THE LOVELY BONES, daryl dixon

chapter 36; goodnight, love

"Proverbs 13:30," Hershel whispered back, and released the woman from the embrace. She knew he was always going to be there, her wise saviour who she could rely on for counsel. He was the essence of wisdom. "You're doing great, Ellie. It's wonderful to see you're still using your faith for the good of others."

Ellie scoffed as tears filled her eyes, but she shortly blinked them away, "I should be saying that you, you're the one who overcame death."

Hershel sighed and placed his hand on Ellie's shoulder, and uttered, "We all overcome death every day. We all should be reminded of our strength sometimes," and with that, left Ellie with her thoughts as he paced around the courtyard with Lori.

Instead of trailing over to Daryl's, Ellie's eyes landed upon Rick, whose face held both bewilderment and shock as he stared up at his wife with the elder man. He and Lori flashed one another small, warm smiles to remind one another that love once inhabited their hearts, and it was possible to get back to that place. It was a smile of hope, and it warmed Ellie's heart to see their progress, despite the chaos. Ellie quietly nodded to herself, and finally landed her eyes upon Daryl as he clung to the fence, his eyes lingering over Ellie. His eyes hadn't left her once.

Ellie clenched her jaw as their eyes remained connected, and blinked heavily, until quietly and eloquently, she whispered, "I love you," earning a mere stare in response. His eyes immediately widened, and his breath hitched in his throat as he felt his hands drop limply to his side.

It hadn't been aloud, but it was enough for Daryl to know she truly cared. One day, she would announce her profound adoration for the man, and he would always be waiting for that day, but he finally had his confirmation that the day would arrive. It was a glimmer of hope to him, and he simply grinned in response, to which Ellie reciprocated a grin.

Interrupting the special moment, Carl's voice echoed deafeningly through the courtyard as he screamed, "Walkers!"

Ellie's eyes widened with fear as she clasped at her holster, recognising the unfamiliar emptiness within it. She gulped as she glanced down at Daryl, whose eyes were wide with fear as he spotted Ellie's distressed patting of her body, attempting to discover a weapon. She was defenceless, against a minuscule herd of walkers, with only a pregnant woman and a disabled elderly man along with her. Neither of which possessed any weapons.

Ellie stumbled slightly as she set her sights on the walkers as they flowed in, and gulped as she watched Lori push Hershel towards the cellblock. The blonde immediately sprung into action, and grabbed a long, steel pole from the ground, gripping her fingers tightly around it. She swung it up towards the walkers, and pushed it horizontally against them, pushing the herd in the other direction.

"Get Hershel inside! I'll find a way to clear them," Ellie panted to Lori as she pushed with all of her strength against the walkers. Her eyes immediately landed upon her daughter, who had been scooped up into Maggie's arms.

"Ellie!" Daryl cried out as Rick held him back, attempting to keep the man at a distance, fearing his interruption of Ellie's battle would end badly.

Ellie groaned against the strength of the walkers, and finally allowed the pole to clatter on the ground, her eyes popping out of her head once she observed Lori and Carl running back out to her. She shook her head at their defiance, and pushed them aside, out of harm's way.

"There's too many," Ellie panted, whilst kicking one down to its knees, and plunging her knife in its skull. She spun on her heels rapidly, and gestured towards a nearby door, "There, there!"

Ellie gently nudged Lori and Carl into the direction of the door, and pushed them inside into safety, before slamming the door shut behind them. The darkness suffocated them as they attempted to grab at the wall, until finally Ellie patted at her coat, and yanked out a lighter. She held the lighter up as an aid in the darkness, only it hadn't provided much light.