Surviving The New World (Book Six in the Surviving The Walking Dead Series)

Prosthetic Trust

     I placed Kindness in my bag before I reached the Kingdom, knowing Daryl would have a cow if he saw it. I know he's eventually gonna find it, but right now, with us arguing the way we are, the last thing I want is to have a screaming match with him over a stupid bat. It's a good weapon, lightweight, something I could easily use with one hand. I was thinking practical, not 'What Would Negan Do'.

     I wondered what Anne had planned for me when it came to my prosthetic. Would it be a regular arm? Maybe something cool like Merle had. Either way, I was excited to finally start the process of making me less useless than I am now. As I rode up to the gates, I was instantly stopped and greeted by two guardsmen, Dianne and Mike. Dianne still gave me the same untrusting look she did when she and the others captured me at the satellite outpost, but she accepted that I was back on Rick's side. Mike, however is new. Ezekiel must've brought him into the fold sometime before the battle on the hill.

"Why are you here?" Dianne asked.

"I'm supposed to see Anne about my prosthetic." I answered.

"And Daryl?"

"He's not my babysitter."

"Someone needs to be." My hand instantly clenched into a tight fist.

"Is he here, or not?"

"Yeah."

"When did he get here?"

"We're not his babysitter."

"He got here about an hour or so ago." Mike answered.

"Good." I smiled. "Now, can I go? I wanna get this prosthetic shit started so we can go back to Hilltop for a council meeting." Dianne looked me over in silence before turning to Mike and giving him a subtle nod.

"Follow me."

"She not coming?"

"She's gotta keep guard."

"Right, for all the Saviors I brought to attack the place." I scoffed and gently nudged the horse, making it follow Mike to the gate. Once inside, I hopped off my horse and handed the reins to Nabilia. She's the gardener, but she also helps take care of the horses and pigs.

"There's my favorite little person." Jerry smiled as he and Ezekiel approached me.

"I'm not little!" I argued.

"I'm nearly a foot taller than you."

"Exactly, you're sasquatchy, everyone else is average height."

     "Yeah, because five-three is average."

     "Shut up."

     "I take it you are here to see Anne?" Ezekiel asked. I gently nodded. "She is waiting for you, we shall take you to her."

     "Where's Daryl? He said he'd meet me here, Mike said he got here about an hour ago."

     "He did. He ran into Carol and she asked him to help her move her things back here from her cottage down the road. He should be back shortly. Would you like for me to have my men escort you to him?"

"No, that's fine. Ya said shortly, I don't mind the wait." I smiled. However I did mind the wait. He was here for me, not Carol. I don't know where this sudden jealous feeling came from, but boy did it irk me. Maybe it came from my time with Negan. I hated him spending time with his other wives. I mean, at first, I wanted nothing to do with him, then I hogged him out of spite towards them, and then I demanded all of his attention. I'm sure these feelings would pass and I'd get back to my semi-normal self.