Can We Learn To Love Again? (TWD, Daryl Dixon)

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

I don't know how long I sat there staring. Could've been hours, days, weeks. I was willing to just sit here and die. But my brothers words continued to ring in my head. I know you can do it. You can survive this world on your own, I know you can. You're one of the strongest girls I know. Don't let my death phase you. Keep going, keep surviving. You do it for me, for mom, for dad.

"A strong girl wouldn't be sittin' here, lettin' herself wither away to nothin' while the dead are walkin' 'round ready to jump on 'er any second" I whispered to myself.

I completely took in my surroundings for the first time since everything happened. The walkers bodies still lay strewn around the clearing. The venison we'd been eating still laid by the long gone fire. I climbed to my feet and walked over to the fire pit. I bent down to inspect it, by the looks of it, I'd been out a week. Kinda surprised me that I'd lived that long. Even though there hadn't been any sign of walkers the whole week, I figured this place was no longer safe, no matter how perfect it was. I also couldn't bring myself to stay after watching my brother die here. Twice. Packing everything I could carry, I collected all my arrows from the bodies. The last one was the absolute hardest. His face had a slight snarl left, cloudy eyes just staring, my breath hitched in my throat before grasping the end of the arrow and tugging, it was lodged in there good. I lifted my foot slowly and placed it on his face, pushing down as I pulled. Sobbing the whole time, the arrow finally came loose, bringing some brains out on he way. I dropped to the ground and started hyperventilating, crying my eyes out, I threw the arrow in front of me and scrambled to my  feet. I took off running in no particular direction, not bothering to look back either. I kept running until my lungs burned in protest, until my legs were ready to give in on me. Collapsing at the base of the tree, I tried to regain my breath. The sun was going down quick and I needed to find shelter. While weighing my options the only thing that seemed logical was scale a tree and hope I didn't fall out during the night. Once I found a branch I thought was good enough I adjusted the bags on my back so it wasn't as uncomfortable, loaded my bow and leaned back against the rough bark. I could feel myself slipping into a deep unconsciousness.

~*~

Four Months Later

I ran trough the forest slicing through any walker that decided to get in my path with a machete I  found  in the weapon bag. I was being chased down by a small horde that I'd idiotically attracted. Making a swift right turn and hiding behind a tree they began passing without noticing me. Dumb dead bastards. I thought to myself. Once they were gone I started thinking out a  plan for tonight. What I wanted the most was to get all this blood and dirt off me but I know that's not happening anytime soon. There hadn't been any sign of water for miles. And even if I did keep on going I'd be likely to get myself killed by running  around in the dark. Since my first night sleeping in a tree after leaving our camp I've been reluctant to try it again, fell out and nearly broke my damn arm. I usually end up sleeping in a bush or under a pine tree, somewhere I could be concealed and hopefully unnoticed by walkers, and people. Over the past couple of months I'd run into  a couple crazies. People lose their fucking minds in this world. 

"Keep movin' bitch!" He screamed at me as he pushed the knife a little harder into my back

"Fuck off"  I spat

He spun me around so  I was facing him I could feel his hot, disgusting breath on my face and turned my cheek away. It obviously pissed him off more because he grabbed my chin and nearly gave me whiplash with the force he used to get me to face him. 

"You shoot down my man!" He spat in my as I tried to pull my chin away, only making his grip tighten. "I'm gonna ask one more time, you shoot down my man?!"