Faded Scars (Daryl Dixon)

Chapter 18

Third person:
Scarlett was out in the courtyard watching the perimeter of the prison. She rarely got any sleep these days, so instead of waste her time she decided to do something useful. She fidgeted with the chain around her neck that held her sister's ring, but her head snapped up when she heard moaning. Two walkers had come up to the fence, spotting her. Scarlett slowly made her way over and pulled out her knife, jabbing it swiftly into one of the walker's heads. She repeated the same move with the other walker and when she turned to return to her spot, a new figure was standing there.

"Why are you up, thought you liked your sleep?" Scarlett joked as she walked up to Glenn, who was leaning against the prison. "Eh, I wasn't feeling it, what about you?" She leaned next to him and ran her hand through her hair. "Don't really sleep much anymore." She mumbled and sat down in the grass. "Is it because of the walkers?" Glenn asked and sat down next to her. "Surprisingly no." She said. Glenn could tell that something was bothering her, causing her to be conflicted. "Something's bothering you." He said softly. She sighed and turned to face him. "Just tired of watching people I care about die because of me." She stood up and moved back inside the prison, leaving Glenn in the courtyard.

Rick, T-dog, Daryl, Scarlett, Hershel, Maggie, and Glenn were finally going to find the cafeteria after listening to Rick argue with his son. They moved carefully through the next block, watching their surroundings. They were about to turn a corner when Rick moved back and ushered for everyone to do the same. "Get back. Go. Go. Get back." A group of walkers came around the corner and the group ran, the walkers right behind them. "In here." Glenn moved us in a storage room and locked off the door, banging and moaning coming from the other side of the door.

Scarlett's view:
I stepped forwards some and felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Daryl watching me carefully and I looked into his shining blue eyes. I turned back to the door and listened to the walkers outside still trying to get in.

Glenn slowly opened the door and looked out when the noise stopped. "Looks clear." We followed him out the door and were sticking close to him, Rick, and Daryl as we made our way down a dim hallway. I had my axe ready, when a cry rang out followed by a gunshot. Maggie ran past me and I followed her, when she froze and sobs escaped her lips.

Hershel was on the ground with a dead walker near his feet, a bite mark along with some torn flesh on his leg. I heard moaning from behind me and turned to strike a walker in the head. Rick and Daryl helped Hershel up and were leading him away, while I moved Maggie to Glenn and watched everyone's back with T-dog. More walkers starting coming towards us when they noticed one of us was hurt, and soon they were becoming hard to control. "Damn, there's too many." I said to T-dog as I struck a walker in the head and turned to strike one that was getting to closer. We ran to the group, covering our backs, as Glenn and Maggie slowly joined in. "Come on." Rick shouted and we ran after them, T-dog and Daryl holding the door with their backs as the walkers groaned and moaned. T-dog shoved his fire poker through the handles and they slowly moved away from the doors.

"Daddy." Maggie sobbed as Rick and Glenn carefully set Hershel down, blood running down his leg. I walked over to Maggie and looked at Hershel's leg, something struck something in me. I quickly walked over and crouched next to Hershel's leg, his groans painful. "Rick, your belt." He stared at me confused, but then quickly unbuckled his belt and handed it to me. I took off the grey shirt I was wearing, leaving me in my black tank top, and ran it over the blade of my axe wiping off the blood. I quickly tightened the belt above the wound on Hershel's leg. "Scarlett, what...what are doing?" I looked up at Maggie, her eyes panicked and roaming over me and her father's leg. "Just trust me." I said weakly and brought my axe to her father's leg just below the belt. My heart was beating through my chest and everything just seemed to be going so slow, then it wasn't.

Hershel's cries echo throughout the room as I hacked at his leg the first time. I cringed at the sound and at the blood that now spilled from his leg. I tried to focus, but Maggie's sobs were louder and weren't helping. I brought the axe down again and Hershel yelled out again, the groaning at the door becoming louder. Sweat ran down my face and my breathing was raggedy. I was to the bone now and Maggie's sobs were spinning in my head. I brought the axe down again and finished the job. I quickly dropped the axe and back away, I felt cold and my hands were shaking. They wrapped the left over piece of jean over Hershel's stub to stop the bleeding while Maggie moved to sit next him.

"Look at your masterpiece, look at what you have done."

I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes remembering the owner of the voice. Leona. "Seems all to natural to you, Scar." She cackled. I opened my eyes and looked down at my hands, they were sweaty and bloody. Looking at Hershel, I saw his pale face and Maggie crying soft tears into his shoulder. "Dammit Hershel, you better stay alive." I mumbled and wiped my hands into my pants, but some blood still stayed. I knew blood had spattered over me, but there was nothing I could do. "We need to get him back or he'll bleed out." I said weakly. Rick nodded, but I heard something move behind me and turned. I could make out figures in the dark, but I wasn't sure. "Daryl, shine your light over here." I said softly and the flashlight illuminated the area I was looking at.

"Holy shit."