𝐏𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐔𝐌 (𝐷𝑎𝑟𝑦𝑙 𝐷𝑖𝑥𝑜𝑛)

𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑟𝑡𝑦 𝑆𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛

It was fucking cold. That was the only thing I could feel. It was like all of the energy in my body had been focused on reminding me just how stupid I was acting by taking off alone. I just wanted a good flat rock or tree stump I could sit on while I waited. I wanted somewhere quiet to sit until I started to feel something other than the cold.

A sharp pain shot through my foot as my toe hit something hard. I groaned and lifted my foot away from the lone tree branch lying in the middle of my path. A sharp inhale went in my nose and I stuck out my middle finger at the branch.

"Piece of shit," I mumbled at it. I felt ridiculous cursing at a dead piece of wood, but somehow it made me feel better.

The hairs on the back of my neck suddenly stood up as a quiet pair of footsteps caught my attention. Adrenaline and fear quickly jump-started my limbs, prompting me to pull out my knife and whip around to face the walker behind me. I was usually more alert and responsible. How could I have let it get the upper hand?

Instead, I made out a dark figure with the familiar outline of a crossbow just over their shoulder. I sneered and put away my knife.

"Have you been following me this whole time?" I asked irritably. My heart was pounding from the scare and I felt my cheeks start to burn up.

"You shouldn't be out here alone," Daryl's voice said seriously. He shortened the distance between us until he stood right in front of me, the moonlight from above helping illuminate his features.

"I can take care of myself. You don't have to babysit me all the time," I folded my arms stiffly and looked him in the eyes. Daryl sighed and ran a hand over his mouth. I was deliberately trying to upset him, though I didn't know why. Maybe, he was my living version of the tree branch.

"We're goin' back," he drawled and put a hand on my shoulder.

"No," I shot back. "I don't need you to be my chaperone."

"Charlotte–"

"Leave me alone, Daryl!" I shoved his hand off my shoulder and turned away from him. Daryl grunted from behind me and I felt a rough hand wrap around my arm and spin me back around.

"You wanna end up like Dale?! Huh?!" Daryl's shout stung my face like an icy slap. I stared up at him silently with my eyes wide.

"You want a bullet in the head?!" Daryl pressed his index finger to my forehead. My throat began to tighten and my chest felt as if any second it would burst. I roughly shoved him away and pulled my arm out of his grasp just as the damn suddenly broke.

I faced away from Daryl as burning tears rushed from my eyes. The phantom sound of the gunshot replayed in my head and I watched Dale's body suddenly become stiff all over again. I began to cry harder and I grit my teeth together to force down my sobs.

Several moments of me silently crying before warm hands gently placed themselves on my shoulders. I felt Daryl's chest appear at my back and his chin lingered at the top of my head.

"I'm sorry," he rasped. I inhaled deeply through my nose and felt a cool breeze raise goosebumps across my skin.

"It's my fault," I heard my voice tremble and crack as the words came from my lips. "I shouldn't have let him go out there by himself."

"There's no way ya coulda known." I felt the edge of his chin brush against my hair as he softly shook his head. Another small gust of wind made my body shiver and Daryl pressed the back of his hand to my bare arm.

"You're freezing."

"It's fine," I assured him in a nasally voice. His hands disappeared from my arms and I instantly wished that he would put them back.

"We should probably go," I wiped my nose with the fabric of my shirt. A rustle sounded from behind me and I turned around, ready to start heading back to the camp.

"Here," Daryl held out a black denim jacket in his hand. His arms were now bare and he only wore his leather vest and one of his signature sleeveless shirts underneath.

"Won't you be cold?" I said to him. Daryl simply shrugged and tossed me the jacket, picking up his crossbow from the ground and readjusting it over his shoulder. I gingerly pulled on the jacket and felt my body sigh in relief. Only my fingers were able to poke out of the sleeves while the rest of my hands were covered by the heavy fabric.

We made our way back to the camp in silence, where I could already feel the heavy weight of grief coming from each tent. I wrapped my arms around my stomach as dread began to seep in.

"You gonna be okay?" Daryl asked softly. I thought about the sleepless night that lay ahead of me and felt my heart sink. The only thing I would have to entertain my mind were thoughts about Dale.

"Can I come with you?" I blurted out. He looked at me for a moment and I tried my best to pick out his expression in the darkness. After a moment of silence, he nodded his head and led me back to his place on the outskirts of the farm.

✯✯✯

(𝑷𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏 12/20/20)