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

S7Pt15 - Carol's Cottage

Richard invited us out on a mission to attack the Saviors on our own, and we were more than willing to go.
He grabbed us both a bag of gear and handed us guns, and we headed out. We had to walk from the Kingdom, down a back highway, up to the top of a hill where the road bends back down. At the top of the road, there was a tipped over semi truck, and we took cover behind it. Daryl set down his rifle and crossbow, and secured his bag on his back.
I bolstered the two pistols Richard gave me, and slung an assault rifle over my shoulder.
"So what's the plan?" I asked.
"They ride this road. If we see cars, it's the Saviors. They've been coming in packs of two or three lately. That's why I need you guys. I can't take them alone... We're gonna hit them with the guns first, and then the molotovs. Then back to the guns until they're dead." Richard explained.
"Why the fire?" Daryl asked.
"Needs to look bad. The Saviors who discover what's left, we want them to be angry. I left a trail from here to the weapons cache I planted, to the cabin of that someone Ezekiel cares about." Richard said.
"Who's that?" Daryl asked.
"It's just some loner he met." Richard shrugged it off. "Sometimes he brings food."
"Why don't they live in the Kingdom?" Daryl asked.
"I don't know... She lives out there, she'll die out there." He said.
"She?" I then asked, picking up on Daryl's thoughts.
"It doesn't matter. She's gonna die anyways... when the Saviors come and find their buddies dead, if they aren't stupid and follow an easy trail... they'll find the weapons cache and then the cottage and they're gonna attack this woman." He said.
"What's her name?" I asked for Daryl, who was staring this man down.
"Maybe she'll die, maybe they'll kill her, but it's going to show Ezekiel what he needs to do." Richard said.
"Her name. What is it?" Daryl finally spoke.
"She's tough. Maybe she'll survive it. Maybe they'll keep her alive."
"Say her damn name." Daryl raised his voice.
Richard looked away and sighed, then looked back at Daryl. "Carol."
Daryl clenched his jaw and kept staring at Richard. I just shook my head and crossed my arms.
"I hoped you didn't know her, but I didn't think you'd care." He said.
"She's our family. Of course we fucking care." I said.
"You know what needs to happen." He said. "This is—this is how— this needs to happen. It's how we get rid of the Saviors, it's how we have a future."
"No." Daryl said.
He grabbed his stuff and walked forwards and I began to follow him. We were about to leave when we heard the sound of car engines. We hid behind the semi and Richard and Daryl just stared at each other.
"It's them." Richard said. "I know it."
Daryl held his crossbow and I rested my hand on the butt of my pistol.
"Look, we can wait for things to go bad and lose people... or we can do the hard thing.. and chose our fate for ourselves." He said.
"No." Daryl said.
"Sorry." Richard then said and shrugged.
He grabbed his gun and turned around, but not before Daryl dropped his crossbow and grabbed him from behind. Daryl threw Richard to the ground and pinned him down. I watched them as I heard the engines get closer and the cars were passing us now.
Daryl raised his fist and punched Richard in the face and took a few more swings at him, making his nose start bleeding. Richard reached over and grabbed a water canteen and hit Daryl in the head, making him fall over.
I instantly took out my pistol and aimed it at Richard, who was reaching for his gun. He turned back around only to see me and Daryl aiming our weapons at him.
"They will be back soon. Or a new group will show up. Well have another chance. But we're running out of time." Richard said, and all of us were aiming our weapons at each other. "If you and your people want to move against the Saviors... you need to do it soon, and you need the Kingdom... what we have to do requires sacrifice one way or another. Guys like us, we lost so much already."
"You don't know me." Daryl told him.
"I know... that Carol living on her own like that... she might as well be dead right now." Richard said.
"Listen hear asshole. She is our friend, and if anything happens to her... she gets hurt, gets sick, shot, bitten, or dead, anything happens to her and I'll kill you." I threatened.
Richard lowered his gun and we followed with our weapons.
"I would die for the Kingdom." He said.
"Why don't you." Daryl threatened him.
"Daryl, come on." I said and started backing away.
Daryl just stared at Richard, and they both refused to back down. I reached out and pulled on Daryl's shirt, rubbing his shoulder and pat his back.
"Come on." I urged.
Daryl looked Richard up and down one last time and scoffed. He then grabbed his stuff and followed me into the forest.
We were going to follow this trial Richard made, maybe raid the weapons cache, but nonetheless we were going to find Carol.