Something to Live For- The Walking Dead Fanfiction

Chapter 11 - Daryl's Childhood

Daryl hid under his bed, terrified. Scared for his life.

He rubbed the scars on his back, which he had gotten when he was 6. Memories flooded back to him of that night.

Tears welled in his eyes. Daryl tried not to let them fall, but couldn't.

He furiously wiped them away because with the thumping of them hitting the hard wood floor he would be found.

"WHERE ARE YA?!" Someone yelled.

Daryl cringed at the sound of the voice. He yelled once more.

"THINK YOU CAN HIDE FROM YOUR DADDY?!"

Mr. Dixon was drunk. He had been out with his 'friends' all day.

He was abusive. He almost killed Daryl the day he gave him those scars.

Daryl was breathing rather hard. He heard feet on the wood floor of his bedroom. He covered his mouth with his hand, so he wouldn't be discovered in his hiding place.

The footsteps got closer.

"Baby brother?" A voice whispered.

Daryl knew who it was. It was his brother, Merle.

"Merle. I'm under the bed." He whispered back.

The skirt on the bed was lifted and Merle crawled under. He sat next to Daryl and put an arm around him.

"Don't worry. You'll be alright. He won' get ya." Merle tried to calm Daryl.

It didn't work. If possible, he was more worried. He was under his bed with Merle. Now, if his father found him or Merle they would both pay the price.

"Y'ALL BETTER COME OUT NOW OR IT'LL BE EVEN WORSE!!" Mr. Dixon screamed.

His voice was getting closer. He was out in the hallway.

The door swung open and crashed into the wall.

"I KNOW YOU'RE IN HERE!!"

Daryl closed his eyes, not wanting o see himself or Merle be beaten.

Daryl's closet door flew open loudly. Mr. Dixon rummaged through Daryl's things, searching for the two boys.

His loud footsteps left the room and stomped to Merle's bedroom.

Both Merle and Daryl let out sighs of relief.

"See told ya." Merle said.

Daryl looked up at his brother. He could see there was still worry in his eyes.

"Do ya think he'll find us before he leaves again?" Daryl asked his older brother.

"Nah we'll be fin-" Merle was cut off by the footsteps returning.

"GOT YA!!" The Dixon father yelled as he grabbed Daryl an Merle's feet and pulled them out from underneath the bed.

--------------------------------------------
Present Day
--------------------------------------------

I sat and listened to Daryl's story. Once he finished, I realized I had been crying a little.

Daryl was tearing up himself. I wiped my tears and pulled him into a hug. His arms wrapped around me. We sat in each others arms for about 5 minutes.

Once we stopped hugging, I thought about his mother.

Where was she during all of this?

"Daryl." I said. "Where was your mother during all of this?"

He stopped dead in his tracks.

"Dead." He stated. "She was a smoker. I was hangin' out with some neighborhood kids and some fire trucks passed by. Course, since we were kids, we followed 'em." Daryl paused. "It was my house on fire. It was my mom up in flames. Yeah.... I don't wanna talk any more."

Daryl walked over to his bunk and laid down.

"Alright." I said. "See ya in the morning." I smiled at him and hopped onto the top bunk, waiting for my mind to drift into a blissful sleep.