15. Can't Hide

"Are you okay" Daryl asks, slowly moving his hands away from my shoulders.

I nod "Y-yes.. Just a bad dream" I whisper, embarrassed and still slightly scared from the dream.

"Bella, why were you callin' fer me?" He asks, his expression mixed between a frown and confusion.

"I was?" I ask, I remember screaming but not calling for Daryl? Oh god. What else did I say?

He nods "You were talkin' like ya were havin' a conversation.. And than ya just started screamin' out fer me." He stands up as he explains.

"I uh... I don't remember why." I say, frowning as I sat up and rubbed my face. Daryl nods as he walks back toward the table, where his crossbow lays, he doesn't say anything just resumes whatever it was he was doing before I'd started screaming. I take a deep breath, confused. "Daryl.. Did I say anything else?" I ask, chewing on my lower lip.

He avoids eye contact, keeping his gaze down on his crossbow as he shrugs "Nothin' worth repeatin'. Justa bunch of bullshit"

I nod, slowly standing and making my way toward the small window, I rest my hands on the wooden frame as I look out of it, the suns just coming up. "We should leave soon.." I say turning toward Daryl, my eyes fixed on him as he nods.

"We'll leave now" he mutters, picking up his crossbow and walking toward the door.

I reach for my knife, nodding "Alright" I say opening the door, my hand hovering by my knife as we begin to walk. My ankle starts to throb, but it's more a dull ache than anything. The silence falls between us once again as I sigh and look over at Daryl "Can we talk?"

He gives me a shrug, barely even glancing toward me "What 'bout"

"Anything.. I'm over this silence. I'm over feeling alone and like I constantly want to cry" I say, frowning as I shift my gaze away from him. Pressing my lips together, increasing the speed of my walking.

"Ya ain't alone, I'm 'ere" he mutters, and I hear a small sigh escape his lips.

"But you don't talk to me, I feel like you hate me" I stop walking, turning to face Daryl as I look into his eyes.

He shifts his gaze away from mine "I don't hate ya Bella, I jus'.. I ain't got much t' say" He continues to walk.

"Then find something, please" I said, walking up and grabbing his arm gently "Daryl, I'm begging. I can't take this feeling anymore" I sniffle.

He slightly nods and for the first time, I stare into his eyes as he stares back into mine "Alright, I'll answer ya questions"

I shake my head, sighing sadly as I let a few tears trickle down my cheeks "Answering my question" I inhale a deep breath before letting go of his arm and continuing to walk away.

"Bella wait" he says, slightly jogging toward me, placing his hand on my shoulder, making me stop and listen. "I get it, ya feel alone. Like ya could be in a room filled with people and you'd be the only one unnoticed. Like ya could just leave, disappear and nobody would care or notice. I know how ya feel, I jus' don't know what ya want me t' do. I can talk to ya but in the end is it really me your longing to talk to?"

His words rang in my ear as I blink hard, swallowing the lump forming in the back of my throat as I turn away, gazing at the hard ground. "I think it's you I need" I whisper, pressing my lips together.

"What?" Daryl says, a confused expression marked upon his features.

"Nothing.. Let's keep going" I say, inhaling a deep breath as I force a smile onto my face and begin to walk again, Daryl walking beside as the silence fell between us again. Keeping my gaze fixed ahead of me, wondering if what I said was the truth?

"Yer hungry?" Daryl asks, clearing his throat as the awkwardness shifts between us.

"No, I'm fine." I reply, quickly. Still embarrassed at what I had said, so much so I didn't want to talk to him right now. And he catches on, dropping whatever conversation he was trying to make and replaces it with a simple nod. We continue to walk in silence for a few more minutes before I stop, frozen in my tracks, swallowing thickly. "D-Daryl" I whisper.

"Wha-" He stops, mid sentence, extending his arm out and putting it infront of me, giving me a light push back "Run!" He says, and turn around. Running beside him as the loud groans and moans of the dead fill my ears, my ankle beginning to throb as I force it to move fast. The worst part is, I know we ain't stopping any time soon. There wasn't just a group of walkers behind us, there was a school of walkers. Over a school, far to much for us to take out or even stand a slight chance against. Dodging trees as we run as fast as we could, I feel a hand gripping my arm tightly as I'm yanked to the left, stumbling over but catching myself as Daryl continues to hold onto my arm, dragging me along beside as I force my feet to keep up with his speed. Soon after I feel myself being yanked to the right, stumbling over a tree root as Daryl pulls me to my feet, keeping me beside him as he yanks me to left then the right. And after another 20 minutes of running, my feet buckle from underneath me and I collapse to the ground, panting as I struggle to breath. Slowly raising my hand in defeat "I.. Can't... Run... Anymore" I say between deep breaths, coughing as I choke on the large intake of air, my body slumping heavily against the ground, slowly everything fades into blackness. "Bella" I hear Daryl call out, but it's muffled as a loud buzzing rings in my ears. That being the last thing I hear as the blackness takes over me and I hear nothing but the deafening silence.