Last One Standing ~ TWD Daryl Dixon

137

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Daryl

Richard hadn't been kidding. The trail he laid to Carol was obvious. Any idiot could of followed it even as it wound through the woods. I followed it for a couple miles, swearing up and down the whole way. These people Carol had trusted with her location had been a bad choice. I just didn't understand why she couldn't a trusted me with it. If she wanted to be alone I woulda helped her.

The trail through the woods opened just down the street from a small yellow house. It wasn't big or overly protected, but at least it was behind a six foot high fence. The yard was filled with grave stones. I shifted uneasily as I realized Carol was living in a graveyard.

I froze for a second when I saw her standing on the front porch with five men forming a half circle around her. I brought the rifle up into my hands and was about to fire when I realized it was Ezekiel and some of his men. I recognized Jerry from here. Carol didn't look happy to see them and after they talked and Jerry handed her something they left quickly. I waited until they had gone down the road before I came out of the trees.

I stepped through the yard, frowning as I spotted a couple of trip wires. So she had some defenses at least. I stepped over them easily and walked up the porch. I didn't want to bug her, not if she didn't want to see no body, but I couldn't not see her now that I was here. It was hard, being without Jo, harder than I thought and I needed to make sure Carol was okay. I didn't trust that Richard hadn't done something bad to her or there wasn't something shady going on with Ezekiel.

I knocked softly on the door, holding the strap of my crossbow over my shoulder and shifting my weight nervously. She jerked the door open, looking annoyed as hell, but when she saw it was me she froze. A hundred emotions ran over her face and finally she sighed and stepped up to me and hugged me.

I let her hug me for a moment, patting her awkwardly on the back before I stepped away. "Okay," I said uncomfortably. I didn't know what I expected but it wasn't how fiercely she had hugged me or how happy she looked to see me.

She stared up at my face with tears in her eyes. I could see the question in her eyes but she didn't say nothing. She just stared up at me like she couldn't believe I was here.

"Jesus took us to the kingdom," I explained. "Morgan said you just left. I was out here and I saw you...Why'd you go?" I asked, I tried to keep my emotions in check but I couldn't. Carol and me had always been close. I couldn't believe she would just up and leave us like that. I never thought she would be like them.

Tears started running down Carol's face and she shook her head, covering her mouth with her hand as though she could hold back her tears. "I had to," she said, her voice breaking.

I nodded and stared down at my feet, trying to hide my disappointment. She was just like everybody else.

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Jo

I stretched out across the backseat of the car and closed my eyes. We had to wait for the garbage people to return with our supplies and I just needed a short nap. Rick watched me in concern but didn't say anything. I kept the sunglasses over my eyes and closed my eyes. I was achy and sore and felt like I could sleep for about a hundred years.

I drifted in and out for almost an hour before Rosita's obnoxious voice pulled me awake.

"We shouldn't be going back to Alexandria. We need to stay out and look for the guns for this deal," she was saying.