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

S9Pt4 - The Hanging

It was later that night and everything was quiet in the compound. Daryl was anxiously rubbing his hands together and I think this place was finally getting to him. Daryl told Rick he'd switch between the Saviors and Alexandria, to be with me and the kids but also make sure the Saviors were staying in line, yet he's been distant lately. He dreaded everyday he had to go to the compound and I couldn't blame him. There were bad memories here that he just couldn't shake, and with tensions building and everyone being spread out, he was fed up.
I laid down on a cot, trying to get what rest I could, but just couldn't sleep. I closed my eyes and Daryl rubbed my back before standing up and looking over the edge of the catwalk. I heard some footsteps walk up the stairs a few minutes later and stop by Daryl.
"What's up?" Rick asked.
Daryl just sighed and leaned against the bar, making the metal creak. "I don't wanna be the one leading these people anymore."
"Okay." Rick said and sighed. "Why?"
"I don't know." Daryl sighed. "Being here behind these walls again— just don't feel right, man. I'm better out there. I always have been."
Rick just sighed. "You've kept this place together. Kept people in line here. We can't just let the Sanctuary fail after everything that's happened."
"Man, it's gonna fail anyways." Daryl muttered. "Nothing grows here. It's a damn factory, man... Look when Negan was around, he needed people to provide for him. It's still the same, nothing changed."
"It's different now." Rick said in a louder, but still hushed voice. "We give what we give willingly."
"How long's that gonna last?" Daryl asked. "Most of the bridges are out after the big storm. The highway's done. We've scavenged every drop of gas for miles, and we can't make enough corn fuel to run the cars or the trucks. Pretty soon, it's gonna be more than a day's ride from one spot to another." He said
"We'll, it's on us to figure out how to make it work." Rick said, and then it was silent.
"Man, there ain't no us anymore." Daryl then spoke up. "Everyone's everywhere... That small group we had back in the beginning— we could do anything. That was right. That's what I know."
Rick then nodded his head. "You wanna come home to Alexandria then?" Rick asked.
"No." Daryl said.
I've been listening in on their conversation, and this made me open my eyes. They had their backs turned to me, so I watched them unnoticed.
"I'll go back to Hilltop, check on Maggie and the baby." He finished.
"Does Kelley know about this?" Rick then asked.
Daryl bowed his head and sighed. "No..."
"You know things haven't been good between her and the Hilltop." Rick then said, trying to persuade Daryl.
"I know that." Daryl muttered and shook his head. "But she wants to go home, be with the kids. I'm not gonna stop her."
"Don't you?" Rick asked.
"Of course I do." Daryl said and then stood up straight. "What, you think I don't want to be with them and see my kids?"
"Daryl." Rick said and held out his hand, telling Daryl to calm down, who just went back to leaning on the railing. "I'm not saying you don't."
"I just have to wrap up a couple things, and then I'll go back to Alexandria. She'll understand." Daryl said.
Rick just sighed and leaned on the railing next to him. "Well, you go, but someone's gotta take your place. Rosita and Eugene are headed to Oceanside next. Maggie's sending food, but not people, and the Kingdom's got its own problems rebuilding after losing its fighters. If Alexandria sends another person out, I could use the help back home."
It was silent and then Rick huffed. "Huh. We're not together because things have changed."
"Mm-hmm." Daryl muttered. "The thing is, you changed them Rick... But I get it."
Daryl then turned around, and I closed my eyes as he walked over to me. He silently picked up his crossbow, and was about to walk away when he stopped. He sighed as he turned around, stopped in front of me, and I felt him lightly kiss my head as I slept.
"I'm sorry." He told me, but it sounded like he was talking more to himself.
He then walked away and I was left alone in silence until I fell asleep that night.

~~~~~~~~~~

It was the next morning, and we were all getting ready to head out. Carol came up to me and said she'd be taking over the place for Daryl, and I thanked her. She didn't know that Daryl didn't mention anything yet, but I appreciate her being honest with me. Ezekiel and Jerry left for the Kingdom at dawn, and Rick, Michonne, Daryl, and I rode out to the Hilltop in the morning.
At the Hilltop, the birds chirped in the air as we rode through and handed the horses off to the stable hands. I looked around and saw that they were building some type of structure, and it was almost done. They got it up quickly, I just wondered what it was for. Maggie then met us and we saw she had a black eye and a cut across her cheek. She welcomed us in, and even gave me a slight nod, and walked away with Rick to talk. Michonne left to walk around the Hilltop, and it was just me and Daryl now. He sat down on his motorcycle seat and started sharpening his knife when I walked over to him.
I then reached out my hand and started rubbing his shoulder, and he looked up at me.
"Spill it." I then said.
"What?" Daryl asked.
"Oh, come on, Daryl. I'm not stupid, you know?" I said and tilted my head down at him.
"You heard?" He then asked, not trying to hide anything now.
I nodded my head. "Just wish you would've told me earlier." I said.
Daryl just sighed and nodded his head. "I'm not gonna be here long. A couple days, max".
I just sighed, and then moved my hand to caress his cheek. I then patted his cheek and nodded. "Fine. I'm heading back home tomorrow morning. I expect you back two days from then."
"Yes ma'am." Daryl said and smirked at me.
I managed a small smile, and leaned down to kiss him. We spend the rest of the day at the Hilltop, putting in work where we could, and expecting a peaceful night, but that was far from true.

~~~~~~~~~~

Torches were lit and lightened up around the platform the people of the Hilltop finished later in the day. A group of people gathered around and I found myself joining them without Daryl, Rick, or Michonne anywhere to be seen. I then saw Gregory being lead across the yard, and finally saw Maggie standing in front of the platform, and standing in front of all of us.
"I don't want to do this." Maggie sighed. "But people need to understand that at Hilltop, the punishment fits the crime." She said.
I worked my way through the crowd and found Rick and Michonne, and stood next to them. I then saw Daryl standing underneath the platform next to a horse.
"What the hell is going on?" I asked.
"Don't know?" Rick sighed and we continued to watch suspiciously.
Gregory was silently lead up onto the platform, and a rope was then thrown over a beam. It swung around over the top and a loop was made at the bottom, and placed around Gregory's neck. He was then forced to stand on the back of a horse, and Daryl tightened his grip on the reins.
"Holy shit." I though to myself.
Maggie then turned around and looked Gregory who was standing behind her, who's wrists were also tied. "Do you have any final words?" Maggie asked.
"What you're doing isn't right." He whimpered. "Somebody stop this, please."
Everyone was silent as we watched what was about to happen to him, and we knew it was going to happen no matter what anyone said.
"Killing me in the dead of night because you're ashamed." Gregory said, and stared at Maggie.
"You're wrong." She said. "I'm not ashamed."
She then nodded her head at Daryl, who nodded back.
"Stop this!" Gregory begged. "Please!"
Daryl just then let go of the reins and I turned around to look away, but then saw two kids behind me, watching Gregory yell. I couldn't let them see this, it wasn't right. This was wrong.
"Maggie, stop!" I then yelled and turned around.
I tried to run forwards but Rick pulled me back. "No, wait. Don't!" He said.
"Ya!" Daryl said and slapped the horses butt, making it run forwards.
Gregory yelled as he dropped down and gasped for air as his neck cracked. I just turned back around to run to the kids who looked at me terrified, and I pulled them into my embrace and turned them around. They covered their eyes against my body and I stood there shocked as I saw Gregory slowly stop moving, then stop breathing.
"Get the children back to bed." Maggie then said.
I stared at her in horror, and just thought about these poor kids. One of them was crying in my arm, and the parents walked over to me.
"I'm sorry." They said to me as they took their kids away.
"Tell that to them." I said through gritted teeth.
"I made this decision." Maggie then spoke to the rest of us. "But this is not the beginning of something. I don't want to go through it again."
I just looked behind her and saw Gregory's lifeless body swinging from the rope. I wasn't upset or angry at his death, Gregory had it coming, but what triggered me were the kids.
"Cut him down." Maggie then said.
Daryl nodded and turned around, sawing the rope with his knife, and then Gregory's body fell to the ground.

~~~~~~~~~~

I didn't speak to anyone for the rest of the night. To stay away from everyone, I spent my night in the stables. In the morning, I dusted the straw off my clothes and out of my chopped hair, and tacked up my horse right away.
I hopped on and rode to the gates, where I met Daryl for the first time today.
"Heading back early." He said.
"Yeah, I don't wanna be here." I said and fidgeted with the reins.
"Kelley, about Gregory.." Daryl began.
"I don't give a shit about Gregory." I said in a sharp tone. "What I give a shit about is what the kids saw. Nobody that young should've seen that."
Daryl was just silent and shook his head at me. I let go of the reins, and threw my arms up in frustration.
"Kids are going to see bad things in the world. That's just how it is." He said, but I could tell he knew I was right.
"Tell me this? Would you have wanted our kids to see that?" I asked, and Daryl just looked up at me. "Or is that just how it is, too?"
"Kell—" Daryl began to say.
"Save it, Daryl." I said and sighed, then rubbed my forehead, and felt the cuts on my face. "It happened anyways. I just hope those kids are gonna be fine after last night."
"I'm sure they will be." Daryl said, and then walked forwards and held my knee. "You gonna get home safe?"
I just sighed and nodded, then rested my hand on his that was on my knee. "Yeah... I gotta go though. I need to get these cuts cleaned, probably have Rosita give me a better haircut."
"Whatever she does, I'll still like it." Daryl said.
I lightly chuckled and grabbed the reins again. Daryl then patted my knee and sighed.
"I love you." He said quietly.
I just looked back down and nodded at him, without saying it back. "I'll see you soon."
He just sighed because he knew I was a little upset with him, but he backed off anyways and took a step back. He then waved me goodbye and dropped his hand.
"A couple days, Dixon. No more." I said before I trotted off, and I left him at the Hilltop nodding behind me.