RIDE OR DIE | DARYL DIXON

no longer

WILLOW GOT HERSELF cleaned up as much as possible.

She drenched the corner of her shirt with water from the small pond next to the tree she sat under, dabbing and wiping the blood off of the cuts on her chest. She set her shirt down once enough of the blood had been cleared out. Reaching into her bad, she pulled out a small bottle of rubbing alcohol that Glenn had picked up on an earlier run. Picking up her knife, she put the handle between her teeth as she doused a dry corner of her shirt with the alcohol. Letting out a heavy sigh, she held the damp cloth onto the wound, her jaw clenching and sweat beading at her forehead from the unbearable pain. She held it for a few more seconds, making sure it had been thoroughly cleaned out.

She observed the wound again now that it was more cleaned up. Her skin was cut enough to need a few stitches.

Standing up, she tugged her shirt on, trying to minimize contact with her wound, slinging her backpack around her shoulder as she started back to their camp. She didn't know what she was going to do about Shane. He made it pretty clear if she were to go against him again, he wouldn't be as forgiving.

She held her chest lightly as each step she took felt like another tear of the exposed tissue. The low hanging branches made it much harder to get back without getting even more cuts against her skin.

She finally came to the clearing, seeing the group gathered around the farmhouse, Shane handing out guns from the bag he fought her over. Her stomach heated up at the sight of him, and she felt an intense infuriation, one she has never felt before.

"Look who decided to join us." Shane gestured towards her, a smirk on his face.

It took everything in her to not take him to the ground and do exactly what he did to her.

"The hell happen to you?" Daryl bent down slightly, looking at the blood that had seeped through her shirt.

"Nothing." She muttered, not even looking at Daryl. She only watched Shane, her chest burning and throbbing all over again.

"It was one thing sitting around here picking daisies when we thought this place was supposed to be safe." Shane finally tore his gaze from Willow's and returned to the group. "But now we know it ain't."

She scoffed internally. 'Yeah, we know that now. It has never been more clear.'

"How about you, man? You gonna protect yours?" Shane shoved a shotgun to Glenn's chest, the boy taking it hesitantly.

"Can you stop?" Maggie interrupted. "You do this, you hand out these guns, my dad will make you leave tonight."

"What is this?" Lori came out of the farmhouse with Sienna in her arms and Carl by her side.

"We ain't going anywhere, okay?" Shane called out to Lori before turning to Willow. "Your pick, princess." He held out the gun bag to her, his eyes piercing through hers.

She reached into the bag and grabbed a pistol, immediately checking the magazine and putting it back in, cocking it, her eyes not leaving Shane's for a split second.

"That's it?" He laughed, looking at the small gun.

She stepped up to him, sticking the gun in her back pocket, trying to not show a painful expression on her face as her chest ached. "I've got one hell of a shot."

"Oh shit-" T-Dog exclaimed, looking into the distance at Rick, Jimmy, and Hershel.

Shane took one more look at Willow before adverting his attention to what T-Dog had seen. "What is that?" He took off into a sprint towards the three men, the group following behind. Willow could hardly walk, her legs felt like jelly as they carried her, trailing behind the group.