A Survivor's Diary of the Apocalypse (TWD/Daryl Dixon)

S7Pt13 - Staying Behind

We woke up the next morning, and in the afternoon we were granted a tour with the King around the Kingdom.
The group of men were back on their daily run and training. The young boy from yesterday was outside with a wooden staff like Morgan had, and was practicing striking.
The King and Richard led us over to an archery stand where a group on young women were shooting a bow and arrow, helping each other learn.
One girl shot an arrow and got a bullseye, and I smiled at her, until I noticed she was missing a leg. I was snapped out of my surprise when she looked over at her friend and they laughed together.
"What happened to her?" I wondered to myself.
There was a teenage boy, also about the same age as Carl, and he was missing an arm just like I was, yet he was teaching the other boys how to shoot the bow too.
The group of runners went by us and we walked away from the kids practicing archery.
"This is life here." Ezekiel said. "Every day. But it came at a cost. And I wanted more of this. I wanted to expand. To create more places like this. Men and women lost their limbs. Children lost their parents. Because I sent them into battle against the wasted when not needed to."
"This is different." Rick said, and approached Ezekiel.
"It isn't." Ezekiel said.
"It is." Rick slowly said and nodded. "The dead don't rule us. The world doesn't look like this outside your walls. People don't have it as good. Some people don't have it good at all."
"I have to worry about my people." Ezekiel told Rick.
Rick just sighed and turned around to think.
"You call yourself a damn king." Daryl said. "You sure as hell don't act like one."
Ezekiel then walked towards Daryl. "All of this... came at a cost. It was lives, arms, legs." He said and pointed at the kids, which Daryl refused to look at.
Ezekiel then turned around and looked back at Rick. "The peace we have with the Saviors is uneasy, but it is peace. I have to hold onto it. I have to try... Although the Kingdom cannot grant you the aid you desire, the King is sympathetic to your plight."
Rick just shook his head and started at the group. I just sighed and looked over at Richard, who seemed upset at this decision too.
"I offer our friend Daryl, and friend Kelley, asylum for as long as they require it. You will be safe here. The Saviors do not set foot inside our walls." Ezekiel said.
"And how long do you think that's gonna last?" I asked.
Ezekiel stared at me, and then at Daryl, but we had enough. Daryl walked away towards the gate and I was the first to follow.
We were all standing at the front gate and Richard stood in front of us.
"How many people do you have. To fight?" He asked Rick. "I'll go with you."
"We don't even have enough to take on one outpost face-to-face yet." Rick said.
"So the Kingdom has to get involved, or the Saviors will always be in charge. It isn't about soldiers. We're making them stronger. The more food we give them, the more arms, the more everything, everyday any one of us give them something, they become harder and harder to beat." Richard said.
"Alright open it up." I called out to the person at the gates handle.
"We're gone." Daryl told them and waved his hand.
They opened the gate and the group began walking out, and me and Daryl tried to follow.
"You're not." Rick said.
I saw Carl stand back with his dad, and Michonne did too.
"The hell you talking about Rick?" I asked.
"I ain't staying here." Daryl said.
"You have to. It's the smartest play. You know it is." Rick said.
Daryl just scoffed and paced back and forth.
"Try to talk to Ezekiel." Rick paced with him, and then they just stared at each other. "Or stare him into submission, whatever it takes."
Daryl stopped pacing and just stared at Rick, but I turned around and started walking away.
"You too Kelley." Rick said.
I turned around and stared at Rick. "I can't stay. I need to get back to Lee. I won't— I— he need us— I can't just—" I said, starting to jumble my words together in frustration.
"Kelley, he's okay. We'll take care of him." Michonne then said and touched my shoulder.
I turned around and looked at her sadly. "But, that's my baby. My kids— they're all alone."
"They're not alone." Carl then said walked towards me. "I'll take care of them."
I just covered my face with my hand and took a deep breath. Michonne hugged me and rocked me back and forth, and I started to cry.
"You need time to heal you." She said and let me go. "Work through what is going on in you," she pointed at my chest. "and come back stronger for your kids."
I nodded and looked at Rick who was watching me sadly. He gave me a hug unexpectedly and I flinched at his touch, because I was still getting used to having men touch me again.
"I'm so sorry that that happened to you Kelley." Rick said, and I just rubbed my arm anxiously. "But we'll take care of it out there. I'm trusting you in here."
I slowly nodded and then looked over at Daryl, who slowly nodded in agreement with me.
I then looked at Carl and nodded, and he nodded back.
"Okay." I said.
I took a couple steps backwards and nodded my head. "Alright."
I now stood next to Daryl and we watched as the group walked away. The gates closed behind them but in front of us, and now we were left here.
I then turned around and looked at Daryl, who looked back at me and held my face. He felt the stitches on my cheek and I closed my eyes, feeling one last tear fall down my cheek and land on his thumb. I took a deep breath as I wrapped my arms around him, and felt him embrace me.
"It's only temporary Kell." He said, and I nodded my head against his chest. "We're okay."