Prompt: Beth is dead/separated from the group. Daryl hallucinates her presence and she becomes his subconscious. Similar to Chupacabra.
Be My Guide
Cold, hungry, tired, weak. Daryl pulled his body closer around himself. He was all alone, left to die in the middle of the woods. Left to come back and walk as a dead corpse. "You can't give up." He looked up into her blue diamond eyes as she blocked the sun raining down on him. "You have to get up."
He shook his head. "Can't, ain't got no strength left."
She shook her head. "That's bullshit Daryl, and you know it. Now, get up."
He groaned, his head rolling on his shoulders. Stiffness was starting to seep into his body. He slowly pushed himself up. "Beth, I'm done."
"You're going to be the last man standing. Get up."
He pushed himself up, using the tree for support. Slowly he started walked again. He needed to find somewhere to sleep for the night, somewhere the walkers couldn't get to him. He remembered the last time he'd hallucinated. That time it'd been Merle and he'd gotten him back to the farm. But Beth…that was so much worse for a whole list full of reasons. He walked until nightfall hit before he fell back against a tree, quickly passing out.
"Daryl, wake up." She was back. Daryl looked up at her. "Walkers are coming. Get up."
His body hurt, everything ached. He grabbed his crossbow and stood up, looking for the walkers. They were far enough off they weren't a threat yet so he started walking again. "Beth, I'm tired," he whispered as he pushed through the brush and undergrowth of the forest.
"I know, but you have to keep going. I'm out there Daryl, I'm not dead. You have to come and find me."
That gave him a little more hope and he mustered whatever strength he had left and started walking again. If she really was alive, he would be the only one who was going to be able to save her. "I'm coming for ya Beth," he told her.
"I know you are." He pushed through the forest until he came to a clearing. He could smell a fire burning and his tired eyes looked everywhere. "I'm waiting for you." She faded from his side as he recognized the man running towards him. Rick caught him as his body finally gave out, falling into him.
"Daryl? Daryl, you okay?" he asked.
"Gotta find Beth," he muttered before he passed from the waking world.
