Isabella continued running away, the dead leaves crunching behind her as she continued running deeper and father away from the farm, from her prison.
Her breathing was heavy, she'd never run this long without a stop, but she couldn't, who knew how long she had till the group realized she was missing.
Carl. The boy who'd helped her, the only group member she would remember, the only one she cared about.
She prayed silently that he would beat this world, that he would survive, that nothing would happen to him.
If someone came up to her down the road asking for help with anything to do with Carl, she would gladly help.
He was the reason she was free now, she owed him.
Isabella could feel her energy disappearing, she had to stop. But she couldn't. Not when she was this close to freedom.
She gave a final push before she slowed to a stop, supporting her weight on a tree as she tried to catch her breath.
Her mind kept wandering back to the farm, questions running through her mind.
Had they noticed she was gone yet? Were they already searching for her?
She gulped as she caught her breath and pushed herself off the tree, tugging the hoodie on her head once more.
Goodbye Carl she whispered mentally and began to a fast walking pace, she would save her energy for later.
She continued walking, and walked along a clearing that gave way to a creek, where someone lay on the ground, the person struggling to stay conscious as he mumbled stuff to himself.
She stopped, and stared down at the man, contemplating if she should help him.
She hated meeting strangers, after all, her last encounter with one led her in a cell.
But as she peered closely, she recognized the man and her eyes slightly widened.
Daryl.
She wanted to help him, a part of her did, even though he was with the group that beat her, she wanted to help him because she knew he didn't agree with the group on certain things.
But she couldn't, if he got her, he would take her back to the farm and she'd be a captive once more.
She scowled and shook her head and she continued walking, trying to ignore the man, when her eye caught a lone walker approaching him.
She stopped, and stared down as the walker dropped next to Daryl, and began tugging on his feet, to which Daryl remained unfazed, not noticing.
Isabella's breath hitched as he continued staring into space as the walker chomped deeper into Daryl's foot.
Isabella wanted to continue running, to just leave him, but a part of her knew she couldn't leave him alone when he was like this.
She sighed as she reached back and slung her crossbow from her shoulder and loaded it, aiming it the walker.
She sucked in a breath as she thought over what her actions could result in, how even know she knew he would take her back, she was still helping this guy.
Out of nowhere, Daryl shook himself out of his trance and jumped up, kicking the walker back, propping himself against his arms as he crawled back.
He scrambled to grab his crossbow as Isabella continued staring at him from a distance. He searched for an arrow after sending another kick to the walker then looked down as he realized he had no other arrows.
Isabella screwed her eyes shut as Daryl wrapped his fingers around the arrow, preparing to pull it out.
She shook her head, she wasn't going to let him do that.
She quickly aimed the crossbow at the walker and released the arrow, lodging it in the walkers skull as it fell limp and Daryl looked around in shock before his eyes locked with Isabella.
She continued staring at him as he watched her, trying to figure out who his hero was.
"Your welcome," Isabella scoffed before quickly turning away and began heading in thee opposite direction of where Daryl was.
"Hey!" Daryl shouted as he snapped out of shock and began to climb the cliff, wanting to catch the woman, whoever she was.
Isabella ignored his calls and continued on, hurrying to a quick walking pace.
Daryl growled and looked down at the arrow still sticking out of his stomach, and clenched his teeth as he wrapped his fingers around the arrow, preparing to pull it out.
He gasped as he tugged it forward, pulling the arrow out, the blood soaking his shirt as it poured out.
He quickly turned to a walker and cut its ears off, tying them onto a piece of string and wrapping it around his neck as he quickly headed to the cliff wall in an attempt to climb once more.
He grabbed the branches left and and right as he got higher up the cliff, nearing the edge. He felt his feet sink back as he almost fell down again, but he managed to catch himself as he hanged from a tree branch trying to find his footing.
Merle than approached from the top and began taunting Daryl, while he ignored his brother trying to bug him as he figured how to climb to the top.
"You best shut the hell up," Daryl growled up at his brother after he talking about always being there for him.
"Or what?" Merle scoffed. "You gonna come up here and shut my mouth for me? Well, come on and do it then, if you think you're man enough. Hey, kick off them damn high heels and climb, son!"
Daryl tried to ignore his brother as he continued struggling to get up, trying to maneuver climbing with the injury and holding the crossbow.
"You know what?' Merle laughed. "If I were you I'd take a pause for the cause, brother, 'cause I just don't think you're gonna make it to the top."
Daryl got father up, slowing getting to the top.
"Come on, come on little brother," Merle began cooing as if Daryl was a dog. "Grab your friend Rick's hand."
Daryl reached his hand out and felt the flat ground of the top of the cliff as he began pulling himself over.
He sighed in relief when he managed to pull himself over, immediately standing to face his brother who had now run off.
"Yeah you better run!" Daryl shouted, his eyes searching for his annoying brother.
His mind flashed to the strange woman who had shot the walker and his view darted to the ground to search for her tracks.
He bent down and his fingers traced over the damp dirt, his eyes catching sight of faint fresh footprints headed in the opposite direction back to the farm.
He sighed as he stood up, contemplating if he should chase the woman.
He looked back in the direction of the farm before limping after the woman, hoping he'd come across her.
But how would he even react if he came across her? Would he take her back with him? Or would he just leave her there?
He stopped and scoffed, turning back around, deciding it wasn't worth chasing after the woman.
As he took a step to walk away, he heard a twig snap behind him and he quickly spun around, aiming his crossbow in the direction.
"Come on out!" He called out, keeping his eyes trained into the woods, his eyes searching for the woman. "I know you're out there!"
Isabella continued staring at him, thinking on to reveal herself or run away.
She shook her head, she knew either way he would catch her and she would go back to the farm.
She sighed as she slowly stepped out, leaving her hoodie on and keeping her crossbow close to her waist, deciding not to aim it at him.
"Who the hell are you?" he snarled, keeping his eyes fixed on her.
She glared at him, the outline of her eyes visible in the shadow of her hoodie. "Someone."
"Take off that damn hoodie," he said in his gruff voice.
Isabella scoffed, shifting her weight. "Or what?"
"Damnit woman!" Daryl snarled as he lunged forward, directing his hands to her hoodie.
She jumped back and turned around in an attempt to escape however he managed to grab her and drop her to the ground, immediately pulling off her hoodie.
His eyes widened as he realized the woman was the girl his group was keeping captive in the shed.
"Get the fuck off me!" Isabella jabbed her elbow into his gut as she broke free of his grasp, jumping to her feet and aiming her crossbow at him.
"What the hell are you doing here?" he said, his crossbow lowered as he kept his eyes locked on her.
"I escaped," she answered, keeping her calm.
"Ye need to go back," he said, keeping his arms at his side.
"Can't do that," she shook her head. "I need to get out of here, I shouldn't be here talking with you."
"Ye can't be here alone," he shook his head.
"You don't know that, I've been alone before," she scowled.
"They're going to look for you," he said.
"I know, but they won't find me."
"Well then ye better head off now," Daryl sighed.
"I will," Isabella scowled and dropped her crossbow to her side, pulling the hoodie over her again.
Daryl nodded and darted his eyes in the direction of the farm. "Ye don't have to leave ye know."
"I'm not staying," Isabella snarled shaking her head. "I'm not going back to that prison."
"Just for medicine, ye could hide in somewhere and then ye can sneak in and steal some medicine." he suggested, doing his best not to show his concern for the still injured girl.
"I'll survive," she shook her head.
"What about that dog of yours?" he sighed.
Isabella's eyes searched for the dog but to no avail when she realized he hadn't been following her.
"Dammit Bear," she scowled, when she had escaped from the shed, she just ran, not even thinking about the dog, she hadn't realized she left him behind.
"Fine, I'll go back," she sighed, dropping the crossbow aim and slinging it across her shoulder.
Daryl nodded and turned to walk away, beginning to head back to the farm, not checking to see if Isabella followed him when his muscles gave out and he felt himself fall forward, landing on the ground.
Isabella hurried to try and help Daryl when he snarled and pushed her hands off him.
"I'm trying to help dammit!" she scowled, pushing him back.
"I don't need yer damn help," he scowled and continued walking.
"Asshole," she scoffed and brushed past him, slamming her shoulder into his, walking by him.
She reached the edge of the forest first, with Daryl close behind as he reached the edge, the two of them stopping.
"I'm not staying, I'm sneaking around and getting Bear and some medicine and then I'm out," she sighed as she turned to walk away when he suddenly reached out and grabbed her arm.
"Ye ain't going nowhere," he snarled into her ear as he began dragging her out into the field.
"Let me go!" she screamed, hitting him as she tried to escape. But, it came to no avail. "You fucking asshole!"
Her eyes then darted to the distance where the group was running forward with weapons in their hands as they got closer and closer.
"I save your ass and this is the thanks i get," Isabella snarled, staring him in his eyes.
"I didn't need no saving," he scowled and pushed her forward, limping forward as she gave up, knowing she'd have to escape once more.
"Is that Daryl?" one of the me yelled out as they reached the pair, aiming their guns at the both of them.
"Isn't that Isabella?" the african american man looked at her in shock.
"Surprise," she snarled sarcastically and waved her hands.
"Why do you have Sophia's doll?" the leader eyed Daryl.
"You gonna shoot me?" Daryl snarled, his attention completely shifting to the group of men. "Shoot me."
Just then a gunshot rang out and he fell to the ground.
"Oh shit," Isabella's eyes widened as she took a small step back, trying to get away.
"Hey!" Shane barked at her and began chasing her.
Isabella ignored him and ran faster, seeing it was her only chance to escape when she felt a strong hand grip her and yank her back.
"Let me go!' Isabella shouted as she felt a sharp pain in the back on her head as darkness consumed her.
Sorry I haven't updated in a while, i hate myself for it but here's another chapter!!!