Surviving The Walking Dead (BOOK ONE IN THE SURVIVING THE WALKING DEAD SERIES)

A Thousand Times Over

~BEGIN DREAM~

     The last thing I remember is Daryl frantically calling my name, and then everything went dark. Am I dead? Was this all just a dream? I opened my eyes and I was back in the prison, somewhere deep within the tombs, there was nothing but silence. "Daryl?" No response. "Carl? Maggie? Rick? Anybody?" Nobody answered back. "HELLO?" I was surrounded by silence as sound of heavy boots sauntered towards me. "Who's there?" I asked. A faint echo of laughter joined the sound of footsteps.

"I'm comin' back for ya." A man's gruff voice echoed. I instantly took off running. Not a single walker was in sight, as I frantically ran through the tombs, trying to find my way back to my cell block. "Michaela! Get back here!"

"DARYL!" I screamed as I entered my cell block. A pair of arms instantly grabbed me. I raised my fist and the arms held me tight.

"Babe, it's me. It's alright." Daryl smiled.

"Daryl?" I sobbed into his shoulder. "Daryl, he's here. The Governor's here, he's come back for me."

"Listen to me, alright." Daryl sighed. "Everyone's dead."

"WHAT?"

"Rick, Carl, Carol, Judith, everyone. He's huntin', and he ain't gonna stop. We gotta get outta here." Daryl took me by the hand and we ran out the door into the courtyard, only to come face to face with The Governor.

"Ya can't run forever, darlin'." The Governor smiled.

"Please, just let us go." I whimpered. "You got what ya wanted, everyone's dead. Please just let us go."

"No, I didn't." POP! The Governor raised his pistol and fired at us. I felt Daryl's hand let go of mine as blood splattered from his forehead, he collapsed to the ground beside me.

"NO! DARYL!" I lifted Daryl's head and held him close. "Oh, God. I'm sorry, Daryl. I'm so sorry." I looked up at The Governor who stood right in front of me. "Please... kill me." The Governor didn't respond. "KILL ME!"

"It's like I said before, I'm gonna break ya. And when I'm done with ya, you're gonna be beggin' me to kill ya."

~END DREAM~

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" I instantly shot up from my bed screaming as I began ripping needles out of my arms, Daryl lunged on top of my legs to keep me from running.

"Michaela! Michaela, it's okay! Calm down!" He tried to hold me still, but I began slapping his arms as I tried to get away. "RICK, GET IN HERE!" Rick came bolting into the cell.

"What the hell's wrong with 'er?" Rick asked.

"I dunno! She just woke up screamin' and freakin' out!" Rick ran over to my side and held my arm and leg down.

"Michaela, it's okay! It's us, you're back home." Rick attempted to coax me into calming down.

"GET OFF ME! LET ME GO!" I bellowed.

"Michaela, it's alright! You're safe!"

"NO! HE'S COMIN'!" I felt a gentle hand run through my hair. I looked off to my right to see Daryl looking down at me.

"Calm down, calm down. That's it, just breathe." Daryl's voice grew softer and softer as I grew more quiet. "It's okay, you're safe."

"He's comin', he's comin' back for me! He's comin' back and is gonna kill you all!" I began to sob hysterically.