Last One Standing ~ TWD Daryl Dixon

136

Hi guys! I'm back, so sorry for the long time between updates. Work has been and will be a bit crazy for the next couple weeks. But I will do my best to keep the updates coming!!!

Hope you enjoy it!

<><><><><>
Jo

There were too many of them to fight. Even if we had all had guns we were so outnumbered there was nothing we could have done. They led us through a maze of high stacked garbage piles, through a storage container and into a large, well protected open space.

The smell was awful, but I guess they were used to it. They never spoke, just gestured and shoved us where they wanted. They pushed us to the middle and formed a very deliberate formation around us. Watching them was like watching an ant farm. They moved with purpose but none that was clear to me watching. Finally they stopped, forming a perfect three ring circle around us.

Without a word said between them one of them stepped forward to each of us and searched us for weapons, taking everything we had. The woman who searched me even managed to find my fold up knife clipped to my bra. She touched it through my shirt and looked at me, raising an eyebrow. Clearly asking if I would remove it or if she had to. Grudgingly I handed it over. I didn't like the feeling of being so unarmed, it made me feel exposed and vulnerable. The woman stepped back, with my shoulder rig over her shoulder and the rest of my knives tucked into her belt and regarded me with her head cocked to the side. Then, seeming to make a decision she stepped forward once more and snatched my sunglasses off the top of my head. I scowled at her and she put them on her face, remaining completely expressionless as she stepped back into formation with the others.

"Are you a collective or does one lead?" a woman's voice came from behind us.

She stepped out from the storage container. She was middle aged with a harsh hair cut and the same expressionless face as the others. I was guessing they were a collective. It had a cult feel to it, and it made me uneasy. I didn't trust people with such irrational and steadfast belief.

When Rick didn't respond right away the woman standing closest to him shoved him forward several steps. "This," she snarled in disgust.

"Hi," Rick said pleasantly. "I'm Rick." For Rick, who's temper was normally a little short, I was surprised he seemed so calm in the face of us being taken prisoner.

"We own your lives," the leader said calmly. "You want to buy them back? Have anything?" Her intonation was slightly off and glancing around at the group surrounding us I wondered if it was something they had adopted to unite the group.

Rick cocked his head to the side but didn't say anything about her strange speech patterns. "Well, you have one of my people. Gabriel. I want to see him first, then we can talk."

The leader lifted her chin and the one who had pushed Rick walked away without a word. The others stood perfectly still and silent around us. It was unnerving even to me. I rolled my shoulders, feeling my injuries from earlier. I was not one hundred percent and this had the potential to turn south quickly. I glanced around at our group. Rick, Michonne, Tara, Rosita and Aaron. Not the strongest group and aside from Rick and Michonne not people who had much experience fighting together. I ground my teeth. This had been stupid and now we were going to pay for it.

The woman returned shoving Gabriel ahead of her. When he saw us there was such relief on his face I knew instantly he hadn't left on his own. She shoved him towards the rest of us and he staggered forward. Tara caught him and smiled down at him encouragingly.