Surviving. (Book Two.)

Chapter Five.

It took us a while but we managed to secure the tunnel so that if anything tried to get it, we'd hear it before it got too close. 

We had cleared the bodies off to the side, away from where we had lit the fire and we were all finally allowing ourselves to get some much needed rest. 

I watched as Maggie and Glenn huddled up away from the rest of us, conversing quietly and I couldn't help but feel a slight twinge in my heart. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that they were together again but I couldn't help but wish that it was me and Daryl. 

I decided to move to the entrance of the tunnel, telling everyone that I'd take the first watch so they could get some sleep. 

Remembering that I still had the small bundle of photographs shoved into my pocket, I took a seat in the car we had parked and pulled them out. There was one of Rick, Carl and Judith, Carl and Sophia, Beth, Maggie and Hershel and then I came across the one I had taken of Daryl. Sure, his eyes were closed and he had a serious bedhead going on but let's be honest, that was probably the best photo I was going to get of him. 

I put the rest of them back into my pocket, staring at the one photo before sighing, resting my head back against the seat. 

"Be alive," I whispered, "Just please, be alive." 

"Sarah?" 

Sasha was stood by the car, looking down at me with a slight smile on her face, "Come have something to eat. I'll stay here."

I hadn't been here long but I nodded anyway and made my way back to the fire, taking a seat next to Eugene. 

"Here," Rosita handed me a tin of peaches, "You can have the rest." 

"Thank you." I then looked up everyone, "What now? We go to Terminus or do we go to Washington."

"Terminus doesn't seem like a bad idea," Rosita murmured, "Even if it's just for a few days where we can rest up and stock up on some food." 

"I for one would like to see what kind of establishment that they have up and running." Eugene piped in and Abraham looked down at him, before nodding. 

"Tomorrow we go to the end of the line and then Washington." 

Everyone seemed okay with that and I smiled at Maggie as she made her way over to sit beside me. 

"I don't think I had the chance to say hi," she said quietly and I scoffed before hugging her, "I didn't see you get out."

"I didn't. Not until after. I was cut off and I had to go back inside." 

"Did you see Beth?" she asked. 

"I ran by her," I mumbled, "I...I think she got out with Daryl but I can't be sure." 

She let out a sigh of relief, "At least she's alive." 

"The last time I saw her, yeah." 

"Maybe they've gone to Terminus," Bob offered, "Who know? Everyone we know could be heading there." 

"It's a good a theory as any." Glenn smiled, "But we're gonna have to wake early if we wanna get there by tomorrow."

We all nodded and I got comfortable on the ground, watching again as Maggie returned to Glenn's side, huddling closer to each other and sighed, grabbing my bag. Digging around, I felt the soft fabric that I was looking for before pulling it out. 

I wrapped the poncho around me and closed my eyes, listening to the quiet crackling of the fire until I fell asleep. 

******************

The following morning, we set out for Terminus as soon as we woke up, not even bothering to have anything to eat; saying that if we got hungry, we'd eat as we walked. 

Even though the sun was shining, it was still pretty chilly and since I had a jacket, I gave the poncho used last night to Maggie, since all she had was a thin shirt and as we were walking, I felt the corners of the photographs digging into me. 

"Maggie?" 

She turned to look at me with a smile on her face and although I didn't want to upset her, I thought that she should have the photo of her family. 

"Here," I said quietly, giving it to her and she looked at it before wrapping me in a hug, just like last night. 

"Thank you." 

I shrugged and went to tuck the rest of them back into my pocket but I felt both Rosita and Tara looking over my shoulder, "Is this the rest of your group?" 

"Most of them," I replied, handing the pictures over to her, "Some of them refused to have their pictures taken. Isn't that right Sasha?" 

"Hey," she protested, "I didn't like having my photo taken before shit hit the fan and nothing has changed."

I laughed as they came across the picture of Daryl.

"Who's the handsome one?" Rosita asked, plucking the photo from the pile to inspect it closer. 

"That's Daryl."

"Your boyfriend?" Tara asked, smacking my shoulder.

I stayed quiet and after a few seconds, Rosita sighed, "If he's not your boyfriend, can I have him?"

"He is my boyfriend," I said quickly, flushing red when both she and Tara giggled away to themselves. 

Dammit.

"Sarah is the only one who Daryl seems to give a crap about." Glenn snickered, "Right, Sarah?"

I shook my head, "That's not true. He cares about all of us." 

"But not as much as he cares about you." 

"Whatever you guys say," I mumbled, "Hey look, isn't that another sign?"

It was a lame change of subject but hey, whatever got their attention off of me for a while. 

"We're almost there!" Tara said excitedly, "It's just up ahead!"

I used my hand to shield my eyes and as I looked up ahead, I could see the building and that there was TERMINUS written in large block letters across the windows. 

I was nervous to be honest. We didn't know these people and we knew that not everyone in this world was good anymore. 

We walked to the front of the compound, seeing that it was surrounded by fences just like the prison was and there was a notice on one of the panels, telling us to lower our weapons and such. 

Glenn glanced at us all before pushing it open, the nine of us slowly walking into the place. 

It seemed deserted until we turned the corner and we could see that there was a woman with her back to us up ahead. 

As we approached her, I took the time to admire the bight flowers that they had planted. 

It was nice. Normal even. 

My mouth watered as I realised that she was cooking something on a large barbecue, my eyes staring at the cuts of meat until she turned around.  

"Hi," she said softly, "I'm Mary. You folks look like you've come a long way."

"We have." Magge breathed. 

"Well, let's get you settled and then I'll fix you a plate. Welcome to Terminus."