Double Crossbow (Daryl Dixon) [The Walking Dead]

Chapter 26 ↣ Was this all that was left?

"Tide love, tide death, I come without delay."

- William Shakespeare, A Midsummer's Night's Dream

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Kathryn

UNLIKE DARYL AND Glenn though, I didn't hesitate. I didn't falter. That rage that

I kept untied the bow and leapt. My knife was in my hand, and it was in my father's forehead a split second later. The blood was rushing so fast in my ears that I didn't hear footsteps approach me. I jumped and reached for my bow as a hand was on my arm.

"Hey, it's me, don't go shooting."

Daryl picked me up onto my feet and pulled me away from my father's body. My vision swam and a voice rang in my head.

You ain't nothing like me, huh? I think you're exactly like me, Kat. You thought you were always one step higher than me. Well, looky here. You're on the highway to down under just like me.

"Kathryn." I blinked and tried to shake my head to clear the voice away. Daryl was in front of me, a few inches away at most.

He's disgusted with you. He'll run anytime now. Just you wait.

"Hey, it's over." He gently placed a hand to the side of my face, and just like that...it was quiet. Daryl looked me right in the eye. "It's over."

I swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "Y-yeah."

Daryl's hand unsurely ran down my arm before he walked back towards where Glenn was standing, obviously trying to gather himself after the incident as well. Daryl quickly returned to where I was. This time he was close enough that our chests brushed as we inhaled.

Then as quickly as he came, he was gone back to Glenn. I looked down and had to do a double take as I saw my knife was back in its holster on my hip. I lifted my head back up as I heard Daryl say, "Got his neck broke." After a minute or so, he then said, "He's got no bites."

"Yeah," Glenn started, "none you can see."

Daryl shook his head, "Nah, I'm telling you he died from this."

I felt my legs give out, and I quickly leaned against a nearby tree for support. I felt my hands tremor against the bark, and an unbelievably terrifying mix of fear and relief. Did I just do that? Kill my own blood without a second thought?

"How's that possible?" Glenn asked, but he sounded very far away.

"Hey." That voice was closer.

I responded to it. "Hey."

"We should...head back." My blurry mind finally put two and two together and figured out that it was Daryl talking. I nodded and tried to gather whatever little sanity I had left. My hand was suddenly taken off the tree, pulling me further away from some of the last physical evidence of my past.

Daryl's hand was warm in my own. It somehow grounded me and slowly started to clear my head. He hadn't left yet, though half of me still expected him to bolt at any minute. The moment of clarity was short lived as a gunshot was heard. I dropped Daryl's hand, and the three of us ran the rest of the way back to the house.

We rushed inside, and I instantly saw Rick and Shane weren't there. Daryl noticed this as well. "Rick and Shane ain't back yet?" he asked.

Lori looked up at us. "No."

"We heard a shot," Daryl said.

"Maybe they found Brendan," Lori suggested, which had me taking a step back like her words were a physical blow.