My Hunter || D. Dixon (On Hold)

Fifteen - Never Alone

Sleep didn't come to me easy, to say the least. I've turned every which way to fall asleep, I ended up giving up on sleeping. My boots click nearly silently on the floor as I walk down the hallway. In my hand is a bottle of whiskey that I had gotten from the kitchen. No one was up, none that I could see at least. I got to the rec room in no time, settling on laying on the couch with the bottle and a book to keep me busy.

Caleb fell asleep quickly in the bedroom along with Jess, who honestly could use the sleep. Something just didn't want to let me sleep, maybe it was just my paranoia about this place. Something about this place seemed too perfect to be a safe haven forever. Maybe Shane's mood break got to me finally.

Either way, I'm on the couch so deep into a book that I didn't notice the door open. "Couldn't sleep?" A voice called, making me jump a bit, reaching for my python that was holstered still. My eyes met the Georgia blues of Daryl Dixon, making me laugh a bit as I looked back to my book as I mark the page down.

I look back up to meet his eyes with a sigh. "Nah, you?" I question, taking a swig from my bottle before holding it out to the redneck, who took it without a second thought. Sitting up on the couch, I made room for Daryl to sit. It wasn't often I've come to find that Daryl would openly well open up to someone on his own so I take this as a blessing.

Daryl sat down on the couch, handing the bottle back after taking a sip from it. I take it, raising the bottle to my lips. "Someone's gotta be ready for the worst." I raise an eyebrow at him, "seems too perfect don't it?" I nod my head in agreement as he takes the bottle.

I lean back against the couch. "I've had a feeling but it only came after Caleb went to sleep, I didn't want to worry him with my nonsense." I laugh, smiling at the thought of him going off on how it was all just in my head like my feeling about the camp before Atlanta. I was right about the Atlanta one, I've been right about my "feelings" this far and this so far seemed to be off. "Jess and him are safe for the moment and that's all that I care about."

Daryl hums in acknowledgment passing the bottle to me. "She's a good kid." He says and I laugh. "She made me promise to bring you back in one piece from Atlanta." I shake my head with a chuckle. She sure had a way of making it seem like she was the adult over anyone else with how she acts.

I take a moment, swirling the liquid in the bottle before downing a good amount of it. "She's good like that, lookin' out for people. She got that from Caleb and me." I laugh, handing off the bottle before standing up. "You can have the rest, I think Ima try and get some kind of sleep."

Daryl nods, muttering a "g'night" before drinking from the bottle. I flash him a smile, saying it back before walking out of the rec room and back into my room. Caleb and Jess lay asleep on the bed where I left them only now they're sprawled out across the bed. Sighing, I close the door to the room before laying back on the couch, one arm over my eyes and the other behind my head, sleep coming faster this time.

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I grew up in Hell, there's no other way to put it. Everything about it was Hell. "You're late, Luna." Father stared at me through hard blue eyes. I let out a shaky breath. Silently thanking the Gods that Caleb wasn't home today, he was staying at a friends house for the weekend. "And why are you late?" His voice growled at the back of his throat. He crossed the room in a few quick strides. It's times like these where I wished I could disappear, run away and never return. "Where were you?" He demanded.

I jump at his raise of voice. "Ou-out," I stammered. "Out over Michael's. . ." My words trailed to silence. We both knew I shouldn't have been out that long. Hell, I shouldn't have been out that day at all, I knew I was gonna get my ass handed to me when I got back to that house.

My father glares at me. "There are things to be done." His eyes flashed like lightning in the dark sky during a storm, but his voice remained low. He went off on that same damn speech that he always goes on. "People who don't work don't eat."

"I know. I'm sorry. I-"

He slapped me so hard and fast, tears came to my eyes. I blinked them back even as he grabbed my arm. "People who don't work starve. Don't you understand that?" I said nothing. I feared any wrong word might get me hurt. "Five lashes, girl."

I knew better than to run. Running would only make him angrier as did my few failed attempts at fighting back. Instead, I turned my back, pulled off my jacket and lifted my T-shirt, and bowed my head against the pain I knew would come. Silently, father drew his belt. The first blow hit-I fought not to cry out. The second broke the skin and sent stabs of pain down my back. I bit my lip and tasted blood.

With each lash, Father spoke quite angry words about Mother and Caleb, about ungrateful children who didn't understand. My back throbbed. Three, I counted. Four. With the fifth lash, a sob left my lips. "Weak," Father said as he tied his belt back in place. "You'd die in war, out there. Remember that." I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. "Good. Now pull yourself together. I want no more delays."

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My eyes shot open as I jolted awake sitting up trying to get a breath that wasn't there. A hand went to my back rubbing circles. "Easy Luna." Caleb's voice cracking with every word in the morning.

I put my head in my hands as the bed shifts so Caleb's next to me. Immediately, I turn and hug him. The different things that went down in that dream or whatever that was just jerked my nerves with fear as I recalled him not being present at all.

I take in a steady breath after a moment. "We've gotta' go down for breakfast. Jess went down with Lori and Carl, came to get her and let us sleep." He said as I move back from him with tears in my eyes. He brings his hand up to me and wipes away the tears. "Come on." He says getting up and moving to the door.

He leaves the room and I close the door, getting changed quickly before making my way to the kitchen. Everyone was hung over as the place smelled like eggs. Glenn sat with his head down probably regretting drinking last night as more people walk into the room including Shane who has three distinct marks on his neck.

I tilt my head, looking at the markings. "What happened to you?" I question him and he shoots me a small smile.

His voice is unconvincing. "Must've done it in my sleep," Shane says, shaking his head as he got a cup of coffee.

Rick walks up behind Lori, looking at his friend. "Never seen you do that before," Rick said sitting down next to Lori who was staring at Shane as he shrugged.

Shane's eyes meet Lori. "Yeah weird."