WITH YOU | TWD

[18] THE DEATH WILL COME

The only sound was the crunch of their footsteps on the gravel road and the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind. But to Daryl, it felt like a storm was raging inside his head.

His thoughts were a chaotic swirl of guilt and anger, each one crashing into the next, leaving him reeling with the weight of it all. Denise's death replayed in his mind like a broken record, the moment burned into his memory. The sound of her voice, steady yet tinged with fear as she tried to inspire him and Rosita, now echoed in his ears, haunting him.

She wasn't supposed to be out there. He should've known better. But she'd insisted, and he hadn't argued, thinking maybe she needed it. Maybe they all did.

Daryl clenched his fists, the rough skin of his palms digging into his calloused hands. He should've killed Dwight when he had the chance. He had him right there, defenseless, but he'd shown mercy, a rare moment of compassion. And how had Dwight repaid him?

What was killing Daryl from the inside was the fact with what the girl was killed.

The crossbow wasn't just a weapon to him; it was a part of who he was. Losing it felt like losing a piece of himself, and seeing it in Dwight's hands, wielded with such casual cruelty, felt like a deep, personal betrayal.

He felt Rosita walking a few steps behind him, her silence as heavy as his own. He knew she was grieving too, that she had her own demons to wrestle with after everything that had happened.

As they approached the gates of Alexandria, the familiar walls came into view, but they offered no comfort. If anything, they only reminded Daryl of the people inside—their friends, their family—who would be waiting for them, who would expect answers.

He wasn't sure he had any.

And as the gates opened to let them in, he couldn't shake the feeling that, no matter how hard he tried, he might never be able to forgive himself for what had happened.

EARLIER THAT DAY...

Charlie stood at the gate with Denise, the weight of their recent situation heavy in the air. The gate was slightly ajar, and the first rays of the sun cast long shadows across the ground as Abraham and Eugene prepared to head out.

"We'll be back soon," Abraham said with a tone of reassurance.

"Don't risk it," she said firmly. "If you see something suspicious, come back immediately."

The man chuckled, the sound incongruous with the gravity of the situation. "Come on. Life sucks and then you die. We should make it worth it."

Charlie shot him a sharp look, her eyes filled with unspoken concern. The ginger chuckled once again and placed his hand to his forehead in answer. "Yes, sir."

"You're all so strong," Denise, standing beside Charlie, broke the tense silence with a gentle voice. Her gaze shifting between Charlie and the departing group.

"We don't have much choice, do we? It's just how it is."

"You know it's not," she said. "Many would just give up."

"I guess we learned to not give up," Charlie shrugged. "The death will come eventually. It's better when you have no regrets."

Charlie was ready to walk away, to focus on her own tasks and try to push the recent events from her mind. But before she could turn and leave, Denise called out to her, her voice laced with a hint of urgency. "Charlie."

She paused, turning back to face Denise with a questioning look. "Hmm?"

Denise shifted her weight, her expression thoughtful. "Can you do me a favor? Could you find Rosita and Daryl for me?"