Double Crossbow (Daryl Dixon) [The Walking Dead]

Chapter 35 ↣ You what?

"You give me your soul / Your innocent love / You are the one I've been waiting for."

— Scorpions, When You Came Into My Life

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Daryl

MY PANIC WAS at an all time high as Rick, Oscar, and myself made our way through the tombs, still in search of any members of our group. As we heard footsteps, we fell back against the wall and waited for them to round the corner. Two figures emerged into the light of our flashlights. My finger hovered over the trigger ready to fire, but the shadows lifted and revealed it to be Axel and Glenn.

They joined us as we made our way further into the depths. The sounds of walkers bounced off the cement at every turn, disorienting my panic crazed mind more so than it already was. As we rounded the corner, two walkers looked up at us. Their hands and mouths were covered in fresh blood, the liquid dripping off their chins onto the concrete. They rose from their meal and snapped at us. Rick fired off two rounds, silencing the walkers. We raced forward to the body to see who it was. My stomach dropped, and I looked away. It was T-Dog.

As I looked anywhere but at the body of one of our own, my eye caught something else. Reaching down, I picked up a scarf that sat on the ground. I recognize it as the one Carol was wearing today. I locked my jaw and tried to push back the emotions that were whirling inside of me.

Rick took off at a sprint then, and I quickly followed after him. He led us back to the courtyard. "Hershel!" Rick called.

"You didn't find them?" Hershel asked.

"We thought maybe they came back out here," Glenn said.

The Greene family shook their heads.

"What about T? Carol?" Hershel asked.

"They didn't make it," I told him.

Rick turned and looked me dead in the eye. "That doesn't mean the others didn't. We're going back. Daryl, Glenn you come with—"

Rick's plans were cut short as a foreign sound met my ears. Was that...? Rick froze and turned pale, looking as if he might pass out on the spot. I looked over my shoulder as well and couldn't believe what I saw.

Kathryn stood on the other side of the courtyard, covered in blood, but that wasn't all. She had a tightly wrapped crying bundle in the crook of her arm and Carl wrapped in her other. Her eyes were dead. Nothing shone behind them. It was the same looked she had after we'd discovered Sophia. Feelings of relief and dread flooded over me.

Kathryn

My throat became tight once more as I made eye contact with Rick. I had no idea what to say to ease the confusion and terror that was quickly filling up behind his eyes. He approached me, dropping his ax and gun to the ground.

There were so many questions behind his eyes, but there were no words. My vision was becoming blurred. I quickly blinked, forcing the tears back. There wasn't time for that. Rick started pacing, holding my gaze.

"Wh-where is she? Where is she?" he asked. Rick tried to walk past me, but I removed my arm from around Carl and caught Rick's wrist. He stopped. I pulled him back in front of me, with little fight from the quickly crumbling man.

He met my eyes once more and broke down. Sobs quickly wracked his body and my heart plummeted. "Kathryn?" he asked in between sobs, placing a hand on my cheek. I swallowed hard.

"I'm so sorry, Rick," I whispered. "I am so so sorry." A sob tried to escaped my throat, but I didn't allow it. Years of training snapped into place The same couldn't be said for Rick. He crumble, his weight falling onto my empty shoulder.