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DARYL DIXON
my footsteps slow at the first sound of rustling. i raise my bow while listening carefully, and the second the noise becomes louder, i step around the tree.
our bodies thud together, throwing us both to the ground.
my head spins as i scramble to find my bow in the brown leaves. time's ticking as the shadow in my peripheral stands to their feet before i do.
i lean back for distance on my shot, ab muscles tightening, and i draw my bow up to eye level, ready to release the arrow; and then i realize i don't have to.
"grey?" i don't shoot. my heart is a steady, quick thud in my chest, taking a moment to calm down.
grey's chest expands and falls quickly over and over as she stands before me, fingers wrapped tight around the end of her knife. i can see it register in her eyes who i am.
"what are you doing out here?" she asks.
i stand to my feet, what's left of the dead leaves crunching beneath me, "rick changed his mind, kept negan and the saviors that surrendered alive."
"where's everybody else?" she lowers her weapon and looks at me with glossy eyes. i stare for a moment at what i assume are tears, but i'm not one to jump to conclusions.
"i got them on their way to hilltop," i answer in a soft whisper. "then turned back to look for others. what are you—"
"we have to go."
"what?" i choke out the second she hurries away from me. "hey—hey!" i grab her arm.
"it was following me." she says. "a few of them, i—i don't know how many. i heard them whisper; talk. unless," she swallows hard, trying to catch her breath. "unless i'm going fucking crazy."
my eyebrows furrow as i take a good look at her; rips in her shirt and pants, she's covered in dirt, and her hair is a frizzy, untamed mess.
"what's following you?"
"no, no we can't stay here!" she exclaims, pulling her wrist from my hold and grabbing mine instead, trying to tug me along with her.
"the hell is wrong with you?" i raise my voice in an attempt to make her stop.
"s—shh!"
"grey," i step forward. "talk to me, all right?"
i've seen grey kingston scared, but i've never seen her like this before. she's trembling, and by closing the distance between us, i can confirm she's on the verge of tears.
"sasha and i got stuck above the herd. i shot at a walker with my bow and the one next to it flinched. it stopped in its tracks, just dead in its tracks! it looked at me while it just stood there. i fell from the tree, ran as fast as i could. i thought i got away from it, from the herd, but—" she pants for air.
