The Rest of your Life

Chapter 46

Two funerals.

Rory didn't really remember what happened during the service when Gabriel spoke for Beth. She just wanted her friend back. Rick and some others had gone with Noah to find his home, Richmond. But they came back empty handed, and no Tyreese. He had gotten bit, Rick took his arm, yet the man bled out.

Rory didn't like funerals.

•••

They didn't really speak anymore. Granted, it was better if they didn't, dry throats made it worse. They had no food or water anymore, being on the road with no shelter didn't help either. The last of the gas had ran out, meaning the group were left on foot.

Rory walked sluggishly side by side with Carl, glancing back at the herd that followed the group. Rory looked forwards, watching as Daryl made his way to the trees, Carol following him. Carl walked slightly ahead, next to Maggie, handing the older girl a music box. Rory didn't listen to their conversation, she just kept pushing her feet forwards.

•••

If there was one thing Rory had learnt today, it was that babies were heavy. Who knew such a small thing could weigh so much. The older girl huffed as she passed her baby sister to Carl, both of them standing at the opposite end of the bridge to Rick and some of the others.

They had decided instead of wasting energy they didn't need to with fighting the dead, they could just push them off of the side of the bridge. However, in the wise words of Abraham, their plan got dicked. Sasha got angry, in Rory's opinion, angry is stupid. Michonne once told her that stupid gets you killed, and the girl couldn't agree more.

Rick and the others began stabbing at the dead, both Rory and Carl tensing when a walker nearly got Rick, but Daryl came by out of the trees at the last second, and pulled the walker away. Eventually, all the dead were... dead, and Rick and the others approached Rory and Carls little group. The man ruffled both children's hairs before jerking his head into the direction they were heading. Rory grimaced lightly, they were off again.

•••

"Dad." Carl spoke. "Look."

Rory looked up sluggishly, searching for what Carl was referring to. The girl itched her arm as she looked onwards to see a pile up of cars on the road, wincing a little as she caught a stray scratch.

"I'm gonna head into the woods, circle back." Daryl spoke loudly.

"Can I come with?" Carol questioned, Rory too looked at the man.

"No." Daryl denied. "Just me." Rory furrowed her brows softly as the man got defensive. She watched as the man made his way to the trees. The others began searching the cars while Rory hung back. It reminded her of the day on the highway, back when she found her knives inside of a jeep.

Rory gnawed on her already puffy lip and looked back to the trees. Nobody was paying attention to her, so she could just slip away, right? Nobody really spoke to her anyway, so surely they wouldn't notice? Anyways, that's what the girl did. She didn't gain the title of a ninja for nothing. Rory took one more rough glance around the group and made her way into the woods, wearily looking for Daryl.

She wasn't a tracker by any means, but Daryl had taught her a thing or two about following tracks. Rory silently made her way through the trees, feeling her heart beat in her chest as she heard uneven footfalls from behind.

The girl unclipped her knife and whirled around at the speed of lightning, pinning the person to the tree behind them. Rory looked up, only for her eyes to widen as she frantically spewed out apology after apology, swiftly removing the knife from Daryl's throat.