𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐄, daryl dixon

𝘹𝘪𝘪. 𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘮𝘦

TWELVE,
bite me.

—

IMMEDIATELY I GOT to work. I pulled the food to a spot away from the walker and tended to the bite. I untied the laces of my shoes and pulled them out. There was no saving it now. I used my mouth to wrap the lace tightly around the infected finger until it turned this bright red color from the lack of blood flow.

I tied the lace into a tight knot before looking down at the bite. It wasn't that bad, the teeth barely pierced the skin. And yet I couldn't take the chance of leaving the finger intact. Its feverish plague had entered my system and couldn't be left untreated unless I wanted to watch as my temperature spiked and my body gave out. This bite could kill me, and I wasn't going to wait around and find out.

My numb finger turned light blueish in color and I realized I had to hurry. I retrieved my knife from my pocket and only then did I discover that my hands trembled. I didn't want to lose my finger, but I had no other choice. It was either to lose the finger or lose my life. I took a deep inhale and counted backward from ten.

My breathing intensified as my count began. "Ten." The knife lined up with my finger and pressed down gently. "Nine." I did a sawing motion with my other arm and blood started to flow. "Eight." By this point, I was a quarter of the way through the skin tissue when I hit something hard. "Seven." I could barely get the words out as I pushed harder on my finger. "Six."

Tears built up in my eyes as my brain freaked out. "Five." Every second that the blade didn't break the bone was tortured, now I knew how these people felt when they got their fingernails ripped off and their feet removed. "Four." With my whole body weight behind it, I pushed down, trying to get this over with as fast as possible.

"Three." I whimpered as I heard a snapping sound. "Two." The bone snapped and tendons ripped. The pain was unable. I cried, I couldn't remember the last time I cried this much. It was horrible, an awful feeling. "One." I removed the last dangling piece of flesh that kept my pinky intact. Finally, it was over, but now I had a whole other problem.

Not only did I feel myself losing consciousness the blood was squirting everywhere. Seeing my limp finger on the ground made me sick to my stomach. I became lightheaded and my breathing hastened. My eye glossed over to where the walker was. Its hands reached under the door as its lifeless eyes locked onto the crimson puddle.

"Take it," I said. Rolling the unattached finger under the door. The sounds it made while chewing on my finger made me want to throw up right then. I took a piece of my shirt and pressed it against the hole where my pinky used to be. Blood soaked my shirt and I ambled with the plate in hand back to Daryl. My mission was complete. I had done it. I didn't fail him.

I practically rammed into the door of the room he was in, unable to walk in a straight line. I felt queasy. I blinked rapidly, in a failed attempt to get my vision cleared. "What happened to you?" I heard his voice ask. "I-I got you something... something to eat." I huffed, struggling to stand. Blood leaked through my shirt and onto the floor giving away that I had been injured.

"You need to eat." I sat the plate of scraps down next to him. Collapsing by his side with my back pressed against the wall. "There, we're even now," I said. He got shot for me and I got bit for him. I guess it all worked out for the better though. Both of us bleeding and injured for the sake of the other.

We sat there for a moment, not uttering a word. "What are you waiting for?" I asked. I went through all that trouble for this small bit of food just for him to not eat it. I lost a finger trying to get this. "Nah, you should have it." He said. Pushing the plate towards me. I was puzzled by this, he needed to eat to regain his strength. He needed food.

"Eat, or I'll shove it down your throat." I threatened. He just chuckled at my threat like I was just joking around, but I was being dead serious. "I'd like to see you try, sweetheart." He said in a weak voice. If I had the strength to I would have. Just a small nap, yeah that's it, I'll make him eat just after I sleep a bit.

My eyes fluttered shut and I could feel my consciousness drifting away until I was so rudely nudged. "Fall asleep now and you may never wake up." He said grimly. I let out an annoyed groan as I shuffled around. He was right. I knew he was right. But anything felt better than this agonizing feeling of staying awake.

I had to lie down. No longer could I stay sitting straight up like this. My head rested on his one good shoulder. I needed him to keep me awake. I couldn't risk falling asleep now.