When the dead roam - (Daryl Dixon)

Chapter 112 - A plan in motion

Louise folded the letter back along the creases and wiped the tears from her cheeks. No matter the lesson she took from Carl's words she knew she could never do him justice. There was no way to do what was right without wronging him somehow and the weight of his words felt like a three story house sitting on her shoulders. She felt weak under the pressure.

It wasn't like her to be so vulnerable and the complex words of a teenage boy seemed to somehow wrap around her heart and squeeze it until she felt like she was going to suffocate. What the hell was she supposed to do with that? How was she meant to be the one to stop Negan?

With her eyes tightly closed, she placed her palms on the soil behind her and turned her face to the sky, feeling the hot afternoon sun tingle the skin on her cheeks. The jacket Rick had placed on her shoulders thirty minutes before dropped behind her and covered her hands instead and she allowed herself one more minute before she straightened back out.

Finally, after almost the entire day sitting by the graves of her friends Lou pushed herself up from the floor and made her way back out towards the rest of the town. Jesus ran towards her the second she moved out from between the small wooden stalls and he embraced her in the tightest hug she would allow.

"How're you feeling?" He asked.

The letter burnt a hole in her back pocket. "Fine"

"Liar" he rolled his eyes and guided her towards Barrington House. "Listen, we have a plan to stop the Saviours"

"I'm all ears"

"Rick's waiting for you inside" he held the door open for her and let her enter before shutting it behind them.

The sherif nodded knowingly at her as she entered and she replied with a small smile before sitting beside Daryl on the windowsill at the far end of the room. The faint smell of burning wood lingered in the air, wafting towards her from the fireplace that was still slightly warm. Jesus, as usual, took his stance leaning against it.

The plan was simple enough on paper; hit them before they hit us.

Rick went over it three times, dictating left and right, his voice going up and down octaves as he contemplated whether this would be the time they finally beat The Saviours and Negan. The amount he paced the room would've probably accumulated the steps required to finish a marathon. He couldn't settle. He was too riled up. The loss of his son was clouding his judgement and she could tell before he'd even finished his explanation that the second he had the chance he was going to break off and deal with Negan on his own.

They had to time it correctly; ensure the Saviours got the Hilltop after the sun went down. Darkness would be their greatest asset. The second they came through the gates they would be ambushed, outnumbered and hopefully outgunned. They could do this.

Three communities united against one.

They could do this.

"What if something goes wrong?" Enid asked from her spot at the back of the room, her voice soft and timid. It was the first time Lou had seen her since Daryl broke the news of Carl's death and if the red splotches around her eyes was anything to go by, she wasn't taking it well.

Rick nodded. "It probably will but we keep going. Something always goes wrong but you adapt. You have too"

"We got enough ammo?" Lou asked. He nodded again.

"I know I'm asking for a lot of trust here but this time we can end this. This might be our last shot"

He didn't have to tell her twice. There was no way she would argue. Shaun may have been her flesh and blood but Rick was her brother...and she'd defend him until her last breath. Louise sent a subtle agreement his way as Daryl spoke up.