The Hunter's Prey

Chapter 5

My body became numb to the pain as I walked. I wasn't stopping. I was close. I started recognizing my surroundings. I was almost home. I smiled as I rounded the last turn. I made it. My smile quickly faded as I saw Alexandria. The walls had caved in some areas and the bell tower had fallen. The gate was wide open and inside was flooded with walkers. I was too late. My family was gone. Daryl was gone.

I was about to give up before I saw it. There was a group of people in the middle of the herd. They were fighting. Daryl. He could be there. I needed to help. A surge of adrenaline rushed through my body as I grabbed the flare gun. If I sent off a flare it would draw the walkers away. I needed to move quickly after shooting the flare. I could climb the wall and get to where the other people were. I could get to Daryl. I pulled the trigger. The flare flew into the sky and burned bright. Walkers began to turn in my direction. Time for stage two. I pulled out my machete and ran alongside the wall. I killed a few walkers as they came my way. I quickly climbed one of the support beams, when I reached far enough back. As I was pulling myself up, I felt something rip on my side and liquid spread across my body. I brushed it off, I needed to help. I needed to find Daryl. I paused on the top of the wall and glanced at the destruction. Looking across I saw Maggie on a tower. Hope grew inside me as I saw more of my family. Rick, Michonne, Gabriel, Rosita, Eugene, Carol, and Tara. Tara, she was alright. She was even standing. If all of them were alright Daryl had to be safe.

I looked back over to Maggie. The tower was going to fall. Out of nowhere someone started drawing the walkers away from Maggie and she watched the person fight. The person shooting got cornered and I quickly drew my gun. I fired, giving them a gap to run. They looked around confused before their eyes landed on me. I smiled seeing the person's face. Glenn. Glenn's pause to look at me was fatal. Walkers surrounded him again. I went to shoot more. The sound of only a click accompanied the pulling of the trigger. Shit. I watched as he was surrounded and almost taken down. Gunshots rang and walkers fell. Glenn was safe. I looked towards the direction of the gunshots and saw Abraham and Sasha.

Nearly everyone was accounted for. Carl and Judith were probably safe indoors. Daryl was the only one I couldn't find. He had to be alive, right? I needed to tell him. I needed to see him again. He couldn't be gone. Maybe he was in the infirmary or one of the houses. Maybe he hurt one of his legs and couldn't fight. I looked back over to the gate where there was a tanker sitting. Abraham and Sasha helped Maggie down, along with a girl from the community, Enid. Glenn had made his way over and was checking on Maggie. Everyone sat on top of the tanker and Glenn jumped inside with the driver. I watched as they backed it up to the quarry and dumped oil on top of the water. What was their plan? I looked back over to Rick and the others as they fought off the walkers. The wall beneath me shook as walkers began to notice me. Shit. Walkers were on both sides, blocking me from climbing down either side. I went to move and felt a pain go through my side. Placing my hand to Diego's parting gift, I realised I ripped it open more. Blood was draining out of my body and fast.

A bright light drew my attention along with the walkers. The quarry was on fire. That was genius. Using it as a distraction to draw away the walkers and make it easier to pick them off. The walkers at the bottom of the wall started to disperse. Once it reached a small enough amount. I jumped down, much to the protest of my side. I quickly took out those that posed the biggest threat. The group at the tanker started to fight. More walkers filtered my way and took out as many as I could. The herd thinned and soon there weren't any walkers left. I let out a sigh, the night had now become day. All that was left was to find Daryl. I scanned the crowd as no one seemed to notice me. Maybe I just looked like another walker to them. My side ached in pain and my eyes wanted to shut. Not yet. I can rest when I find him. When I'm truly home.

"(Y/n)?"

I turned around quickly hearing his voice for the first time in a while. He looked at me stunned. Almost like he was seeing a ghost. He still hadn't taken a shower and by this point he was covered in walker blood. Looking behind him I saw Maggie, Glenn, Enid, Sasha, and Abraham, who all had the same expression. I smiled as I looked back at him. His slow footsteps towards me turned into running. His arms wrapped around me and I fought a yelp of pain as I returned his hug. My side hurt more than before as the adrenaline wore off. He pulled away and scanned over me. His hands traced the cuts along my arms before stopping to hold my hands. His eyes traced over the rest of me and he quickly noticed the gash in my side. His face dropped seeing it.