Daryl's Angel (Book One in the Apocalypse Angel Trilogy)

Chapter 63: Bravery

The sound of walker growling echoes down the cell block and I sit up abruptly, causing my head to spin.

I open my cell door and look out, only to have a walker attack me. I fall back, trying hard to push it off of me, but I'm weak and losing the fight.

"Hershe-" I try to yell but my voice dies and I cough again. "Hersh-"

A gunshot sounds and the walker falls dead on top of me. It's yanked off, showing a man standing in front of me, one of the Woodbury survivors. I smile gratefully just as his son, now a walker, comes up behind him and bites into his arm. He screams and his gun goes off, hitting a sick blonde woman behind us. There's pandemonium in the cell block, to be frank.

I stumble from the cell to see people in a panic everywhere. A familiar scream reaches my ears, and my eyes widen as I recognize them as Glenn's. I go up the stairs, kicking walkers away as I go to his cell. He's lying on the floor, choking on his own blood.

"Glenn. Oh my gosh," I gasp, working desperately to clear the blood flow from his throat.

I look down the hallway to see Henry, the man now walker, that was using the air pump. He's lying on a metal mesh overhanging. Lizzie looks down at him, unsure of what to do.

"Hold on Glenn. Hold on," I beg.

I get up, ignoring my foggy thoughts and head down the path towards them as quickly as I humanly can.

"Lizzie, lock yourself in your cell. Go," I command weakly.

Lizzie nods, and I climb over the mesh while she runs away. Henry-Walker growls and lunges at me, and I kick him away. He lunges again and I fight him, my hands on his shoulders as I pin him down.

"Hope!" someone screams.

I look down and see Maggie. Her gun is raised, pointed at Henry.

"You might shoot the bag! We need it for Glenn!" I yell, my throat burning with each word.

Maggie's eyes widen and she pauses. After a moment, she shoots and Henry slumps over, his blood splattering onto my face. I cough, feeling blood on my lips.

"Hope, come on," Hershel says gently.

He's standing on the balcony, reaching his hand out to me. I grab the air pump away from Henry and give it to Maggie, who runs to Glenn. Hershel helps me over the balcony, where I stumble into him.

"I'm glad you're alright," he says, steadying me.

I nod, black spots appearing in my vision. "I need to...to..."

I hit the floor, the world fading. The last thing I hear is Hershel calling my name.

Daryl's POV

I heard the commotion from outside. There were gunshots going off, and that's never a good sign.

I head out of my cell with my crossbow on my shoulder. I run into Maggie, who's face is scared.

"What the hell is that?" I ask.

"Cell block A. Come on," she urges.

I look at her, my eyes widening. "Hope."

"Glenn."

We take off, and she pulls ahead while I try to calm everyone else down.

When I arrive, everything has gone quiet. I try to go in the main door, but it's stuck. I head to the meeting room to find that the glass has been broken. I climb over the ledge and run in, not bothering with my mask.

There's dead walkers everywhere among the bodies of sick people. I step around them, searching their faces. I sigh with relief when I don't see the one I'm looking for.

I sprint up the stairs to find Maggie kneeling over Glenn, squeezing air into his lungs. He's passed out, but alive. She looks up at me and smiles sadly.

"Where's Hope?" I ask.

"With dad." Maggie points and I look down the path a little ways.

Hershel kneels on the ground next to Hope's unmoving body. Panic fills me and I rush towards them.

"She's alive," Hershel says when he sees me. "She fought two walkers while saving Glenn."

"That's my girl," I whisper, falling to my knees beside her.

I touch my fingers to her throat, feeling her pulse. It's faint, but she's breathing. Thank God, she's breathing. Hershel is holding a blood stained cloth, and he wipes the remaining walker blood off of her face.

"I'll take her to her cell," I say, and he nods, his eyes sad. I look at the cell behind him, where Dr Caleb's lifeless body lays on the floor.

I put my arm behind her neck and the other under her knees and slowly lift. Her head rolls and leans against my chest and her arms hang limply to her sides. Hershel lifts them and lays them across her stomach, and I start to walk carefully down the stairs. She feels warm, but her face is covered in a cold sweat. Her brown curls stick to her forehead, her face is pale, and her eyes have dark circles under them. I still think she's the most beautiful girl in the world.

I bring her into her cell, where the walker she fought still lies on the ground. I kick it in disgust before laying her down on the cot.

Hershel walks by and hooks her up to an IV. I keep my eyes on her the whole time while he fastens an air pump under her nose and mouth.

"Go get some sleep Hersh. You need it," I say, giving the bag a squeeze.

He nods before turning and walking back up the stairs. I hear his quiet sobs after a moment or two, and I cuss under my breath. I'm so tired of losing people.

I lean over and kiss Hope's forehead softly, not caring about the disease or anything else. I give the pump a squeeze, watching her chest rise and fall slowly.

Just like back at the farm.

"I'll be here all night, angel," I whisper,

Hope's POV

My eyes open slowly, and I make out the faint silhouette of someone sitting beside my cot. When my vision focuses, I see that it's Daryl. When he sees me, he smiles, taking off the air pump carefully.

"I'm so glad to see you awake," he whispers. "You just about gave me a damn heart attack."

"What happened?" I ask.

"I came to the cell block to see what happened. I went up the stairs, Maggie was with Glenn, and you were passed out on the floor next to Hershel." He hands me two white pills as he speaks.

"I'm so stupid. I'm supposed to rest and I go fight two walkers." I smirk, coughing slightly as I swallow the medicine.

"You saved Glenn's life. Maggie's pretty happy about that." He leans forward, clenching his hands together and resting his chin on them.

"So, I take it-"

"Yeah, Glenn survived the night."

I close my eyes, the corners of my mouth turning up in a small smile. I did something good.

"Rick found out who killed Karen and David..."

"Really? Who?"

His face looks sad. "Carol. He sent her away."

I don't say anything. I never would've expected her to do something like that.

"That's surprising."

"I know, but she'll be fine. I just wish Rick would've told the council before doin' it."

"Yeah, that would've been nice."

I cough a little again, groaning as I place a hand on my forehead.

"Rest," Daryl murmurs, stroking my cheek.

I breathe deeply, realizing just how much I missed his touch. I drift off into a deep sleep, Daryl's hand wrapped around mine.