S u r v i v o r s [ Daryl Dixon ]

Chapter 54

As I expected, Negan left me alone again for another three days. He didn't come to me, he didn't visit me, he didn't disturb my thoughts. And I... I looked out the window and listened to Tom talking to the other Saviors behind the door. That's how I knew Daryl was "working" with the zombies that were protecting the area. I knew that Sherry's last pregnancy test had been negative, and that it was true when Negan had told me that rape was strictly forbidden. 

My leg was healing, walking wasn't constantly painful, but sometimes it hurt when I moved too quickly. But I knew that in a few more days I would be able to come up with a plan. Any plan. I couldn't stay here and wait for Negan to get irritated and either kill me or hurt someone else in front of me while he waited for my answer. 

Every now and then I thought back to Alexandria and remembered the faces of others. Carl, Rick, Rosita... And through it all I was worried, but part of me was also glad that I hadn't seen Carol then. I didn't want Negan to have any contact with her because I didn't know what Carol would do. She has already proven many times how cunning and ruthless she can be, and I was afraid of what she might do this time. And the fact that Maggie was alive... I was grateful that Gabriel had taken the risk and told me the truth then. If it weren't for that, I wasn't even sure if I would still be alive. I wasn't convinced about this.

Tom was leading me from my morning bath, and when he opened the door to my room, I saw that someone was waiting for me. Tom immediately fell to one knee, seeing that it was Negan, and I hesitantly nodded at him and went inside. Negan didn't seem to notice me, he was playing with the camera in his hands, a satisfied smile on his face. I sat down on the bed while he was looking for something. I even saw what exactly.

"Got it" he finally said and looked at me with sparkling eyes. And then, after a second, I heard my voice.

"I was a policewoman, two years ago, before this madness broke out, I was promoted to detective after a successful operation during which I caught a large drug lord undercover. Then I thought that I would finally stop taking risks, more peaceful changes would start, I wouldn't think every day, that Glenn would be left alone if something went wrong."

I felt a lump in my throat because this wasn't how I imagined it. My worst-case scenario was my death, not his. His lonely life without family, not mine.

I tightened my grip on the covers, but quickly relaxed them, knowing that Negan was watching me closely.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

"And do you see a chance now? Here?"

It was Deanne's voice. I remembered her look of faith when she looked at me then. She was a good person. She wanted to give us what was lost to us. I was secretly glad that she didn't make it to the point where some psychopath was destroying everything that was just a house of cards.

I heard my own laughter.

"You know, just a few weeks ago I was laughing to Michonne that maybe there was a place waiting for us with a comfortable mattress and a stove where we could cook something nice." I laughed again. "And now we have ended up here. It seems to me like fate, because... I dreamed about it. Secretly, without telling anyone, I wanted a place where my brother would be safe and would be able to start a family. Maybe they would have a child. A beautiful boy but an even more beautiful daughter. Rick will raise Judith. Carl will regain some of his lost childhood. Carol will be able to bake her own cookie. So yes, I see hope..."

"You're talking about others.... And what do you want for yourself?"

There was a moment of silence. I remembered how surprised I was by this question because I couldn't quite find the answer. I had to think about it for a day.