Sneaky

Chapter 103

3rd Person POV

Daryl swerved suddenly, just barely missing the walker that stumbled out from behind a car but Rick in the red truck behind him, slammed on the brakes; watching the walker he recognized collapse.

Daryl's bike screeched to a vicious halt that nearly led to his chest hitting the handles.

He glanced back and before he could even take a breathe, his heart stopped.

Daryl swung his leg off the bike, not even putting up the kickstand and forgot about the running machine, even when metal scraped the pavement as it tipped over without him to keep it up.

A mass of dark tangles splayed over the road consumed his attention like paper tissue in a bonfire.

He didn't even realize he was going towards the body until Glenn and Rick got out of the cars just after he passed.

Daryl's POV

"Eve!" Glenn called from somewhere behind me, hesitant and probing.

I half expected 'er to just roll over and flash a cheeky smile like a little shit; like it's a goddamn joke but she/it didn't move.

Not so much as a muscle twitch.

My lungs are tryna suffocate me as I edged closer.

Part of me wants to run straight for her no holds bars and just flip 'er over but the more cautious voice in ma head is screamin' Hell no.

My heart is battering my ribcage like a one man band as I got close enough to grab an arm off the road (never thought I'd say that).

The smell of rotting human flesh is practically vaping off whatever the Hell this gut-poncho is. All I can say is I'm glad I ain't touchin' that shit with my hands as I nudged the body on the back.

It didn't move.

My but burned and I tossed the arm, finally giving in to ripping off the bandage. Just get it over with.

I grabbed it with my hands, ready to jump back just in case and dragged it onto it's back.

No.

My kneecaps cracked against the asphalt but I barely noticed.

I heard a shout as I reached forward but it sounds like it's underwater.

I pushed piles of dark hair out of her face, clumps of it still clinging to her grimy sweat glimmering skin.

I vaguely noticed my eyes stinging from not blinking, my lungs burning from not breathing, my knees aching, but I can't feel anything except my hand.

The side of her head under my palm, holding her hair out of her face. I searched — hoping for any sign anything on her face, the slightest muscle twitch, but there's nothing.

"Eve!" Glenn gasped over my shoulder, right behind me.

It can't— She's too smart — too fast — too Eve to just—

I looked down at her shoes and the whole world faded to white noise.

9 muddy lines.

I didn't even realize I wasn't breathing until all the air rushed my lungs like a popped balloon at a scratchy raw sound.

"Boo"

My eyes shot over, locking on the thinest slivers of Baltic amber.

A hoarse cough split clicked lips and I lunged forward without even thinking.