Caryl (Forever Lost)

Chapter 6: Dixon

I tire out eventually after running miles and miles in the woods. I am completely aware of where I'm going.... No... I'm lost. What's new? I-90 Is back South a  bit I think...? Ah, I'll never get out of here... It is still dark, and eerie noises emerge from out of the darkness. I wasn't scared... I needed to stop being scared of everything that could harm me... Bad ass Carol is in town. The thought of it made me laugh. I had to think of anything but my family... Rick, Lori, Carl... They were family to me... Like my only.
Tears burn through my eyes again, and I shove them back into my tear ducts. They need to run dry, like a desert. After Ed,  nothing could be as bad...besides...losing the only family I... Have.
I look down at the forest floor, my breathing is hard, and continue to dash through the maze of trees.
I stop for a quick moment, as I feel my heart burning, and as it seems, acid burning through my body. I clenched my chest and winced in pain as every heart beat thudded. But I needed to keep going...
As I start to get ready to run off again, I hear sticks cracking directly behind me. I wasn't even going to turn around. My hand still clenched the bark of the tree. Damn it... I can't move. No energy. Whatever it is, I'll face it. As I turn around, I snap a thick branch hanging off of the tree and hold it up in air. It was a distorted human...
Its stench was the scent of dead flesh, decomposing flesh... It bled everywhere, skin rotting... And groaning zombie like sounds emerged from its dislocated jaw... Was it? A zombie?
"NO, GOD DAMN IT CAROL! WAKE UP!"
But I damn well knew I wasn't sleeping. I was here. Right now. In front of a walking, dead corpse...
It trudged slowly, moving towards me, arms out and greedy. I imagined Ed. Me. Me getting my revenge...
With no mercy, I swung my arm down into the head of the rotter. Blood had spat everywhere on me, as I hold the stick in place in the rotters head. I let go.
With my knees on the ground, and my hands covered in blood, I sobbed. Sophia... She is probably terrified... I could imagine her voice in my head...
"Where's Mama?"
Her crying.
Her laughter.
Her scream...
Just as I was processing all of my worried thoughts, I hear another crack of a stick behind me. I get up, yanking the stick from the head, making a disgusting sloshing sound. Except... Nothing emerged from that area...
"EITHER YOU'RE ONE OF 'EM, OR YOUR NOT... COME OUT YA BASTARD!"
I hear more cracking.
"I swear, one more step and I'll break you snooby ass-"
A dark figure emerged from behind the tree. Except it wasn't a rotter.
"Well, well, lookee here... Got ma self a snobby Bitch, eh?"
A man with a crossbow had appeared into the moonlight. He wore a denim vest with an angel winged pattern, the sleeves torn. His pants were black and torn as well, but a red rag hung from his pocket. His hair was fairly long as well, and a dark brown.
"It's nice to meet you too... I'm Daryl. Daryl Dixon. Now whaddya lookin for lady?"
"I'm Carol. Carol Peletier... And none of your business... You think I'm letting my guard down for just one second because a pretty boy redneck comes out from behind the tree to surprise me? Ya. Fuckin. Right."
"Your attitude cracks me up... Just know you can trust me. Look, I'm looking for my people... I could help you in return."
I start to tremble. I haven't seen any other man besides Ed for... Years. But... Sometimes you have to take chances.
"Sure Pretty Boy... What first?" I smirk.
"We have to make a pit stop at a safe motel tonight... It's so risky at this time."
I nod and Dixon and I head to a motel off of I-90 (Which I couldn't find).
...............
LATER ON...
As Dixon and I head into the Motel, we encountered some rotters, which he likes to call Walkers... Which would make more sense.
We make our way into a room and set up for the night. Turns out to be one big bed...
"I-I'll take the uh... Floor." I said.
"Why in the hell would you think I would let you do that? Did your man ever teach you?" He said while setting up the beds.
I couldn't help but break down into tears.
"I-he... He... Like everyone else?"
I sit on a window ledge and stare out the window, rubbing my dirty tear stained face...
"No, Dixon... But I wish... I would give anything to see him dead." My fists clench up and I close my eyes only to see Sophia with a happy future. Which will never happen.
"Well... Don't you have to worry... I'll take floor. You deserve a good night's rest."
"No..."
"Hm?"
"Dixon, sleep with me... Please... I... I don't feel... Safe... He is still alive... Trying to find me... And-"
"Yeah, okay... It's okay... I will. "
I smile and look over at him as he nervously glances at the bed... He was truly a nice guy.
"Hey..." I said.
He looked up brushing his hair out of his face.
"Atleast it's a king. " I said with a smirk.
He scoffed a bit and took his position on the bed. Facing toward me. I did the same, but faced the opposite direction, only to see pictures of a family. I look down in solemn and turn around facing him.
"You okay?" He asked me.
The truth was... No. I'm. Not.
"I don't know anymore Dixon... Goodnight."
He didn't need to hear my life story... I'll just ruin another life... Someone else's. I shut my eyes,  and I could almost swear I felt eyes gazing on me. As if he was watching me fall asleep, trying to solve me... Like a riddle.
But in my world, the riddles are rigged.