Survival Guide: To Surviving the Living Dead 101

Rule #35

Just Because You're Behind Walls Doesn't Mean You're Safe

This rules name is a little long but it needs to be said. Just because you are behind walls does not mean you are safe. From what I have seen just walking around Alexandria people act like there aren't dead people walking around. They have been here since the beginning when the army was trying to set up a safe place for people. Deanne's husband was an architect and designed the walls that went around the small community. Deanne was some kind of politician. I don't know, I wasn't really listening.

The was a doctor here and let me tell you I got fucking bad vibes from him. His wife had come over and brought some stuff for Judith and mentioned she had a son Carl's age. It was kind of weird seeing kids running around. I mean we had kids at the prison but it was rare seeing them. They were the first to go if they weren't protected. She had also cut Rick's hair. He had shaved the night before after his shower. It was almost like the old Rick was back. Almost. He looked like the old Rick but wasn't the old Rick.

There was supposed to be some kind of welcome party tonight. I really did not want to go. Deanne's eldest son, Spencer, would not leave me the fuck alone. He was everywhere. I was just walking around the community after helping one of the older residents. I wanted to make my way back to the house. I wanted to go outside the walls. I was just about there when Spencer yelled my name and came jogging towards me. "Hey! I've been looking for you," he said. I raised my eyebrows at him and fought the urge to roll my eyes.

"I want to ask if you decided on going to the party tonight. Maybe, I could come pick you up," he said. I kept walking because I didn't want to stop and give him some kind of hope. "Oh, umm… I don't know. Probably not. Not much of a party person," I said. He grabbed my wrist causing me to come to a stop. I looked down at the hand wrapped around my wrist and looked back up. "Come on, please. I want to get to know you," he said, smirking.

I pulled my arm away from him and crossed them over my chest. His eyes liked to linger there. "Not much to tell. I was a cop before the world went to hell. And no I do not have any crazy stories to tell you. I am also not available." I walked away after that. I could feel his eyes on me as I did and it gave me the fucking creeps.

When I got closer to the house I could see Daryl sitting on the steps smoking. He must have seen how uncomfortable I was because he stood up right away. He walked down the steps and onto the road. "You okay?" He asked, looking behind me. When I got to him I turned and saw Spencer had been following me but stopped when he saw Daryl. "Dude is a fucking creep," I said. Spencer just stood there and watched us. So me being me I walked closer to Daryl and wrapped my arms around his bicep. Surprisingly Daryl didn't stiffen under my touch. Spencer turned around and walked away.

Later that night I was standing in the bedroom I had claimed as my own. I had found a black body con dress in the closet. It came to about mid thigh and had thin straps. I had argued with Rick about not wanting to go to this stupid party but in the end he won. "You need to show up even if it's just for an hour." So now here I was looking at myself in the mirror. I haven't worn a dress in a very long time, and never liked them. I even put on heels which I was already starting to regret. I let my hair down for once.

I walked over to the closest to try to find a shawl or cardigan to wear with the address. If I had to be at this party I didn't want to give Spencer more excuses to hit on me. I am already positive he would be racking his eyes all over me. Everyone else had already left for the party like twenty minutes ago. Well, all of them except for Daryl. I looked at myself one more time before grabbing the little cardigan I had found, thank God. I walked down the steps and out the door. The whole time I was praying I didn't trip and break my damn ankle in these heels.

I stopped when Deanne's house came into view. I could hear music and chatter coming from inside the house. It's like my feet were frozen to the ground. I couldn't move forward. Didn't want to move forward. "Ya look ridiculous." I spun around to see Daryl walking towards me, cigarette between his lips. "Oh, I see you found the shower and clean clothes. Look at you stepping up in the world." He rolled his eyes and put the cigarette out. Then he looked back at me, eyes looking me up and down. It did something to me.

I started to feel self conscious. "I know. I look ridiculous. So fucking unpredictable to be wearing a dress and heels. Rick took my knife from me so I would strap it to my thigh." Daryl snorted at that. "Ya don't…don't look ridiculous. Ya look…nice." He said quietly. I smiled, "thank you. You don't look too bad yourself, Dixon." A door opened and then my name was being called. "Yn, you made it!" I let out a heavy sigh and closed my eyes. When I looked up Spencer was coming towards us. "Wow. You look amazing."

I pulled on the bottom of the dress while he racked his shimmy eyes over my body. His tongue poking out to lick his lips. "How about we get inside and I can introduce you to everyone." I felt the warmth of Daryl’s body stepping up behind me, one hand hesitantly rested on my hip. "We were just goin' home," he said. I could see Spencer's hands ball into fist as he looked behind me to Daryl. "Daryl, right?" Daryl didn't say anything, just remained close to me. "I didn't know you two were a thing," Spencer said. "Well, know ya know. So piss off," Daryl told him.

Spencer clenched his jaw, spun on his heels and stormed back inside. I looked behind me up at Daryl. "He's such a fuckign creep," I said. "He bothers ya again, come find me." I nodded and turned to face him. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and he cleared his throat. "So you come here often?" I asked, smirking. He snorted, rolled his eyes but brought his hands to my hips. "Daryl. Yn." We looked over to see Aaron standing in the doorway of the house we were standing in front of. "Would you two like to join me and Eric for dinner? We have plenty."