breakout✗d.d

Chapter 6 - The Night

"Night," I whispered to him, lightly pecking his forehead with my lips before his consciousness ebbed, his mind going into free fall, swirling with the beautiful chaos of a new dream. Now all I could do was sit and wait, I felt like a guard really, I couldn't go off post, couldn't wander off and explore in the mist of the murky hours, I had to sit on a hard, cold log (which to be honest was rather uncomfortable) and watch out for anything lurking in the shadows. I know I shouldn't have been, I should of stayed focused, should of kept my eyes to the boring trees but I just couldn't help peering at him. The way his chest moved rhythmically in the breathing pattern, the loose strands of hair that balanced on his cheek and square nose, falling across his face slightly. As a quote from one of my favourite books I read back in England, I thought of it within the current passive hour, how it almost accurately fitted the scene. The quote was from 'The Fault in Our Stars' by John Green, an eye-opening, enchanting novel, covering many genres and giving you a whole other perspective of life. And death. So the quote goes, "I fell in love with you the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once." Quite true, the way sleep, well resting before sleep, drags along slowly until you eventually descent into slumber, not to wake for hours maybe, just sleep. No longer controlling yourself, your thoughts, actions or even dialogue. Just at armistice with your worries as your brain takes the wheel of your imagination. I would describe falling asleep as one's only sweet release from the uncertainties of the world. In one's dreams they could escape, find relief. And for a few seconds when they awoke they was oblivious to one's concerns. One could and would enjoy that brief respite of time before their troubles burst to the forefront of their mind.

I was snapped back into reality by a scuttling, a scratching coming from nearby. I will admit, it made me jump but I calmed down once I realised it was just a forest animal, a squirrel, fox, rabbit whatever it was, I didn't kill it. It wasn't doing any harm, despite, it would have been hard anyway taking into consideration the speed in which the creature travelled and my lack of 1. Slow reaction time and 2. My impaired vision as the lack of light didn't really give me the upper hand.

Must've been an hour by now, at least. I was that tired, I swear I could feel the bags under my eyes in the way my eyelids struggled to stay open.

"Daryl?" I whispered nudging him however he was still in deep sleep. "Daryl?" I said again louder, shaking him harder. "Hey man, wake up." I exclaimed undoubtedly louder than I should of. He rolled over and faced me before wearily opening his eyes.

"Hey..." He mumbled still half asleep. There it was. Those few seconds when he awoke and was oblivious to any concerns. Unfortunately, it was probably less than a few seconds as I just couldn't keep my big gob shut in the middle of the freaking night now could I? I felt hands on my shoulders and teeth on my trapezius muscles, my shoulder blade. Daryl instantly switched on and jumped up. I tried to scream but I was breathless. I tried to squirm out of the walker's grubby hands but it was no use, any way I moved could possibly cause more damage. Daryl ran behind it and pulled it off me. He landed on his back, the walker facing upwards on top of him as he restrained it from biting me or him. Before I could even think about my injuries, I yanked my machete from my belt and smashed the blade in to the walker's skull. It fell limp as Daryl pushed us away, wiping the blood from his face.

"Were you bit?" He asked frantically. Jumping up once again. I lifted my hand to my shoulder blade and checked. I had gotten lucky. It had only bit faintly into my leather jacket meaning I was safe. Thank god for my poor fashion sense.

"No. I'm fine. Only got my jacket." I smiled turning around. He looked wide awake now, his eyes wide from the sudden life-threatening danger that had confronted us so abruptly.

"Ok, get some sleep, I've had my fair share." He insisted whilst I sat myself down on the blanket, trying to get comfy. "Oh and Layla..." He began. I looked over to him and he had that same face again. The face that wanted to laugh at whatever he was going to say next but didn't want to break character. Yeah, I was used to it by now. "Shhh..." He hushed me sniggering, implying it was my loudness that caused for both if us to almost get killed. Couldn't blame him. It was sort of true. I rolled my eyes though I couldn't help smiling so I turned away to hide the secret of how much of an amusement he really was. He was only trying to infuriate me by saying snide comments now and again but this too, I was used to. It was now just entertaining, his effort to piss me off.

Within minutes I dozed off, the night devouring my thoughts as I fell into dream.