For: the ones too lost to
find a voice.

& for my sisters 'cause
i love 'em to death.

Birdie Jackson hadn't spoken a single syllable ever since she saw her mother and two sisters get ripped apart by walkers right in front of her very eyes.

At first, she started talking less—only giving one-word answers, or just nodding or shaking her head as an answer. But then, she started completely avoiding one-word responses and only ever nodding or shaking her head as the response. It was as if she'd lost her voice, or the ability to talk overall.

Her father had been worried, constantly asking her what was wrong and why she wasn't talking, and, obviously, she didn't provide an answer. Only shrugging her shoulders.

But at some point, Vincent had realised that this was her way of coping. That silence was her defence mechanism against pain and guilt. That refusing to talk was her way of reassuring herself that less danger was going to come.

So, Vincent didn't force Birdie to talk.

Instead, they spent their days in silence, stuck in his car with a few bottles of water and a reasonable amount of canned food. They'd spent weeks there, probably a month. And, for a while, they were safe. But the world was getting even more dangerous, and their decreasing amount of water bottles and food was alarming.

Because of that, Vincent decided to head out and go on a run to get some supplies. However, in the process, he'd decided to leave Birdie in the safety of his car, afraid that if he brought her along, that it would just put her in danger.

So, there sat Birdie, in the car with a knife clasped in her hand, three cans of Spaghetti-o's and one bottle of water. In the course of a week, she'd finished the food. She couldn't hunt, because she didn't know how to, her dad did, but, he wasn't here.

One week turned into two, and two turned into three.

Birdie was starting to get concerned. Vincent passing the one-week mark was already a dangerous sign, but the three-week mark was absolutely panic-mode worthy.

Birdie had enough of waiting. She wasn't just going to sit around and wait for her father. If the situation was reversed, he would look for her. So, with the minimal amount of knowledge Birdie had of survival, she packed up her jacket and her empty water bottle, before setting out into the woods.

She knew death was hiding in these woods the moment she stepped in, but she didn't expect it would come after her so fast.

What she also didn't expect was a redneck and his crossbow to save her. His stupid crossbow, with his stupid face, and his stupid name.

Birdie didn't want to find Daryl Dixon. She wanted to find her dad.

And Daryl Dixon was no Vincent Jackson.

dafne keen      •     birdie jackson

and. . .
pedro pascal as vincent jackson
natalia dyer as sandy jackson
violet mcgraw as violet jackson

BIRDIE'S MIXTAPE 📼

001. ARE WE STILL FRIENDS?
Tyler, The Creator.

[ Are we still friends?
Can we be friends?
Are we still friends?
I've got to know
If we can see each other
Shake your hand, say hi
Long ago, long ago, long ago ]

002. Ivy
Frank Ocean.

[ I thought that I was dreaming
When you said you loved me
The start of nothin'
I had no chance to prepare, I couldn't see you coming ]

003. Nothing's Gonna Hurt You Baby
Cigarettes After Sex.

[ Nothing's gonna hurt you, baby
As long as you're with me
You'll be just fine
Nothing's gonna take you from my side ]

004. Kids
Current Joys

[ Oh, I'm just a kid
I never use my brain
I only use my heart
And my imagination ]

005. White Ferrari
Frank Ocean.

[ I'm sure we're taller in another dimension
You say we're small and not worth the mention
You're tired of moving, your body's aching

We could vacay, there's places to go
Clearly this isn't all that there is
Can't take what's been given
But we're so okay here, we're doing fine ]

006. Pink Matter
Frank Ocean.

[ Far too close and I remember my memory's no sharp
Butter knife, what a knife, anyway
I'm building y'all a clock, stop, what I am, Hemingway? ]

007. Let The Light In
Lana Del Rey.

[ Let the light in
At your door yelling 'cause I wanna come in
Oh, turn your light on
Look at us, you and I, back at it again ]

008. Pretty When You Cry
Lana Del Rey

[ Don't say you need me when
You leave and you leave again ]

009. Watching Him Fade Away
Mac Demarco

[ Walk around as if you never cared in the first place
But if you never call, you'll end up stuck
Thought another chance to tell him off right to his face
And even though we barely know each other
It still hurts watching fade away]

010. Moon River
Frank Ocean.

[ Two drifters off it see the world
There's such a crazy world to see
We're all chasing after all the same
Chasing after our ends ]

011. Born To Die
Lana Del Rey.

[ Feet don't fail me now
Take me to the finish line
Oh, my heart breaks every step that I take
But I'm hoping to see the gates ]

012. Noid
Tyler, The Creator

[ Running, running, round and round
Someone's keeping watch
I feel them on my shoulder ]

CLICK!

( disclaimers — dates )

    00. DISCLAIMER
I don't own The Walking Dead or any of its characters or plot, but I do own my original characters and their backstory/plot.

   00. MATURE THEMES
This story includes heavy themes of murder, torture, abuse, self-harm, suicide, death.

   oo. NOTE
I just want to say that this is inspired from Wildflower by @/dixonsrose <3. You should definitely go check her books out, her writing is magnificent!!

STARTED — 7 / 1 / 25
PUBLISHED — 26 / 1 / 25
COMPLETED —

︎