"Mom" I cried again in a whisper. My head was rested on her cold arm now; my eyes were closed.
"She was murdered." I stated to no one in particular. It was my anger talking. Luke and Chase looked at each other. Ana had stepped in and gasped, covering her mouth with her hands before running onto the porch. "There's no gun, she didn't off herself." My voice shook.
The sound of shoes on the floor boards came from above our heads. I looked up, it was impossible this was only a one story house. I got up and looked around and so didn't the boys, they had their weapons ready and so didn't I but I wasn't looking for a walker, I was looking for my brother.
I groaned, my head throbbed as my blood trickled down my face. I didn't want to open my eyes; every little movement I made would send an unbearable pain to my head and ribs. "Fuck my life." I muttered knowing that I was going to have to pull myself to my feet. I grabbed onto a branch and hoisted myself up to only slip down the banking just a little ways. I grabbed hold of another tree and looked below. Daryl was putting something around his neck, something he made. I pulled myself up the banking, clenching my jaw and screaming in pain. There was no doubt at least one rib was broken.
Daryl made his way up slowly after me; he was talking complete nonsense, like "You never took care of me." And "You best shut the hell up!" He was hallucinating because when he looked up it wasn't at me.
"Daryl, come on take my hand." I told him. But it was if I wasn't even there. He grabbed onto the last tree and I grabbed onto his arm just in case he had slipped. He was muttering under his breath and by then I had enough of it.
"Snap out of it we got to get back to camp its getting dark." I told him, I was moody because I could hardly make it a couple feet before having to lean against the next tree. I gagged when Daryl had grabbed ahold of me and his new necklace of ears had hit my face. I cursed whatever gene had made me short.
Daryl had nearly dragged me until I had tugged from him. I was dizzy and seeing spots again, I was almost positive I was going to pass out when we made it to the clearing. I stopped and leaned against a tree for a moment, Daryl just kept limping ahead of me. Rick, T-dog and Glenn ran over while Shane limped, but ran as well. He made his way over to me.
Rick pointed his gun at Daryl, "It's about time that you pointed that thing at my head, are you going to shoot or what?"
A gun shot went off just as I was making my way over, I saw Daryl go down. I tried to make my way over but the pain was unbearable and I fell. Shane grabbed onto me as well as Glenn, and T-dog and Rick got Daryl who muttered, "I was just kidding"
I kept blacking out quite a few times before making it to the house. I sat on the bed in an empty room and tried to cry out in pain, but I did. Especially when Hershel applied pressure to my ribs, I had Shane's hand whether he liked it or not, I needed something to squeeze. My whole side was bruised and swollen.
"It seems to be only fractured from what I can tell. It'll take about six weeks to heal at the most, but I'd like you stay under close eye for internal bleeding. I'll see if we can get some ibuprofen or Advil. " Hershel said, I winced when he put my shirt back down over it. "You have a concussion though; I'll stich up that cut on your head."
"Thank you." I replied resting my head on the pillow.
"While its healing, Lay on the injured side, it'll help you take deeper breaths which you need to do for at least every two hours so there is no lung tissue damage," He suggested, "Here's some ice." He placed the bag on my side and I held it there and then left the room to get the stuff for my cut.
"How's Daryl doing?" I asked.
"He's fine." Shane replied, "Its Daryl."
"True." I chuckled half-heartedly, as I lay on my back, I groaned a little until I was as comfortable as I could get. I let my hair out of its braid and it fell almost to my ribs in long red waves.
"Thought I told you to be careful," he said.
"Hey, I told you horses and I don't mix." I chuckled and winced, "It's only my luck that Daryl would pick an easily frightened horse."
"I'm starting to think searching for Sophia is causing us more harm than good."
I stared at him for a moment in disbelief, was he for real? "She's just a kid we can't stop looking."
"Look at you and Daryl," Shane protested.
"We're fine Shane," I replied, "I'll be up and moving in a day or two. Not even."
He stared at me unsurely, I caressed his face and he leaned in and kissed me. Hershel cleared his throat and Shane sat up. After he stitched up my head and patched it Shane helped me down stairs to eat the dinner that everyone made.
"Aunty Peyton!" Lily put her hands on her hip. I put my hand up as if I was surrendering, I would've put both of them up if I wasn't propped up on Shane. "See what happens when you steal a big ol' horse, you go and get hurt."
"Yeah, aunty Peyton," Shane teased.
"Lily bean, go sit down and eat." I tried not to laugh because it hurt.
Dinner was amazing until Glenn turned towards us and asked, "Does anyone know how to play the guitar? Dale found a good one."
"Peyton does!" Isaac nearly hopped over the table. I sunk as much as I could in my chair.
"Not very good," I muttered.
"Otis used to." Patricia said.
"Yes, and he was very good." Hershel said.
That ended the conversation right then and there. It was awkward the rest of the time. After I managed to get myself into Daryl's room, Carol had just left.
"Hey," I said sitting on the edge of the bed, he shifted.
"If you came in here to tell me I told you so…"
"I didn't…"I replied, "I just wanted to talk to you about my brother."
"Go on then,"
"I just wanted to say, I'm nothing like him and I don't want his actions to reflect on how you and the group think of me."
"Well, I could've told you that." Daryl replied, "You're a tough little bitch, but your brother was a sick man."
"Yeah he is." I replied.
After a while I left Daryl's room and went back to my own where the kids were sleeping. I sunk into the bed and couldn't fall right to sleep. I couldn't stop remembering my mother's empty eyes.
