Living Like You're Dead

The beginning had really been rough. Spinning down from the sky, running from a lover. It had all been very hard. And here she was doing it all again. Addie had sprung from the tree – she evaded Alex’s grasp for only a moment. He had grabbed a head full of hair she swung around and kicked him – leaving him only stunned for a moment she ran as fast as she could in any direction away from him. Like a hurricane she filled herself with soulful rage and bounded around every obstacle. She could out run him. She had done it before – but not while she was losing blood.

She took steps, dizzy steps. How had she found herself in this position again? She had endangered herself for Daryl, so if she died, at least he was safe. Her movements began to slow, and she began to stumble. When she hit soft dirt her body wasn’t ready for the shift in solidarity and she fell. She tried to crawl in a feeble attempt to still escape. His foot dug into her back and stopped her from moving.

The face she turned to meet was no longer Alex’s, his handsome features were gone, his head was misshapen, his eyes, ears, and nose were bleeding. It was all-terrifying. He was standing over her, she almost though she caught a slight smile at the fact that he had caught his prey. Adeline couldn’t watch as the face of her attacker came closer – his breath was rotting, his teeth were stained with blood and dirt. She felt so weak and helpless there – she didn’t even feel the spray of blood cover her face.
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Well where to now? I guess I can head west to that town… probably some supplies, hopefully a beer or two. I guess I best get started then.

Merle threw dirt over the last embers of the fire and began to pack up what little supplies he had when he heard the distant roar of a familiar bike. He headed a few feet towards the noise, just past enough trees to see where it was. It was Daryl’s bike alright – but he wasn’t the one riding it. Instead it was that girl, the one he’d called his wife.

Merle immediately felt his gut wrench at the sight of her, this beautiful girl should’ve been his sister – but he only became a monster. The remorse he felt was so great that he wanted to vomit, he ran back to his belongings and packed them as fast as he could.

Merle had to keep silent as she walked past him. She was heading towards the house, and she had left the bike… he had a right mind to take it for himself, and then remembered it was Daryl’s. He’d never take anything from Daryl again.

Then he heard it. A snap of a branch, he looked to his left in time to see the big brute push Addie off a rock, one he knew that lead to a steep fall. Finally deciding to do the right thing he leapt put from behind the tree and rushed to the very spot that Addie had fell from. The tall creature was definitely inhuman. It was fast too, and he could see the stagger that came from Addie meant that she was going to pass out, if she didn’t trip first. The only thing he knew he could do was try to get him away from her. the rifle. he thought. With his right hand missing it was a risk, but he knw wouldn’t be able to catch up even if he did make the jump. He pulled out the large hunting gun and loaded one round into the chamber, using his right arm to steady the weapon he looked through the scope and aimed right at it’s head, his foot was crushing her against the dirt, blood smeared her entire face and he pulled the trigger. The sound rang in his ears as it hit the target. He fell right on top of her. Merle left the gun behind and bounded down the nearest path he could find that would lead him straight to Addie. He pulled off the large brute and moved her free from underneath him, she was barely breathing,

The blood on her face showed fresh spatter. He grabbed his canteen and washed everything from her face.

“Keep them shut.” He said as she struggled from her new companion. He washed what was in her eyes, and her mouth – running his rough hands over her smooth face.

“Don’t swallow this, clean your mouth.” He tilted her head back so that he could get some in her mouth, she swished it around and then spit it back into the dirt. She finally opened her eyes and realized who her savior was. She tilted her head to his chest before she lost consciousness.