The End of a New Beginning // Daryl Dixon

Part 88

Meredith

The bridge sight was completely destroyed. All the Saviors made their attack and took out a bunch of our people, with our people taking them out.

Rosita and I made it out alive okay, running into a few others like Carol, Jerry and more. As we pushed our way to an escape, I rush out into the road. Daryl pulls back on the break and slides across the ground.

"Where's Rick?" I question.

"He's off taking the herd elsewhere. We gotta help him." He claims.

"How the hell are we gonna do that? We don't know where he might be?" Carol asks. I turn our heads and see two horses riding towards in the distance. It's Maggie and Michonne.

"Where's Rick?" Michonne asks.

"He's off guiding a herd elsewhere." Daryl explains.

"We gotta go help him." Carol adds.

"Why are we standing around here for? Let's go." Michonne frowns. A sound of growls begins filling our ears. We all turn back and knew the walkers were coming from the camp.

"He's leading them towards the bridge." Maggie calls.

"We work our way around the herd, find Rick and help him." Daryl calls. Everyone picks up their feet and begins rushing off through the woods.

We easily find an opening and caught sight of the bridge. We all stopped in our tracks and see Rick on one end of the bridge, the large herd following close after him. I noticed a walker growing closer and closer to Rick. I load an arrow, raise my bow and aimed it at the walker. Finally, I release the arrow and it hits the walker without a problem. Rick seemed to jump at the sudden death and he turns his head, seeing all of us coming for his help. There, we could see Rick holding onto the side of his stomach, blood covering his body.

Another walker grows closer and I took it out.

"What's he doing?!" Maggie questions.

"He's hurt!" Michonne calls.

"That herd that went right through Hilltop. He's trying to bring down the bridge." Daryl says.

"No." Michonne turns away and rushes off.

"We turn them around. Fight 'em back." Maggie demands and runs off.

"Fire your guns. Try to divert them." Carol orders. Rick sees everyone rushes off to help him. He begins shaking his head and waving his hand. I turn my head to Daryl.

All the gunshots in the distance fill our ears. We waited and watched for the walkers to turn around and head off towards the sounds, but not a single one does. It wasn't til Rick had turned his head, raised his gun up in the air and aimed at it. I lift my foot up and began walking towards him. Suddenly...a large fireball engulfs in the air and the force of the explosion lightly pushes me back. I watched in horror as the bridge fills with smoke and fire, along with it crumbling into pieces and falling into the rushing water. I lower my hand down from the blast and look where Rick was last standing, but he wasn't there anymore. All the walkers continued to walk over the bridge, falling into the rushes river below. I turn over my shoulder and see Daryl silently crying, turns away from the bridge and walks off, dragging his crossbow behind him.

In the distance, I could hear Michonne screaming and crying. She begged to be let go to go after Rick and bring him back herself. I will never forget the noise she made.

Two Months Later

I tread through the woods, pushing down low branches out of my face and scanning every direction. It's been two months since the bridge has been gone. A lot has changed. A lot. Michonne is now the leader of Alexandria, Maggie remains the leader of Hilltop. But Michonne has closed her gates for everything. Meaning no trades, no new people coming within the walls, nothing with the other communities. Everything's different. Nothing's the same. Last I heard, she's pregnant with her and Rick's child. She found out a few weeks after he went missing. There isn't a body to be found. Nothing of Rick's belongings has washed up on the banks, there's just nothing to be found of his.