Last One Standing ~ TWD Daryl Dixon

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Jo

"Excellent," Deanna said with a pleased smile. She pressed the button the video camera and came back around the front of the couch. "Let's get started then, shall we?" She said as she sat in front of me. She crossed her legs and leaned forward, resting her hands on the top of her knee. I wondered if she realized it was an aggressive stance. 

I smiled gently in response and nodded, wringing my hands together nervously in my lap. "I would like that." I was surprised to find the nerves were only partially an act. I was a little nervous about this interview. 

I had never been comfortable being on the defensive however, so I pushed aside my feelings and began to let myself analyse Deanna. I let myself see her as an opponent instead of the woman who got to decide if they wanted to keep us. I was nervous because it felt like she had the power here, but that wasn't true. I hadn't let myself be powerless since Woodbury...with a few exceptions, but I was standing here and everyone else we had faced was not. 

"I like to interview the new recruits personally," her voice was perfectly calm but her eyes were assessing. She was watching every move I made. This was a woman who could read body language. It would make my job harder, but it also made me respect her more as a leader of this community. "Though," she continued. "I video the interview's so others may view them later. We believe in absolute transparency here." 

I nodded. "That's good," I said with a smile. "Transparency is good," I let out a nervous chuckle to put her at ease and make her feel like she had the advantage. 

Deanna gave me a reassuring smile. "There's no reason to be nervous. I just have some basic questions. I want to get to know everyone who comes into our community." 

I nodded in understanding. "To make sure everyone gets along?" 

Her mouth twitched as though she wanted to frown, but didn't allow herself. "When you have a community the size of ours not everyone is always going to get along, but these can certainly help us determine compatibility with our group." 

I was pleased I made her uncomfortable for a moment. She was very, very good. She was chess player...or maybe poker depending on her personality. Either way I couldn't help the tiny part of me that was enjoying the opportunity to face a worthy opponent not physically but mentally. 

Deanna cleared her throat and drew the conversation back under her control. "What is your name? Your full name?" 

I knew I hadn't told her before during the normal socially acceptable time when she had told me hers. I was fairly certain this was her baseline question. It's not like full names had really mattered since the turn, but it would give her the opportunity to see me answer a question she could be fairly certain I wouldn't lie about. It would help her determine if I was lying later during the interview. So I lied. 

"Josephine Lynn Schroeder," I replied smoothly. It wasn't my name, but it was as good as any other and no one knew my full name to contradict it. 

Deanna sat back, settling into the couch across from me. It was her baseline. Now that she believed she had it she was instantly more relaxed. "Josephine," she said nodding. "That's a pretty name." 

"Thank you, most people call me Jo," I explained. It would have been more comfortable for me to leave the answer at that, but in the interest of putting her further at her ease I continued. "My mom loved the book Little Women." Also a lie. My mom hated the book and the movies.