Marching With the Dead (Daryl Dixon FanFiction)

•Chapter 25•

•Chapter 25•

•Daryl's POV•

It was nearing sunset, but I still kept my pursuit. I could easily follow our tracks, but after we parted, it was hard to pinpoint where she headed in the leaves. Her small body didn't cause much disturbance to the ground.

I tried to go without my flashlight as long as possible, but sadly, I don't have night vision. I grabbed onto the metal cylinder strapped to my waist and pointed in front of me. I held it between my fingers after I clicked it on. The leaves glowed white under the beam of light. Barely any dirt was kicked up from her footsteps. Either she was walking lightly or meant it to throw me off if I did try to track her.

Darkness soon consumed me letting the moon to be the only natural light. I was about to turn in for the night when something gleamed in the light. I didn't think of anything when I saw it, but then realized it might lead to finding Grace. I pointed to the object again to see blood on a pine tree. It still looked fresh, but it was bright red so it couldn't of been a walker.

I looked down at the leaves by the trunk of the tree to see them along with the dirt kicked up. It looks like someone got into a scrap. I followed the trail of disturbed from the fresh blood to a line of kicked up dirt. This could be anyone, but it was most likely Grace since it was her tracks.

My heart thumped as I stepped over the path. My blood pounded in my ears. My heart beat was as clear as day. This might be it.

---

I walked on and on keeping my eyes and flashlight locked on the trails. It seemed like her body was dragged to wherever it was and heavy footprints were along side it. My breathes were short as I followed the path.

I glanced up every few seconds until I noticed a bulky figure in the distance. Light was shining from the cracks in the wood and I heard small sounds of a girl screaming.

Grace.

I ran with my crossbow in one hand and the other fumbling while trying to put the flashlight in my pocket. I neared the worn down shed and pressed my back against the wall. I came in by the south-west side, so I had to creep closer to the entrance. The birds and bugs chirped so it was hard to hear through the dilapidated wood. I strained my ears to listen for any signs that she was there.

"I guess your boyfriend has given up on ya since you left him an' all," I heard a familiar voice chuckle,"It was all too easy capturing you. I watched you and him have your little tender moment before you left. Pathetic. I'm gonna give him a few more minutes and if he's not here then oh well. I guess he really doesn't love you."

Anger boiled inside me before I threw the shed door open and rose my weapon up to his height when I caught a glimpse of him. "You don't have to wait any longer," I snarled looking down the sights of my crossbow.

He stood over the kneeling Grace with a pistol to the back of her head. A white cloth was wrapped around her mouth and she wore a terrified expression. I saw the cuts and bruises she had on her body which made me all the more upset. David's bodyguards stared me down with their weapons pointing in my direction. David smirked up at me looking like he wanted to taunt me.

"Well, Daryl! I'm glad you found us. I don't know what I would've done with this bitch if you didn't show up," he smiled evilly as he crouched to Grace's level,"Probably have some alone time. Maybe a lil' sit down and a long talk."

I stepped closer while my knuckles turned white from grasping my weapon tightly. David's henchmen started to close in on me with the guns still raised. "You best let her go," I snarled pressing my crossbow harder into my shoulder. I couldn't collect my thoughts. I didn't care about the guns pointing at me, but only about the one at Grace. I focused on her face as her eyes widened.

All of a sudden, I felt my legs being kicked out from under me as I heard Grace try to scream. My hands were pinned behind my back making it feel like they were trying to dislocate my limbs. The henchmen hauled me to my feet again and slipped a cloth between my teeth making the corners of my mouth burn.

"Bring him in here," David sighed before clasping onto Grace's arm. He pulled her up as I saw a tear fall from her cheek. 'It's going to be alright,' I thought.

The men pushed me further into the shed while Grace was hauled the opposite direction. I kept my eyes on hers as my heart pounded in my ears. "Well, it was nice chatting with you, Daryl, but me and Grace got some business to handle. The boys here will settle down the plans for how you want to be cooked. We could at least give you that option," David smirked with his pistol still to her head. Tears escaped her eyes as she tried to thrash out of his grasp.

My breath came out in short, rugged gasps. I couldn't process what was happening. 'It's not going to be alright'.

In a blink, I saw David fall with the ringing of a gunshot following it. Grace was taken down with the body to reveal Merle with his pistol raised to the same place he just shot. My heart started hammering harder than before. A few more gunshots went off closer to me when I realized that they were shooting at my brother. I started thrashing causing the henchmen to lose their aim.

"C'mon, we gotta go!" Merle shouted trying to untie Grace. I saw Joe rush into the room before firing at the men who were holding me. I felt their grasp loosen on me before they dropped to my side. Joe started to untie my hands and left the gag to me. 'It just might be alright'.

•Grace's POV•

"C'mon, we gotta go!" Merle shouted over me. He fumbled with my restraints as gunfire rang around the shed. He then grabbed my upper arm once he untied me and hauled me out of the building. The cloth was still over my mouth as my feet tried to catch up with his.

I couldn't think about what I was doing. I was only thinking about Daryl. He was still back there with the gag in his mouth and his hands behind his back. Yet, his brother was trying to save me. "C'mon. They got all they're gun power on us. Move!" Merle egged me on. My feet had a hard time moving since I was close to my death, but I'm not out of this yet.

Guns still shot and my worries of everyone in our group not making it through. My throat started to close and my head felt heavy. How did I get here? What brought me to this? Out of all the billions of people that God had to choose for this, he picked me. My luck.

I untied the cloth from my mouth so breathing while I ran would be easier. I was a few steps behind Merle, but I kept my pace up with his. It was all a blur. The trees were just blobs of green and dark brown. I could barely see two feet in front of me since the dark obscured everything. The moonlight gave us dim light to at least navigate through the woods.

After a few minutes of running, the gunfire had died down. It was faint and I had to strain my ears to listen to the shots. "Okay, I think we're safe for now," Merle breathed hunching over and resting his hands on his knees. It was only me and him at the moment and we are nowhere near safe.