Leah Grimes

Chapter 97

I felt a hand on my back and I could tell from the heavy breathing it was Daryl. I let out another small sob still clutching my stomach.

Slowly I shakily reached my one hand up to my neck cringing at how bare everything felt. I felt dry blood pooled up and a line indent from where the necklace snapped around my neck. Daryl carefully knelt down beside me trying to look me in the eyes but I kept turning away ashamed that I had let anyone do that to me, and ashamed Daryl saw me so vulnerable and so so weak. "We're going to take you home Leah." I shook my head, "it's not my home. I want my dad." I chocked as I said that word, "dad." I whispered again trying to remind myself that he wasn't here he couldn't help me. I felt Daryls arms wrap around me holding me close to his chest, "no ones going to hurt you like that again." I let out another sob as Michonne left the kids walking over to me kneeling down, brushing hair from my face. "Sweetheart," she whispered cupping my face in her hands. I shook my head, now gasping for breath. "Take them back. I'm fine."

Daryl put his arms under my shoulders pulling me up, I whispered when I realized how much pain I was in. He still kept one arm under my shoulder and I put most of my weight on him. "You're not staying here." I sighed as Judith ran over to me happily wrapping her arms around my waist. I bent down chocking on another cry holding on tightly.

Daryl gave me a small nod and the group of us began walking home. Michonne led them at the front and Daryl and I stayed at the back. I replayed what that boy did to me and when I thought about his hands around my neck I felt suffocated and began slowly breathing louder and louder until Daryl finally gave me a look. "Let's take a break." I bent over immediately getting sick again. I wiped my mouth off and knelt down trying to see straight again. I blinked several times wishing the flashbacks would stop.

He knelt down beside me holding my hair back, "almost there." I shakily pushed myself back up unable to say anything to him although there was so much I wanted too. Daryl helped me back up and this time instead of letting him help me walk I ignored all the pain, it felt as though my soul left my body and I was just a walking ghost. The one thing I thought I had control over, I no longer did.

When the gates of Alexandria came into sight I immediately stopped walking and all of a sudden my stomach was doing somersaults again. I bent over this time letting out a small cry as I was sick. All the feelings came back again, how much pain I was in because of him was disgusting. I put my head in my hands trying to forget his hands rubbing over my entire body. I flinched when I thought about the knife up against my neck.

"Go." I whispered to Daryl who was still standing beside me. Instead of answering he put his arm under my shoulder once again and this time it felt as though I was putting no effort into walking. I heard the loud triumph of all the parents seeing their children again.

I kept my glassy eyes looking down at the ground. I wanted to scream at all of them, getting the kids back destroyed us. The children we killed what that boy did to me, that's what it took. But I didn't have it in me. "Hey," I heard Aaron whisper putting a hand on my shoulder. I flinched hard at his touch because I wasn't expecting it. "What happened?" I looked down at his daughter Gracie beside him and immediately looked back down at the ground. "We'll talk in a bit." Daryl nodded leading us away and I realized we were headed towards the infirmary. "I'm not going there." He stopped walking, "we both know what happened. I saw him, and I saw you. As much as we both wished it didn't happen it did. Sadiq is just going to check you out." I shook my head, "I don't want anyone to know." He nodded, "it's not your fault. It wasn't because you weren't strong enough, or because you didn't fight enough. Let us help you." I bit my lip, "I don't want anyone's help. What could anyone possibly do to help this."

Sadiq opened the door staring down at me, "are you hurt?" Daryl nodded, "I'll explain everything to him, you don't have to explain it to anyone. All he'll do is check you out." I let out more tears as Daryl walked me up the steps and I sat down on a bed closest to the wall, staring up at the ceilings.