What's Next

Chapter Forty Four 🦋

Val's POV:

As now planned, we have gone back looking for the three strangers. It's what was right. I had my crossbow back, just like Daryl had his. He continued to track them, carrying their bag. Keeping his crossbow ready. "Drop the gun. Drop it." Daryl demanded, and I took note of the startled looks that appeared on all of their faces. The unknown man, getting up immediately aiming his gun at us. "Drop the damn gun." I seethed, keeping my aim on him just like Daryl.

Daryl stepped closer, as the stranger lowered his weapon. "Give it to me." He instructed, reaching his hand out to take the gun. Being given it straightaway. "I came all this way. What ye got for the duffel?" Daryl questioned. I looked between him and the strangers continuously without breaking my aim. "Ye put me and my pregnant fiancé through too much shit just to give it back."

"Principle of the thing. What ye got besides this gun?" Daryl continued to press.

"Nothing." The brunette woman stated. "What's that thing ye were carving?" The man pulled out some carving from his pocket. "My grandfather taught me how-" The man began.

"Don't care." Daryl stated interrupting him. "it'll do." He said taking the carving.

"Take it." Daryl states, throwing the duffel in front of them. "It's all there." I added on. We turned around, starting to walk away. "good luck." I said.

"Yer gonna need it." Daryl continued, coming up beside me to grab my hand. Only we were interrupted after hearing something in the distance. So immediately Daryl held tightly on my hand pulling me behind a tree with him to hide from the new sound of danger. Seeing trees being driven over, hearing the brakes on the machine squeal. 'what now?' I thought to myself out of annoyance. There was always something. Always had to be one thing or another.

The vehicle stops. Door opening and then closing. I could see three different pairs of feet make their way around. "Let's end this." An unknown voice calls.

"its ours. We earned what we took." I hear the brunette woman reply back. Clearly they knew each other. "You're gonna return what you took. You're gonna pay for the gas it took to come out here and for all the time these men took out." The unknown voice answers back. I noticed Daryl looking back and forth. He was high alert. Scouting for what to do next. "its over. You know the rules."

"your rules are batshit!" She yells back. I could hear the fear and frustration she had mixed in her words. Taking note of the hints of rage I could in between. "We're not going back, Wade. We're done kneeling!" The man adds on, yelling out as well.

"don't change the subject, asshole." The unknown voice which apparently was owned to someone named Wade said so nonchalantly. It was followed by a whistle, then sound of an engine revving and trees snapping. Daryl kept me close to him with every movement he made. I could hear him begin to stress out once again as well looked more around us. Noticing how we were beginning to become surrounded by people who weren't even here for us but the strangers who had strung us along this entire time. "Baby, breathe." I whispered in his ear, as calmly and soothing as I could. For the first time in a while I was starting to see him begin to panic and right now he couldn't have picked the worst time to.

We started to leave just as the three strangers were to, it was only right that we'd help them. Show them that we were the good guys all along. "Hey, that way." Daryl directed, nodding in the opposite direction than where they were about to run. He had his hand on my back, lightly pushing me ahead of him, making sure that I was in his eyesight. I helped Tina as we all ran, not willing to let the poor girl have to fend for herself.

We got to a more tree covered spot but still one where we could watch through the gaps of the branches we hid behind. I carefully crouched down helping the young down as well. I kept trying to catch my breath that I had lost so easily just now. Panicking slightly, from how caught up Daryl and I now were in these strangers problem. "Hey, take it." I hear Daryl mutter, handing back the gun we had just taken. The man took it and turned back to watch.

I could hear someone talking in the distance coming through what sounded to be a walkie. I looked back at Daryl, completely freaked out. Noticing him keeping his eyes trained on the new enemies. I followed his line of sight, seeing a walker trapped behind what looked to be a boulder. I looked back to Daryl, making eye contact immediately. Hearing as one of the unknown men began to near around the area we were in. Daryl gave me a quick nod, as a signal to alert the man of our presence in hopes in fall into our newfound walker trap.

I reached over to rustle the branches with leaves left on them to make some sound, pulling my hand back immediately after. Watching as the man began to venture closer our way, getting grabbed and bitten on the arm by the trapped walker. "wade, im bit! Wade im bit!" He cried out, as another man came running over to him. Watching the other man wrap something around the top of the bitten arm, getting ready to cut it off. Hearing the screams and cries as the arm was cut off. I noticed the man we were with, wince and look away. Not wanting to watch it unfold. Only looking back after it was done.

I heard the man named wade, radio into someone calling off the search. After watching the two men walk off, I turned my attention to the two women, seeing the brunette give Tina the insulin she most definitely needed. "We thought you were with them." The man sighed, looking between Daryl and I. "I tried to tell you, but you didn't wanna listen to me you asshole." I scolded, giving him a dirty look..

"We knock you over the head, tie you up, threaten to kill you... why the hell did you come back?" he had a point, only we were the kind of people that could separate right from wrong better than what these strangers could. "Maybe, I'm stupid too." Daryl huffed.

"Maybe, we both are." I added softly, looking up at Daryl.

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