AN: new chapter. As always trigger for death. Also PoW trigger here (ww1) let me know what you think :)
I do not own or profit from The Walking Dead
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Chapter 2
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1918
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Daryl sat, in the dungeon of some old castle in Germany. Hastily transformed into a pow camp, by the Germans.
It was dark, so dark he could barely see his hand in front of his face. A musty smell, filled his nostrils. He was certain, hundreds of years of every vile smell know to man, permeated all the air in that dungeon. The castle was, as they had been marched in he'd seen an abandoned piece of shit. A stopping point on the road to a larger camp. The Germans were coming to an end in WW1. It would soon be over, but, the disorganization that filled the officers in charge of the prisoners, made Daryl fear not many in his regiment would survive to see armistice day.
A medic, Daryl had tried, to help the man along the journey to the castle, when it became abundantly clear that, one of the men was dreadfully sick. He'd thought at first, cholera, or typhoid, or dengue fever, all bad, but he'd quickly come to realize it was even worse. The doctors before Daryl's capture had briefed the medics on an arising threat. The Spanish influenza.
The men, worn down by the week long march, with little food or water, had quickly spread the illness. Most of the man, the prisoners, he was certain, was suffering from the illness. Including himself.
He'd tried to help them, that was how he'd ended up in isolation. A German officer had attempted to beat a prisoner for not standing. The man could not move. Daryl had lost all control and launched himself at the attacker. That's how he found himself in the dungeon. They had stripped him off his shirt so he sat bare chested. More exposed to the cold.
He snorted an ironic chuckle. He burned so hot with fever, the joke was on them. He was far from cold. A coughing spasm ripped through his body. At least he was not up in the yard, exposed to the elements like the rest of the men.
What saddened his soul was that he'd broken his promise. He wasn't going to go back to her. His beautiful Carol.
She was everything. Grace, beauty, elegance and kindness. Everything he was not.
He'd been taking in, as a stable hand, on her father's ranch when he was fourteen years old. A runaway he'd been looking for anything to give him a fresh start in life.
She was everything a rich girl should have been and so much more.
The first day he saw her, she was sitting, in the stable of an old horse who was passing away. The animal lay with his head on her lap, whining softly as she gently stroked it's mane. Murmuring " It's ok Angel, it will be beautiful there. You'll love it and you will be so happy my love." Even as she murmured she wiped tears, that trickled softly down her face. He stood back watching in fascination as the horse took it's last breath. She whispered softly as she kissed the horses temple one last time "Stay safe, till we meet again." A chill ran through him as the fine hairs on his neck stood at attention.
She noticed him standing there then and flushed then whispered "She's gone."
His heart broke into a million pieces. He wanted to wipe her wanted to comfort her somehow. He did not know how.
They developed a friendship over the years, that rapidly grew into more. He became a valued member of the staff. Or so he thought. He knew Carol's father would never approve of a relationship between the two of them, so they hid their friendship and then they hid more.
The first day he'd kissed her, she'd been helping him deliver a foal. As she cleaned foal, she'd paused, staring deeply into the animals eyes. She turned to him, her expression was true, so pure, so happy. "Those are Angels eyes."
He could not hold himself back any longer. He leaned forward and kissed her. She'd threaded her fingers through his hair and kissed him back. When they broke apart foreheads pressed together she'd smiled tears filled her eyes and said. "Finally, ...took you long enough." With a grin that had all but done him in. They'd been seventeen years old. Young, and stupid they had thought the world was theirs for the taking.
She said she would run away with him. He couldn't do that to her. Despite her father's strict ways, she loved her family. She would be miserable without them.
So he'd gone to her father. Hat in his hand, flushed and awkward and did what he thought was right. Confessed his love, asked for her hand.
Her father had not been pleased. He had not wanted such an untried young man to take control of the ranch someday, as Carol was his only child. He'd told Daryl to prove his worth. Daryl would have done anything. He enlisted to go fight in Europe. The war to end all wars.
She'd been livid. He'd heard the fight she'd had with her father all the way from the bunkhouse.
"I'll never forgive him." She muttered the next day as she clung to him before he left.
"Nahhh, don't be angry with him" Daryl had said hoarsely cupping her face in his hands. " He wants the best for you, for that, I am enternally grateful." He said as he shook of memories of his own terrible father.
"You'd best come back to me. You'd best stay safe." She said into his neck.
"I promise," he chuckled "I'm like a cat with nine lives, I'll always come back to you." Then he had gone.
Daryl was certain by now, that she knew he was imprisoned. "I'm so sorry my Angel." He whispered to the night.
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"You cannot tell her. She is barely hanging on right now. She is too ill. This will kill her."
Carol listened as her mother desperately whispered outside her door. Her body was wracked with fever. She prayed her beloved mother, would not enter her room. She had no desire to spread whatever wicked infections humours which had taken residence in her lungs to her mother. Carol was fighting. Fighting whatever illness this was. The doctors heard rumours of an influenza which was rapidly spreading. Her mother feared that is what she had. But she would fight this, for him.
"I have to, this is my fault." Her father said solemnly.
The door cracked open. Her father stepped in, handing her a telegram. Her beloved Daryl. Missing and presumed dead. She felt all the fight leave her body. Everything inside her went still, cold. She turned her back to her father. "Leave me be please father" she whispered and heard the door click.
With tears streaming down her face she surrendered, to the oblivion of sleep no fight left within her. Her soul travelling thousands of miles away trying to find it's mate. She never heard her father's cries the next day when they found her body.
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"Daryl."
His eyes opened and he gasped. She was there. Carol. Standing in front of him in a shimmering white nightgown.
"You're here." He smiled in his delirium. She knelt to her knees. Stroking his hair.
"I'll wait for you, this time as you waited for me if you are not ready." She whispered "But if you are ready we can go. We can start over." She said grabbing his hand, smiling. He stood up, stepping away from his body. Allowing one moment to hold her close, even as the light called to them.
"I love you." He murmured and the twined his hand with hers as the stepped to the light "until we find each other again, ...stay safe."