RIDE OR DIE | DARYL DIXON

stares and squares

"WE'LL TAKE 23."

"That's a bad idea. We've cleared Route 16, it'll be faster." Aaron was quick to respond.

When the five returned from scoping out where Aaron had said they ditched their vehicles, they shared with them that he had told the truth. There was an RV and a station wagon right where he said, and they brought the two vehicles back as proof. Rick was still iffy about going to the community, but everyone else thought they should give it a chance, so Rick finally agreed, only on his own terms though. Aaron continued to suggest that they head north on Route 16, but Rick thought it would be safer for them to take an alternate route in case Aaron had people waiting for them elsewhere.

"We leave at sundown." Rick said as he folded up the map.

"We're doing this at night?" Sasha was a bit skeptical.

"Look, I know it's dangerous. But it's better than riding up to the gates during the day. If it isn't safe, we need to get gone before they know we're there."

"No one is going to hurt you." Aaron kept trying to convey his point. "You're trying to protect your group, but you're putting them in danger."

"Tell me where the camp is, we'll leave right now." Rick gave him an ultimatum but Aaron shook his head. "It's gonna be a long night. Eat. Get some rest if you can."

Needless to say, none of them rested with how nervous they were to get back on the road and visit the community. They knew it could either go two ways; they'll be welcomed in and will be safe, or they fight like hell to get out of there and end up with nothing again. They were all thinking more towards the latter, but they wouldn't know for sure if they didn't give it a chance.

Rick, Glenn and Michonne rode in the station wagon with Aaron while the others rode behind them in the RV. Abraham insisted on driving, and no one complained. They sat throughout the RV, looking around the interior of it. It was incredibly clean and well stocked with food and drinks. 

"You think they'll miss this?" Willow held a can of peaches in her hand before grabbing one of the can openers from a small drawer in the RV.

"Think they'd rather have a missin' can of peaches than a starvin' baby." Daryl responded, taking a peach from the can once she opened it. 

She sat Sienna up in her lap and handed the can to her while she began to eat them. "If he's being honest about this community, I can only imagine how much they have there. I mean, this RV alone has more food than we've had in weeks."

"Those pictures he brought... they have homes. Real homes, not some run down shacks." Sasha said from across the RV. "I'm ready for that again."

"Whoa-" Abraham said from up front. "Hold onto your lady and gentleman parts."

They didn't question it. They all held onto anything they could while he drove, at first it was just a few bumps here and there, but the further they went the more he swerved and slammed on brakes with more intense bumps and hits. 

"What the hell?" Daryl hoisted himself up onto one of the seats and looked out the window for a moment before he moved up to the front with Abraham.

"What's going on?" Carol held tightly onto her seat.

"We're mowing through a damn herd." Abraham responded with another jerk of the wheel.

"This thing ain't gonna be able to take more hits. Pull off here." Daryl pointed ahead of them at a road that branched off from the one they had been traveling on.

"What about the others?" Maggie was already panicking for her husband in the vehicle that they broke away from. "They're stuck in the middle of that, we have to go back."