The Hunter's Prey

Chapter 18

I sat up quickly hearing Michonne's voice harshly talking to someone. I shared a look with Daryl and we both quickly rose to our feet. We moved down the tunnel to see Michonne pinning Dwight up against the wall and begging him to make the explosions outside stop. A scared Judith came running to Daryl's side. He scooped her into his arms and held her head to his shoulder. Rosita made her way to Michonne's side and turned to Dwight.

"You said that Hilltop's safe, right?" Dwight nodded as his answer. "We need to get everybody there. We could get Carl there."

"They think you all got away in the woods. They're out there, looking." Dwight protested.

"They saw us go west, so we won't go west." Rosita turned to Michonne for back up.

"Your best chance is to stay here until they're gone." Dwight turned to Michonne as well.

"No. They find us here, we're dead." Daryl spoke.

"They're almost done. They gotta be. It wasn't about destroying the place. They don't have the ammo for that. After they let up, after they're gone, that's when we go." Dwight countered Daryl.

"Okay. We wait." Rosita nodded, as Michonne walked off to be with Carl.

The others spoke a few more words as my mind raced. Negan would wait us out. Wait for any signs of us. He wouldn't just leave, unless he didn't have the power to face us all at once. Dwight said that they didn't have the power for it. We could make it, if they ambushed us, right?

My thoughts stopped as the sounds of explosions stopped and the sound of cars driving away filled the silence.

"Sounds like they're letting up." Dwight spoke.

"Looks like you were right." Rosita looked at Dwight. "They're leaving."

"Maybe." Daryl walked towards Rick, with Judith still in his arms.

Daryl said a few words to Rick and handed Judith off to him. Daryl placed a hand on Rick's shoulder before heading off towards the exit. I followed he was gonna head out and check for any signs of the Saviors still being here. If they were he was going to need back up and I wasn't willing to let another grave be dug today. He reached the ladder leading to the surface before turning to me.

"You ain't coming." I opened my mouth to protest only to be cut off. "You got a busted leg. Stay here."

I sighed knowing he was right. I raised my hands in defeat as he shot me a glance. I turned on my heel and met up with the rest of the group. A silence fell over the group. I slid down a wall and rested my head against it. Everything that was happening felt so surreal.

Negan wasn't dead and had plenty of men to kick our asses, and Carl was going to die. The world was never going to give us a break. Only one tragedy after another. Negan's death would release us of one horror and leave us open to another. There was no end to the cycle. We would always be fighting. Life would never be peaceful. We'd constantly have to look over our shoulders.

I opened my eyes at the feeling of being watched. I glanced around and quickly locked eyes with Dwight. His face was full of remorse as he looked at me. He looked away after a few seconds. I know he was helping us but he was still an asshole. He tortured Daryl and I. Made us nothing more than a stain on his shirt. He didn't care about what he did, when he did it. Yet here he was, remorseful for what he did. That was guilt I wasn't going to relieve him of. He can take that to his grave for all I care.

I have more important things to think about than Dwight. I have a goal to accomplish and know I wanted to complete it more than ever. Negan needed to die. I let my goal get clouded. Now I was nearly at the summit and I could see clearer than ever. My eyes were locked on Negan's grave. Negan's lone grave. No one else was going to die. Even if I had to die myself.