Shadows

28) Screams

Walking through the gates of Hilltop, Daryl and Alicia were hand in hand. They smiled, walking over to Sasha.

As she turned to them, they noticed her sullen expression. Fresh tears stained her face.

"What's wrong?" Alicia asked immediately.

Sasha pulled her into a hug unexpectedly, a bone crushing one at that. "I'm so sorry." She mumbled into her shoulder.

Panic began to rise in her chest. "What?" She asked, pulling back. "Sasha what happened."

"She got away from me." She spoke, her voice shaking. "She got away and I couldn't find her."

Alicia watched as tears rolled down the woman's face. Tears of her own started to well in her eyes.

"Where is she?" Alicia asked. "Where is my baby!?" She screamed when nobody answered her.

"She's... she's-" Sasha couldn't finish before Alicia was advancing on her.

"WHERE THE FUCK IS MY DAUGHTER!?"

"She's in the hospital trailer."

Alicia didn't waste any time, running into the hospital with Daryl trailing behind her.

When she opened the door, Maggie was blocking her view. She was hunched over a bed, a small hand clutching hers. Enid stood beside her.

Alicia ran over, pushing Maggie aside, almost falling to her knees at what she saw. Nothing could describe the physical pain that shot through her chest and head.

"My baby."

"Mommy." Her daughter cried weakly, looking up at her.

She was completely covered in blood. Two long gashes across her stomach and a distinct bite mark on her neck.

Images of Dale flashed through Alicia's mind. But this was worse. It was so much worse. Her child was dying. Her baby, her own flesh and blood lay on the table dying.

"Mommy, I'm scared." She choked out, coughing as she said it.

"I'm right here baby." She cried. "We're right here." She took Daryl's hand, placing it over their daughter's heart. "We're right here love."

Jordan stared up at her parents, fear written across her face. "Daddy."

Daryl opened his mouth to speak, but nothing seemed to come out. Alicia turned to see tears flowing freely down his face, panic in his eyes.

"I love you." He managed to tell her, his voice hoarse and strangled.

Alicia laid her head against Jordan's bed, sobbing into the sheets, clutching her daughter's hand.

"Please God." She prayed for the first time in over six years. "Please God don't take her away from me. Please don't take my baby. Don't take my baby, God please."

"Mommy." Jordan let out a strained cry, her little chest heaving for air.

"It's ok." She said, placing her hands on either side of her daughter's face."I'm not letting go of you baby. I'm right here. I love you, I love you, I love you."

Jordan held her mother's eyes for a moment, and then her small chest stopped moving. Her little body went limp and her tiny hand fell from Alicia's grasp.

"Jordan." Alicia shook her. "Jordan wake up. Wake up!" She placed her hands over her chest, pumping up and down, preforming CPR. She could feel her ribs crushing under hands but she didn't stop.

She pinched Jordan's nose, blowing air into her mouth. She heard a thud and glanced down to see Daryl sitting on the floor, Maggie holding him.

She didn't stop, continuing to pump her daughter's chest up and down. "Come on." She cried. "Come on! Wake up! Wake the fuck up!"