Wake the Dead

chapter 25

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkqngdLLIcg&list=PL12iJ-96MtapPjTKB-gFAo901MYuUtVRL <--- Link to song for the Dale scene.)

I always seemed to run faster when I was running to save someone else. Maybe it's because I have come to care about these people and some of them I would even die for.. But, as I approached him, I was too late.

"Dale!" I heard screams in the distance. There was a walker on top of him trying to bite his neck, but instead ripped open his stomach. Daryl ran past me and tackled the walker off him, then stabbed it repeatedly, but I just fell to my knees by Dale. 

"HELP! OVER HERE!" Daryl screamed to the rest of the group that was farther back. "HELP! RUN!" 

"Dale stay with me." I said as I put my hands on his face, not looking at his torn apart stomach. 

"Hang in there." Daryl said kneeling down across from me. 

Everyone came over now and saw Dale laying there, torn apart. I moved so Andrea could stay with him, they where closer. "HERSHEL! WE NEED HERSHEL!" Rick yelled as he moved to the other side of Dale. 

I heard cries from the rest of the group and Dale looking around with wide eyes as Hershel finally came over.

"Can we move him?!" Rick asked frantically. Hershel looked over Dale's stomach. "He wont make the trip."

"Okay, we'll do it here! Glenn go back to the hou-" Rick was cut of by Hershel putting a hand on his shoulder and shaking his head no. Andrea's cries got louder along with the other members of the group. "NO!" Rick yelled in anger and sadness.

I felt sadness spark throughout my bones as I saw Dale cry out in pain. I hadn't noticed, but I had made my way over to Daryl, who was now standing over by Rick.

"He's suffering. Do something!" Andrea cried out. 

Rick had sadness glazed over in his eyes as he pulled out his gun. He hesitated, but pointed it at Dale's head. He just was staring at him with broken eyes, not pulling the trigger. Rick couldn't do this, he was already falling into that dark place and everyone could tell.

I took a deep breath, summoning my strength, and walked over, taking the gun out of his hands. He looked at me and I reassured him with a nod, then he handed it over and stepped aside. 

I locked eyes with Syd as I got down on my knees, but I looked away as I aimed the gun at Dale's head. I heard Andrea mumble something to him, but I ignored it as he raised his head up to the top of the gun, wanting this. "I'm sorry." Was the last thing he heard before I pulled the trigger, sending the deafening noise through all of our ears.

All I could hear where cries all around me from the group as I sat looking at Dale. I had taken care of Sophia and now I just had taken care of Dale, it was like my job. My job making sure our leader didn't break..

I stood up and handed Rick back his gun, then walked over to my sister, who had tears all over her face, and hugged her. "I love you, Syd." I said to her. "I-I love you, Fi." She choked out into my shoulder. 

We hugged for a while, but then broke apart when everyone started to leave. "I think I'm gona stay with Andrea tonight... Ya be with Daryl?" Syd mumbled to me.

"Yeah. I'll be alright." I kissed her forehead and she walked off with everyone, besides Rick, Shane, and T-dog who where carrying Dale's body. Daryl walked over and looked at me with hard eyes that still held worry. "Come on." He said as he started to walk to his camp. 

It was definitely cold tonight, so I was glad that I went on that run as I wrapped my jacket around me. We got to his camp and we immediately went into his tent and zipped it up. He set down his crossbow by the bed, not feeling very safe after the encounter with that walker. My gun was still in here from when I left it a few days ago, so if I needed it I would have it.