USED & ABUSED [Daryl Dixon - Book 1]

Chapter 13

Lorna's body shook violently under the mound of blankets covering her body. The night air was cold once again but she was sweating and her face was red.

She continued to whimper and mumble in her sleep.

Daryl had been awake watching her for over an hour wondering what to do. He wasn't sure if she was sick or having a nightmare. For all he knew this could be normal for her.

She jumped in her sleep, her hand flying up from under the blanket and almost hitting him in the process.

She began to shake her head while mumbling the same word over and over again.

"No...no...no..."

Her breathing picked up and she continued to flail her arms around, her mumbling became louder and she was soon shouting and screaming in her sleep.

It had been a week of nights full of her whimpering, Daryl had watched each night, it was never as bad as that and it soon stopped.

However tonight was different. Her arms flailed violently, he had to catch her hand before she hit him in face. He held onto her hands hoping to a stop her but her screams only got louder.

"Lorna! Lorna, wake up please!" He shouted over her screams.

She managed to get away from his grip and rolled onto her side away from him, kicking her legs and becoming tangled up in the blankets.

He ran his hands over his face. He had no idea what to do or how to wake her.

He shook her in an attempt to wake her but it didn't work. Instead in an act of desperation he wrapped his arms around her from behind and held her tightly against his chest as he held her twitching hands together against her own chest.

He groaned as she elbowed him in the stomach but didn't loosen his grip. Instead he whispered into her ear, telling her it was only him, that he would keep her safe and that nothing could hurt her anymore.

Her movements began to die down and her breathing evened out. She was still hot and sweaty to the touch but she was no longer screaming and crying out.

She didn't wake up for the rest of the night but Daryl didn't sleep. He stayed glued to the spot with his arms around her, afraid that if he did move. he would wake her.

He wasn't sure how she would feel about him being wrapped around her when she woke up, especially if she didn't remember her dream.

As the morning light shone through the dirt covered windows, Daryl began to move away for Lorna, prizing his arms from around her body. She stirred slightly but didn't wake, which he was thankful for.

He decided that it would be best to make breakfast for the pair before they went to school, knowing they still had to head to the creek to wash up. Luckily though it was the last day they would have to use the creek and the fire in the lounge as Daryl had spoken to Hershel just the day before.

Hershel was surprisingly easy to talk to and Daryl had ended up confessing everything within twenty minutes of being questioned by Hershel.

Hershel felt for the kids. He couldn't imagine what they had been through and had agreed to get the water and electricity sorted for them as long as they promised no one would find out they were living there.

For obvious reasons Lorna and Daryl had no intentions of telling anyone where they were staying.

Daryl began cooking the left over rabbit they had from the night before. Well he more or less cremated the meat. It was charred by the time he had finished. He plated it up anyway and hoped Lorna wouldn't be too upset by the burnt breakfast.

When Lorna did wake up, she said nothing. She just stood up and sat beside Daryl in front of the fire on the floor.

"Morning." He mumbled.

"Morning." She yawned.

"I made breakfast." He said handing her a plate.

"I can see." She said as she looked down at the charred meat.

"Sorry it's badly cooked..."

She smiled. "Maybe you should leave the cooking to me."

"I ain't bad at cooking! I just couldn't concentrate this morning." He mumbled.

"Whys that?" She asked before taking a bite of the meat. She instantly pulled a face and spat it back out before running to the door.

"Lorna?" He called as he followed her, only to be responded with retching noises.

He found her kneeled on the moss coveted floor, as she retched. Nothing but bile came out due to having an empty stomach.

He rubbed her back soothingly.

"Didn't think my cooking was that bad." He joked.

He heard her chuckle slightly. She sat back on her knees and wiped her mouth.

"I thought I'd be able to get past the burnt taste but I really couldn't."

He smirked. "Well there's always beans?" He suggested.

"Yum." She said sarcastically as he helped her up from the floor. "How about we get washed up and dressed and go to McDonald's?" She suggested. "They have breakfast menus or something. I heard someone talking about it at school."

He shrugged. "I've never been."

"Me either but if we're going to spend that money, we might as well spend it on something yummy for once." She said. "I'm sick of beans."

"I guess you're right." He smirked. "I'm going to see if I can find a weekend job or something." He mumbled as they headed back into the house. "We will need more money when that's ran out and it's only right that I bring the money in."

She had many worries about that. What if he was seen by his father? What if there fathers found her alone and Daryl wasn't there to protect her.

She simply nodded her head and kept her worries to herself.

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