Struggling to Connect: The 6th Book

Chapter 10: Roads less Traveled

The next few months I work along side Siddiq to learn whatever I can from him that I don't know. We decide I'd go and rotate between the communities, teaching what I learn from him to the doctor or nurses in training there, with their people. Negan told me to fight for my happiness, so I'm going to try. When I was out scouting with Aaron I was always hoping to run into Daryl. I knew going back out on runs or scouting trips wouldn't bring me any peace. This new plan has me busy and involved, with little time for distractions of the heart. A few years go by and my heart has slowly mended. The pain for what I had with Daryl still lingers, but I accept our time together has passed and vow to do what I need to in order to be happy. One afternoon at the kingdom goes by uneventfully as I'm teaching the young girl how to check someone's blood pressure when Carol comes in to tell me something, "I'm going to the hilltop with Henry, would you like to up your rotation a week early?"

I mull over her suggestion and nod to agree, "yea, that's fine. Dina here knows what she's doing. The doctor can keep her up to date till I come back in a couple months."

"Wonderful. Meet us out front in 2 hours." She directs before turning to leave.

I finish with Dina shortly after and make my way to my room to pack up and go. When I get to the gates, the king is there and saying goodbye to his family. To Carol and Henry.  I hear Henry say to them, "I'll be back before the fair starts, all right"

Carol confirms, "wouldn't miss it.

The king holds his sons shoulders, "as my father said to me once upon my departure from home, you be respectful, be responsible, be kind, and be safe. "

Henry smiles before they hug, "I will, Dad. I promise."

Ezekiel turns to Carol and I, "I'd still feel better if Jerry or I came with you guys."

"You need to tend to things here." Carol assured him, fixing his coat.

I add on, "this fair is important. If we could bring the communities back together as full partners, it would..."

"It would change everything." Ezekiel finishes my thought. Something else I've been working on for these past 3 years is getting the communities back together. Most people stay within their own communities wall. Only myself and a handful of others are welcome to all. It's been a battle to get everyone to agree to come together, but this finally seems like the year it's going to happen.

The three of us pile into the wagon and the horses take off. After traveling for sometime, Carol doesn't inform Henry to turn off where we usually do to get to the hilltop. I don't say anything, knowing she's wanting to go off and do something first but I keep myself very aware of my surroundings. A few miles later, Henry asks, "are you sure this is right? Wasn't the turn off to Hilltop a few miles back?"

"We're not going to Hilltop." Carol replies keeping her eyes ahead, "not yet."

Henry and I eye each other with conduction but it's interrupted by a woman yelling for help. We quickly halt the horses as she continues to tell out for help. Henry jumps off the wagon and runs to the cries.

Carol and I try to stop him, but he insists and continues to run off. Carol and I aren't too far behind but by the time we round the corner with our bows drawn, Henry is already ambushed, his weapon down and out numbered, "drop it." Carol tries to insist, but the sound of a door opening behind us gets our attention and we turn.

He starts off, "now, see, I was never too good at math, but I'm pretty sure there's more of us than you." He comes out of the building and we then can see, it's Jed from the sanctuary. He smirks with a toothpick in his house at Carol, "hey there, bosslady." Saluting her and everyone moving in to make us move where they to take us.

They take us back to our wagon, taking our weapons first and start to rummage through what we have. The women who pretended to be attacked laughs out, for what it's worth, kid, you didn't stand a chance. We had you pegged a mile down the road. "

Jed, from the sanctuary whistles towards the horse after peaking to see what he got and tells us, "So... sorry for the inconvenience. See, this really ain't my bag, but times have been tough ever since Sanctuary went bust." Some of the men come by with walkers roped together and hoods on their head. He gestures around himself, "this is all we have in the world.

"We used to have more horses, but" he scoffs, "we got hungry."

I suggest "could've joined one of the other communities."

He chuckles, "that ain't really my bag, either." Everyone with him laughs, "listen. You spared me back in the day, so I'm gonna offer you the same courtesy." He looks directly to Carol when talking, "keep your wagon, your horses, your lives." He then grabs Henry's weapon and tosses it back on the ground, "shit, you can keep your damn stick. Cause what do I need with a stick? Everything else is ours, and that'll make us square."

"Fine." Carol agrees, "take it and go."

Jud pauses to look us over one more time. After a moment he comments, "think I'll have that rock on your hand, too. And the one around your neck." He gestures to my old wedding band I put on a chain a few years back.

I go to take it off, not willing to fight over it when Henry moves quick to grab his stick, "Henry, don't!" Carol yells to him. He takes down Jud for a second but it's not long after that Henry is on the ground defeated with Jud above him ready to strike. Carol steps between them and growls to Jud, "take it. Take it." He takes the ring off and thrusts it over to him, "take it! It's yours!"

He turns to me and I hand him the necklace, still in my hand after I took it off before the small fight. He smiles between us both, "pleasure doin' business with ya." But before he walks off, he adds on, "I meant to tell ya, I really like what you done with your hair." He grabs a piece of carols long grey hair with a smug smile. She pushes him away and the group start to head off.

That night when we're getting ready to rest, I'm still a bit uneasy. I tell Carol I'd take first watch so her and Henry can get some rest. As I'm tending to the horses, I over hear their conversation, "I don't get it. You didn't even try." Henry tells his mother, defeat in his voice.

"There's no point." Carol says abjectly.

"That's bullshit." He argues back. She says his name with some infliction but he goes on, "no, there's right, and there's wrong. You stand up for what's right, and you fight what's wrong. You taught me that." He pauses for a moment before adding on, "and I remember when you did. What happened?"

"You." She simply says, "some day, you'll understand." I wander off for a little but stay close by. When Carol switches with me, I fall asleep easily. Only, I'm not asleep long when the tinge of smoke catches my nose waking me up.

I go to look outside to see what it is and notice Carol is gone. By the time she returns an hour or so later, I ask her, "what's that about?"

"Nothing important. Here." She tosses me my ring on the necklace. I peak at her hand and see her ring returned as well.

She goes to head back into the wagon when I ask, "you took care of it, right?"

She doesn't even turn when she answers, "yes."