Make it Till You Don't

Familiar Faces

It's been about three days since I got separated from Daryl and Beth. After I rested, I wasted no time in finding a bag and packing everything I could, finding a hunting knife before heading out into the woods once more.

Since then, I had been walking aimlessly looking for anything. I eventually came upon some railroad tracks and decided it's the best lead I had to go on, and followed them.

It wasn't long before I came across a sign with a map. Walking over towards it, I saw it outlined several train tracks, leading to a point, meeting together. "Terminus. Sanctuary for all, community for all. Those who arrive survive..." I read out the message, arching a brow. "What load of bullshit is that?"

I sat there for a second longer, staring at the map. "Screw it, it's the best lead I got..." I mumbled, setting my stuff against the train cart, sitting down for a little. Might as well take a break and eat now.

Taking out a food bar, I quickly chowed it down before grabbing my water and taking a sip, closing my eyes for a moment.

"Fizzy cheese?"

I heard a voice and footsteps, causing me to snap my eyes open and grab my knife as I looked in the direction it was coming from. "I'll be damned..." I muttered, feeling my eyes sting as I stood up. "Rick." I laughed, seeing Carl and Michonne with him.

"Oh thank god." Michonne was the first to run up and hug me as I cried, hugging her back.

Pulling away from the hug, I went for Carl next before hugging Rick. "I can't believe you guys are here..." I trailed off, pulling away to look at the three.

"Are any of the others with you?" Rick asked, glancing around.

I frowned and shook my head. "Just me. I escaped with Beth and Daryl but got separated from them." I noticed Rick and Michonne gave me a sad look, realizing I've been out here by myself. "But I did find something that might help." I motioned towards the sign, changing the subject.

As the three looked at it, Michonne turned to Rick. "What do you think?"

He took a moment before replying. "Let's go." He looked at us, unraveling the bandage on his hand before picking his stuff up. "Let's go."

As we began walking, I turned to the three. "Did you guys see anyone else make it out of the prison?"

Each of them shook their heads no. "Where did you end up after getting away?"

I looked down at Carl before replying. "After I got split up from Beth and Daryl, I ran into this cabin and stayed there for a few days and found that sign, decided to take a rest for a little bit." I replied, smiling. "Good thing I did. What about you guys?"

"Carl and I made it out, finding a house to bunker down in when Michonne found us." Rick replied, motioning over to Michonne. "Ran into some guys and took off, coming here."

"Seems you had some excitement." I replied as he told me more about the guys showing up to the house.

———

We came up to a car, looking through it for any food. Rick had caught a rabbit earlier in a snare trap he built and was going to take it back to camp, but we had to take off, bringing us here.

I was lying in the car with Carl as he slept, leaving Rick and Michonne outside to talk. As I saw Rick put out the fire, I adjusted myself in my seat, closing my eyes. I heard a tap on the window, opening my eyes as Carl stirred awake, seeing a guy standing there, smiling as he placed a knife on the window.

I went to reach for my own, hearing a thud against my window, looking to see another guy standing there as well. "Shit..."

"Shit, and I was thinking of turning in for the night on New Year's Eve." I glanced out of the car, seeing a gun pointed at Rick's head as the man laughed. "Now who's gonna count down the ball dropper with me, huh?"

"Ten Mississippi."

"Nine Mississippi."

"Eight Mississippi."

"Joe!" I turned my gaze out my window, trying to see around the guy standing there. "Hold up."

"You're stopping me on eight, Daryl." The man, Joe, spoke up, not sounding happy.

Daryl? I watched someone come around the car, seeing it was indeed Daryl. "Just hold up."

"This is the guy that killed Lou, so we got nothing to talk about." Another guy spoke up.

Joe spoke up again. "The thing about nowadays is we got nothing but time. Say your piece, Daryl."

Daryl motioned to Rick and Michonne. "These people, you're gonna let 'em go. These are good people"

"Now, I think Lou would disagree with you on that." Joe replied. "I'll, of course, have to speak for him and all 'cause your friend here strangled him in a bathroom."

Daryl looked at the Joe. "You want blood, I get it." He set his bow down, holding his arms out. "Take it from me, man. Come on."

"This man killed our friend. You say he's good people." Joe shook his head. "See, now that right there is a lie. It's a lie!"

Three men rushed forward, one hitting Daryl in the stomach with his gun. I shifted forward in my seat, gripping my knife as I watched the men gang up on Daryl. "Teach him, fellas. Teach him all the way."

The doors opened as Carl was dragged out the car. "Carl!" I shouted, reaching out to him, before I felt someone grab hold of me and drug me out. I tried to fight against his grip, attempting to stab the man, but he gripped my wrist hard enough to make me drop the knife to the ground.

"You leave him be!" Rick went to get up, looking towards Carl, but was pulled back down as the other men threw Daryl on the hood of the car, beating him. I struggled in the man's grip as I was drug beside Carl, freezing as knives were placed to our necks. "Listen, it was me. It was just me."

"See, now that's right. That's not some damn lie." Joe replied, whispering to Rick as the man threw Carl to the ground, climbing on him.

"Car-!" I was shut up as a hand went over my mouth as I thrashed even more.

"Let him go." Rick said venomously. "Let him go." Within a second, Rick slammed his head back into the man, causing a gunshot to go off. Rick stood up, turning and punched the man.

Rick got punched to the ground. "I got him. Oh, it's gonna be so much worse now." Joe began kicking Rick. Michonne reached up to the guy, moving his gun away as he fired, knocking her down.

"Come on! Get up!" Joe told Rick. "Come on. Let's see what you got."

Carl was pinned down on his stomach as the man began laughing. "Get away from him before I-"

I reached my foot up, kicking the guy in the back, trying to get him off of Carl. I heard a scream, turning to see Rick taking a chunk out of Joe's neck. I froze for a moment as he dropped to the ground, surprised.

Not wasting a second, Michonne grabbed the gun from the man and shot him as I headbutted the guy holding me, taking the moment of shock to our advantage. She began shooting the other guys as I kicked the guy away from me, turning to the guy that was using Carl as a shield. "I'll kill him. I'll- I'll kill him!"

"Let the boy go." Michonne told him, aiming the gun.

"He's mine." Rick exclaimed, holding a knife and walking towards him.

The man let Carl go as I grabbed hold of him, dragging him away to Michonne as Rick went to finish him off, all of us watching as he snapped. I stepped back a couple steps, making my way over to Daryl as Rick stopped. "Daryl..." I trailed off, tears stinging my eyes.

He glanced over at me in shock before I rushed in to hug him. I felt as he returned the hug, tightening his grip as a hand held my head. "(Y/N), I-"

Knowing he was going to blame himself, I shook my head, stopping him. "I said I'd find you, didn't I?"

———
Published: 11/28/2024