A Hard Lesson to Learn

Chapter 9

Her head was pounding as she lay in the middle of the concrete cell floor. It had been days since she had seen Rick or Michonne. Which, in turn, means that Kali had not had anything to eat or drink in days. Of course, she had gone days without eating before, but that was by choice or a sacrifice for people in the community to eat. Now she didn't have a choice.

She heard the door at the top of the stairs open and close. Boots scuffed against the wooden stairs as the person descended them. This was not Rick. As the cell door was unlocked and pulled open, Kali's eyes shot open. She was looking at the ceiling when the dingy haired man appeared in her vision. "You're Daryl, right?"

The man only grunted. His torso was covered by a black shirt that was cut off at the sleeves and a black tattered vest over it. He wore black jeans to go along with it. "Let's go girly," he grumbled gesturing for her to get up. Kali rolled over on the stomach. Her arms burned, and her legs protested as she tried to stand, taking too long for Daryl's liking. Daryl grabbed hold of her helping to her feet causing Kali to grimace. His hand planted firmly where Rick had dragged her to and from the house a couple nights ago. Rick had left a mean black bruise just on the underside of her arm.

"Come on. There are things to do," he said walking back to the cell door. Daryl turned looking back at where she stood in the middle of the cell watching him. Daryl motioned toward the stairs wordlessly ordering Kali to move.

Slowly, she walked across the concrete floor. Kali waited at the bottom of the stairs for Daryl to take her arm like Rick always did and force her up the stairs. Instead, Daryl just stood in silence behind her. "Is that where ya hit your head," he asked breaking the silence. Kali looked down at the bottom stair where the piece of wood was missing, and splatters of blood had dried. She nodded her head. "Alright. Up the stairs. Let's go," he ordered behind her.

Kali trudged up the wooden stairs. Pushing the door open at the top of the stairs, Kali saw that the living floor of the house of empty. "Where's Rick," she wondered aloud, her voice ruff coming from her dry throat. Kali glanced around the kitchen in search of another living person. A black trash bag popping in the wind caught her attention. The bag was covering the broken window on the other side of the dining room.

Behind her, Daryl gently pushed Kali's making her walk forward. "Let's get going. People are waiting," he said brushing passed her at to the door. Kali stood in the middle of the floor for a few more moments staring at the broken window and the shards of glass that rested on the wooden floor. Daryl cleared his throat from the front door causing Kali to turn her head.

Slowly, Kali walked across the floor towards Daryl and the door. Daryl pulled the door open gesturing and waited for Kali to walk out first. Kali stood on the top step looking up and down the street as Alexandrians walked towards the gate, some with guns clutched in their hands and other with guns strapped over their shoulders.

Daryl leaned down beside her and grabbed his cross-bow. Skillfully he draped the strap across his chest so that the weapon would lay across his back. Gently, Daryl grabbed hold of Kali's arm leading her down the stairs. Once they reached the concrete pathway at the bottom of the stairs, Daryl let go of Kali's arm.

Kali hesitated for a second watching Daryl glide down the road before following him. Her flannel flapped in the wind as she walked down the asphalt road lingering behind Daryl. Kali knew this path from before when Rick had sent her on the run with Michonne to get her out of the community so Negan would not see her. She was looking down occasionally kicking a rock that was in her path. Kali watched her feet in the tattered canvas shoes that Michonne had dropped at her feet a couple nights ago as they flexed and threatened to come apart at the seams.