Red ~ TWD (Daryl Dixon)

In This Jungle You Can't Run

We stood outside the gate to Alexandria, all of us on edge, and doing a poor job of concealing it. The walls surrounding the compound could hold our salvation just as easily as our demise. Aaron and Eric were a few feet away, giving us a moment to compose ourselves while Rick doled out last minute instructions. He was adamant we kept our guard up. Conversely, Deadpool implored everyone to keep an open mind. I wasn't sure you could do both at the same time, and judging by the anxious glances shared by the group neither were they.

There was one thing Rick and Deadpool agreed on, and the two spent the last precious seconds we had outlining detailed instructions for a select few. They "politely" asked Sasha to curtail her active shooter tendencies, and respectfully requested Carol not set anyone on fire. Not yet anyway. Sasha said nothing, nodding curtly then walking away while Carol assured him it wouldn't be an issue since she was playing the role of meek housewife. It was less than comforting the only thing keeping her from torching someone was because it would contradict the role she was playing.

"Thought Rick said to tone down the murder face," Merle commented, vibrating with tension at my side while we waited for the gate to open.

"This is toned down." Daryl and Merle shared a quick look, an unspoken exchange passing between the brothers. "I can back it down to 50%, but that's the best I can do."

"Waste of fuckin' time if ya ask me," Daryl said, biting his thumbnail, "That guy we saved ain't gonna keep quiet 'bout ya."

He was worried they would try to exploit me, or worse be so terrified they exiled me. I was already 10 steps ahead of him, having laid the groundwork for my deceit back at the barn when I first met Aaron. He was right; there was no hiding some things, but they could easily be explained away before anyone dug too deep. We were all capable survivors. It was why Aaron and Eric chose us. They had no reason to believe my abilities were the product of anything other than the apocalypse, and I wasn't planning to give them one.

"I've got that covered," I smiled and he raised his eyebrows, urging me to elaborate. "Just go along with whatever I say."

"Every time ya say shit like that people end up tryin' to kill us," Merle muttered.

"People try to kill us no matter what," I countered, "Sometimes bad things happen to good people."

"Yeah, but in yur case it's karma returnin' the favor."

I shrugged, "Play stupid games, win stupid prizes."

"What if they catch ya in a lie?"

"We do what we always do." The elder redneck waited not so patiently. "Pretend you're deaf and I don't speak English."

He sighed so dramatically teenage girls everywhere would be proud. "For the record, that ain't worked once."

That just meant we were due.

"Here we go."

Daryl's voice interrupted us as the gate finally opened, Aaron helping a wounded Eric through. When a possum bolted out of a metal trashcan to our left every one of us turned in unison, weapons aimed, ready to obliterate the rodent. Daryl's reaction time put everyone else's to shame as he put an arrow in its gut while I swallowed down bile. I hated possums, but my grandmother always said never turn up at someone's door empty handed.

"We brought dinner," Daryl announced, holding the dead marsupial by the tail.

I bit my lip, trying and failing not to smile at the shocked expression on Aaron's face, or the new guy standing next to him. Clearly Rick should have been more specific in his instructions to "act normal".