Who you are in the dark 2
MOVIE QUOTE
When I was a little girl, my mother would remind me each night before bed, to open up my heart to God, for He was kind, merciful, and just. Things changed when my father left a few years later, leaving her to raise me and my brothers in a place on the edge of the Mojave Desert. She never talked of a kind and merciful God again. Instead she spoke of a prophecy. Of a time when all the world would be covered in darkness and the fate of mankind would be decided. One night, I finally got the courage to ask my mother why God had changed, why He was so mad at His children. "I don't know," she said, tucking the covers around me, "I guess He just got tired of all the bullshit." Charlie - Legion (2010)
TWD
She knew she'd pushed too far. Too comfortable with Daryl there, surrounded by Rick, Sasha, Tyreese, and Carol. Even a hurt Carol was a fierce Carol. She felt safe again and knew somehow she shouldn't. Not while they were still in Grady. Not while Dawn glared angrily at her, even without backup she was dangerous. She shouldn't have forgotten that. Daryl had taught her how to be still, be quiet. She should have remembered.
The impact brought agony. She didn't hear the gunshot that hit her, just the sudden blinding pain and a bright flash of light. Then the world faded away as she fell into the darkness. She heard the echoes of the following gunshots and prayed desperately that the others were OK.
"They are sweetie, they are," a voice spoke from the darkness.
"Am I dead?" Beth whispered. She opened her eyes, at least she thought she did. Open or closed, there was nothing but endless black space.
"No, Beth," the voice said. "Just hurt. Unconscious. But very much alive, sweetheart."
She knew that voice. "Lori?"
"Yes."
"Beth, honey, open your eyes and focus on our voices. My name is Luc.. Lucy and we're here for you."
"Lucy?" Lori asked softly.
"Better this way. Beth, honey, open your eyes."
Beth blinked. Darkness surrounded her. Then two figures came into focus. Lori and another woman stood before her, both of them reached out to her. "It's OK, sweetheart."
"I don't want to die," Beth cried.
"You aren't going to," Lucy told her as Lori held her. "Not for a very, very long time. I need you to listen. Not just to Lori and I, but out beyond the darkness. Listen hard."
"Beth! Don't leave me! Please!" Daryl's face appeared in the darkness, distorted like she was looking up through water.
"DARYL!" Beth cried. Pain slammed into her head and she gasped. Lori and Lucy held her up as she staggered.
"She can't go alone!"
Then Carol's voice echoed around, "ALIVE! Daryl, do you hear me? She's alive!"
"Good girl," Lori said as Beth slumped against her. "Let it go for now. It's OK."
Then Maggie's wail rose from the emptiness. "What's wrong with Maggie? Why… Why is she crying so hard?"
"She doesn't understand," Lucy answered. "She will. When you wake up, she'll see how strong you've become."
"She thinks I'm… just another dead girl," Beth whispered. "She has since I broke that mirror. Just waiting for the day I finally did die. Just another dead girl." The pain faded away and Lori and Lucy came into stronger focus. Even the darkness seemed to brighten slightly.
Lori smiled, "There's my strong girl."
"Where are we?"
Lucy glanced around, "Somewhere between life and death. On the way to heaven. A little bit stuck, but we're here to help. Others will too."
"Is there a hell?" Beth asked.
Lucy nodded, "Yes, of course. But you'll never see it."
"I killed people."
"We know. And God knows. But justified doesn't even come close to what that was," Lori explained. Then she jerked back, "Oh, I have to go, sweetie. Judith and Carl… I'll be back."
"Judith's OK? Carl?" Beth smiled.
Lucy nodded then closed her eyes. Beth blinked and when she opened her eyes, she could see, through that hazy, watery filter. Carol sat holding her on the ground outside of Grady. Maggie wept against Glenn. Noah stood nearby. Carl paced, rocking Judith in his arms as Lori walked with them, humming softly trying to bring them comfort. Daryl was working under the hood of a van. Rick glared at the world in general as Michonne helped three strangers move supplies out of a fire truck to two SUVs. A fourth stranger sat holding his head. Tyreese emerged from a building, followed by Sasha. He carried a thin mattress.
The images faded away and Beth felt her knees go weak. She was back in the darkness, alone. She sank down to what felt like solid ground.
"Lay down and rest, Beth," Lori's voice soothed. "We'll be back soon."
Beth's mouth filled with water and she swallowed. Carol's voice reached her, "Good girl. Rest."
TWD
Carol's voice was a comforting steady drone in the dark. "We've crossed the border into North Carolina, at least that's what the sign on the side of the road says. Looks the same to me. Rick and Abraham have decided we are all going north to take Noah home to Virginia. I think it's wrong, but no one asked me. Abraham still seems focused on his damn mission to get to DC. Oh well. Now we have pureed sweet potatoes and prunes. Yuck. We'll save the prunes for later. I don't get it. Dry a delicious grape and it turns into a still delicious raisin. Then you take a delicious plum and somehow turn it into a prune. Maybe we'll trade the prunes to Judith for something less disgusting."
Daryl's voice was stronger, but he never said much. "I'm here Beth. Got a few rabbits today. Carol's gonna turn one into somethin' for yah. Had to share the others." But with his voice came a warm hand holding hers. A stroke on her forehead or cheek. And his scent filling her nose.
Maggie's sobs and the harsh whispers from the others stabbed at her like tiny knives. "She's dead." "A burden we can't afford." "Brain damage." "You need to put an end to this." "What if she's suffering?" And the endless, endless weeping.
Beth curled down in the darkness and covered her ears, but the voices still pierced her soul. Tears rolled down her face.
"God does she ever stop whining and crying?" a voice interrupted the torture.
She knew that voice. "Merle?" She sat up and he walked out of the shadows. "What are you doing here?"
Merle shrugged, "Daryl's sleeping. Least until your crybaby sister wakes him up again. I'm bored. Figured I'd come see you."
"I should have known you'd still be around. Daryl said you always looked out for him." Beth got to her feet and automatically smoothed down her dress
"Gotta. Only got one baby brother," Merle replied. "Just wish he could hear me. It's shit bein' able to see him but not really help him. Tried real hard to tell him where you were when that cop snatched yah."
"Thank you. For trying."
Merle shrugged again, "Like I said. Been watchin'. Saw him drag my ass all the way back to the prison to bury me. Watched you sing." He grinned slyly. "Watched the two of you dance around each other at the prison. Any fool could see it, if they just watched. Took your dad a while to see." Beth's breathing hitched at the thought of her father. "Sorry kid. Just tellin' yah because he did see it. He knew. Everyone else mighta thought Daryl was hangin' around the baby." Beth ducked her head and blushed. "My little brother is a sweet one, always has been. You couldn't do better, especially not now."
"I know," she replied.
"Yeah… oh," he widened his eyes huge like hers had been.
Beth chuckled, "You were there?"
"I'm always there, sweetness," Merle grinned.
"Well that's disturbing."
"Don't gotta worry 'bout me, girlie. Like my women with a few more miles under the tires. B'sides, you're my brother's girl. Wouldn't be proper for me to go peepin'." Merle laughed. "You shoulda kissed him that night. He'd'a never opened that damned door if yah had. And I'd'a hadta find somewhere else to be. He'll never make the first move on yah darlin'. But he's got enough sense to not back away when you finally do. When you wake up, find a quiet moment and lay one on him. You'll see."
Beth sighed, "Why can't I wake up now?" she heard the whine in her own voice and cringed. Merle shrugged and mumbled a sound as he ducked away. It was heart wrenchingly familiar and she knew what it meant. "You're lying."
Merle sighed, "Yeah. Look there is a reason why you are still unconscious, but it won't do no good for you to know. Can't do a damn thing about it until someone in power decides it's the right time. You'll find out eventually, but it's gonna hurt. You and others."
Maggie's sobbing reached her again and Beth flinched.
"Come here, kid," Merle said and pulled her to rest against him. As his arms wrapped around her, one hand rubbing her back, the other covering the ear not resting on his chest, the outside noises faded away. He felt warm and strong as she leaned there. His scent was so similar to Daryl that all she could do was breathe him in. She began to drift and he stooped to lift her off of her feet. "Rest now, kid. S'all good."
"Wow, five minutes with you and she's asleep? Doesn't say much for your conversation skills."
Beth opened her eyes to see Shane Walsh standing there.
"What do you want?" Merle growled.
Shane shrugged, "Carl and Judith are asleep. Lori went to go see what she can find out about what's coming. So I figured I'd pop in and say hi." He waved at Beth.
"She's tired."
"I'm fine," Beth said softly.
Shane smirked at Merle, "She's fine. Only be a minute anyway, they fed Judith prunes. She'll blowout that diaper any time now." He drew closer and brushed Beth's hair back. "I just wanted to say, thank you. You took such great care of my baby girl."
"Not sure she knew about that," Merle hissed.
Beth rolled her eyes, "Of course I did. No one watched me, but I certainly watched everyone else. She has your eyes." Shane grinned and nodded.
In the silence, voices began to shout again. Shane moved even closer, blocking Beth between the two men and the voices faded away. "Guess they're awake," Beth whispered as she shifted her legs in Merle's grasp.
"Daryl will be fine for a few minutes," Merle said as he tightened his grip.
"Lori's with the kids," Shane added. "Close your eyes and try to rest, Beth."
In the silence, feeling warm and safe in their arms, she allowed herself to drift into a deep sleep. When she woke up, she was alone. But Carol's voice soothed, and Daryl's called to her.
She tried to respond. Tried to move, tried to answer, tried desperately to open her eyes. But she was stuck.
TWD
She was alone. She assumed it was at night, since there was nothing but silence. Then she heard it. Distant and low. Then rising in intensity. Her first thought was a train. Second was tornado.
Then a figure appeared out of the dark, running so fast his legs looked like one of those old roadrunner cartoons. Then he was on her. The Governor. His hands reached for her as he screamed a horrifying banshee howl of fury and terror.
Then from the darkness, her four guards appeared. Shane and Merle hurled themselves in front of her, Merle slamming his fist into the Governor's face sending him stumbling back, Shane pulling a gun from his police holster and firing repeatedly. Lucy and Lori stepped behind the men, in front of Beth, adding an extra layer of defense.
The darkness swirled and figures appeared, black and fiery red. They reached for the Governor who fled screaming as most of the demons followed. One remained and seemed to stare at Beth. Merle growled. Shane reloaded his sidearm. The demon's shoulders shook as he seemed to chuckle.
"She's not for us," its voice was inhuman.
"Then don't use her as fucking bait," Merle snarled. "Catch him your own damn selves."
"We will. No one outruns their fate. Not for long," it disappeared with a swirl of smoke.
Beth was shaking violently as Lori pulled her into an embrace. "It's OK. He's gone. He can't…"
"Don't you dare fucking lie to her, Lori," Shane snapped. "Beth. If he comes again, you run. Run like… well like the fires of hell are after you. We'll come. But do not let him lay his hands on you."
Beth nodded as tears escaped, "I'm not even safe here?"
"Beth? Are you cold, darlin'?" Daryl's voice cut through the darkness. "Here. Gotta 'nother blanket for yah." She could feel his hand stroke her arm and squeeze her hand. She squeezed it back. "Hey there! Felt that. Just keep holdin' on, I'm'a sit right here with you."
TWD
She wanted desperately to see him. To wake up and talk to him. She focused all of her energy and intent trying to open her eyes. Frequently dropping down from exhaustion in the effort.
Then one day, the darkness faded away, replaced by a dense wood. Daryl was in front of her, tracking a deer. She saw it veer off the path into the trees and she jumped in front of it. It turned and ran directly into Daryl's line of sight. The crossbow fired and the deer collapsed. With a flash, it's spirit rose straight up and disappeared in the sunlight.
Daryl turned.
And saw her.
TWD