Escaping Death (TWD Fanfic book 3)

Chapter 11~ Shirewilt Estate

Jade,

Hey I just want you to know how much I love you, you've always been like a sister to me and Maggie. Stay strong for her, ok? Just promise me that? If you're reading this and I'm already gone please just try your hardest to keep Maggie safe and do whatever you think is right for you or the group. Hang in there Jade.

Love, Beth

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I read one of Beth's journal entries and then I grab my bow, I walk over to Daryl who is cleaning his arrows. "Daryl, I'm going for a hunt. You comin'?" I ask, my voice coming out hoarse from the crying I've done lately. He grunts and continues cleaning his arrows, I turn and walk away. "Guess not" I mutter under my breath. I walk out of the church and Rick and Father Gabriel are talking, "Where are you going?" Father asks, "I'm going for a hunt" I state simply, "Mind if I join?" he asks, "I'd rather go it alone" I say as kindly as I can manage. "Ok, I understand" he says and I turn and head out.

I spot a squirrel and I sneak up on it as best I can manage, I aim my bow and fire. It hits it dead center in his back, pinning it to the tree. I smile and walk up to it, I add it to my belt and continue on with my hunt.

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Night is beginning to fall, I return to the church with quite a bit of game. I sit outside on the step with a bucket and start skinning. Aura comes out and sits beside me, "Are you ok?"she asks sweetly, "Yeah baby, I'm fine. Just hurt" I say. "I miss daddy too" she says sadly, I force myself to hold back my tears, I need to stay strong for her. "I miss him too honey" I say, she smiles at me before hugging me, "I love you momma" she says, "I love you too baby" I say and kiss her forehead. "I'm gonna go play with Carl and baby Judith" she says, "Ok, be careful" I say and she heads inside.

Daryl's POV

I silently sit in a corner, I can see through the door of the church. I can see Jade, she's skinning her kill. I watch her back muscles move as she rips the skin off a squirrel. Part of me wants to hold her close, but the other half of me wants to push her out of my life, it's easier that way. I watch her as Aura walks out and sits next to her. They talk back and forth and Aura hugs her, Jade's trying not to cry, I can see it in her face. She kisses Aura's forehead and Aura comes back inside, Jade sits there staring into the woods for a few moments, she shakes her head and goes back to skinning.

Jade's POV

I finish skinning and I give the meat to Carol, she cooks them up and I head inside to get some sleep. I walk into my room and load my bow, I lay it down beside me and then I check my gun and my ammo. I lay the gun under my pillow and lay down to sleep. I'm just getting ready to fall asleep when Aura crawls into my sleeping bag next to me, "Hey buttercup, you ok?" I ask, "Yeah. Just tired" she says, I smile. "Ok, get some sleep" I say and pull the sleeping bag over her. I wait for her to fall asleep before I finally close my eyes again.

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I wake up and look stare up at the ceiling for a while before I finally get up, "We have to leave" Rick says as soon as I get out of bed, "Everything is packed up, but there is a horde of Walkers coming this way and we need to get out of here" he says. I run back and throw my stuff in a bag. I roll up my sleeping bag and tie it to my bag, I put the safety on my gun and slide it into my holster. I unload my bow and sling it over my shoulder and head out to where everyone else it waiting. We all head outside, the cars are already loaded up, "Why didn't you guys wake me? I could've helped pack all this up" I ask Rick, "You needed the sleep, you've done enough for us for a while. And plus we had plenty of extra hands" he says to me, he turns toward the group, "Ok, you guys know how the caravan works. One honk is something is wrong, the whole caravan will stop if you honk" he says and we all separate into cars. "Rick, what if this place doesn't exist anymore?" Glenn asks, "Then we keep going" he answers. "And we'll find somewhere new,  it's a long journey but we'll get there" Rick adds.
      I hop into the drivers side of my truck, Rick walks up to my window and hands me a map, "You're taking the lead. We're heading to where I circled. Noah says there is a community there, we'll go and find out" he says, I nod and he walks back to his truck. Glenn, Sasha, Tyreese, and Aura hop into the back of my truck, Noah sits upfront along side of me, with Father Gabriel in the passenger seat. I start the engine and pull away, everyone slowly peels out behind me and we're on the road again. I watch as Father stares out the back window at his church, "You'll get over the feeling soon" I assure him, "I'm sure I will. Thanks for the support" he says. I smile and watch the road, "Noah you're the navigator. Tell me where we're going" I say, he smiles, "Yes Ma'me"

*2 days later*

     "Right here is the front gate" Noah says, I stop the truck and he quickly hops out. I shut the car off and hop out, "Something is wrong. There should be a guy on guard" Noah says, "Hold on a sec, Rick watch my back" I say slinging my bow over my shoulder and across my back.

I quickly sprint towards the gate and run up the wall, I kick off it onto a branch to the tree next to me, I swing up over the gate and pull myself up. I stay crouched and look over. "This isn't good" I think to myself. I quickly stand up and throw myself onto a branch before swinging down. I land and stand up, "Well before I tell you what I saw, Noah I need you to keep a level head and don't do anything precarious and get someone killed" I say.
       "Just tell me, are they all dead?" he asks, "From what I saw yes. There were corpses everywhere, I wouldn't give up hope just yet though. We can still go inside and check" I say, he looks at everyone.