Too Far Gone // D. Dixon

chapter ten

The group sat wearily on the side of the road, their backs against the trunks of trees, their eyes scanning the surrounding woods for any signs of danger. The air was heavy with silence, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves and the distant sound of birds chirping.

Suddenly, the sound of approaching footsteps reached their ears, instantly triggering their instincts. Like a well-rehearsed routine, they all reached for their weapons and rose to their feet, their eyes alert and focused. Tension hung in the air until the figures emerged from the edge of the woods.

It was just Daryl and Maren.

Relief washed over the group as they recognized their companions. Daryl was carrying something in his arms, and as they drew closer, they could see it was a deer. The sight of the animal caused a collective gasp and a murmur of excitement rippled through the group.

"Nice catch, Daryl," Abraham spoke up, pride and hunger present in his voice. 

Daryl's voice broke through the chatter, "Nah, I didn't kill it. It was Maren," he said, his tone filled with pride. The group turned their attention to Maren, their eyes wide with admiration. They thanked her profusely, expressing their gratitude for her skill and contribution to their survival.

Maren felt a bit on the spot, her cheeks reddening, but deep down, she was glad she had proved herself worthy. She looked at Daryl, who seemed to look away from her, especially as the rest of the group had watched their interaction.

Rick approached her, his eyes reflecting a mix of gratitude and regret. He urged her to the side, "Maren," he began, his voice sincere, "I want to apologize. I doubted you before, and I was wrong. You've shown us time and time again that you're a valuable member of this group."

Maren's heart swelled with a mix of emotions—gratitude, relief, and a renewed sense of belonging. She met Rick's gaze, her voice steady, "Rick, you don't have to apologize to me. You were just trying to keep the group safe."

Rick nodded appreciatively, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "We're a family, and we need each other now more than ever. That includes you, Maren, you're one of us."

They stood there for a moment, in that shared understanding, Maren felt a renewed sense of purpose, knowing that she had earned her place among these survivors and that together, they would face whatever challenges lay ahead.

- TOO FAR GONE -

They were back on the move again. Spending their days walking as many miles as possible before hauling ass to the woods for the night.

Rinse and repeat.

The kinds of things they had to do to survive had left them all feeling less than human. They'd been forced into killing a small group of hungry dogs, just to stay alive. Nobody tried to think about it, but the thoughts crept into their minds as they ate. Maren had tried to pretend she was eating that deer, but that had been weeks ago. It was all just a burning memory now.

Once they got back on the road for the day, their last few bottles of water were going dry. The group fought against the dryness in their throats to preserve their rations. All that seemed to do was make everyone more tired.

"Daryl," Glenn handed the hunter the water bottle, "Drink."

"Nah." Daryl spoke, the raspiness in his voice evident. He was heavily dehydrated, they all were. Maren was worried about him, knowing that he was one of the strongest members of the group. If they were going to survive, they needed to be at their best.

Seeing as Glenn's hand didn't budge, Daryl took the bottle from his hand and then promptly gave the bottle to Maren. Maren only gave him an incredulous look, but Daryl didn't budge.

It wasn't that she wasn't thirsty, she definitely was. She hated taking resources away from the group. It made her feel like she was dead weight, like she was just extra baggage they didn't need to have to worry about. She hated the thought of that, so she decided to bargain with him.