Eternally Yours || Daryl Dixon

|8|

The air around them was eerily still as each person in the group eyed the giant wall. The tension building among them was so thick that it was almost suffocating. Beyond the wall, the faint clamor of people echoed, making Lucy arch an eyebrow. People should be well on their way home by now. Unless Phillip got lax on the rules, but that was highly doubtful. He ran Woodbury with an iron fist. Behind the group, the woman who came with Lucy started creeping away, only one thing on her mind as she disappeared into the night's darkness to search for a way in.

Sharp whispers from the leader, Rick, made Lucy feel anxious as she glanced up at the guarded wall, trying to determine who the three sentries were. Despite the darkness, she made the faces out, determining that it was Gary, Marcus, and Lucinda – easily three of the laziest guards that Lucy had worked with before. Sneaking in should be no problem.

"Ain't in no way we're gonna check in all them buildings, not with all them guards there," Daryl muttered as he loaded his rifle. Did they forget that they have someone who knows this place's ins and outs? Or is the sheer size of the town making them shit their pants? Lucy rolled her eyes and started creeping away from the group, finally determining that the woman was going the right way. Off to the side, a door led into one of the storage rooms. It was a place where the community stored unnecessary stuff but most importantly, it was a place where Philip liked to interrogate people. He always said it was less intimidating than holding them in one of the specially designed interrogation rooms, especially if the person was one that he thought would do well around the town.

"Where do you think you're going?" A sharp voice snapped behind Lucy, making her turn her head.

"There's a way in this way," Lucy whispered, "It's usually locked, but give me a minute or two, and I'll have it open,"

"No need," The woman reemerged, a finger held up to her lips to signal the rest of the group to be quiet, "They left the door unlocked."

Now that's just sloppy, Lucy thought. No matter how tight Philip tried to run the place, there would always be holes as long as people like Gary, Marcus, and Lucinda were allowed to be the security of the place. Lucy led the group within the darkness, keeping low and quiet as she effortlessly maneuvered through the familiar room.

"What is this place?" Rick whispered, his question targeted toward the two women.

"This is where I was interrogated," The woman answered, her voice incredibly low.

"Any idea on where they might be?" Rick asked, this time directing his question to Lucy. She couldn't bite back the sigh that escaped her as she nodded her head. How many times had Lucy stood outside that worn-down building waiting for Merle? How many times did she wish that things could be different? Of course, she knew where their people would be, and she would take them there, but she wasn't happy about it.

"I thought you said there would be a curfew," Daryl snapped as he let the curtain fall back into place. Lucy could feel his steely blue gaze burn into her body as he glared at the two women.

"The streets are packed during the day," The woman explained, "Those are stragglers," The aggressiveness in her tone matched Daryl's perfectly. Unless there's a fight tonight, Lucy added but kept it to herself. If there were a fight, then that would mean this whole rescue mission would practically be in and out. In and out, then Lucy could live the rest of her short life in relative peace. The group tapered off to speak amongst one another, leaving Lucy and her unlikely companion alone.

"Once we go out there," Lucy whispered, her voice barely audible, "I'll lead them, and you end all of this."

"Why are you doing this?" The woman asked, skepticism riddling her voice, "Aren't you his right hand?"