Silent Warrior

The easy Way

Daryl looked around suspiciously. He didn't like the quiet. It wasn't the quiet he had in the woods when he was hunting. No, this was a different kind of quiet.

So much had happened in the last few weeks that they barely had breath to breathe. He'd been separated from Beth, had joined a gang of assholes and later killed them when they attacked Rick, Michonne and Carl. They had gone to Terminus, met most of their group there and a few more new faces, narrowly escaped execution there and fled. And for the past few days, they had been in a new community. A community that lived as if the apocalypse had never happened. So peaceful and friendly...Almost like another time.

It was safe, but Daryl didn't trust any of it. And neither did the rest of his group. Didn't anyone understand how dangerous it was out there? Hadn't the people inside these walls experienced fear, pain or even loss? Or were they just pretending everything was okay?

Did they believe that everything would eventually return to normal? Rick was right when he told the others to stay alert. He would be, especially after the last group a few days ago. But this Aaron...he seemed okay...at least for now. He continued to keep an eye on him, but he had always had a good sense about people. At least, he had rarely been disappointed when he got involved with someone.

And now Aaron wanted him to be the second man out. To recruit people to for this place. Daryl wasn't sure what was worse if they added new people. Would the supplies be enough or might there be worse people than the ones they had already encountered. Daryl had agreed, since he always had to go outside anyway to hunt and escape this false idyll. But even though the question had moved very far into the background, Daryl asked himself it at least once a day: Where were Jodie and Beth?

As soon as that question came up, several more questions joined it: Were they still alive? Would he ever find them? Had they reached Terminus, too? Had they perhaps found each other? And would they...?

"Hey Daryl!", Aaron came running up to him.

"Huh?"

"The mission tomorrow, are you already joining us? Or are you still thinking about it?"

"I'll hunt tomorrow, didn't catch enough today. Be there next time though," Daryl grumbled in response.

Actually, he just wanted to be left alone, but Aaron didn't seem to notice. He continued to smile at him in a friendly manner.

"Okay, all right. I'll see you in a few days then," he said goodbye and gave him a quick wave before turning away.

Daryl refrained from greeting him as he usually did. Just because he was now didn't mean he was everyone's best friend.

*************************

"Son of a bitch!" cursing, Ashley slammed the hood of a car shut. The village they were currently making an extended stop in didn't have gasoline, nor was there much in the way of supplies to be found there. Besides, they weren't sure if they would even find a car that still worked. At least not one that would go all the way to Richmond. They had found the village just past Atlanta and also a car, but it had only taken them as far as the border between North and South Carolina. After that, the battery had failed completely.

Meanwhile six days had passed since they had escaped from the hospital. Everyone was tired, hungry and in a bad mood. In every form.

Ashley was becoming increasingly sullen and irritable, Noah seemed to be withdrawing more and more into himself, and Beth had also become quite quiet. Since yesterday, the entire group hadn't spoken more than six sentences to each other. This was not good.

Jodie tried to keep the others happy by hunting while the others combed the houses. Still, it was often not enough to feed four people. Besides, hunger was only one of their problems. What they needed was a permanent shelter. Walls, a group...