𝗕𝗟𝗨𝗘 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗟𝗗 , the walking dead

[52] the cell

THE CELL
———

ENGULFED IN THE DARKNESS, Daryl sat naked and exposed in the small four cement walls. Knees curled up to his chest, head on his knee as he kept himself warm. There was many thought to keep his mind occupied, none of them being good. He didn't have to close his eyes to relive the moments of Glenn's death, the darkness felt like he was stuck in that moment on loop.

Glenn was dead because of him. Maeve was taken. Louis was taken. All that, and Daryl was still alone. Locked up like a caged animal, stripped down of his pride and his dignity and left with nothing. He didn't even know if they were alive, he wasn't even a hundred percent sure he was alive.

Last he saw Maeve was when they were being taken from the van, they had pried him away from her and he didn't fight back. So scared of what would happen to Louis now if he had, Louis begged for them to stop. That was the last thing Daryl heard from him, was his pleads to be with his sister, his cries as he watched her lifeless body be taken away. The final look Daryl took in Louis's eye in a moment is something he will never forget.

Suddenly, the room erupts with light, blinding Daryl momentarily as a hand was brought to cover his eyes. For a moment, the now opened door could've been mistaken for the way to heaven—but as Daryl's eyes adjusted, he only saw endless torment.

Dwight stepped forward, exposing himself to a shaking Daryl as he held out food—if that's what it could be called. It'd only be considered food if you were a dog, and to them, Daryl was a mutt.

No words were exchanged as Daryl took the food eagerly. Stuffing it into his face despite the horrible taste, he's had worse. That's what he is telling himself to try and take his mind off of it, to try and keep whatever shred of dignity he had left.

When the door was closed and darkness engulfed him once again, Daryl could have sworn he thought he was going to wake up from a nightmare. That this would just all be a dream and that he wouldn't have to live with it.

Just as Daryl was ready to be left alone in silence to hear his thoughts—a song began to play over the loud speakers. Startling him as it rang in his ears, becoming the only thing he heard as it drowned out his thoughts. At first, it was annoying after it played about a dozen more times, it became torture.

Whenever it did stop, he prayed that it would be the last and in those few minutes of blissful silence he attempt to close his eyes. But just as he was about to cross over into the land of slumber, the music sounded and forced him awake—denying him the basic luxury of sleep.

That's how the cycle began, Dwight would bring him 'food' without even as much as uttering a word to him, he'd leave and that god awful song played. Burning into his brain unwillingly. Daryl could get about fifteen minutes of sleep at a time, but still was nothing compared to what his body needed.

It had been two days, and Daryl felt less than human because that's what he was treated as. Not even a pet, more like a house plant you gave water every few weeks and didn't care if it lived or died. That was Daryl, a forgotten about, uncared for plant.

Finally, after such an endless soul sucking cycle, Dwight broke it by bringing Daryl some clothes. They were unwashed and seem to have been pulled out of the nearest trash, but they were something and at this point Daryl would've accepted a bag. When he had put them on, he could feel just slightly better, he could feel the slight warmth it gave it—although the fabric was itchy and felt dirty on his sticky skin—it was something.

When Dwight then grabbed Daryl and dragged him into the illuminated hallway, his eyes burned at the contact as he dropped his head slightly. Letting his hair shield his eyes, and that's when he noticed that the sweat suit he was wearing was complimented with a large A written on it in orange paint.