Survivor - TWD (Daryl Dixon)

Chapter 36 - Now

Nelly

I cock my rifle, the weight of it solid in my hands as I settle into position at the top of the guard tower. My eye squints through the sniper scope, scanning the treeline for movement. The air feels heavy, thick with tension. Every rustle in the bushes sets me on edge, and I bite the inside of my cheek, finger hovering over the trigger, ready for whatever might emerge.

The bushes shift, and my pulse quickens. I squint harder, my muscles taut like a coiled spring. But it's not what I was expecting. Michonne steps out of the woods, her katana glinting faintly in the light, her body tense, purposeful. Behind her, Heath is half-carrying Scott, his face twisted in pain as they make their way toward the gate.

I lower the rifle, my chest tightening as I scan the woods behind them, searching. My heart pounds in my ears as I hope—no, beg—to see Glenn, Rick or Daryl emerge from the trees. But they don't. It's just the three of them. The knot in my stomach tightens, and I swallow hard, my disappointment heavy as I hand the rifle off to Spencer.

Climbing down from the tower, I move quickly, heading to the gate. My mind races, trying to piece together what's happened, where the others are. Michonne's eyes meet mine as I open the gate for her. Her expression is somber, a flicker of something I can't quite read crossing her face.

I whistle sharply, the sound piercing through the quiet, signaling to the others that some of us made it back. But not all of us.

Heath and Scott stumble through the gates, and I shut them tightly, pulling them closed with more force than necessary, like if I close them hard enough, I can block out the reality of what's happening. Maggie and Rosita approach, their footsteps quick, Maggie's eyes already scanning, desperate. When she realizes Glenn isn't with them, her shoulders drop, her face crumpling for a moment before she quickly composes herself. She hugs Michonne tightly, but I can see the fear in her eyes.

Michonne explains what happened, her voice steady but weighted with guilt. "Rick split off from us. He went to get the RV, to try and redirect the walkers that broke away when the horn went off." She wipes a streak of blood from her shirt as if it'll make any difference. It doesn't. The blood's not going anywhere. "The town was overrun. He and Nicholas had an idea. If they could light a fire, it might draw the walkers away, keep them from coming here."

"I tried to go instead," Michonne continues, her voice faltering slightly. "But Glenn insisted. He said if something went wrong, he'd find a way to send a signal. The fire never got lit. We had to keep moving." There's regret in her voice, like she's replaying it over and over in her head, wondering if things could've gone differently if she'd pushed harder, fought to take Glenn's place.

Maggie's arms cross over her chest, her brows furrowed as she stares at the ground. Rosita stands nearby, her hands on her hips, listening but keeping her emotions locked tight.

"I'm sorry," Michonne apologizes, the weight of it heavy in the air. "He said he'd send us a signal if he got stuck."

At the mention of a signal, Maggie's eyes snap to Michonne, hope flashing briefly. "A signal?"

Michonne nods, her expression softening slightly. She opens her mouth to say something more, but before she can, we're interrupted by a sudden faint scream.

We freeze, exchanging tense looks. Then, the scream comes again, closer this time.

"Open the gates!"

Michonne and I don't waste a second, our feet pounding against the ground as we sprint to the gate. The screams keep coming, and I can feel the panic rising in my chest as we reach the gate and pull it open.