𝖣𝖺𝗋𝗄𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗌 𝖪𝖾𝖾𝗉𝗌 𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖬𝖾 | ᴅᴀʀʏʟ ᴅɪxᴏɴ ³

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜɪʀᴛʏ ꜱɪx

«SHE IS COMING»

CHLOE'S MIND WAS FROZEN, a whirlwind of self-blame and regret, echoing with the weight of failure. Her legs moved almost mechanically, propelled forward by an instinct she couldn't control, following Daryl's lead. All her mind was occupied with was the thought of letting her family down. She had promised to protect Tom, to keep him safe, but her asthma had betrayed her, clouding her judgment and now he was lost to them.

Where they were headed, she had no idea. All they could hope for was finding another entrance, praying that Tom, Connie, and Magna were still there, clinging to life, awaiting them.

But that seemed to be a harder task than expected as the closer they drew to the cave, the more they encountered Whisperers, lurking in the shadows of their territory.

"Stay here," Daryl whispered in Chloe's ear as they crouched behind a bush. Before she could respond, he had already begun to move stealthily, closing in on a Whisperer until his advance was halted abruptly by the appearance of another figure. 

Chloe watched as part of the herd, led by a figure who seemed to be Alpha, passed by. Her senses sharpened, her heart beating faster as adrenaline surged through her veins preparing her to engage, but Daryl's firm eyes on her held her back, a silent command to wait and observe rather than act impulsively.

They both waited impatiently until the herd had moved a safe distance away before Daryl finally with a deliberate motion, reached for his crossbow and fired an arrow.

But things quickly went downhill from there.

One moment Chloe was crouched behind Daryl, hidden behind the bush, and the next, she was sprinting after him and the herd. But her mind seemed to betray her again.

"Daryl!"

She was failing miserably. The herd was now chasing after her, forcing her to retreat and leave Daryl behind to his fate. So her legs carried her away as again her mind seemed to surrender completely to the will of her muscles that pushed her deeper into the woods.

The growls and moans of the Walkers seemed to come from everywhere. All around her. They were all around her. Her hands with a swift motion reached for her bow, taking down three Walkers that barred her path. But her luck soon ran out as she was tackled to the ground, her vision blurring out, her senses fading as she succumbed to darkness.

As Chloe's consciousness gradually returned, she found herself lying on the ground. The first light of morning washed over her, as the gentle chirping of birds filled the air. If it wasn't the apocalypse, Chloe would have just laid there and enjoyed the peaceful moment. It was too peaceful for an apocalypse. 

Disoriented and groggy, she struggled to sit up, her mind still foggy. Confusion washed over her as she realized she was still alive. The memory of being tackled down by Walkers flooded back to her, and she instinctively checked herself for any bites or injuries but found none.

She glanced around, searching for any signs of the Walkers that were lurking in the woods but all she found were two bodies lying nearby with no visible wounds except for the bullet holes in their skulls. There were no arrows, no signs of struggle—just the grim evidence of a precise, deadly shot to each head.

What the hell happened?

Where is Daryl?

Tom?

Tom. That's when it hit her.

How long has she been out?

Struggling to rise, Chloe felt a wave of dizziness wash over her, but she ignored it, her mind consumed once more by her urgent mission. She had to save Tom, but she also needed to find Daryl.

So her legs carried her back to where she last saw Daryl, towards the river. At the sight of the running water, Chloe acknowledged her thirst. She knelt by the riverbank, cupping her hands to scoop up some water to drink and splash onto her dirty face, relishing the coolness against her skin.

There, amidst the peaceful sounds of nature, she spotted a trail of blood. Two trails of blood. But before she could follow, a voice calling her name caused her to halt.

"Chloe!"

It was Logan.

"Logan," she whispered.

"Chloe," Logan repeated urgently as he ran towards her, pulling her into a long, tight hug. "I couldn't find you anywhere."

Breathing in his familiar scent, "where's Daryl?" she asked, her voice muffled against his shoulder. 

Her eyes scanned the area behind him, where she spotted an injured Daryl and Lydia standing nearby.

"Daryl?" Her eyes widened as she ran towards Daryl, Logan's worried expression fading into the background. Daryl welcomed her with open arms, his injured thigh causing him to wince slightly as she embraced him tightly. "What happened? You're bleeding!" Chloe's voice trembled with concern as she knelt before him, inspecting the patched up wound.

"It's alright," Daryl spoke pulling her up to her feet and that's when she noticed Merle and John standing not so far from them.

"Tom?" Chloe's voice trembled as she dared to ask, her chin quivering with emotion.

Logan's approach from behind interrupted her thoughts. "We need to rest and prepare," he stated firmly. "We'll organize a search party for them."

Chloe spun around to face him. "No," she countered.

"I'm not leaving him," Chloe mimicked his tone, her voice firm.

"Tom wouldn't want you to get yourself killed," Logan hissed, his tone pleading.

"I will find him," she argued defiantly, turning to walk away. But Daryl caught her arm, his grip firm as he steadied her in place.

"We'll go back to Hilltop," he stated, more of an order than a suggestion.

"He's buried under the rubble!" Chloe hissed angrily, her frustration evident. "I am not going anywhere."

"Ya will," Daryl countered, his tone resolute as he tugged her along, beginning to lead them away from the river but Chloe wasn't buying it as she resisted, tugging at his hold on her. Despite his injury, Daryl easily overpowered her as he continued to drag her along.

Merle and John remained silent, lost in their thoughts, while Lydia trailed quietly behind them.

"Just stop!" Chloe argued, planting her feet firmly on the ground, trying to halt Daryl.

"My mother is coming," Lydia stated blankly, her words cutting through the tension. Chloe turned to face her.

"Where were you?" she demanded, her voice tinged with frustration.

"We can't stay out here," Lydia deflected, ignoring the question.

"They're safest under the rubble," Logan added.

___________

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