The Walking Dead Imagines

Nightmares | Part 3

Hershel comes into the kitchen and gives me a concerned look. "Danny, where's James?" I bite my lip and stir the spaghetti. "Not right now Hershel. Please just...go tell everybody dinners done." He nods and leaves the kitchen. I sigh and go outside as people go into the kitchen. I go around the house to the back yard where a tree-house is. I go to the tree-house and climb up into it. I hug my knees to my chest and close my eyes, trying to steady my breathing and keep the memories from invading my mind.

"Danny. Please come down." I open my eyes and see Maggie. I shake my head at her and turn around. She sighs and I hear her climbing up. "What's wrong Danny?" I let go of my knees and turn back around to look at her. "It's James. He's...he's dead. He got bit a while back while we were looking for supplies and a herd came out of nowhere. We had to run from them and he had the bag with the heavy stuff, so it was weighing him down." I pause to steady my breathing. "He was bit while running and we had to hide in a house. He was pale within the hour and I knew I had to do something. I couldn't just let him turn, Mags." She tears up and grabs my hand, giving it a squeeze. I've never been one for physical contact and she knows that.

After a little while, we get down from the tree-house and go back to the house. Maggie and I get our plates of food and go into the dining room with the others. I sit at the end of the table with Maggie to my left and Glenn to my right. Everybody makes small talk with each other except a few people. "We're very grateful to be staying here. Thank you." Lori tells me. "Yeah, we'd probably be sleeping in our cars right now." I nod at them and look around the table. Daryl is slurping his food, which I'm glad he likes it. I quietly eat my food while listening to everybody talk. I notice Carol has a glint in her eyes. She wipes her mouth with a napkin and stands up, excusing herself. Rick sighs and gives me a sad look. "She just lost her daughter. She's still grieving." I look at Rick and glance around the table. "I understand. I lost my brother. We all grieve differently." Everybody has a look of sadness on their faces.

*Little time-skip*

Beth is cleaning dishes while Maggie is wiping down the dining table. I'm checking the food and things in the laundry room. I had enough for me to last 6 months, but with a group this big, there's only enough to last about 3 months...maybe less. I sigh and grab some extra ammo, putting it in my bag. I put my bag on and walk upstairs to my room, setting it on my bed and putting my weapons and first-aid kit in it. I put my bag on the chair in my room and walk back downstairs where most everybody is. "I need somebody to go with me tomorrow to get supplies." Daryl stands up and walks over to me. "I'll go, I can hunt too so we can have some meat." I nod at him and go to the front door, locking it. I go around the house and make sure all the entrances and windows are locked, except the upstairs windows.

I go back upstairs and into my room, shutting my door and locking it. I lay on my bed and cover up, pulling the blanket to my chin. I close my eyes and attempt to sleep. Eventually, I fall into a restless sleep.

(Daryls POV)

I watch her walk upstairs and turn to Hershel. "She didn't tell me what time to get up." He chuckles and shakes his head. "She gets up when the sun starts shining. And you'll more than likely be taking her bike." I nod and walk into the den, laying on the couch and falling into a restless sleep.

(Danny's POV)

I jolt awake but relax quickly, seeing that I'm in my room. Some light is coming through the window so I get up and change into different clothes. I finger-comb my hair and put it up into a messy bun. I lace up my boots and grab my pack of cigarettes, putting them in my bag along with my matches. 'Gotta look for more candles matches too.' I put my bag on and leave my room, going downstairs.

I see that the front door is already unlocked and look around the living room. Rick, Daryl, Lori and Glenn are missing. I walk outside and see them standing around each other, talking. I walk pass them to my bike. "Danny wait." Daryl and Rick come over to me. Rick hands me a piece of paper. "It's a list of what some of us need or want." I look at the list and furrow my eyebrows at one of them. "Condoms, really?" Rick blushes and clears his throat. I glance at Daryl and see him smirking. I sigh and fold the paper, putting it in my pocket. "Whatever." I shake my head and get on my bike. Daryl gets on behind me and awkwardly grabs my thighs. I grab his hands and put them on my waist. I put my sunglasses on and start up my bike.

*Time-skip*

I grab a few bras that I think are my size and go into the dressing room, trying them on. We're in a mall. Daryl thought it'd be better to look here for supplies since it's big. I agreed since I need some new clothes anyways. "Dammit." I take the bra off and put my old one back on. I go back out and grab some that are a little bigger. I go back into the dressing room and try them on. "That's better. How am I still growing?" I look at myself in the mirror and sigh, looking at the scars on my stomach. I turn and look at the scars on my back. 'I hate my body.' I shake my head of those thoughts before they can get worse and get dressed again. I hear something fall over and some footsteps coming into the clothing store. I freeze and listen. "Are you sure they're still here?" Someone huffs in response. "Yeah man. Their bike is still outside." Two men, oh no. I grab my bag but stop. If they're talking about Daryl and I, then I should hide my bag and go find Daryl...right?

"Hey Len, what makes you think they'll be in here?" The other man huffs in annoyance. "I just know Lou. Now go look over there." I stand on the chair and lift one of the ceiling tiles, hiding my bag up there. I quietly leave the dressing room and crouch walk. I see the entrance and see a man walking into the dressing room. I stand up and try to quietly jog out of the clothing store. I see other men walking around and start panicking. I run the opposite direction and am suddenly pulled into a different store. The person covers my mouth and holds onto me tightly. I reach and start clawing at the persons arm until they let go and I turn around, seeing Daryl. "Fuck Danny." I relax a little and step close to him. He looks out of the store and curses under his breath. He grabs my hand and pull me deeper into the store and we hide in a little room.

"Daryl. I hid my bag in the clothing store." He looks down at me and I can tell he's thinking. "It's alright, we're just gonna have to wait 'em out." *Time-skip to once they leave* Daryl open the door and steps out. I follow behind him and we both relax once we know that they're gone. I go back into the clothing store with Daryl close behind me and get my bag. We leave the mall and get back on my bike. *Back at the house* I turn my bike off and just sit there on it. Daryl gets off and starts walking to the house, but he stops and turns to me. I take my cigarettes out and light one, glancing at him. I hand the pack out to him and he comes back over, taking one and lighting it. We stay there just smoking in silence. "Sorry 'bout yer brother." I blow some smoke out and sigh. "I lost my brother too. He ain't dead but he...went missing." I look at Daryl and stand up, throwing my cigarette on the ground and stomping it out. I stand in front of him and stand on my tiptoes, wrapping my arms around his neck. He doesn't move for a second but eventually puts his arms around my waist.