Stray // Daryl Dixon

The Beginning of the End

Jesus was an escape artist in every sense of the word. We had only returned home with him the night before, locking him up in the same house under construction that Rick had once been placed him. I was awoken early this morning by Daryl, most people being up at the crack of dawn already hustling around town, with word that Jesus had been sneaking around the community most of the night. It wasn't until he broke into Rick's house to speak with him that he was caught by Carl. I'm sure he was only caught through because he wanted to be. Based on our already previous knowledge of his cleverness, we should have known.

But, Jesus wanted a talk so we granted him that. He could be trying to shoot sunshine and rainbows up our asses just to get out, but so far he seemed harmless and we were in no position to turn down a discussion. We now sat at Rick's dining room table. Jesus on one end and Glenn on the other with a gun placed on the table, his hand tightly gripping the metal in case he tried anything. Maggie, Michonne, Carl, Daryl, and Abraham joined us, each of us intrigued by what he possibly had to say.

"So how'd you get out?" Rick asked, starting off the conversation.

"One guard can't cover two exits or third-floor windows. Knots untie and locks get picked. Entropy comes from order, right?" Jesus explained, mocking Rick with his question, implying that everything eventually moves from order to disorder. In his mind it was only a matter of time until he escaped, only in his case it didn't take him any time at all.

"Right," Daryl cut him off, staring down at Jesus as he hovered to the right of him. Daryl's face showed clear distaste and caused Jesus to shift in his seat uncomfortably.

"I checked out your arsenal," he confessed. He really was out snooping around for quite a while and didn't attack anyone or make a break for it. I leaned forward on my chair, propping my chin upon my hands, very eager to know where he was going with this. Why he called us for a discussion rather than bolting when he very clearly gathered all the information he needed already. "I haven't seen anything like that in a long time. You're well-equipped, but your provisions are low. Very low for the amount of people you have. 54?" He questioned.

"More than that," Maggie spoke up, her arms crossed tightly across her chest as she eyed him.

Jesus then smiled briefly, "Well, I appreciate the cookie." Something he stole on his quest through town. "My compliments to the chef."

"Ya, she ain't here," Daryl snapped, growing tired of him.

Jesus sighed, shifting his weight to look at Daryl. "Look, we got off to a bad start. But we're on the same side-- the living side. You, Rick, and Scar had every reason to leave me out there, but you didn't," he shook his head. "I'm from a place that's a lot like this one. Part of my job is searching out other settlements to trade with. I took your truck because my community needs things, and you guys looked like trouble. I was wrong. You're good people. And this is a good place. I think our communities may be in a position to help each other."

Jackpot, there it is.

"Do you have food?" Glenn asked.

"We started to raise livestock. We scavenge, we grow. Everything from tomatoes to sorghum--"

"Tell us why we should believe you," Rick cut him off, swinging his hand around.

"I'll show you," Jesus simply stated. "If we take a car, I can take you back home in a day, and you can all see for yourselves who we are and what we have to offer."

"Wait, you're looking for more settlements?" Maggie asked, leaning forward in her chair. "You mean you're already trading with other groups?"

Jesus finally leaned back in his chair, a smile beaming across his face, "You're worlds about to get a whole lot bigger."