EPISODE FOUR "the day my luck has run out" SEASON 7
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DARYL DIXON
i flick ashes off my cigarette, sighing out the smoke from my lungs. i've kept busy since this morning; trying to ignore the thoughts in my head and focus on what needs to be done today.
carol enters my presence, taking the seat beside me, "this is nice, isn't it?"
"what is?" i ask.
"you staying up here at hilltop for a bit. we get to spend some time together." she smiles.
"yeah, could've spent time together at alexandria if you didn't leave."
"i wanted to be here." she says, her smile turning into a frown. "there's kids here with no families. you just brought in another one."
"daryl!" tara rushes up on us, out of breath. "there's something coming. we need you."
the look on her face has me tossing the cig and running—carol and i behind her. the dock over the front gate is occupied by jesus, rosita, and maggie; eyes facing front at whatever is coming.
"what is it—"
"henry, no!" carol grabs the boy from getting a peak out the wooden slats.
"stay here." i demand.
tara and i climb the ladder, and a pair of binoculars is handed off to me. through the magnified lenses i can see past the cornfields on the other side of hilltop's secure walls where a large group of walkers march up the dirt path. their gray faces don't match their human bodies, and that's noticeable right away.
"is that them?" maggie asks.
"looks like it." tara mutters.
"it is." i say as one in particular sticks out to me. she walks ahead of everyone else with an intimidating stare and a gold belt around her waist. she stops right outside of the outer fences, the others behind her doing the same.
"well aren't ya gonna welcome me?" she asks, a smug look on her dirt-covered face. the emptiness in her eyes is visible from here. "i had my people follow you, watch from a distance overnight. i'm alpha, and we only want one thing—my daughter. i know you have her."
"you should turn around." i suggest. "leave now, no one gets hurt."
"i show you my face because we mean you no harm! i just want my daughter."
"your people came after ours before we even crossed paths with your daughter." i call out her lies, a crease forming between my eyebrows.
"your people crossed into our land and stole from my herd." what she says is news to me, so i deem her as crazy. "however, there will be no conflict. your people killed our people; there will be no conflict. i'm done talkin', bring me my daughter, or there will be conflict."
