Chapter 4

I followed Daryl out of the house and looked around. I saw a smoldering fire in the middle of the street, an awful smell coming from it. Flashbacks; I quickly looked away from the fire. There were still walkers littering the town. Clean up was slow with the wall down, there was constant watch on that area.

Daryl lead me to the familiar infirmary, we went inside. Denise immediately ready to help.

"Hey what's up, who's this?" Denise looked me over.

"Our new arrival. Showed up last night, name's Hazel." Daryl spoke for me again.

"I'm Denise." She held her hand out to me and I took it. "So what'd ya need?" Denise looked at me.

"She, uh, can't talk, well a little bit." Daryl wasn't quite sure how to explain it. "She says it hurts." He shrugged.

"Okay." Denise took a deep breath. "Come sit over here." Denise patted the bed and I did as instructed. She placed her hands on either side of my throat, rubbing gently. She furrowed her brows, had me open my mouth, shining a light down my throat. She then pushed my hair to the side, studying the old burn scar on my neck. "What's this?"

"Burns." I croaked out. Denise smirked at me sympathy in her eyes.

"Are there more?" She asked curiously. I nodded stiffly. "Could I see?" I looked at Daryl who turned around.

I turned around and pulled the back of my shirt up, revealing the scars. Daryl glancing a moment as he stood behind Denise. When she noticed the scarred skin on my arms she knew there were more. "When did this happen?"

"After." I struggled to get out.

"Sorry. Don't strain your voice anymore. It just sounds overly strained and seeing these burns it's understandable. Is that when it happened, after you got the burns?" I nodded timidly. "Well these healed nicely, how did you care for them on your own?" I shook my head. "Someone did it for you?" I nodded in response. "Well they knew what they were doing."

I thought back to that man that helped me, and how much pain I was in everyday, all day. Some days he'd have to put a rag in my mouth, because I would scream for hours trying to distract from the pain. Other days I would pass out from the pain, those were probably the better days. I never understood why the man helped me, or never told me his name. He knew mine, but for the life of me I couldn't remember it. I guess my subconscious suppressed that part of my life, I only remember brief moments.

"So I'll suggest a natural remedy, hot water with a spoonful of honey stirred in, at least once a day if not two. It should help some, but this may be permanent, seeings how this happened years ago." I smirked lightly at her then nodded." Have a good night Hazel, it was nice to meet you." I nodded in response. Daryl led me away outside, toward Rick's house.

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"You found her in a tree?" Rick asked studying me.

"Yeah." Daryl answered.

"You're sure she wasn't with anyone?" Rick eyed Daryl then me.

"Yes I'm sure." Daryl crossed his arms a little irritated with Rick's questions.

"I want you, to tell me your name." I felt useless at the mention of my name, that I couldn't remember.

"I told you she doesn't talk." Daryl cut in. "Denise said her voice was damaged." Daryl explained.

"Damaged?" The woman with a sword spoke up. "How?" They all looked at me. I sighed heavily, pushing my shirt sleeves up, showing the burn scars on my arms, then I turned around lifting my shirt, exposing my back. The room was deathly quiet, I knew they were studying every scar.

"How did these happen?" Rick looked at me.

"She hasn't said, but Denise said that's what caused it." Daryl explained, being my voice once again.

"Trapped..." I said in a gravely whisper," fire... almost... died." I croaked out clenching my throat. Everyone looking at me in surprise.

"Trapped where?" Rick asked. I shook my head knowing I couldn't force out another word.

"Rick, I'll talk to her more tonight. I'll keep an eye on her, it'll be fine." Daryl reassured Rick.

"Alright, we'll talk more." Rick said pointedly toward me, I gave him a nod as I left.

"Sleep, where?" I asked. Daryl and I walked down the streets.

"You can sleep at my house, there's room for ya." Daryl shrugged. I smirked nervously with a nod, following him back to the house I was at once before.

As we arrived, Daryl quickly turned on a nearby lamp, and went for the kitchen. He rummaged through the cupboards, looking for food. "Hungry?" He looked to me, and I nodded. I remembered I hadn't eaten all day.

I watched him cook up some meat he had in the fridge. I had no clue what kind of meat it would be, but with all the pelts outside I had a pretty good idea. He flipped the sizzling meat then started to mix up some instant mashed potatoes. I had millions of questions as to why he brought me here, why he was taking care of me, and many others, but I couldn't ask any of them.

"Tomorrow we're working on the wall, you could help out. It'd warm people up to ya." I pointed to my throat. "You don't have to talk, just smile, it's what Carol does." He shrugged. I furrowed my brows at the name. "You haven't met Carol, trust me you'll meet her." I nodded. Soon Daryl handed me a fork, and set the pan of meat and large bowl of potatoes on the counter between us, and he started eating. Hmm, I looked at him confused, and he soon noticed, wiping his mouth a little embarrassed. "Don't like doing dishes, there's no time." He shrugged. I nodded slowly then dug in as well. I was very unsure about the meat, since I didn't know what it was; but it was calories and I was starving.

After the food was eaten, and dishes were washed, I sat on the couch looking through a roughed up book. Daryl came into the room, dropping a notebook onto the coffee table and handing me a pen. "I'd like to talk to ya a bit. Thought you could write it down." I nodded, and put a question mark on the paper. "You got a question?" I nodded and started writing.

'Why'd you bring me here?' He took a moment as he read.

"Rick told me not to go out looking for people, and when I found you, I just thought, I wanted to help one more person." He shrugged.

'Did you know those guys on the bikes, the ones you blew up?'

"Nah." He shook his head. "But I hope that was the last of 'em."

'Why were there so many walkers here?'

"We found a herd of them in a quarry, we were trying to lead them away. Something happened here, making enough noise to draw half the herd back here." Daryl rubbed his hands together nervously. "Sorry things have been crazy, I'm sure you're probably changing your mind about this place." Daryl looked down at his hands, and I shook my head.

'Will I get to meet everyone tomorrow?'

"Yeah you will, just stay close to me tomorrow." He bit his lip then looked away, crossing his arms.

'Why're you letting me stay with you?' I passed him the notebook.

"There isn't any other place, unless you wanna stay in the cell. Which I'm sure Rick would prefer." Daryl shrugged his shoulders. "Okay, I have questions for you." I tensed feeling goosebumps rise on my body. Sasha walked into the house. "But, I have a shift on the wall, so I'll ask them tomorrow. Will you be okay here?" I nodded, Daryl nodding in return.

Daryl collected his crossbow and bolts, checking his pockets for other things. He seemed like his mind was scrambled, unsure of himself, unlike the way he was when I first met him. "One more thing, honey is in the cupboard by the stove." He added before coming over to me, and quickly wrapped me in a warm hug. "I just want you to feel welcome." He said as he pulled away and left swiftly. Something tells me he doesn't talk that much, ever.

I looked down at the notebook, taking the pen in my hand, and started to jot down the last several years of my life. From the moment I heard about the dead walking. Things got a little jumbled at the beginning, things were insane, it was mass chaos in Mexico. I lost my entire family in one night, it started with my dad, who was desperately trying to get us to a safe place, he was shot through the head after shoving us into the car. My mom and sister, we got back to our hotel, things were chaotic immediately there, people trying to leave, and out of nowhere dead swarmed the lobby.

People were screaming, gunfire rang out, my mom pushed me and my sister toward the stairs, but before we could get there a dead man grabbed my sister. My mom wouldn't let her go; my mom pushed me into the stairwell, and slammed the door shut. In a panic, I ran up the stairs to my hotel room, barricading the door, then proceeded to cry my eyes out for several days, I think. I escaped from the roof later on, not wanting to see the aftermath of my mom and sister in the lobby.

It wasn't long before I got tired of writing and pulled my book out. I thumbed through the worn pages, thoughtlessly. I heard Sasha walk back into the living room after a shower, stopping to look at me.

"We'll sleep in your room." She said tiredly. I nodded following her to the room I was gifted. I sat in the hammock, while Sasha took the couch. She sighed as she reclined back onto the couch, shutting her eyes for the night.

I couldn't sleep, I wasn't much of a sleeper anymore. When I was out on my own I hardly ever slept, I eventually adjusted to the lack of sleep, it was normal. That's what I had the book for, to keep me busy and distracted through the night, to keep the panic attacks at bay. A notebook and pen that was even better though.