The Walking Dead Preferences/Imagines

Nightmare (Rick)

Credit To:premiumcable.tumblr.com

The sounds of their hands hitting the door and their loud, hungry groans echo throughout the small, dark room you're hiding in. You'd been looking through a convenient store, trying to find some food and supplies when you saw walkers come from the back of the store. There were four of them, a couple more than you felt comfortable taking down on your own. Looking around the store, you saw an old storage room with the door open. You ran inside, closing the door behind you and putting a chair under the doorknob to reinforce it. The room is dark, the only light coming from the crack in the door.

Cupping your hands over your ears, you try to drown out the sound of their desperate growls, but they were so loud, practically deafening. Tears run down your face in fear, what if the door didn't hold? What if you never made it out of here? You couldn't end up like your mother and sister.

You hear footsteps from the other side of the door; too fast to be more walkers. They stop banging on the door, attracted to the noise of new prey. You hear bodies dropping to the floor and the groans stop completely.

"There's gotta be somethin' in there, they ain't just gonna crowd the door for no reason." You hear a male voice point out as the footsteps move closer. Grabbing your knife from your belt, you prepare yourself to fight them off. Even though they had killed all those dead ones out in the store, that didn't necessarily mean that they wouldn't try anything. You'd seen in previous groups they way women were treated nowadays and you weren't going to let that happen to you.

One of them outside jiggles the doorknob and you brace yourself.

"There anybody in there?" A deep voice calls through the door.

"Rick, let's just go. Whatever's in there ain't comin' out. Wastin' our time here." The gruff voice of a second man remarks.

"They could be hurt or need help. We have to at least try," That statement makes you move a bit closer to the door. You did need food, and soon or you wouldn't be around much longer. Pulling the chair back, you slowly open the door and step outside. Your eyes adjust to the brightness and you get a better look at them. One of them has long hair and a crossbow slung over his shoulder, the other had shorter, curly hair and was holding some type of revolver. They both stop talking and look over at you as you exit the storage room.

"I'm Rick and this is Daryl. Can you tell me your name?" The shorter haired of the two says as he walks forward. You step back away from him; he stops at your reaction and puts his hands in the air.

"Hey, we're not gonna hurt you."

"I'm Y/N." You say quietly, looking down at the floor, avoiding eye contact.

"Alright, Y/N. Can you tell me how you got in there?" Rick asks. His voice is soft, as if afraid he was going to startle you.

"Um, I w-was looking for some food a-and they just ambushed me. I-I didn't have anywhere else to go." You reply, slowly looking up into his eyes.

"We have a community, you're more than welcome to come back with us." Your eyes widen at his words and you shake your head back and forth.

"No! No, I'm not going back with you!" You cry, remembering all the things you had seen done to your family at the hands of your last group.

"Hey, it's okay. Whatever has happened to you in the past won't happen again. If you come back with us, we can keep you safe. I can keep you safe." You nod at his words, a tear runs down your cheek and you wipe it away quickly hoping they hadn't seen it.

"Okay, I'll go." Rick smiles at your words, motioning for you to follow him and Daryl back outside the store to their car. The drive back is mostly silent until Daryl tells Rick that he forgot to ask you 'the questions'.