(Trigger warning - abuse.)
Sasha shakes me awake, "Daryl wants to talk to you." I groan, rolling to the side of the bed. She helps me walk to the room attached to A block. It's the blind leading the blind here in death row. She guides me further through the room. I glance up seeing Daryl with his arm crossed, watching the two of us struggle. Worry etches his beautiful face. I see my reflection in the glass. I'm as white as a ghost. My blue eyes sunken in. Bed head causing my hair to knot and stick in every direction. I certainly have seen better days.
"I'm leavin' for a bit. I'll be back as soon as I can." Daryl promises as I come to sit in front of the glass that separates us. I nod at his words. "How are ya feelin'?" His eyes search my face.
"Like I'm dying." I deadpan. What can I say, dark humor is how I cope. I cough, putting my head between my hands. "I'd kill for a cigarette."
"You ain't dyin on me, sweetheart. I'll see to it." I peer up, seeing him closer to the glass than he was a second ago. I place my hand against it, he follows my lead. I watch our hands. I already miss being close to him. Tears start to well up behind my eyes.
"What would you say to Dale now?" I question suddenly.
Confusion clouds his eyes, until he realizes what I'm asking. "I see us bein' the last two standin', you at my side. Damn it, Vanessa, I have feelings for you."
"Dare, I-" Dizziness darkens my vison. I feel myself fall, hitting my head on something on the way down. I hear Daryl shout for someone or something before it all fades to black.
"Mom!" I run into the kitchen. "Avenged Sevenfold is putting on a concert in Cleveland. Can I please go?" I beg the woman in front of me. "Charlee is going!"
She faces me, her blue eyes shows annoyance. She was never a fan of my music or taste in fashion. "Sure."
My mom was beautiful, with her short blonde hair, blue eyes, and infectious smile. She was barely an inch taller than me.
I rush over, embracing her into a hug. "Thank you!" I hear her laugh into my shoulder.
The day of prom has finally come. I'm standing next to Jordan who is dressed in black tuxedo. His brown hair blows in the wind. I'm in a black mermaid dress, my red hair falls in curls below my shoulders. I smile as her camera clicks repeatedly.
"Nessie, you look incredible." She approaches me, kissing my forehead.
"Thank you, Mommy." I step back. "I love you."
"Mom passed away, Ness." My sister's voice meets my ears. I hang the phone up, jumping into her car. I peel out, heading for her. My engagement ring sparkles in the sun. "Fuck I should've gone with her. I had a feeling!" I hit the steering wheel in anger.
I stalk through the hospital, finding her room. The machines have been cleared out, while she lays unmoving. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here... I'm sorry I failed you." I grab her hand, sobbing. "I wish I told you how much I loved you more."
"Vanessa, wake up. You've been out for hours." I stir, seeing Hershel next to me. I groan as he hands over some tea. "Here. this'll help elevate some of the symptoms until they get back with the medicine." I sit up, Taking it graciously. My face puckering at the taste.
"Thank you." I rasp. "You're stupid, old man."
"I need to help where I can." He places his wrist against my forehead, shaking his head. "I hope they make it back soon. A lot of these people aren't going to make it through the night."
"I've accepted this is the end for me." I admit. I roll over, hacking up the blood that starts to fill my lungs. I gasp, trying to find a pocket of air
"Glenn, get the bag!" Hershel shoves me against the bed. A moment passes before I hear Glenn rushing in.
I put my hand up, stopping the older man. "I'm okay." I hungrily suck in the air around me. The force I was shoved might've knocked loose the blood, stopping it from filling up. I'm able to breathe.
Hershel's eyes watch me for a second, before taking his leave. Glenn crawls into bed next to me. I rest my head on his shoulder. Thankful for someone I care about has come to me for some sort of comfort. He was one of four who saved me.
"Are you taking care of my sister?" I tease the Koran to my right.
He chuckles, nodding. After a moment of silence, "I don't want to be here if you die, and Daryl finds out."
"Why? He's a big softie, though he'd never admit it out loud. He'll be fine."
"Yeah, with you." He hesitates, "I've never seen him like that with anyone else. Maybe little ass kicker. I've been with him since the beginning. You're good for him. I'm pretty that man loves you. I'm glad you joined us. I never got to tell you that."
"You know, I had moments of questioning if I made the right call. Especially after walker in the well. I swore you guys were trying to get rid of the stranger." Wincing at the memory. "I was the odd one out. I wasn't saving Carl. Just there, another mouth to feed."
"No, I liked you. You brought something I don't think we knew we needed. You're a bad ass. Daryl was pissed when he came back. Said he found you losing it in the woods and told him to fuck off." He runs his hand through his black hair, bringing his arm around me. "No one was brave enough to tell him that or get close to him when he was angry. I admired you for that."
I shake my head, "he didn't scare me because I knew I could be scarier."
"You got that right." We both laugh. I miss the simpler times.
Another moment of silence descends on us. I hear Glenn's breathing become even. I owe a lot to the man next to me. He's family, after all.
After going down memory lane with Glenn, I begin to wonder what it's like to die. What's waiting for me on the other side when my soul crosses over. Will I see my Luna? Mom? Dad? Apart of me wants to stop fighting and join them. Everyday has been a fight to live just one more day. I'm exhausted.
"Jordan purposed." I sit across from my mom at the dinner table.
She scoffs, "Honey, I'm happy for you, but you both are still so young." Concern lights through her blue eyes, frowning.
I roll my eyes, "We have a date. After Graduation."
I walk down the aisle. My white wedding dress dragging behind me. I glance around, seeing an empty seat we left for my mom. I choke upon seeing it.
I sit at her grave, "I hope you enjoyed the ceremony." A tear slips from behind my eyes. "Dad couldn't make it to give me away. He couldn't make it up... He's sick, too. Charlee took his place. Kelly didn't show, either... Mommy, I think I lost him." I sob, kneeling in front of the stone that reads 'Jolene L. Taylor. Beloved mother, wife, and daughter.' My fingers trace the words.
Glenn's missing, I realize as I join reality. I get up, limping towards the room where I hear Hershel's wise voice. I glance around, realizing he is working on Henry. Sasha and Glenn at his side. "Why didn't you wake me? I could've helped." I question weakly. I grip the doorframe for support.
"You need to rest." He pauses, "some council meeting, huh?" Hershel looks between the three of us.
"We're two members short." Sasha rasps.
Hershel smiles, "I think we should make some new rules before they get back. I hereby declare we have spaghetti Tuesdays every Wednesday. First we have to find some spaghetti."
"I like the idea of taco Tuesdays with margaritas every Friday." I smirk in his direction. "I could use a drink." If I survive this.
Hershel's eyes find mine, chuckling. He turns back to Glenn, asking him for his assistance on his rounds. They brush by me, entering a cell across the block.
I stalk to the stairs, sitting and listening to the sounds of coughing echoing around me. I wince.
"Hi Miss Vanessa. Carol told me you were in here." Lizzie's small voice comes from my left.
I face the little blonde girl, "yup. How are you doing kiddo?"
"I'm scared." She comes to sit with me. I wrap my arms around her shoulders, bringing her small body against mine.
"It's okay to be scared. I'm scared, too. But Daryl and the others left. They should be back soon." Hopefully. "Why don't you go lay down and rest?"
She nods, giving me a hug as she leaves. I watch her exit.
A man staggering out of a cell pulls my attention to the room in front of me. He coughs, collapsing barely a foot from me. Swearing, I get up, heading towards the body.
"Vanessa! Wait!" Hershel bellows as the others come pouring out of their cells. He turns, facing them. "Everyone, get back in your cells. Go on, get back in your cells."
I spot the gurney. I sigh, grabbing it and wheeling it over next to one of our fallen. I reach down, gripping the dead by his shoulders, helping Hershel place the man on the stretcher. His wise eyes on me, "they don't need to see what happens." He whispers, "go lay down."
"Hi, I'm Vanessa. I'll be doing your hair today!" My eyes meet the man in front of me. He has long light brown hair. The air around him is confidant and arrogant.
"I'm Owen." he grabs my hand, shaking it. His eyes never leaving mine.
I return from our first date, gushing to Charlee and Wren. They voice their concerns.
"You are a raging fucking cunt, you know that?" Owen's green eyes flash in anger. He grabs the nearest glass, breaking it over my head.
"I'm sorry." I wail, trying to hide under the table. He drags me out by my hair, throwing me against the wall. I feel blood drip from my scalp. Blackness dances in my vison.
He stalks to the kitchen, returning with a knife. "No! No!" I scream.
Low moans pull me out of the nightmare. Sweat drips from my skin. Dizziness and nausea blind me before I realize the groans are coming from the cell block. I swallow it, kicking my legs over, rushing out. With the knife in my hand, I take several of the dead down.
"Vanessa!" A voice shouts before everything fades to black. "You need to quit pushing yourself."
I step out of the plane, finally landing in Mississippi. Dad limps over, dragging me into his arms.
"I'm sorry about your mother, sweetheart." He speaks, running his hand through my blue hair. "It changes every time I see you."
My dad was a tall, skinny man with graying hair and blue eyes.
"I thought James was coming to get me. Dad, you shouldn't be driving. Hand me your keys." I smirk at him.
People rush by me in a panic as they announce that they were evacuating the city. The dead were rising. I could feel my own panic clawing my throat. I need to get back to Ohio.
I'm gonna die here.
A beautiful man with blue eyes holds a crossbow in my face.
The sounds of coughing and choking pull me out of the dream. I get out of the bed I find myself in, stalking to the door. I frantically shove it open when I see a walker has Hershel pinned. I rush over, putting my knife in its skull.
I spin around, seeing the walkers all around me. Swearing, I struggle staying upright, but Hershel is still on the ground. He braved the sickness to care for us while the others went out to find meds. I can hold on a bit longer until he can get to safety. Behind me, I hear him get up, limping up the stairs. Lizzie's shrill screaming pulls my eyes to the level above me. I watch as Hershel throws a dead Henry onto the mesh floor.
I rush up the stairs, finding Glenn laying on the floor of the cell Henry was just in. He's not breathing. "Hershel!" I shout, cold panic shooting through my veins. The action causing the burning to build in my chest. I glance around, spotting the air bag still in Henry's mouth. I run, jumping over the landing. I stumble, wrestling with the now dead man next to me. I lock my arms, keeping him at bay.
"Vanessa! What are you doing?!" Maggie's voice comes from below me.
"Glenn needs the bag." I panic, "don't shoot." I roll on top of the walker, I sit up, putting my leg on it's throat. I reach for my knife, puncturing his brain. Once it's over, I pull the mask off of Henry. Panting, I crawl over to the side, handing it over to Hershel. I collapse, deciding to just lay there, trying to catch my breath. "Fuck." I feel the bile rising, I roll over, throwing up blood. My throat begins to close in on itself.
"Vanessa's turning blue, we gotta grab her!" I hear a door open, several voices talking over the other. I can't make any certain tone out.
"Damn it. I told her to fucking rest! Why doesn't she listen?!"
I look over to the person reaching out for me. Mom?