Remember Me (Daryl Dixon)

Chapter Twenty-One: Dark Waves

"Daryl? Daryl, what happened?"
Daryl ignored Lori's urgent voice as he rushed through the cell block, carrying me to one of the cells where he slept. I was bleeding all over him, I could see that much. I clung to his chest, crying as hard as I could.
I could see Beth resting in one of the cells. I was happy that she was sleeping, I didn't want her to see me like this. I didn't want her to panic as I knew she would.

Daryl quickly ran into the cell and placed me on the bed, reaching for his knife. No, you're not about to do that, are you? You're not about to cut my arm off.

When he couldn't find it, he looked to me frantically. "Give me your knife, Elizabeth."
My lip was quivering as he said those words. I wanted to live, I did. But he couldn't do this. If he cut my arm off, I would bleed out. I didn't want to be in here. I wanted to see my father. I needed to see him.
"No, you...you're not cutting my arm off," I replied with a whimper. Daryl's face turned a bloody red as he shot daggers at me, "Give me your fuckin' knife, right now."

"No," I replied, my voice stern this time. I wasn't going to let him do this. I was terrified, but this was how it was going to be. If I was meant to die like this, then I would die like this. I wasn't going through with this.

"If you don't give it to me, you're gonna die. Do you understand that?" he replied with a growl. I felt as if I could see faint tears forming in his eyes, but it was probably nothing. Daryl Dixon never cried. Ever. My arm was now on fire, burning intensely.
I groaned at the feeling of it. That only made him more desperate to save my life. "Elizabeth," he growled at me once more.
"I don't care. It's too late now anyways," I replied.

"And how do you know that?" Daryl asked, a frown forming on his face. I knew that because the burning was traveling to other parts of my body. It wasn't just in my arm anymore.
"I can feel it in my shoulder..my neck. It's spreading."

I watched as Daryl stood up and punched the wall. I flinched when he did this. I was the one that was dying, not him. After a few moments, we heard shouting downstairs. It told us that Rick and the group was back. I tried to get up, but Daryl wouldn't let me. He grabbed a pillowcase off of the top bunk and threw it at me. That was rather rude in my opinion.

"You hold that on your arm, you understand me? You stay right here. I'm getting Rick, it's spreadin' too fast."

Daryl sped out of the cell, leaving me alone. Alone with the sense of impending doom that overwhelmed me.

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Calm down. Please, just...calm down. Y..you're okay. You're gonna be okay. I thought to myself as I laid in the bed, shivering with every little movement. I was burning up and sweating more than you could imagine. I was just a ticking bomb laying there. I knew that I could turn any minute. The feeling in my body told me that.

We agreed not to tell Beth. We simply told her that I wasn't feeling well. She came in to see me and I made sure she knew how much I loved her. Maggie knew, of course. Saying goodbye to her absolutely destroyed me. Not that I could really focus on what I was saying. My mind wasn't all there it seemed.

The sound of footsteps brought me out of my daze. I could see that Daryl was now entering the room. He hadn't spoken to me ever since he went to get Rick. I knew that he was mad at me, but I didn't care. This was how it was supposed to be. I knew not to mess with fate. I accepted mine. I hoped he could accept it as well.

Daryl sat down at the edge of the bed, his faces buried in his hands. I knew that he was completely distraught. I also knew that I had to tell him everything before I turned. I had to tell him I loved him. "I'm sorry," he grumbled as he rubbed his face with his hands. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you."

I attempted to smile at him, even though it hurt. "No..it's perfect," I replied in a weak voice. Tears were on the verge of forming. I longed for them, maybe they would cool down my burning face. When I said that, Daryl looked over at me with confusion. "This ain't perfect."

"It is...It is perfect," I replied as I let the tears flow. I knew that my voice was cracking, but I didn't care. "I'm with the person that I love."

Oh shit. Did I really just say that?

Daryl's expression quickly changed when I said that. "What?" I knew that he was confused. Hell, I was confused. But I knew that he needed to know this. "I love you, Daryl," I stated through a strained voice. "I do, I love you."

Daryl shifted his position, examining my face. Shock filled his face as I spoke. "And..when I turn, you have to be the one to do it."

He quickly shook his head when I said that. I knew that he didn't want to do it, but I wanted him to. I didn't know what had become of my father, but maybe I would see him soon. "No," he replied as he continued shaking his head.

"Y..you have to," I tried to say. Coughing interrupted my talking and Daryl took my hand. I knew that this was it. It was coming whether I wanted it to or not. I could feel my end coming and I wasn't going to fight it. This was perfect. This was how it was supposed to be. "I..I love you," I repeated before I allowed my eyes to close.

I heard Daryl screaming my name faintly, but I couldn't speak. I couldn't do anything.

I let the waves overcome me, sending me into the blackness.