The Hunter's Prey

Chapter 19

Siddiq treated my wound and cleared it of it's infection. He told me to stay off of my leg for a few days, but he seemed to realize I wasn't going to listen. He instead used some medical glue and stitches to make it harder to rip open. I'd be good to fight when the time comes. The only reason I wouldn't be able to fight would be the pain being too overwhelming. Like some pain would stop me from finally ending this. I could've ended this back at the hospital. Yet here I was, most of my family died because of me. Abraham, Denise, Carl. If I had killed Negan, Abraham wouldn't have died the way he did. Denise wouldn't have been murdered. Carl could still be alive. Little Carl could've lived.

A somberness fell over all of Hilltop. Even the Saviors they kept as prisoners, seemed to realize to keep their mouths shut. Rick and Michonne still hadn't come back. They both probably needed their space. Yet there were a few worried whispers that maybe they had been taken by Negan. They couldn't have been taken. They were too strong for that.

I glanced up at the sound of footsteps, to see Daryl. He nodded as he sat down next to me. He stayed silent. What else could I expect? Daryl had a lot of pressure put on him to get us to Hilltop. It must've stressed him out. Not to mention the atmosphere between the two of us. He probably had no clue what to say. He blamed himself for what happened to us, but it was an ending that was coming. With Negan's arrival, I was going to have to cut ties with him. With everyone. Negan needed to die by my hands and I didn't need anything clouding my judgement.

I kept my glance towards the cracking fire in front of me. Watching as the center of the fire looked as though it was breathing. It was quite interesting, the way the flames danced but when you got to the middle it looked like a heart beating. I wonder if that's what it's like in hell. If there even is hell.

That's where I'd be going. I've done things that any normal human would look down on. Yet nowadays no one's lived this long without doing what they had to do. Death always perplexed me. I've never really been one to believe in a god. I did a little bit before the world went up in flames, but now not so much. I mean, what kind of god would allow their people to suffer greatly? If there really was a god, then they're pretty fucked up for doing this to their people. Just abandoning everyone to this hell hole of a world. I don't think I could ever believe in a god who would do that.

"Your leg good?" Daryl spoke, breaking the tense atmosphere.

"Yeah, should be fine." Daryl nodded at my words.

A silence fell once again. As Daryl seemed to be thinking about something.

He looked like he wanted to say more, but stopped when someone called out that Rick was back. He hummed a goodbye before getting up and heading to the gate. I watched as Rick and Michonne entered and were immediately hugged by Glenn and Maggie.

With Rick's arrival everyone began preparing for an attack from the Saviors. Hilltop was the only home base still standing. Both Alexandria and the Kingdom were in flames. We had scouts out every half mile. They each had a car they would use to signal back if they saw something. If the Saviors came we'd have a few minutes to prepare. Rick and Daryl were out there along with a few others. That was our other plan. Once the Saviors were inside the walls, the scouts would come back and surround the Saviors. Then we could kill them.

Now it was just waiting. I joined Jerry up on one of the towers. Hilltop was mostly silent. Many people held their breaths, while they waited for the car horns to alert on the Saviors' arrival. Even Jerry was silent. I looked over the landscape, seeing Daryl a half mile away. If he signaled that meant it was time.

Time to fight the Saviors and hopefully put an end to this. Many people here were tired of fighting. We've lost so much and gained so little, but the ending was what everyone was holding on to. The freedom from the Saviors' grasp. The thought of not having to watch our backs for people trying to kill us 24/7.