traded my life [TWD]

『127』

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck," I repeat, knocking my forehead against Daryl's back.

"They're gonna be fine. We'll be there soon," Daryl assures.

"It's not that. It's Sasha and Abe," I admit.

"How's that?"

I sigh heavily. "Sasha is just now coming back from cliff's edge. Abraham is still a bit erratic. Both went through some shit recently and are just now coming back around."

Daryl is silent for a moment.

"The whole reason we found the herd was because Sasha was hunting them. Who's to say they didn't take this job hoping to get killed? Some hero's death."

"I doubt it. Besides, we gotta get back."

Woojin. 

My heart speeds faster than the bike as I picture his face. Half of the herd was on the way there. And something had to have caused those horns. Another group? A mistake in the plan? A traitor?

I take the radio off my side. "Oppa?"

I roll my bottom lip between my teeth as I wait.

The hell?

I click the radio again. "Glenn?"

A cold feeling rises up my neck as he still doesn't respond.

I bring the radio to my mouth, but I can't find the words to say.

Nicholas. That piece of shit.

"Hyejin?"

My eyes widen before I register the voice. "Glenn?"

"It's Rick."

My relief was like a bouncy ball thrown recklessly across the void.

"Is it clear?" I ask Rick.

"I'm in place. I'm gonna start leading them your way.. get the herd back on track."

"How about that, guys? The herd is coming our way again," Sasha sarcastically says through the radio.

My jaw pops as I fight tears of worry. "And home? That horn?"

"There's gunfire coming from back home," Rick reveals.

I place my head on Daryl's back again and close my eyes. No. Please, God, no. Keep my baby boy safe until I get there.

"We gotta sit with it and hope they can handle it. I think they can- they have to."

I inhale shakily, trying my best to not cry. It's like Rick knew exactly what Daryl and I were doing. He probably did- some kind of parental instinct. He knew me better than I knew me most of the time.

"We keep going for them. We can't turn back because we're afraid."

Rick knew we were far from being afraid of any walker at this point. We knew the dead. We knew how to move herds, even if this was our biggest challenge to date.

He knew I was afraid of not being there to protect home. Woojin. 

"This is for them. Going back now before it's done, that would be for us," he continues. "You understand that.. right?"

I throw my head back and take a breath.

Before today, nothing was as important as Woojin and being there for him at all times.

I still wonder, to this day, if I had left Woojin with Beth and Hershel and went after Carl- could I have saved Lori. Could I have made it easier. 

My loyalty to Woojin was most important. His safety mattered more than anything.