This Is Reality

Chapter 23

-Dodger's POV-

Black, everywhere I looked. It was honestly pretty terrifying. I didn't know where I was, there was no one with me. Every so often I'd hear voices but I couldn't figure out who they belonged to.

I tried to open my eyes but they felt glued shut. Trying to raise my arm, nothing happened. Was I dead? Panic filled what was left of me and I sat up, trying to catch my breath. Wait. I looked around, taking in my surroundings. I was still in the church's backroom. The sun was out and it was getting warm. Where was everyone?

Climbing off the couch, I changed into my clothes that were on the table. I put my boots on and went to grab my knife, which was gone.

"You gotta be kidding me..." I say to myself quietly

I throw my dirty, bloody hair into a messy bun and open the door.

"Dodger!!" Carl yells running over to me. He wraps his arms around my waist and hugs me tightly

"I-I thought you were gone..." He silently cries, his head resting on my shoulder

I hug him and rub his back, "You can't get rid of me that easily"

Carl still held onto me as everyone got up and made their way over.

"Dodger..." Rick says putting a hand on my other shoulder, happiness all over his face

"Hey Rick" I smile a little

Carl lets me go smiling and picks up Judith.

"It's so good to have you back..." Rick says hugging me tightly, one hand on the back of my head

"It's good to be back" I hug him back too. I feel like I might be doing a quite amount of hugging...

Rick lets go of me with a smile on his face, relieved. Next in line was Carol. Carol?

She slowly comes up to me with an apologetic look on her face.

"Dodger listen, I explained this to Daryl yesterday and I knew I had to come to you too... When we first met I was jealous, really jealous. I can see now that you love him, I accept that. I'm sorry for everything that's happened... Can we start over?" When she mentioned Daryl, a shiver went down my spine. I could never look at Daryl the same way anymore, not after what he did to me...

"It's okay Carol, I was jealous too. Of course we can start over" I say with a smile

"Thank you" She returns the smile and hugs me

Maggie and Michonne didn't come up to see me. I don't even think they were here... Everyone else was still skeptical of me and kinda walked away. I understood, I did.

"Are you hungry?" Carol asks taking me to a pew by the altar

"Not really but I should probably eat..." I sit

down

"I'll get you some squirrel" She says as she hurries off towards the back of the church

When the door closed I heard it quickly reopen. I turned to look to see who it was. Daryl, followed my Maggie and Michonne. I turn away from him and hide my face. Before I knew it, Maggie and Michonne were running over to me and stood me up for a warming group hug

"Oh it's so good to have you back" Maggie says happily

"It sure is" Michonne adds

"It feels good to be back" I smile and look up to see Daryl standing in front of me

I swallowed hard and quickly walked out to Carol. She was out front cooking squirrel. I sat on the bottom step and put my forehead on my knees.

"What's wrong?" Carol asks sitting next to me