loved his wife and his daughter, but loosing one right after the other truly took a toll on him. He went from the calm, loving husband to a crazy man who took joy in destroying people's lives and happiness... The horrible thing? He had no idea.

The Governor lowered the pistol from the head of the last person he could see. Many had escaped, but they wouldn't survive out in the open like that. They'd all been locked away so long that they didn't know how to survive, how to kill. Their little safe haven had been destroyed, and the Governor was happy to take the title of the man whom had destroyed it all.

Unfortunately for him, karma was coming back with a strong stride. 

Michonne and Daryl were the only two survivors that remained at the prison, but only because they both seeked the same revenge. Michonne seeked revenge for what he had done to her, and Daryl seeked revenge for what he had done to Presley. They both had the same silent agreement: no matter what happened, the Governor wouldn't leave with his head intact. 

Michonne drew her katana, drawing the attention of the Governor. The space between the three was dreadfully silent, only the distant rumble of the walkers could be heard. Suddenly, he smiled. Michonne and Daryl both froze, waiting for him to raise the pistol and shoot them both down, but he only smiled. A horrible cackle split the air and they watched as he tossed the gun onto the ground, raising his hands up in mock-surrender.

"Go ahead, take me down. My quest is over- I've gotten what I wanted." The Governor looked as though he were about to continue, but Michonne darted forward, stabbing the sword into his abdomen. She twisted her wrist as he dropped, and he released a second cry of pain.

"I leave you to walk this Earth as a dead one, lifeless as the soul you already have." She hissed, pulling the katana away and watching as he dropped to the ground. Daryl looked down at the man, his anger raging. Michonne deserved to be the one to kill him, just as Presley did. The Governor sputtered pathetically on the ground.

"I've ruined you, and I've ruined the one with blue eyes." He choked, giving one last dreadful smile before his eyes fluttered close. A few more weak coughs and he was thrown into the transition of becoming the thing that they all feared.

"Let's get out of here." Daryl said quietly, continuing to look down at the dead man before him. But Michonne only shook her head, grabbing Daryl's hand. 

"You go, I have business to take care of." They started at one another, knowing very well that this could be goodbye. Daryl simply nodded. He wanted to find Presley, as fast as he possible could. While he had no doubt that Stefan wouldn't keep her safe, it just didn't feel right. 

"Take care, Mich." Daryl said, offering his hand. She shook her head, laughing and embracing him. He was startled and his face flushed with the awkwardness, but he embraced her none the less. 

"You find her, Dare, and you protect her..." She said, grabbing his shoulders. "You protect her like she is your damn lifesource, because you, my friend, need something to hang on to in this world."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Presley." Stefan said, shaking her shoulder. She stirred, realizing that the car had rolled to a stop. She shifted a hand through her knotted black hair, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. She sat up, looking around the car in confusion.

"Why did we stop?" She asked, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hands. Stefan stepped out of the car, loading the small handgun he carried. She blinked slowly, trying to get her eyes to adjust to the light of the world. 

"Out of gas. We walk from here." He said, opening the back and throwing things into a bag. She looked back at him, confused. 

"But what about-."

Stefan intervened without looking at her, "He told me to drive east and keep going east, so we are." 

At last she stepped out of the Jeep, opening the door so Zeva could drop to the ground. Her knees wobbled as she shuffled to the back, standing beside Stefan with crossed arms. Most of the supplies had been taken from the Jeep under her command, but she had kept some essentials in there. Food, bottled water, clothing, flash lights... Everything that they could possibly need if something like... Well, this, had ever happened. She pulled out the second quiver of arrows, adjusting it on her back the best she could. Twenty-three arrows. Knowing her luck, they'd probably be gone the day that she really needed them.

She packed as much as she could, slinging the bag over her shoulder awkwardly with the quiver. She adjusted the straps, making it so that the backpack fit snugly over the quiver. She'd have to hold her bow, but that was okay for now. She would probably hold it even if she didn't have to. 

"Ready?" Stefan asked her, shutting the trunk of the Jeep. She gazed at it sadly, running her hand along the sleek white. One of the few things she had left of her old life, and now it was leaving her.. Same as everything else. She sighed.

"Yea, I guess." Together they began the trekk to the east. 

- - - - - - -

Meh chapter because of a meh day.

Just curious, who do you guys ship? [still trying to think of ship names...]

Stesley / Pefan

or

Paryl / Desley

Comment down who you prefer, as long as some ship name suggestions. c: 

Comment, heart, follow <3