Deadland

Chapter 108- Masks?

(TW!! Slight mentions of self-harm!!)

When we finally approach the Hilltop, the outside looks dead. The crops extend hundreds of feet away from the tall wooden walls though everything seems to have a discolored look to it. 

We slow the horses to a stop before the gates and wait for someone to open them or talk to us. 

Dianne, an old soldier from the Kingdom appears from a watch post behind the walls. "State your business." She orders dryly. 

"We're here for Rosita." Michonne says. 

Siddiq then adds, "We met your messengers on the road. They told us what happened."

"And the others?" Dianne asks. 

"They're a good group of people who need a place to stay." I say, not breaking eye contact with Dianne. 

Michonne nods to me, "I told them Hilltop would consider taking them in." 

Dianne leans on the wall and assesses us. Without another word, Michonne, Siddiq, and I drop our weapons on the ground and the new group behind us follows. 

"Open the gates!" Dianne yells to people inside. 

Damien and Cato.

I haven't seen them in over a year. We used to sneak out to talk but we slowly just stopped going. It was tedious and dangerous and I thought Alyssa was gonna have a heart attack every time I left. 

Michonne motions to Siddiq and me to get off of our horses and we comply, the group in the cart gets out as well. 

The closer we walk to Hilltop, the more antsy I get to see Damien. He's gonna be so excited to see all of my new tattoos. The last time we saw each other, it was just my arms and legs but now it's my stomach, arms, legs, neck, and cover-up tattoos on my back and wrist. 

"Adrian?" I hear from the right of me. 

I quickly turn and see Damien and Cato with confused expressions jogging up to the group. "Hey!" Cato whisper-yells. 

I half-smile but then jump back to the conversation Michonne is having with Tara, Siddiq, Enid, and Alden. "If she's been out the entire time, how do you know Eugene was with her?" 

Eugene's missing?

"Aaron told us." Tara says with a straight face. 

Michonne's face drops "Aaron's here?" 

She shakes her head, "No, he's with Jesus and Daryl. Daryl came down from his mountain with Carol and Henry. It's like the old gang's back together." 

I never understood why Michonne cut contact with everyone. I mean we killed for each other. We traded with each other and then she just...shut down. 

Michonne narrows her eyes in annoyance, "Which way were they headed?" 

"You can pick up their trail, but you're not gonna catch them before nightfall." Alden says. 

Nobody asked you.

"It's Daryl. Probably on their way back already. You can have your weapons back when you leave tomorrow." Tara says. She then looks at the new group standing behind us. "As for the rest of you, you're gonna have to wait until Jesus gets back. And if you wanna stay stay, I'm gonna have to talk to him. And you're gonna have to earn your keep." 

Connie steps forward and signs "thank you". Kelly translates for her, "She says 'thank you'. We all do." 

"Okay." Tara says, walking away.