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

S9Pt19 - A New Life

"Westwood Crossing"
That's what we call this place.
It's taken a lot of work to get here, but as everyone came together for the same goal, Westwood quickly became all of our's home.

~~~~~ 1 Year Later ~~~~~

My life has changed drastically since I've left Alexandria to start my new life. Myself and the kids, we've come a long way, and the community of Westwood proves that. With these new friends, a new family... things have been good.
It was clear that I ran the ins and out of what goes on in Westwood. We were a closed community, but if we got the occasional traveller, we would offer out food and supplies to help them along. Since I've welcomed in Martin and his friends, I've closed the front gates of the Crossing, refusing to let in anymore survivors. Still, if anyone every came along that needed help, I'd offer up what I could, and it's never bit me back in the ass. It seems my kindness to the fellow survivors out there kept me away from any issues that could lead to a bigger problem.
As I explained to my people, we all pitch in and we all cash out. That being said, I made it so everything is kept in line. We have a sort of currency here. You sign in on your job for the day, and that results in you receiving your rations for the day. Everyone here has a job that they must work. It's rarely happened, but if someone slips up or falls out of line, I've quickly put them back in check. Despite this community being the first I've ever ran completely by myself, I know that my system works, and I've had no issues since I've perfected it almost a year ago now.
Every change in the season, I made it so we gather around and hold some sort of festival. We have endless foods and drink for everyone, and celebrate the day. It may not seem like much, but having small parties like these to celebrate the little things makes everything seem easier. It made life almost feel like it used to be.
Sam opened up a school for all of the kids to teach them the basic things. After finding her a whole bunch of textbooks from a nearby school, the kids have been learning about math, science, english, and even old world history. I also decided to start a school of my own for the kids, and it included anything I could think of relating to the apocalypse. I taught them about new world history, and how things have come to be. I held lessons for fighting hand to hand combat, along with knife throwing and shooting ranges. I taught the kids how to make fires, and set traps, and check their surroundings. Everything I did was to ultimately make sure that these kids were going to be safe outside these walls.
We've had no incidents here. No fights... No deaths. Everything here is everything that I could've hoped for. The kids were happy, I was happy, and most importantly we were alive... and we were safe, for the first time in a long time. It's been so long out here that I haven't had one thought about where we were before, or who we used to be. Because I, Kelley, leader of Westwood Crossing, have moved on. This place, and these people... They were my new life now.

~~~~~~~~~~

I pulled up the truck with a trailer to the front gates and hopped out onto the road. I saw the group arrive with another truck and trailer and I waved at them to all come over to me. I then grabbed my clipboard and set it down on top of the truck hood, and pulled out a pen to take roll.
"Alright, I got your names here. Call out to me so I can mark you down. Once we get back from this, you're free to grab your rations from David and Parker for the day. You know the drill." I said and then bit off the cap to the pen. "Okay, Monte."
"Here." Montgomery said, and I checked him off.
"Quinn and Finn." I said.
"We're here." They replied, and I marked them off.
"Hans." I said.
"Right here." Hans said and leaned next to me by the truck, and I gave him a quick smile as I marked off his name.
"Trey." I then said.
"Yup." Treyvon said as he checked his rifle's ammo.
I nodded and looked at the remaining people and pointed at them as I said their names. "Forrest, Peaches, Jenn, Gale, Jax."
They all nodded and that signaled we were finally ready to go. I nodded back and walked around the truck to toss the clipboard onto the driver's seat, and now tapped my hand on the door of the truck.
"Alright let's get to it. Now, you all know where we're going, but I'll just remind you now. Today, we're gonna start building the expansion for livestock. We've had crops growing for months now, and it's time for some animals. We do this, we're set. Everything we need will come from inside these walls. Y'all get it?" I asked.
"Yeah." They all said together.
"Then that's it. Let's get this shit started." I said.
I then laughed as I got into the truck and the group split themselves up between vehicles. Doc opened the gates and waved us out as I lead us back to the construction yard.
Once we got to the yard, I figured out that this last expansion would take up the rest of the material here. Out of all the supplies left, we'd have just enough to fence in a small pasture and support it with the concrete walls like we have been. After that, this place would be useless, good thing too because as we took down the last of the cyclone fence that left us vulnerable to the outside.
I grunted as I helped load the last panel of fencing onto one of the trailers, and everyone decided to take a minute to catch their breaths. I rested my hand on my stomach as I took in a deep breath and then shook my prosthetic to relieve some pain that was building up in my arm.
"You wanna sit down while we finish the rest?" Hans asked me.
"Nah, I'm good. I'm alright." I said and waved him off, and he just looked me concerned. "Really."
"Kelley. Come on. If the arm's bugging you, take a minute. We got it." Montgomery then told me.
I just sighed and looked across the yard at the last stacks of concrete slabs we needed, and then shook my head in refusal.
"Kelley, seriously." Hans then said.
I just looked at him and tilted my head, and then let out a heavy sigh. "Fine." I caved in. "Head over there. I'll back up the truck..."
Everyone nodded and some of us began walking over there while Quinn and Jenn stayed back to strap down the cyclone fencing. I began backing up the truck and directed the trailer as close to the pile as I could, and then got out of the truck to watch them.
"That's as close as I can get it." I said and then pointed at the concrete slabs. "This is the last of it anyways. Should be able to take most of it back and get the fence started. We'll have to come back tomorrow to get the rest."
Hans and Montgomery took the top slab of concrete and began loading them onto the trailer. Forrest and Treyvon followed their lead and helped load up the trailer, and so did Finn and Gale.
"To add extra support to the fence, especially since animals are going in there, I'd grab those sandbags over there. Could be useful." Forrest suggested and nodded over to a row of sandbags.
"Good thinking." I nodded and waved at Peaches and Jax. "Let's throw these in the back of the truck."
We then began grabbing the sandbags and started to load them into the truck bed. After filling it to its maximum, twenty bags later, I stopped working to see Finn and Gale lifting up the last slab we were going to take.
"Ugh, my arms are killing me." Finn groaned and his face looked distraught.
"Come on kid, just one more. We got this." Gale said, trying to keep him motivated, but I saw he too was noticeably tired.
Most of us were now moving around to get ready to leave, when we heard the guys start yelling out in a panic.
"Aghhhh, shit!" Finn then cried out.
"Damn it! I need some help over here!" Gale called out.
I instantly stopped what I was doing and ran back towards the guys. Finn was yelling out in pain, and I saw why when I saw several concrete slabs fell down and landed on top of his leg.
"What the fuck happened?" I asked as I ran over to Finn.
"Top of the pile gave way, came down on top of him... Goddamn it, I'm sorry kid!" Gale said, all flustered.
"Just help me get him out." I said and looked down at Finn who was yelling out in pain from any movement. "It's okay, Finn. You're gonna be okay."
"Finn!" Quinn then cried out and ran over to us.
"Kelley!" Jenn then called out loudly. "There's walkers!"
We all instantly snapped our heads up and saw several groups of walkers start flooding the yard.
"Fuck! Get him out!" I yelled.
Montgomery and Hans instantly started helping to move the concrete rubble from Finn's legs, and I heard the snarls of the walkers getting louder.
"Just go!" Finn cried in agony. "Get the stuff and go!"
"We're not leaving you!" I yelled over the sound of gunshots and yelling.
"He's almost free!" Montgomery yelled out.
Quinn held her brother's hand as I finishing pulling the concrete away from Finn. My hand moved as quickly as I could manage and Hans removed the last large slab of concrete. Finn instantly took in a deep relieving breath and Quinn pulled him away from the rumble.
"Get him up! Get him up!" I yelled and helped the guys pull him up. "In the truck, go!"
Everyone moved in a blur as we rushed Finn into the backseat of the truck, and I ran around the front to see that more walkers were still coming in. To clear a path to drive out of here, I began running forwards and slashing down walkers in my way.
"Jenn! Jax! Get in the truck!" I yelled out.
They stopped fighting and saw me killing the walkers, and hesitantly backed off to get in the vehicles. Everyone started retreating and I heard the hums of the truck engines. Walkers began surrounding me, and Montgomery began frantically honking the horn.
"Kelley, come on!" He yelled out.
"Go!" I ordered and waved my hand forwards. "Go! Go!"
Montgomery slammed his hands down on the wheel before stepping on the gas pedal and driving forwards. I began running at full speed and chopped down the walkers left and right, and watched as the truck got closer to my left side. I managed to clear a narrow path between all the dead, and as the truck was about to drive past me I swiftly reached out and jump onto the truck. I held onto the rack with one hand and balanced on the step bar as the truck continued to speed out of the construction yard. My hair whipped around in the wind as I caught my breath and looked behind me. I saw Treyvon was driving the other truck behind us, and very quickly we left the walkers in the dust.
Once we were sure we were safe and not followed by any of the dead, Montgomery stopped the truck. I hopped off the step bar and walked a few steps into the road to stretch my legs. I then quickly turned around because I needed to make sure my whole group was here.
"Is everyone alright?" I called out and began walking over to them. "Everyone make it out?"
"Yeah." Jenn said and was still panting heavily from the adrenaline.
"Yeah, I think so." Peaches said and helped me account for everyone.
When I made sure that everyone was safe, I quickly walked over to the truck Finn was in. I opened the door and saw him slumped over in the backseat.
"Jesus, Finn... Hey, Finn, look at me." I said softly and grabbed his face.
"Ugh, I'm okay." He said.
"I know you are. I know... Let me have a look." I said.
I noticed he was holding his side and gently lifted up his shirt to see his side was bruised. I then looked down at his legs where his pants were cut up.
"Finn, can you move your feet for me?" I asked him.
He was quiet as he concentrated, and with a great deal of pain he was able to move them for me. I sighed with relief, along with everyone watching, and I gently pulled his head in for a hug.
"You're gonna be okay Finn. We're gonna get you home, and Kiara's gonna fix you up, alright?" I told him.
He nodded and Hans showed up with a bottle of water for him. "Drink a little. You need it." He said, and Finn did.
I then patted Finn's shoulder and turned around to walk away when Finn reached out and grabbed my arm. "Kelley... Thank you."
I turned around to face him and rested my hand on top of his.
"Thank you for not leaving me." He finished his sentence before taking in a deep, wheezing, breath.
"You don't have to thank me. It's what we do... We take care of each other... All of us." I said.
I then patted his hand, and quickly glanced up to nod at Quinn before I stepped away from the truck. I then found myself joining in on a conversation between Trey, Jax, and Peaches by the other truck.
"Holy shit, that was crazy." Treyvon said and wiped his forehead with his hands. "That was close man."
"Too close." Jax added and nodded his head.
"We almost... God, since I've been here we haven't had any accidents. That could've been..." Peaches said and sadly shook her head.
"Hey, hey." I interrupted them and slightly put my hand up, and gently rested it on her shoulder. "I know that couldn't went from bad to worse real quick, but we're all here. All alive... Nobody's gone." I said.
"Yeah, that's right." Jax said and nodded.
"Yeah." Peaches agreed and glanced over at me.
"Luckily, Finn's alive and he's gonna be fine. But, you guys kept your cool under pressure. Did what you had to do, and we all made it out together. That's something to be proud of." I told her and then looked at the rest of them.
"We learned from the best." Treyvon said and nodded at me.
I just smiled and nodded at him, before pulling Peaches in for a side hug. She slightly smiled and hugged me back and then I let her go. I then waved my arm in a circle above my head and whistled, rounding everyone up.
"Alright, let's hurry home. We need to get Finn to Kiara quickly."
"Damn right." Montgomery agreed and got into the drivers seat of the truck.
The group quickly split up again into the two vehicles and Montgomery began leading us back home. Even though today resulted in an accident and we nearly lost one of our own, I still had high hopes for us. Sure, Finn was still hurt and would need time to heal, but that was better than him or anyone being dead.
"If I were to lose one of my people, especially to something I told them to do... Man, I already dread that day if it would ever come." I thought to myself.
Thankfully, luck was on all of our side's today.