the gods forbid [the walking dead]

1.21

last chapter :,(

He stopped punching, his anger finally calming down to a point where he didn't need to take it out on something.

He fell to the dirt, he was absolutely terrified of losing another person. It seems like throughout his whole life, nobody stays longer than what he needed. He needed Opal, but he didn't how much she needed him.

Opal could feel the illness going through her veins. She could feel that she was slowly leaving her body. She stared at Rick, who watched her hand that was interlocked in his own. "Rick, somebody's going to have to put me down once I pass," she started, making Rick look up and make eye contact. She sniffled, tears starting to come to her eyes once more as everyone listened, "please, do not let me turn."

Rick gripped Opal's hand with both of his, tears close to leaving his eyes. He nodded, scared to speak. He felt that if he did eventually speak, he would instantly break down, he could feel his son coming up his throat.

"Promise me, Rick, please," Opal requested, her voice cracking, she needed to hear him say the words.

Rick only nodded, his voice defeating him. He opened his mouth, preparing himself to be able to speak. "I-" he started, his son coming up. The noise that left him was gross, and it brought tears to the people around, they were witnessing their leader break down, "I promise," rick whispered, tears evacuating from his eyes.

OPal's eyes started to droop until they shut. Her time was finally over. Her heartbeat slowed down to nothing.

Realization settled into everyone as they finally understood what had happened. Opal was gone. She was dead. Rick wiped the tears from his eyes and grabbed the knife that was in it's holster.

"Carl, Honey, let's get of here," Lori whispered, guiding her son out of the room, the Greene family doing the same, Hershel telling Beth that she didn't need to see that.

Many people then left the room, not wanting to see one of their friends die.

Rick gripped the knife harder than he had ever before, he didn't expect that he would ever have to put down somebody that was close to him, he never wanted to, either. He just wanted his family to survive through the end of the world and not have to lose anybody else.

He slowly slid the knife through Opal's fragile head, he instantly took it out, coughing back another sob. He stood, "I'm gonna go dig a grave," he announced, standing up and picking up Opal, staring at the blood stained couch.

The group nodded, and followed Rick outside, shock filling their systems as they saw Daryl already digging a grave. Daryl glanced towards the group, looking at Opal's deceased body. He quickly looked away, uncomfortable with looking at his dead friend.

Rick approached the redneck, sadness on his face, "are you alright?" he asked, tears entering his eyes once more.

Daryl shrugged, not meeting Rick's eyes. "Gotta be," Daryl paused, stepping out of the deep grave, "It's ready."

RIck nodded, "can you help me get her in?"

"Yeah," Daryl told, grabbing OPal's legs, while Rick held her arms.

The started to lower her in the grave, tears leaking out of almost everyone's eyes as they gathered around to watch OPal's funeral.

"Are you gonna speak?" Carol asked, her arms crossed over her cardigan.

Rick looked to Daryl, already knowing that Daryl wasn't planning on it. "I'll say a few words," he spoke, turning back to Carol, "and then if anyone else wants to, they can."

Carol nodded. She looked around the group, knowing that the possibility of somebody else speaking was low.

Rick stood on the opposite side of Opal's grave as the rest of the groups, his arms lying limply at his side. "Well, I guess, let's have a moment of silence for Opal real quick."

The whole farm was silent for a few minutes, just the sounds of nature being heard throughout the group members ears.

Once the silence was decidedly over, Rick started to speak once again, "Opal didn't travel with us for too long, but she found her way into some hearts. Mine included. She was very kind and is the," Rick paused, realizing his mistake, "was the person everyone wanted as a friend."

Daryl held back tears as Rick spoke. He was ashamed to have let her break down his walls so easily. It was foolish and stupid.

Rick continued, "I know that she'll be forever in our hearts and hopefully be somewhere more peaceful than this world."

He took a few steps back, tears entering his eyes again. "Now, if anyone else wants to speak, the floors open."

Nobody stood up as it went silent once more.

"Well, you can return to whatever you were were doing, I'm gonna do this," he said, motioning to the grave. People scattered off, understanding that Rick was finally going to fill the grave with the dirt he'd already taken out.

After filling around ¼ of the grave, Rick glanced at Daryl, still seeing him stand where he had been at the start of the funeral.

"You okay?" he asked, worried for his group member.

Daryl shrugged, letting out a small grunt in response. He then evacuated the area, leaving Rick by himself.

He continued to fill the grave, occasional tears falling out of his eyes. Once he was done, he went to his tent, glad to see that Lori and Carl weren't there. He didn't need them to see him in such a week and vulnerable state.

He sat down on his makeshift bed, burying his head inside his hands. He forced his eyes shut, not wanting to see the ugly world anymore.

After the night back in Atlanta, where the walkers attacked, he promised himself not to let anyone else die, he'd failed himself more than once. He hated himself for it, the world too. Why was it letting these wonderful people die so easily before their time had come.

"Shit," he muttered, taking one last deep breath before laying back in his cot. 

THE END

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THE END