burning love

Kill or be Killed- 54

Kill or be killed, that's the only way to survive. The last thing I remember was Daryl going to find our kids. I blinked rapidly as the sun shined in my eyes. My vision was blurry at first, and I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to clear them. I open them again and see a window to my left and a sleeping Daryl to my right. The sun must now be rising. I try pop my neck but I'm stopped by a brace. I grabbed at the brace and tried to take it off. I whined in pain, my neck was so sore. I must have woke Daryl with my whining, because he stirs. I watch him rub his eyes and then sit up and look at me, noticing that I was awake he rushes to my side. I tried to grab at the brace again, but Daryl grabbed my hand and held it in his,

"Bella, you have to leave it alone. That...Monster, crushed your trachea. You have to let it heal." Daryl looked down at himself in disgust and sadness. I squeezed his hand and he looked up at me, and as if reading my thought he said, "I should have been there, I could have protected you and the kids." I reached up and grabbed his chin, I stroked his cheek with my thumb and he leaned into my touch. He looked in my eyes and leaned into my lips and softly kissed me. He rested his head against mine and whispered, "I love you Bella, I'm so sorry. I will make sure that your safe." I pushed his chin up so he could look at me and mouthed an 'I love you'. I realized I hadn't seen the kids yet, and pushed off Daryl and started look frantically around. He grabbed my shoulders and pushed me back into the bed, "Calm down, they are with Carol. I'm gonna get you some water, I'll be right back." He held my hand until he was out of reach and then he dropped it. I stood slowly, balancing myself. I walked to the mirror that hung on the wall of the room I was in. I slowly took the brace off and looked at the red, bruised, and swollen skin on my neck. I ran my hand down my neck. I then looked at the rest of my face and body. I was skinny, dirty, my hair was matted and greasy, I was covered in blood, and I looked ugly. Eyes started to swell in my eyes, how much longer would we continue to live like this. I'm tired. I dropped my hands to my sides as Daryl walked in with a water bottle. I turned and looked at him with tears in my eyes, and streaming down my face. He set the water bottle on the bedside table and rushed over to me and tangled me in his arm. I buried my face in his chest, and breathed in his smell.

"Bella what's wrong?" Daryl mumbled in my hair.

"I'm ugly." I cried. I also laughed as I thought about how silly that sounded.

Daryl grabbed my face in his hands and chuckled a little, "No your not. You are beautiful Bella. You are so strong and funny, and smart. Bella you are far from ugly. I love you Bella, you are the best thing that's ever happened to me. Sometimes I think that the world ending was a blessing, otherwise I would have never met you and we would have never had two amazing and beautiful kids. I still remember the first day we met, you have come so far since then. You are everything to me and I promise you, I will make sure you and the kids are safe; even if its the last thing I do." He kissed the top of my head. This is why I loved him, he made me feel safe and loved when I didn't think it was possible. He grabbed my hand and led me to the bed and had me sit down while he grabbed my water bottle, handing it to me he gave me two small pills,

"Carol said they will help with the swelling." I gulped them down, the water felt nice and cool on my throat but it also stung, kind of like whiskey.

"How is everyone?" I asked as I held the bottle up to my lips to take another drink.

"We had a few casualties." He said while nibbling on his thumb, which happened to be a nervous habit of his.

"What is it Daryl, your doing it again." I said screwing the lid on the now empty bottle. He took his thumb from his mouth and looked down to the ground,

"The wolves, they destroyed--" Daryl was cut off by the sound of running feet and screaming. Carl burst through the door.

"What's wrong Carl?" I asked standing up.

"The church outside the walls, it fell of the wall. One of the walls is down, the walkers they're everywhere." As soon as he said that Rick came in followed by Jessie and her boys. Carol had the babies, and Michonne had Judith.

"We gotta get here or we won't make it." Rick started pacing.

"Where are we gonna go." Michonne asked.

"Rick when I was out the other day, there was town about 20 miles from here it was deserted. We could go there until we can think of something." Daryl said. I grabbed Nevaeh from Carol.

"But how would we get through the crowd." Jessie asked. I looked at Rick and knew exactly what he was thinking.

"Everyone stay here, Bella you ready?" He asked.

"Woah Woah were are you taking my wife?" Daryl shouted while stepping between me and Rick. I laid my hand on his shoulder,

"Trust me, we will be back before you know it." I quickly kissed his cheek and followed after Rick.

"We got quickly and silently." Rick said looking at me.

I grabbed the door handle while he grabbed an axe. We looked at each other just like old time and he nodded his head at me. I swung the door open and watched as he snuck up behind a walker and stabbed it in the head. He grabbed the body before it could fall and dragged it back towards us, and I shut the door as he came in. I grabbed the feet and helped him drag the body back to the others. I opened the door and Rick dropped the body.

"Oh my God, what are you doing?" Jessie asked. Walkers can smell us so we are going to mask our smell. Everyone grab a sheet and put it on, after I cut the walker up, smear its blood and guts on yourselves. Keep it away from your face. This is how we live." We all did as rick asked and followed him to the door that led outside.

"Everyone grab hands. Bella and Carol keep Neveah and Judith under the sheets, and everyone stay together." Rick opened the door and we all limbed out of the door, holding onto one another. I could see the gate and we were almost through when Sam stopped. Jessie was trying to urge Sam to keep going, but he started crying. He was drawing to much attention. A walker bent down and started to go for Sam, Jessie tried to pull him, but It was drawing to much attention. A walker bit Jessie and Sam. Ron let out a blood curdling scream as he watched his mom and brother be eaten. Rick tried to get everyone to move. Everything began moving so fast, Baily clung to my leg, as Daryl began to fight walkers. Carol stood beside me, trying to protect the kids. Michonne was helping Daryl. Carl was trying to get Ron to move, but Ron grabbed a gun from under his sheet and pointed it at Rick, and it was like time slowed down as Ron pulled the trigger and Carl jumped in front of his dad. I drew my gun and shot Ron. Everything slowed down as Carl slowly turned to his dad,

"Dad..." Rick caught Carl as he began to fall. Michonne and Daryl led the rest of the way as we fought our way to the emergency vehicles. I noticed one was missing as we all piled into an SUV. Daryl started the truck in no time and sped out of the Alexandria. Carol handed me Judith as she began tending to Carl. I took my shirt off and handed It to Carol. I was watching the scene before me unfold, when I heard a horn honk and I looked out the window to see Maggie and Glenn driving along side of us. We sped down the road, Daryl whipped off the road and into the parking lot of a store. we all rushed inside. Carol and Maggie worked at Carl's eye, and they eventually got the blood to stop. The group settled down and we laid the kids to sleep while we all watched Carl. At this point it was just a waiting game.