Too Far Gone // D. Dixon

chapter eighteen

Deanna had made it quite clear; the group was welcome in Alexandria. The rest of the people just had to accept that and move on. They weren't going anywhere, so they had better get over it.

Nightfall had quickly come around, leaving most members of the group inside the house. Daryl and Maren were outside, sitting together on the porch like usual. Only this time Maren sat next to him, leaning her head against his chest. Daryl still kept himself stiff around people, but when it was just the two of them he didn't see the point in holding back.

Rick had suddenly joined them on the porch, dawning his new police uniform, "You a cop again?" Daryl asked him, making Maren turn to look at him curiously. 

Maren watched as he adjusted his clothes, clearly a bit uncomfortable with it all, "Should we start calling you Officer Grimes now?"

"Rick has been doing just fine," Rick laughs dryly, "I'm trying it on for size." Rick sighs before explaining, looking at the comfortable position they're in. Rick smiled at the couple. It made him happy to see them so happy, just enjoying each others' company without constantly worrying about their safety.

Carol had now joined the four, pulling on her sweater, "So we're staying?"

"I think we can start sleeping in our own homes. Settle in." Rick stated, putting his hands in the pockets of his uniform, something he used to do before.

"If we get comfortable here and we let our guard down..." Carol paused, "this place is gonna make us weak." Maren nodded, feeling the pit in her stomach rise again. It was something that she had feared since the moment they got here, since they'd seen how the people had been living. They'd had it so easy for so long.

"Carl said that...but it's not gonna happen," Rick spoke, walking towards the edge of the porch, "We won't get weak. That's not in us anymore. We'll make it work."

"And if they won't?" Maren eyed Rick closely, watching his face remain stoic.

"Then we'll just take this place." The coldness in his voice had startled Maren, but she understood his meaning. With a glance at Daryl, he nodded to her.

They'd be okay, no matter what.

- TOO FAR GONE -

Rick, Daryl, Carol, and Maren had gathered in a small, secluded shed outside the walls of Alexandria. The air was tense, heightened by the presence of a single nearby walker.

Daryl spoke first, his voice low and cautious, "I don't see it, but it's close. There's just one of 'em."

Rick nodded, his eyes scanning their surroundings, "We won't be here long. So, what do you think?" he asked, seeking their opinions.

Carol was the first to speak, her mind already strategizing, "We can go in when it's empty," she suggested, "The window. There's just a latch. I can leave it open."

Rick, however, expressed concerns, "How is that? It's locked up at night," he pointed out. Carol thought quickly, her mind working through the logistics.

"The window latch. If we wait a couple of days, leave it open again," she proposed, finding a solution.

Daryl, ever cautious, raised a valid concern, "What if one of those pricks shuts it?" he asked, his brows furrowing in worry.

Carol considered his words, her determination unwavering, "Then we wait a few more days and try again." she replied. The sounds of the approaching walker grew louder, a reminder of the urgency of their discussion. Daryl reiterated it's approach.

"We need to do it sooner or later. Right now, they're not watching us. Not worrying about meetings like this..." Rick spoke to them, weighing their choices at hand, "We may need the guns, we may not," he mused, contemplating their options.

Maren, who had been quietly observing the conversation, spoke up with conviction, "Oh, we will. You can't just take something from someone and expect them not to put up a fight," she asserted, her voice filled with a hint of bitterness.

Daryl looked down at that comment, understanding what she meant and why she had said it. He didn't know the nitty gritty details, but he knew enough. Daryl and Rick share a look of this saddened understanding, understanding the true weight of her words and the truth they carried.

"They're the luckiest damn people I ever met," Rick stated, his voice tinged with a mix of admiration and frustration, "And they just keep getting luckier."

Daryl's curiosity piqued, and he asked, "How's that?"

Rick's gaze shifted to the group, his expression contemplative, "We're here now," he replied simply, recognizing the fortune that had brought them together.

A pause fell over the group as Carol interjected, shedding light on a crucial detail, "They've got a couple of footlockers just full of 9-millimeter autos, Rugers, Kel-Tecs. Just tossed in there. They don't use them—"

Maren interrupted, her voice filled with determination, "So they won't miss them." Daryl nodded in agreement, understanding the implications.

"Someone's got one now, right?" he added, referencing the gun Rick had already hidden away in their current location, a concealed spot within an abandoned blender. It was a secret stash, deliberately conspicuous.

"Listen, the others, we want them to try," Rick continued, his tone low and secretive, "So, we keep it quiet...just us."

As if on cue, the walker they had been anticipating arrived. Daryl moved forward to take it down, but Carol stepped in, her pistol aimed at the walker. She fired eight shots, missing seven times until finally landing a headshot on the final attempt.

The group looked at Carol, perplexed by her actions. They knew she could fire a headshot first try, why in the hell was she missing the shots?

She understood their confused looks, deciding to clarify her actions with a wry smile, "We said we were taking me out shooting. I couldn't go back with a full mag."

Daryl glanced at Rick, fighting back a smile, "Lucky he came by," he remarked, appreciating the unexpected diversion.

Laughter filled the air as the group prepared to make their way back to Alexandria, each hoping that their discussions and plans would remain just that—a contingency they hoped they wouldn't have to put into action.