The Walking Dead

Chapter 28

~~~~~~PLEASE DON'T HATE ME~~~~~~~

There are too many of them. I thought. Sweat beaded along my forehead and dripped from my exhausted body. My movements were slow and sluggish, causing my life to be put on the line the longer I fought. Nobody would be coming to help me this time. I was all on my own now. I had faced large crowds of walkers, but not this big of a horde.

By sending everyone away, I sentenced myself to death.

Determination burned it's way through my blood, but not to live. It was a clear fact I was going to die, but I would take every single walker I could. If I was going down, I wasn't going down alone. I snarled breathlessly, swiping at a walker that got too close. They had surrounded me at one point, blocking any possible escape route.

Sliding my machetes back into their sheaths, I grabbed the guns holstered to my belt, emptying the clip before tossing the useless firearm into the horde. I unsheathed my machetes again, twirling my wrists expertly. I wasn't going to last very much longer. I knew that, and while the thought of death didn't phase or scare me in anyway, the thought of what my death could possibly mean to Daryl was a slightly daunting thought. 

Almost as if the walkers had signaled each other, they lunged as one and I could feel a set of teeth bite into my shoulder.

I screamed.

***

C'mon Rick. Pull over! Daryl thought, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. It seemed like Rick had heard Daryl's pleading thoughts because the car in front of him turned on it's blinker and pulled over. As soon as the car was safely pulled over and put in park, Daryl jumped out and walked swiftly to Rick.

"I need to go back to see if Faith is okay." He said immediately.

"She didn't go with you?" Rick asked, concerned.

"No. She didn't. She insisted that she stay behind to 'hold them off'" Daryl quoted. "Rick, I need to go back"

He nodded, handing him a set of keys. "Here. Take these and go get her. We need her."

Daryl nodded, thanking Rick before jumping into the car and racing back the way they came. His heart thundered in his chest, hands slick with an anxious sweat. Come on Faith. Please be alive. Please, please, please. I need you.. Thoughts bombarded him from every part of his mind, doubts targeted his insecurities, and hopes targeted his heart.

The car skidded to a stop, gravel flying from the tires. The clearing was littered with bodies, and the few remaining walkers immediately changed their course to walk towards him. Before they could get any closer, arrows embedded in their repulsive skulls. Frantically and bordering on panic, Daryl scrambled past the bodies strewn throughout the place, searching for her.

Eyes locking on a heartbreakingly familiar body, he walked towards her slowly, fearfully.

Daryl's heart broke. It was her. It was Faith. "Faith?" He whispered, pushing the hair away from her face.

"I'm sorry." She gasped.

Daryl shook his head, "No. No you're not dying. Please tell me youre not dying.."

"I was bitten." Faith's voice was fading.

"We can cut the limb off. You can still live." He tried, his voice taking on a desperate tone.

Faith shook her head no, "I was bitten on my shoulder, and even if we could cut off the limb, I wouldn't want to. I woudn't be able to pull my own weight."

"I can't lose you too." Daryl whispered brokenly.

"You'll have Carol. You don't need me anymore." She coughed.

Her body grew weak, trembling with the effort to do even the simple task of keeping her eyes open. This was it. She was dying. "Daryl. I-I need you to shoot me." She coughed.

"I can't." He answered.

"Please." Faith begged. "I don't want to be one of them. Please Daryl."

"I can't.. I ... I'm in love with you." His voice broke.

"If you love me, I need you to kill me. I don't want to become one of them. Please Daryl."

With numb movements, Daryl picked up his bow, loaded it, and aimed, and squeezed the trigger. The arrow embedded itself in her head. Her heart slowed to a stop, her breathing shuddered to an end, and her eyes fell closed.

Faith was dead.

Daryl picked up the limp body, eyes blank, and loaded her in the car. Eventually, when he got back to where everyone was waiting anxiously for him and Faith's return, his actions would sink in and haunt him for the rest of his life. Further down the road of life, after his broken heart had mended as best as it could, he would start dating Carol. And, on his deathbed, he would murmur, "I'm coming, Faith. I'm finally coming home." his last words,

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aaaaand there you guys go! This fic is officially over. Kind of a depressing ending and definitely unexpected in my opinion, but this was really how it all was going to end, whether it was chapter 49 or chapter 18. I know most of you were hoping for a happy ending, and I think some part of me was hoping for a happy ending too, but in reality, very few people get that fairy tale ending.

Anyway, I ended this fic now because in all honesty i was losing ideas and the creativity i normally have when I write, and it seemed more of a chore to keep writing this than a joy. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved writing this and I loved the feed back I got from every single one of you guys, I just lost my motivation to continue it.

On a brighter note, THIS IS THE FIRST BOOK I HAVE EVER COMPLETED OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH. This is a huge accomplish for me, seeing as I am a young writer. I also entered a local writing contest. Fingers crossed I get 1st, 2nd, or 3rd. :)

If you guys have any questions, you can go ahead and PM (Private Message) me and I'd be glad to answer your questions. Or you could just comment and I'll reply. I hope some of you will read my other book I'm Not Afraid, and if you choose not to, I hope that when I start writing my own ideas, you'll love them as much as you loved this book.

Thank you so much for sticking with this story. All of you are truly amazing and I know I have the best readers out there.

Until next time!

xxThree