breakout✗d.d

Chapter 40 - Brutal Honesty

Daryl POV

I could be brutally honest and tell her what she had said or I could lie and not remind her. She had obviously forgotten what she had been going on about and what she got so upset about and telling her would probably only bring her worries back. She had to know though, it would just drag if I didn't tell her.

"You got upset about that you thought your family was dead and they died not knowing you loved them or cared cus you ent spoke to them for over 7 years and you said you felt guilty about not bothering to speak to them even though you still cared all those years." I blurted out quickly not daring to turn around and see her face. Shit, I probably shouldn't have told her. Now she was gonna be a wreck for the rest of this. Remarkably, I didn't hear a word from her for a while from then, not a whimper or a cry or a mumble. She was silent. I still didn't want to look around and see her face distorted with sadness, the only thing reminding me that she was still there, the twigs and leaves crackling under her feet.

It had been about half an hour I'd say, still not a word from her. I then saw what I was looking for. A doe, standing about a dozen meters away from me. Yes, finally!

"Layla!" I whispered looking back on her. Her face was normal, no tear stained cheeks, bloodshot eyes or even a frown and she just seemed perfectly fine. When she looked up I pointed out the doe to her and watched as her eyes filled with excitement. She ran up to me and we crouched down side my side and observed the animal as it wandered around the small area of the woods we were near. Then I had an idea.

"Hey, come here." I said as quietly as I could, gesturing for her to turn around. She looked at me puzzled for a second then rolled her eyes and did as I said. I took her crossbow off her back and then went behind her and put it in front of her with me still holding. She knew how to shoot but just from what I know, not this far away and she'd never shot a deer before so why not teach her I suppose. My forearms rested on her shoulders as she got the idea and brought her hands up to the crossbow, her finger on the trigger, as I aimed it and guided it towards the doe.

"Now," I whispered into her ear and she instantly pulled the trigger. The arrow hit the deer where its neck and body met, I also noticed a wound mark from where I had shot it but god knows where my arrow was. Consequently, the doe ran and caused her to jump, falling backwards into me. She quickly jumped up only to fall back over moments later. Luckily for her I was already on the floor and managed to catch her, before she could hit her head and pass out again, then gently lay her down.

"Sorry," She whispered, squinting at the sun above her. I just frowned and shrugged.

"Ya need a minute?" I speculated. She held her head probably from having a head ache or something. She nodded and just closed her eyes, drinking from the water bottle I had given her.