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THE SUN WAS JUST BARELY RISEN, as I sat against the vehicle, my back straight and stiff against the metal exterior. The morning air bore a chill that seeped through my bloodstained skin, etching itself into the most primal parts of me.
I wasn't sure when I'd come back from the woods last night, with the man who'd introduced himself as Daryl. All I knew was that the automatic rifle I'd taken was completely emptied out, and that there wasn't a scratch on me. There was blood—and a lot of it—but not one drop that belonged to me.
Last night, while swallowed whole inside the lightless forest, his crossbow had acted as an extension of his hands. The Angel had used it so effortlessly, making sure nothing happened to me as we relentlessly took on groups of the dead. His weapon released an arrow at any set of snapping teeth that got too close to for comfort.
I didn't understand why he'd decided to protect me, and my mind was far too barren to begin rationalizing it. All I could think about now that wasn't in combat, were my pleads as I was pinned under the claimer. They echoed against my skull like a god-awful migraine.
One of the doors opened. A figure emerged from the other side of the car, and spoke softly to Rick and Daryl who were sitting on the opposite side. The person then rounded the hunk-of-junk to seat themselves on the unoccupied cobblestone beside me. I sat with my legs brought into my chest, arms folded tightly around myself. My forehead rested against my knees, and I couldn't bring myself to lift my head and identify the person.
"We're going to start towards Terminus once Carl wakes up." A woman's voice spoke, and I recognized it to belong to Michonne.
I hugged myself tighter. I wanted to ask about him. I hadn't spoken to him since before we'd been drug from the cars by the claimers. After they were all dead, I'd left with Daryl, and returned when he was already asleep.
"He's fine." She seemed to understand my silence. "Just resting—like you should be."
I couldn't. I couldn't even close my eyes. The type of nightmare we'd been put through was the kind that had the ability to haunt one while they were still wide-awake. Sleep would only make me relive it all again.
