Self Inflicted

23

We both caught up to where the others are, digging up the weapons we left behind. Someone hands me my sword and I take it thankfully, putting it over my back. Daryl leans against a tree beside Rick, looking down at our leader as he grabs the bag. A branch snaps and Daryl quickly turns in that direction. Carol, covered in mud and carrying guns on each arm and a crossbow, stops and stares at all of us.

Daryl runs to her and engulfs her in a hug, lifting her off of her feet. They hug for what feels like a lifetime and then Daryl pulls away, looking as if he's on the verge of crying. We all make our way forward toward the woman, Rick walks up to her first with a smile and utter disbelief.

"Did you do that?" His voice is quiet. Carol can't reply in words but with teary eyes she nods her head yes. Rick embraces the woman and they hold each other tightly, whimpering.

"You have to come with me," she says eagerly as they part.

-

We walked for about ten minutes when we come upon a cottage, small with dark brown wood. The door opens as we are walking up and out comes Tyreese, holding Judith. Rick and Carl begin laughing and crying for her, dropping everything and sprinting to the girl.

Sasha runs to her brother, embracing him. We all stand back and watch the families reuniting. "I don't know if the fire is still burning," says Rick, looking overtop of the trees into the distance where black smoke dances through the sky.

"It is," Carol pipes up.

"Yeah, we need to go," Rick throws a rag down on the ground and walks back toward his children and supplies.

"Yeah but where?" Daryl grumbles.

"Somewhere far away from there," Rick suggests and we all grab our things, I only have my sword because we don't have much to carry.

We cross the tracks and head into the woods, passing a sanctuary sign. Sanctuary my ass, they're murderers. All of them. I walk beside Carl as he holds his little sister in his arms the best he can, tiredly walking along.

-

We drag along in the humidity of the day, it's not crazy hot yet but the air is sticky and the warmer weather is approaching. Water is what we need urgently, food too. But water is what will keep us going to look for food, especially with how much we're sweating. We stop to get some rest and to let the baby grab a drink. I make my way to Rick and stand in front of the man.

"We don't have much water left, maybe enough for a day or two if we hardly drink," I shake my head.

"We're hardly drinking now," he grumbles.

"I know, we need to make a stop. Not long, just long enough to look for some water," he thinks about it for a second but nods his head.

-

Carol and Tyreese brought back a couple of water bottles full of stream water, we'll have to boil it to drink it but at least we have some. We continue on our trudge and a walker appears out of the woods, then two more, slowly approaching and snapping their corroded jaws.

"I got it," I huff, taking my sword off and stabbing one walker, pulling my sword out quickly, I kick the knee in of another walker. It falls to the ground and continues its attempt, I turn around and slice the head off of the second, and finally I slice straight down through the skull of the third walker that was on its knees.

"Right there is why we're waiting for our moment," I hear Abraham mumble to Rosita. She chuckles and shrugs a 'yeah.'

-

It's dark now, we started a smile fire to gather around and boil water but I don't, I have a thick jacket so I'm warm enough.

I find my way to Daryl who is on watch, sitting with his head resting on his bow. I sit beside him and look out past the road into the other side of the woods. The crickets are chirping but it's quiet.