LSD, it isn't for everyone

A bad trip. He'd had a bad trip before, at the time he'd been hallucinating his dad, his face haunting him through the darkness. The cackling of the fire illuminating him as some sort of fire demon, he'd pulled off his belt in one swift move of his hand and whipped it towards the ground in an empowering manner. He was taken back in revulsion through his childhood trying to claw his way back to reality, he wasn't that weak little boy anymore, he could take care of himself. Even if he came at him now he could've dealt with him, he didn't no one's help. He'd taken on hundreds of walkers for Christ sake, he was a capable man goddam it! He thought at the time no trip could be worse, that LSD couldn't treat him as bad ever again, so he'd nothing to worry about. He was very wrong, to a degree in which he'd never been wrong before.

He'd stumbled upon this mind numbing drug on a run, in a million years he would never dream of starting it up again, he didn't want to end up like Merle. He wasn't no dam failure, he didn't need no dam pick me up. All this seemed to fall away though when he had found Merle as a threat they saw every day, in which they held no emotion to when they slaughtered them but seeing him as a walker had made him feel emotions which he tried to keep buried. He was gone again but this time he wasn't coming back. He'd needed a pick me up now more than ever or so he thought, this was a very grave mistake.

They sat outside of the prison having a little barbeque of sorts, eating talking mindlessly to try forget the day to day stupidity of their lives. It was a way of trying to cheer people up after all the tragedy and when he'd walked out and everyone grew silent. He knew it was time. They all started out as normal people but soon his mind starting playing tricks on him. Rick who was smiling sincerely at Hershel had his eyes bulging out of his sockets and his smile grew mischievous, Daryl gave him a suspicious look. Carol who's arms was pressed close to his noticed his discomfort and gave him a curious look while he tried to appear normal. Now very wary of Rick. "Daryl, when do you think we need to do another run?" Rick asked he now grew a lizard tongue and was scraping it against his teeth, Daryl moved to cover his ears with his hands, block him out.
Why did he want him to go on a run with him? What was he planning? Would he pull out his heart with his claws and discard his body where no one would find it? Oh Daryl got killed by a walker; it's what they all say. Rick laughed shaking his head but his laugh bellowed across the whole prison causing huge birds to scatter all across the sky. Their red eyes glaring at him, they were coming for all of them. What could he do? "Stop it. You're attracting them." He hissed to Rick and everyone turned their heads to look at him in confusion.
Oh no half of Glenn's face was falling off leaving a distorted human before him, who was holding some sort of wooden dagger, he was after him, they all were. Conspiracy.
"Attracting who Daryl?" Rick shouted well to him it was shouting and he leaped to his feet quite aggressively causing Rick to jump.
"I didn't do anything to you. What are you all planning?"
Carol gave a small chuckle and put her hand on his arm, thankfully she still looked like her maybe he could trust her. She wouldn't trust Rick over him, he knew that.
"Hey what's wrong?" she asked gently and his heart started racing but it was racing way to much what if he died?
He couldn't calm his pulse, he felt like he was having an anxiety attack, could this kill him, he needed help, no he didn't need help. Dixon's don't need help, nothing can kill a Dixon except a Dixon isn't that right Merle? "What happened to Glenn?" he asked urgently pointing towards him.
Glenn looked gobsmacked and looked to Maggie for guidance "Me. What's wrong with me? Do have like blood all over me or something?"
He knew he had blood on him. The blood was now raining from his face onto his clothes and one half of his face was moving. What happened? Why hadn't Carol told me this had happened he could've done something to fix it. Carol shook her head reassuring Glenn and they all shared worrying glances, Rick look to Carol. Don't look at her! Don't try bring her to the dark side, you monster. He grabbed Carol's hand which was beside him and squeezed it urgently, willing her to look at him.
"Beth bring Judith and Carl inside please."
His voice caused a thundering of noises in Daryl's head the birds recognising their prey starting swooping towards them, thankfully the kids were now inside.
"Rick I don't know what your planning. Or what happened to Glenn but keep your voice down. Your giving away our cover, they're coming for us." He said in a hushed tone and he noticed Carol put a hand to her mouth for some reason.
Everyone started chuckling, those idiots, the birds landed, they were massive the size of a car, looking at him with beady eyes and then the oddest thing he'd ever witnessed happened. They talked to him in a deep, demanding voice. "You can't trust them. Especially the leader they're looking for a way to fade you out."
"I'll sort it out. Just leave everyone alone." He pleaded staring into their soulless eyes.

He was snapped back into their conversation by Carol whispering something to Rick and a shared laugh was exchanged. "No Carol, stay away from him." He grabbed her arm pulling her closer beside him and she grinned at him her whole face lighting up.
Was he imaging this? "Daryl. I think you're not feeling good. Who do you…not…trust?" she asked trying to choose her words carefully.
"I don't trust anyone, especially not Glenn and Rick. I don't want him near me or anyone. We can't trust him, they told me." He whispered the last bit in her ear the warm breath sending bits of hair blowing off her face.
Glenn and Rick threw up their shoulders in annoyance "Why us?" exclaimed Glenn.
Daryl jumped at the sound, clutching his ears why they have to be so loud. It bloody hurt and he was afraid to look in case blood was coming out his ears.
Maggie started ushering people inside but Rick paused beside Daryl and Carol. "Daryl, do you want me to stay?" she asked quietly, he gripped her hand tighter in response, demons wouldn't go away without her, the birds would be back!
Rick left with a huge grin plastered across his face looking back at Daryl, bastard I don't know what you're planning but I won't fall for none of it.
Carol placed her hand over his sending tingles flying through his arm he was praying she was going to stay the same, not turn into a monster on him. "Okay so I know you probably won't know right now or be able to answer but I think you took something. I know how these things work? So what was attacking us?"
She believed him, she was on his side he relaxed his clenched shoulders "Big huge birds they could've killed all of us. Because of Rick…he's shady. He don't mean well, he's planning my death. I swear it and half of Glenn's face is just gone and no one is saying nothing." He spoke in a quick hushed tone and Carol bit her lip to hold back laughter.
"It'll be okay." She said reassuringly tangling her fingers in his.
"There is no blood coming from my ears is there?" he asked hesitantly.
"Let me check." She whispered gently.
She sat in front of him much closer than his overly excited body was capable of handling right now, what if he died of a heart attack? She placed her hands at either side of his face, tilted her head slightly to check them. Over exaggerating a bit for his benefit, he bit back a smile at that.
He was warm, much too warm, what if he passes out?
"Your all good."
She gave him another one of her genuine smiles and pulled her hands back but half way Daryl suddenly clasped them with his own linking them. The agonisingly long moment they stared at each other was causing his head to spin. "Come here, I'll help you find your cell. Make sure there is no monster hiding underneath your bed."
She stood up tugging at his hand for him to follow her, "Don't even joke about that." He retorted.

Everyone turned their heads not so subtly and stared as Carol led a very out of it Daryl, still clasping his hand all the way back to his cell. She made him lie down and sat down beside him. She ducked her head underneath the bed, chuckling "No monsters or birds were all clear."
She stood up to leave and he grew frantic, "Where ya going?"
"You need to sleep, you're going to be so embarrassed about all of this tomorrow. Don't want to make it worse." She leaned down and ran her hand through his hair lingering longer than necessary and gave it a playful tug.
When she was just at the door Daryl spoke in a quiet voice "Thanks for helping me. I didn't want to ask for anyone's help, I never need nobody. I need ya though."
"I need you too. It's okay. You know I'll always be here for you."
"Maybe not." He muttered.
"I'll never leave you by choice. I swear. Same goes for you now." She demanded her eyebrow quirking up at him, which he couldn't help but smile at.
"I swear." He said in a husky tone as his eyelids grew heavy and pulled him under.
Carol looked down at the strong capable man who took the world on with no fear and with such determination but curled up with his hair falling into his eyes, he didn't seem so dangerous.
So why was she so scared?