𝘐𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 // 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘺𝘭 𝘋𝘪𝘹𝘰𝘯

ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ᴏɴᴇꜱ ᴡʜᴏ ᴅɪᴇ

(This is a short chapter)

When my mom got sick no one saw it coming. It wasn't like we expected it to happen. I remember my dads reaction when he first found out. We had all been sitting in the living room, watching the prices right, when she got the phone call.

At first it seemed like a normal call but after a few minutes she got up and walked into the kitchen, a single tear running down her face. My dad started yelling at my mom, demanding her to tell him who she was talking to. My dad thought he could control everything and for a while he did.

They went off into another room to fight, their loud voices shook the walls and every time something shattered, I jumped. I don't think I'll ever be able to wrap my head around my fathers reaction to his wife, the love of his life, being sick. Instead of comforting her, promising to get his act together, he yelled and screamed like an infant who didn't get what they wanted.

Looking at the walkers by the fence, I picture my father as one of them. But then I realize I'm just picturing him standing along them, he'd always been like a walker, useless and loud.

"What are ya looking at?" Daryl's been standing next to me for practically the whole day. After yesterday's events, the whole group has been on edge around me. I tried my hardest to listen to Lori's words and for a bit they worked.

Then the prisoners decided to try to harm Rick and I lost it.

"The walkers, they remind me of someone." Daryl's eyebrow raises in confusion but he nods anyway. Daryl was the one who took me off of Tomas. Daryl was also the one who wiped the blood off of me when I seemed to be in some sort of trance. And ever since yesterday he's been by my side, stuck to me like glue. We might not be on talking terms, conversing up a storm, but it feels nice to know there's a part of him that cares. Or maybe he just feels bad.

Daryl goes to say something but he's caught off by a cheer next to me. Glenn stands pointing at Hershel, the old man finally out and "walking".

"Alright, calm down." I put a hand on Glenn's shoulder and giggle, also feeling giddy at the sight. It's nice to see Hershel getting better, it gives us all hope.

We watch as Beth and Lori help him down the stairs and to the middle of the court yard, a smile never leaves his old face.

"Man, he's one tough son of a bitch." Daryl grumbles, making me smile. I was a little cautious of Hershel in the beginning. The whole no gun rule, then the barn of walkers, it all seemed like he wouldn't make it, but look at him now.

My ears begin to ring as I watch the next events take place. I go from smiling to yelling pretty quickly. It almost feels like every time we get comfortable something just has to happen and ruin it all.

I run quickly to the fence, getting there before anyone else, I raise my hand and motion for Glenn to throw me the keys. I catch them and undo the door in no time, pushing my short legs as fast as they'll allow me. I make eye contact with Carl and bolt towards him but get cut off by a walker, his arms outstretched towards me.

I grab the knife out of my pocket quickly and strike the walker in the face. He falls to the ground quickly and I look up, trying to find Carl but he's already gone.

"Scarlet!" Glenn yells from across the courtyard. I look his way with a confused look on my face. "What's that noise?" He shakes his head and points towards Rick, I nod and jog over to them.

When I make it to them Daryl looks relieved to see me, even placing a hand on my arm. Rick on the other hand is yelling at Oscar, the poor guy's face is red as a tomato as he shouts, demanding him to turn this alarm off.

"The sooner we turn it off the sooner we get to Lori." I yell, a flash of emotions fill Rick's face.

We work quickly, taking out walkers as we make our way through the prison and into the room with the control panel. I really hope Oscar was telling the truth.

Daryl and I stand next to each other by the door, like guard dogs. Our shoulders touch for a brief moment and butterflies pool into my tummy. Focus Scarlet. 

As soon as Oscar starts working on the panel, thumps begin thudding on the door, walker hands threatening to break through. "Oh shit" I yell, throwing my back against the door. Daryl does the same, both of our feet sliding against the slippery floor as we try to keep the door from opening.

"Better hurry up." I yell and Rick sends me a worried look. He's standing beside Oscar who is frantically working on the panel in front of him. He clicks a few buttons and soon enough the alarm stops. I sigh happily, removing my back from the door.

My eyes go wide and throw myself back where I was. Daryl sighs under his breath, the muscles on his arms flexing. God he looks good.

My drooling stops pretty quick when the shortest of the prisoners, the one who ran off from Rick yesterday, runs into the room with a dazed look on his face. He's not a walker though and he's frantic. Oscar stands with the gun pointed between his cellmate and Rick, a hard decision.

The gun goes off and I swear I scream, watching the bullet whizz past Rick before landing in the prisoners forehead.

"You okay?" Rick asks both of us. I nod, removing my back quickly and running the opposite direction, back towards the courtyard. Glenn runs next to me, looking at me once in a while, almost making sure I'm okay. 

I'll be fine once I see Carl and Lori. When we are met with the blistering sun, I look around and only find Beth and Hershel. They stand to the side, up in one of the caged doors, with worried and scared looks on their faces.

The noise of a door opening and a baby crying fills the air and suddenly I'm 18 again. Suddenly I'm 18, trying so hard to be fearless, to grow up and face my father, but I'm scared shitless.

Suddenly I'm fifteen and one of the men waiting outside the front door has his hands on me, in me. I stand still, tears violently flowing.

I don't turn around, I don't need to, not when I can hear Rick's sobs. 

She's gone.

Suddenly I'm dizzy, like grief is uncentering my balance. I can feel someone's hand on my shoulder but I can't see anything. Not when sobs shake my body and make my fingers numb. Not when images of my own mother flash through my head, her screams, the black eyes, the bruises on her arms and neck.

Lori's face haunts me, her words from yesterday and all the way back till the moment I met her, plague me with guilt. 

I spent so long hating what she did and in return, hating her. I did everything I could to help her but it wasn't enough. All she wanted was for people to be happy, to be safe.

Another sob escapes my lips, this time coming out in a gruff scream. Daryl catches me right before my knees hit the ground, my limbs are like jello. 

He whispers something in my ear but I'm not listening, Lori's words are all I can hear.And suddenly I stop.

My tears stop falling, my body stops shaking. I'm completely still. 

I said it myself, "Good people die." Lori was a good person. Fuck. I shake my head a few times, the stray tears run down my face but stop quickly. I can't let this control me.