#daryldiverges

Make it in time! Make it in time! For the fucking love of everything--

Daryl had run as fast as his legs would carry; despite the burning in his muscles sure to come, he had run back to where Rick and the others were. The moment he'd noted that large pluming pillar of graying smoke rising from the direction of their camp.

Of course, he would never make it in time.

Gareth and his group had already departed by the time Daryl had noted the smoke. He'd been too busy hunting game, food for the others, to really glance back; and he'd been gone for hours. Walker activity had been surprisingly scarce that day, so Daryl had been comfortable. He had felt safe. At ease. Peace.

That didn't tear from his chest, the moment he saw the mangled, brutishly slaughtered bodies of his family strew around the camp - some further away from others; they'd tried to run, find cover. No, that feeling of happiness, security, slowly trickled out of him. Agonizingly numbing as it ebbed out of his body.

The plum of smoke was coming from a fire, where a few of his family had been left to burn.