When the dead roam - (Daryl Dixon)

Chapter 40 - If they're still alive

Her entire body felt like it was burning. She was angry and scared at the same time and those emotions definitely didn't come easy to her. The dirt beneath her feet scattered as her foot repeatedly kicked at it and her hands ran through her hair in frustration. She pulled at the roots and glared at the back of Rick's head as he walked away. Every ounce of her being was telling her that she needed to fight but there was an obstacle at every turn.

Before she had the chance to psych herself out she ran after Rick and tugged on his arm, turning him around to face her. "Rick, what the hell happened out there?"

He rubbed his eyes with his fingers and pinched the bridge of his nose. "They broke off. I got trapped in a van, had to make a run for it" he explained.

"And you just left them out there?" she said, her voice just short of a yell. Her anger was rising and she could feel beads of sweat dripping down her back.

"I didn't have a choice"

"I'm going out" she stated, pushing past him "I gotta find them"

Rick jumped in front of her and placed a hand on her shoulder, pushing her back slighty "Thats suicide! You'll never get past the horde"

"Well I can't jsut sit here Rick. I gotta do somethin'!"

"Listen" he shouted, grabbing the top of her shoulders and holding her at arms length "Listen to me Louise!" he made sure she was looking at him before he continued "I know that you feel something for Daryl okay? I know! But you can't go out there. Hey?" he shook her "You can't do it!"

His voice was stern as he spoke and his eyes bored into her own. Louise frantically searched for any sign of hatred from him but nothing but concern was evident.

"I can't just leave him" she whispered quietly. It was uncertain whether anybody but Rick heard her but she was uncomfortable that even he knew she was a little bit weak.

"We're gonna find them, okay?" he sighed, still holding her "But we have to wait for this horde to clear"

"We're loosing time" she said, her voice cracking slightly and her eyes pleading with the survivor.

"We don't have a choice Lou" he admitted "Now, I know that we don't always see eye-to-eye but you need to trust me on this"

She stopped struggling under her grasp and nodded at him in defeat "Okay"

"Okay?"

"But the second that horde clears-"

"We'll go find them"

He gave her a small smile and nodded at her, happy that they could come to an agreement before patting her arm and walking away. She rubbed the sling around her arm before grunting. Maggie slowly walked besides her and placed a comforting hand on her small shoulder.

"They'll be fine"

"Yeah..." she sighed. She turned to look at the 'walkers' trying to force themselves through the bars of the gates. "If they're still alive"

- - - - - - -

She stood a few meters away from the fence. Her mind was racing and with each name painted on the wall of Alexandria came another needle in her already guarded heart. Name after name was added, the paint brushes gliding through the little hands of the children drawing. They didn't understand the meaning behind it. They didn't understand what people had lost.

The red paint dripped as it plastered the metal fence and the small droplets collided with each other, connecting the words together in more ways than one.