Cherokee Roses {Daryl Dixon's Daughter}

e i g h t e e n

It's white. Everything is bright and it smells amazing. Like flowers and honey. People are standing around me fussing about something on my face. Their faces are blurry. Do I even know these people? I don't know.

"You just look so darling!" A voice tells me. I can't control mine but it says 'thank you'. I'm turned around and forced to look into a mirror. I'm in a white dress not just any dress though it's a wedding dress. My face is somewhat blurry as well and my dad ends up coming into the room. 

"I can't believe it." He whispers placing a hand lightly onto my face. He looks older. His eyes are worn yet they still have that Dixon shine. His hair is longer too. With a soft smile he wraps me into a hug  giving me a long squeeze like he never wants to let go.

After he lets go with tears in his eyes, he takes my elbow and hooks it with his. I've never really seen him cry but I can understand why he's crying now. He walks me down the aisle as the slow melodic hymn plays. Everyone in the audience has a blurry face, even the man standing at the alter. Who are all these people? 

Dad lets go, and the groom takes my hand  in his and I'm suddenly at the alter in front of people I don't know. As the priest begins to speak I look to the audience, their faces become clear but theres something wrong with them. Slowly, they become pale and to my horror decayed. 

Everyone is a sickly green and the venue no longer smells like the oh so sweet flowers and honey. Instead it smells like death. I look back at the man that is supposed to be my husband. He's green and decaying too. With a stumble he starts to walk towards me. Not normally, instead its almost like a child learning how to walk. The steps are choppy and slow. When he reaches for me I scream in horror before a searing pain erupts in my shoulder. I look down, the once beautiful white dress is covered in the deep red substance that is my blood.

With a jolt, I awake. I'm not in my cell, instead I'm on a bed that was dragged over next to the stairs. A cold wash cloth is placed on my forehead and no one is around. I grab the railing and stand up using the wall to support me. 

Everything is quite except for the voices coming from outside the cell block so I follow them. I see my dad and I hobble over there slowly. I open  the door and notice the group of strangers he's watching. His crossbow is aimed at them and he doesn't seem to be letting up. 

"Dad," I croak out and he doesn't budge.

"You shouldn't be out here kid." He tells me without looking back. I ignore him, I never was one for listening when I was curios anyways. 

"What happened?" I ask. I'm at the table he's standing near now. I use my hands to steady myself before falling into it and taking a seat.  Dazed and confused seems to be the way I roll now because thats exactly how I'm feeling. 

"You fainted," He says. Eyeing the strangers I see one of them looking at me like I'm a meal. I grab my dads leg that rests on the bench for comfort. "When was the last time you ate?" 

"I don't know, maybe when we got here?" I state confused. I remember eating the squirrel meat but that only fills you up so much. With the lack of nutrition, I'm not exactly doing to great. 

"No offense man, but ya girl looks like shit." The biggest man says pointing towards me. "There's some powdered eggs in there, she should eat some protein. It's not exactly much but it might help."

With a shaky nod I look towards my dad. He gives me a pat before calling for Rick who comes in quickly.  "Watch them for a sec will ya?" I stand but I'm not very stable so instead of letting me walk on my own, he picks me up and carries me to the cells. He sets me down at a table before searching through the food. 

"What else happened daddy?" I ask as he finds what the prisoner was talking about. He stops for a moment, looking at me with a sad look.

"Hershel was bit, Rick had to cut his leg off." He sighs looking down. "He might not make it." 

"Oh," I'm speechless and I know nothing a say will do any good so I stay quiet. Hershel is a good man, he doesn't deserve whats happened. Soon enough a plate of food is placed in front of me. "We're helping the prisoners clear out a cell block of their own later, 'till then stay in here don't go out there again" 

"Okay," I mutter scarfing down some of the food.

"Cherokee, I mean it." He says sternly and I nod again.

"I know daddy." I tell him.

"I love you, we'll talk about everything later." He places a kiss on my forehead and gives my shoulder a squeeze. Before he goes, he somewhat hesitates and looks at me. There's something in his eyes but I can't quite place what it is. He goes into the room the prisoners reside in and I finish the rest of my food feeling better than I did.  I really missed a lot while I was out.

Word Count: 941