"Amanda?" Daryl called down the hall.
No response.
"C'mon, darlin', we gotta get outta here," he said.
Groaning announced the arrival of a walker. When he turned, he wished he never saw it.
It was Amanda. Her once ice blue eyes were now milky white.
Daryl froze. She raised her hand, reaching for him as she stumbled forward.
"Darlin'...' Daryl said.
She didn't stop. He knew it wasn't her anymore. Only a monster that wanted to kill him.
When she was close enough, he threw her against the wall, freeing his knife from his belt. He stabbed her in the side of the head; she fell limp.
Daryl dropped to his knees, holding her limp body in his arms.
He brushed her hair out of her face, tears forming in his eyes. "I'm so sorry, darlin'... I said I'd keep you safe..."
With her wrongly-healed rib causing her pain and weakening her, she probably didn't stand a chance against the walkers that had chased her away from Daryl.
"I'm so sorry," he said again.
"Daryl..."
He looked down at the dead girl in his arms. "Darlin'?"
"Daryl!" A sharp stinging on his cheek woke him from his dream. "Daryl?"
He opened his eyes, finding a familiar pair of icy blues staring at him.
"Amanda? What time is it?" He asked, sitting up.
"Um..." She looked at her watch, pursing her lips in annoyance. "I think it's early. It's still dark out."
"What are you doing up, then?"
Amanda cleared her throat. "I, uh, heard you grumblin' in your sleep... Nightmare?"
He realized her eyes were watering. She was worried. "Yeah."
"Was it about me? You said my name."
"Yeah," he said, "it was about you."
"What happened?" she asked.
"You were one of them... I let you turn into one of them... I had to kill you..." His voice cracked.
"Oh, Daryl..."
Amanda wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him close. He pulled her partially on top of him, laying back down.
He eventually fell asleep again with her in his arms.
He didn't have another nightmare.