My chest was tight and my lungs were burning with every breath I took but I didn't stop. My gun had no ammo and it was dark. I never slowed down, my only thought was Hershel, Patricia, Maggie and Beth. I wanted to give up and cry, let the walkers have me. I wondered where everyone was, who made it out and who didn't. I started to cry and it got harder to run. I started to trip over my own feet, my legs were giving up, I couldn't keep going. It felt lost, I felt lost. I ran the same way we ran when Otis shot Carl and kept going. I looked for the church, but it never came, just trees.
I had to kill a few walkers. Nothing I couldn't handle. I could feel the blood on my face. One walker had ripped my flannel and I left him with it as a distraction so I could get away. I was left with a tank top. I could see my breath but I didn't feel cold due to the running. It didn't matter, I kept running.
•••
The sun was rising, I kept a light jog and ran when I had the breath. It was fight or flight. I knew if I didn't go fast enough that I wouldn't make it to the highway, if that's where the others even were, but either way it had supplies. I didn't have any weapons other than a hunting knife. I saw the sun coming through the trees and assumed I was getting close, the closer I got the slower I ran, I felt it was time I could stop because they'd be there. I came to the clearing and I saw everyone.
"H-help" I breathed and then I fell.
"Isabelle?" I heard Beth's voice ring and she stood above me "are you okay?"
"I-I've been running"
Maggie was then above me.
"Don't speak, Izzy. we're here now" Dad says from above me "keep your eyes open"
I couldn't move. I tried and I felt myself just fall limp. I assume Dad saw my struggle.
"We need someone to help her!" Beth says
"I got it" Rick offers eagerly.
"No man, I got it" Daryl then says and I'm picked up off the ground.
I wanted to deny help but I knew I needed it. Everyone was standing and I felt weak.
"Let me stand" I say with all my breath back
"Nah. You need to rest" Daryl refuses
"Asshole" I mumble and I hear a car door open before I'm set in the car that Beth, Maggie, Glenn and Dad were getting into.
"Who didn't make it?" I ask Daryl as I sit up to make room for Beth
"Shane, Jimmy, Andrea, Patricia" Daryl starts to say but he pauses
"Don't go soft on me, Dixon"
"Ana"
"Fuck" I curse to myself
"I'm sorry"
"Don't. I'm fine"
"We were glad you made it"
"You and who else?"
"All of us"
"Thanks" I smile and he closes the door.
I rest my head on Beth's shoulder and fall asleep to try and get the rest I was longing for.
•••
I was awoken from a car horn.
"What happened?" I ask
"Don't know" Glenn answers as he stops the car and we all get out.
The first thing I noticed was the temperature. It was freezing compared to the car.
"You out?" Daryl asks Rick as he jogs over
"Running on fumes" Rick answers
"We can't stay here" Maggie says
