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CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE - - -
DID HE LEAVE us here? I was confident that wasn't something that he would do. So that led the question of where he went. The group consisted of all men that began shouting at us, demanding we tell them where the fifth member of our group scurried off to. Saying that we knew when it was plainly obvious that we had no clue.
The enemy group fanned out a search party, looking high and low for where Daryl could be hiding out. "Make this easy on all of us, I don't wanna hurt none of you." A man with light grey hair spoke up. From the way he spoke, he seemed like a logical type of person and the leader of the group. They had already taken our weapons, so why the hell would they be so persistent in finding Daryl?
They had most of our defenses, was there another reason why they needed him? The man let out a disappointed sigh before retrieving a pistol from his back pocket. "Listen here." He ordered. "Tell me where he is or the kid is going to be the first to die." Fear flooded through my body.
Rick lunged forwards and attacked the man but was held back by the other men. He struggled against the grip of the people but it was no use. The gun was lined up with Carl's head and a countdown started. "1... 2... 3-" "I'll take you to him!" I shouted. Everyone's attention was drawn to me. The man gave a weak smile and took his gun off Carl's head.
"I'll take you to him." The only problem with that was I didn't know where he was. I was hoisted to my feet. "Where." His rough voice asked. The barrel of his gun jabbed me in the back. "That way." I pointed in a random direction. For some reason, he believed my words, taking me deeper into the forest. This was my only chance, no one was coming to save me.
"So where is he?" The man asked harshly. Abruptly I stopped in my tracks causing him to do the same. My foot kicked backward, hitting him in the knee with as much force as I could muster up. The gun fired and I felt the bullet barely graze my shoulder. I pivoted on one foot and swiftly turned kicking the gun from his grasp.
The man had this raging hatred swirling in his eyes. He lunged forwards, sending me plummeting to the ground with him on top of me. My back hit the leafy floor hard, knocking the wind out of me. He chuckled lightly like this was amusing to him. That was when I heard the click of a handgun. My eyes flashed open only to be staring down the barrel of a gun.
The last thing I heard was a swift projectile as I shut my eyes tightly. It would all be over soon. The crimson liquid soiled my new clothes, I felt the warmth of it trickling down my body. Maybe it was just the adrenaline running through my veins, but I didn't feel anything. I would be dead now if he had shot me in the skull so why was I still alive?
My eyes fluttered open once more and I saw the expression on his face. It was this blank stare like nothing was going on inside his head. And there wasn't, not anymore. An arrow stuck clean through his temples with such speed and accuracy it could only be one man. I could feel him watching over me even if I couldn't see him.
The darkness of the night covered me in its blanket as I struggled to get the corpse off me. Where he was now is none of my concern, my main priority was getting back to the others and hoping he would be doing the same. As I hurried back I could see the flames of a campfire they must have lit with some scattered twigs and leaves.
My face was glowing a bright orange color as I grew closer to the camp. There was a sudden snap beneath my feet. "Who's there?" One of the men asked. Making their way cautiously toward the sound with their weapons drawn. That was when I felt a rough hand wrap around my wrist and drag me through the forest.
Of course, it was him, looking out for me yet again as we crept close to the ground. "You got a death wish it somethin'?" He asked me in a harsh whisper. "I'm just trying to help," I say, I knew the risks involved by charging in there with no plan of action, but what choice did I have? They would become suspicious if it had taken us too long.
"By getting yourself killed? That's how you're going to help." He scolded me like a toddler. There was a brief moment where neither of us spoke. I would be the first to admit it was a stupid idea. He let out a sigh before loading his crossbow. "Stay." He ordered me around like I was his personal lap dog.
"I thought you said you weren't a dog sitter, and I'm sure as hell, not a mutt." I snapped at him, trying my hardest to keep my noise to a minimum. There was no way he could prevent me from tagging along so it was useless to argue. He dug around in his pocket and pulled out a sharp blade's knife.
"If you're going to be reckless at least have a way to fight." He tossed me the knife and I caught it with a small fumble. The same question kept floating around my mind, why? Why was he always the one protecting and looking after me?
