ꜰᴏᴏʟ'ꜱ ᴍᴀᴛᴇ || ᴛᴡᴅ

105: ᴛʜᴇ ɴɪɢʜᴛ ʜᴀꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴇɴᴅ

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With the children back and the roads blocked, they had to fight.

People were beginning to panic. They were on their own. 

As they prepared, Rachel found herself reading her letter from Carl again. It would be gone, soon. The paper was worn, and words fading. It was only a matter of time. It was rather poetic, she thought. And stupid.

Danny was running after Yumiko, the pair organizing as much as they could. Sami had been worried about Eugene talking to someone on the radio, but Rosita convinced him not to be. She said Eugene wasn't stupid, and though Sami disagreed, considering the fact that he kept thinking Sami was going to leave her, he just trusted Rosita was smarter than him, as usual, and kept his mouth shut.

He talked to Gabriel on the radio. He pretended everything was okay, and the fear started to set in. He and Rosita were here, probably about to die to the horde, which left his daughter an orphan. It meant he would break his promise to Rosita, that they'd see her grow up. God, he'd do anything just to hold her again. To give her a better hug goodbye. To kiss her head. But then he'd just wish for longer again.

Rosita sorted things out with Eugene, so he wasn't pissed at the two of them anymore, and 'congratulated' Sami for 'tying the metaphorical knot' which he didn't fully understand. 

They readied defenses, and the horde arrived.

Everyone prepared. The children were safely inside. Sami and Daryl decided it would be best for Sami to focus on getting people out while Daryl and Ezekiel focused on getting the kids out, if it went too bad. 

Sami felt sick. He hoped it was with fear and nerves.

He leaned against the wall, Danny beside him, as he watched the others prepare.

"We got the kids sorted." He signed. "Daryl or Ezekiel go down, the other grabs the kids. Or if it just gets really bad."

Danny nodded, and went to sign something, but stopped, hesitating. Before he did anyway. "I don't think this place is going to survive."

It was a horrible thing for Danny to admit. He'd been there for so long, with Maggie. He'd built it. He'd learnt who he really was there. And he couldn't fight the feeling that it was ending. That this was it. This was the end. No matter who survived and who died, Hilltop wouldn't make it.

"People are what matter." Sami signed.

"I know. That's why I'll stick with Rachel. I'd stick with you, but it just distracts you."

"If you see Grace-"

"I'll put a knife through her head." He glanced behind Sami. "Oh, here comes your wife. I'm leaving."

As he vanished, Sami felt a pair of arms around his stomach, and Rosita's chin on his shoulder. 

He glanced at her. "Hello."

She smiled, but then it fell, turning into a concerned look, as her hand slipped under his shirt.

He yelped, pulling her hand away and turning to her. "You're freezing! Warn me next time, my God!"

"Here's your warning." She pulled her hand from his, looking at his stomach, and putting her hand back under his shirt, feeling around his stomach. 

"Okay, what are you-"

"Your stomach feels weird. Like . . . here." She took his hand, placing it under his shirt and on a spot below his left ribs. "Doesn't that feel weird?"

He had no idea what she was talking about. "I don't really feeling up my belly."

"No, it's just . . . it feels weird. I don't know how, it just doesn't feel right." She lifted his shirt, looking at where her hand was. "That's so weird."

"I probably just bumped it or something, the rest of me is covered in bandages. It's not really a problem."

"We're not rolling over. So, it is a problem. It could be."

"Not right now." He pulled his shirt down and her hand away. "Leave my stomach in peace."

She sighed. "I'll ask Eugene."

As they got ready, they couldn't push the memories of those lost from their minds. The fear of who they may loose now. 

Sami found himself at Glenn and Abraham's graves, and hated himself for hardly thinking of them. They'd come into his mind, now and then, but it was so long ago now that he was used to not having them around. He wondered what they'd think of everything that had happened. He wondered how Maggie and Hershel were. He hadn't heard from them since before the barn.

The thought made the memories flash over his eyes again, but he blinked, hard, and pinched his arm, trying to pull himself out.

"You 'ere, too?"

At Daryl's voice, he was pulled back to the present, and glanced at him. "Huh?"

Daryl shrugged, standing beside him. "If Danny's right, and this place falls . . . they'll still be here."

It was honestly a vile thought. Of Abraham and Glenn's rotting corpses laying alone, if there was any of them left anymore. Sami thought of the jacket Abraham had been wearing that night. The small mustache Glenn had tried so hard to grow and Sami made fun of him for. He thought of the others buried here - Jesus, Sasha, Enid's head. 

Too many. 

"I'd always believed bodies were just vessels, if we're anything, really." Sami said, looking at the stones over the graves. "We all know they're not really there, if they're anywhere."

"Yeah, you've always been stupid and spiritual."

"I'm not spiritual."

"Yeah, and our bodies are just vessels, what'ver the fuck that means."

"I just mean, after we die . . . our bodies aren't us anymore. Walkers show that much."

  "Well, keep your vessel goin'." Daryl hit his shoulder roughly, making the wounds Sami had just hurt worse. "Gonna need a submarine or two."

"Did you just call me a submarine?" Sami followed him as he walked back towards the gates.

"Yeah. Vessel."

"I regret ever talking to you."

"I regret you, too." Daryl grabbed a strange weapon from a table. "Nice thing to die to."

"I agree." Sami already had his weapons, and looked up at the stars above them, taking a deep breath. As much as he hated having asthma, he was sure most people didn't appreciate air filling their lungs like he did. "It's a nice night to die."

"Nice night to fight." Daryl limped towards the gate. "Remember the plans. If both me and the King go down-"

"The kids'll survive. It's everyone else I'm worried about."

Daryl glanced at him as they made their way out to the readied troops. "Keep an eye on Rachel. She won't leave if there's anyone still alive."

"Danny said he'll stay with her, they'll keep each other safe, and I'll keep them safe."

There was an air of dread and hopelessness as they walked out to the others. They were in formation, the people at the front with their shields, awaiting orders. Sami spotted Rosita beside Eugene near the front, Rachel at the back beside the other archers, Danny in front of them with a line of people with swords and spears.

They had a wall of barbed wire and reeds set up, along with plenty of traps, but it would only slow the walkers down.

And as shapes emerged from the treeline, and groans of the dead reached their ears, Sami glanced back at the walls of Hilltop, a strange feeling in his stomach. It was like the feeling near the end of a nice night out with your friends, when you know you have to go home and the night has to end, but it's been so nice you wish you could stay in those moments forever. 

He looked back at the walkers. The night has to end.