The life of Nora dixon

Always have ... always will

I jolted awake when I heard the first scream, then the moans came. The breathless gasps that the dead make will make you blood run cold and your heart beat faster than a race horse. I quickly untangled myself from the mess of blankets and went to unzip the tent. Was it safer in here? Daryl had said to stay in here and usually he's always right about things. With inner termoil still going on inside me I opened the tent flap and stepped out, quiet as a mouse. The mid summer air hit me in the face and even though the tent was thin the screams seemed louder out here. I looked around and decided that my best bet was to get away from the people. I started running down the hill and away from the camp when I felt a dead, cold hand fall on my shoulder. I screamed and tried to shake it off but the dead man's fingers held on tight. I struggled to breath as I realized that this was it.

Than two arms picked me up and hauled me away from the body, the body went down with an arrow to it's head. And only that arrow could belong to one person.

"Daryl!" I cried and struggled against the arms holding me. Tears and snot were running down my face but I didn't care I just wanted my brother. His eyes met mine and looked relieved, then there was a scream and they went back to being in "hunter" mode. Suddenly he ran past me and towards the camp and I didn't understand. It was than that I realized that Merle wasn't with them and Daryl must not care about me anymore. How could he just leave me? I was his sister, even if Merle wasn't here I could still help him somehow, i'm sure. The man T Dog threw my on his hip and ran us towards the camp again. I didn't fight him because I didn't care anymore. As we neared the camp all was quiet, and then there were new sounds, sobs. Sad, misery filled sobs, and I could do nothing but join them. T Dog started to bring me to the RV but stopped when we saw to bodies there, one dead and one pleading. My stomach lurched when I saw that it was Amy. It wasn't like I had really known her but she always had a kind smile and some kind of silly joke for me. I guess it was more sad just knowing that more people I knew were going to be gone. My stomach twisted again and leaned off T Dog's arm to empty it.

I felt two new hands grab me then. Rough ones. I shifted from one person to the other and the movement caused my stomach to repeat it's moments before performance.

"Shh shh shh, come on lil' darlin' calm down. It's fine now, you're safe." Daryl pushed my hair over my face and looked me in the eyes. "You been scratched? Bit?"

I couldn't reply because I couldn't talk. I had not stopped my paniced breathing pattern yet and so no words would come out of my mouth. I could only cry and swallow big gulps of air.

"She okay?" Someone asked.

"Yea," Daryl's gruff voice answered. "She'll be fine."

"C'mon princess." He said as he lifted me higher on his hip. His right forearm under my butt and his left hand holding my head into his shoulder. I tried to raise my head but he didn't let me, instead keeping it there and keeping the veiw of the camp away from me. Daryl held me and helped me calm down. He coached me through my panic and soon I was taking in normal, slightly shakey, breaths.

"You scratched or bit?"

I shook my head no and inhaled the smell of his shirt. I didn't care if it smelled bad or stinky, I was just happy that my brother was with me.

"I'm happy you came back for me." I paused. "Even if you do smell a little."

He chuckled a bit and I wasn't sure why, I was only telling the truth. Why was that funny?

"I always come back for you. Always have..."

"Always will." I finished for him.