Madison Grimes

24

I furrow my eyebrows before pushing myself off the ground, but I'm too late. I hear his scream before I see the walker on top of him. I shove the walker off him and grab my hunting knife, quickly planting it in the walkers head. I hear Dale scream again, making me turn fast. I quickly pull the knife from the walkers skull and push it into the other walkers head. I roll the walker off of him and see what caused him to scream, the walker tore his stomach open.

"Dale." I cry out as I watch the horror on his face. I feel tears rolling down my cheeks as I turn my head. "Help!" I turn back to Dale and see his hand reaching for my face. He holds my cheek as I quickly pull my shirt off, leaving me in my tank top. I apply pressure to his wound before turning my head again. "Rick! Daryl! Glenn!" My voice comes out broken and Dale yells in pain as I push harder.

"Madison." He chokes out as I hear feet starting to run toward us. I look at him. "I love you." Is all he can choke out. Tears stream down my face even more as I nod my head.

"I love you too, Dale." I hear a gasp, followed by a warm hand placed on my shoulder. I turn and see Daryl. He has tears in his eyes, threatening to fall. The sound of more feet gets louder by the second.

"Hurry up!" Daryl yells and stands up as Rick comes, taking his shirt off to apply pressure as well. I hear more gasps and crying, signaling the rest of group is here. Rick pushes his shirt to me before standing up. I take over and apply pressure with the added shirt. I watch as Dale winces in pain.

"Hershel!" I use both shirts but they're both covered in blood, making this pointless. "Hershel! We need to save him!" Rick yells, though I know Hershel's a few feet in front of him.

"He won't make it." I feel myself break down even more as a body smashes into me. I look down and see Belle crying into my lap.

"Andrea." She comes as soon as I call her. I send her a nod before standing up to let them talk. I pick Belle up and hold her close to me, letting her cry on my shoulder. Daryl walks to us and pulls us into a hug, letting us cry into him. I hear him sniffle, signaling that even he is crying. I rub his neck to let him know I'm there for him, but all I can feel is the blood rubbing onto his neck.

"I can't do it." I hear Rick say. I turn and see him holding a gun to Dales head. I look at Dale and see him looking around the group for mercy. Daryl lets us go and takes the gun from Rick. Glenn quickly takes Daryl's spot and holds us, crying himself. I look at Daryl's back, watching as his arm raises to Dale's head.

"I'm sorry, brother." Is the last thing said before a loud gunshot. I jump as it goes off, making Belle jump too.

It's been three hours. Three hours since the argument about Randall. Three hours since the talk I had with Dale. Three hours since he got torn open, along with getting shot. Three hours since I've been on the ground, freezing from Dales dried up blood. The lack of clothing on my back doesn't help either. Belle fell asleep awhile ago, that's the main reason I've stayed here. I've had yet to look at Dale since he got shot. I don't think looking at him now would be right.

"You're still here?" I jump as I hear Glenn. I just nod my head and point to Belle. "Do you really want Dale to be the first thing she sees when she wakes up?" I shake my head. I haven't really thought of it that way. I gently pick Belle up, not waking her, and start walking to the RV. "Where are you going?"

"Probably just to the RV." He sends me a forced smile, but it still seems sad.

"What? You don't want to hang out with your bestie anymore?" I smile and turn around, walking to his tent. He puts his arm around me with a smile. "That's what I thought." I let out a chuckle and stop walking once we're in front of his tent. He goes in first, then we do. I gently lay Belle on the sleeping bag Glenn set up. Once I tuck her in, I pull my own bag beside hers. I lay in the bag and stir for hours. After the sun starts to rise, I sit up.