Daryl's Lullaby ~ Daryl Dixon x Reader ~ On Temporary Hold

Ch.20 ~ Carl's Close Call

Y/N's POV

We trekked through the woods in silence for the next 20 or so minutes, myself leading the group as I continued to try and find any sign of Sophia but it seemed lucky had other plans for me today.

Not 5 minutes prior to right now as myself, Shane and Rick watched Carl slowly walk forwards, his big eyes in awe of the creature before him, I had picked up on the trail of a deer.

Shane had raised his gun to shoot the deer before Rick pulled it down. Carl bewildered walking towards it. As I watched this interaction I got lost in my past memories as it reminded me of when I first encountered a deer, my father crouched next to me as we watched it eat its way at the leaves and grass.

Back then I was only 4 standing next to my twin brother as we wore matching jean shorts and a flannel shirt. My brother's weapon of choice, being the crossbow, was slung on his back as his sparkling eyes matched my own.

I, at the time, hadn't chosen a weapon, so I was still only using a hunting knife and a pistol. I remember it so clearly as my father urged us forwards with a slight push. I had turned back to look at his face, his bright emerald eyes glimmering as he smiled down at us and nodded his head.

My brother took my small hand in his as we slowly made our way over to the animal, stopping beside it as we stared in awe at the distracted eating animal.

As we both reached out to touch it it's head snapped up and turned to us. My brother and I froze in our movement as we looked back at the animal waiting for it to bolt ... but it never did instead the image before became disoriented.

The images of mine and my brothers younger selves flickering in and out of focus as a loud bang followed by ringing filled the air. Blood seeping down over the buffering image as a devastating scream broke out.

"CARL!" The voice said before the image of my four year old self turned to me except now her shirt and face were drenched in blood. And I watched as she fell back onto the ground.

Another ear piercing scream called out as something shoved me out of the way and ran to my younger body. I was half expecting it to be my dad but my body froze when I saw Rick looking back at me, eyes pouring rivers of tears as his hand held my chest... no it was no longer me lying there on the ground.

I snapped back to reality the second I realised whose body was laid on the floor. "Shit... CARL!" I yelled as I rushed over skidding as I knelt on the ground beside him, his father opposite me crying and muttering incoherently.

I quickly shimmied out of my cargo jacket, balling it up as I pressed it into the wound on Carl's chest. "Rick your belt." I said as I stretched my left hand while my right held the balled up jacket over the wound.

I looked up when I heard no movement only to see Rick looking scarcely pale down at his boy. "Rick, hand me your belt right now!" I demanded, my inner captain's voice coming out, making the man flinch before he registered my words and shuffled to undo it.

In seconds I felt the material of Rick's leather belt in my hand just as shuffling from our left caught our attention. Looking over we see a rather large man come running from the bushes and a rifle slung over his large shoulders.

"You the shooter?" I ask as I turn back to Carl Rick doing the same. I reached over grabbing Rick's hand putting it on the jacket replacing my hand which had been holding it.

"Yes I am... is... is he okay?" The man asked guilt, lacing his voice.

"I can't tell right now... Shane, come here, help me roll Carl's body. Rick, continue to put pressure on that wound." I say as Shane rushes besides Rick, he grabs Carl by the hip and shoulder rolling him towards them.