Jinx || Daryl Dixon || The Walking Dead Fanfic

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DARYL

When he'd finally had a chance to stop and look around, Beth had been the only person left, he'd grabbed her and they'd run. He'd wanted to look for Jinx, but he'd lost sight of her after he threw the first grenade and all he could do now was hope she got out alive, the prison would be overrun in minutes and to stay would be suicide.

They were still running through the woods, Beth just behind him when he heard the tell-tale click of a gun without ammo, he span around, quickly putting an arrow through the skull of the walker closest to the girl and swinging the crossbow to take out the next. He kicked the third walker away as he bounced back to grab the arrow from the first, they had nothing now but the clothes on their backs and he would be damned if he lost any arrows unnecessarily.

As they kept running they ended up in an overgrown field, the weeds came up to Daryl's shoulder and as high as Beth's head. They were both exhausted and the sun would soon be beginning to set, they paused for only a second to catch their breath, but eventually when they reached the next patch clear enough, Beth dropped to the ground and laid down, Daryl following a second later, arrow still in his hand from before.

There were no more imminent sounds of the stray walkers that had been following them since the prison, but that didn't mean they were safe, not yet. They both breathed heavily as their heart rates finally had a chance to slow down and Daryl stretched his arms above his head using one to block the bright sunshine from his eyes.

___

As the sun finally began to dip in the sky, signalling the end of another day, the pair moved further through the field towards the tree line. Daryl made a small fire for warmth and he and Beth sat either side of it.

Now the world was quiet he had nothing to preoccupy his mind and all he could think of was Jinx. She'd barely recovered from the virus that had almost killed her, there was no way she would've been able to run for an extended period the way they had. He slipped her knife from his belt; she'd saved him, and he'd told her to go. He should've gone with her, he realised that now as he stared down at the blade. He hoped he would see her again someday, but he wasn't optimistic and his mind tormented him with images of her being torn apart by the dead or killed by one of the Governor's men.

Beth said something, but Daryl was too wrapped up in his thoughts to catch it, "We should do somethin'" she repeated more forcefully, and he finally raised his head to look up at her. In his mind he was starting to resent her for not being the woman he loved. It was easier to resent her than let himself feel the guilt for not being able to save her father.

"We aren't the only survivors." She told him, "We can't be. Rick, Michonne, they could be out here." She continued optimistically and Daryl pitied her for the optimism she seemed to be holding onto. "Maggie and Glenn could've made it out of A Block. They could've!" she insisted as Daryl dropped his gaze back down to the flames.

Daryl didn't say anything, there was nothing to say. The way he saw it, if their friends and family weren't dead already, they probably would be soon.

Beth got to her feet, "You're a tracker. You can track. Come on." She urged him, but still, he didn't even look up. "The sun will be up soon. If we head out now we can..." Beth's voice trailed off as she realised she wouldn't get a response.

"Fine! If you won't track, I will." She told him frustratedly, grabbing her knife from the ground and storming into the darkness.

Daryl paused for a second, but a voice in his head reminded him that Jinx would not approve of him letting that girl wander around the woods alone at night and he dragged himself to his feet. With a sigh he kicked dirt into fire until it was out, picked up his crossbow and followed after her.