Determined to Endure: The 4th Installment in my Daryl Dixon Love Story

Chapter 14: Cornered

Miles into the drive, I hear Abraham utter, "what the bitch?"

Rick asks back, "what?"

"Enemy close." Abraham says. We all watch out the front window as we see a hand full of guys standing in front of the road blocking us. Their guns strung across their arms. A man lay on the floor, clearly injured. Abraham asks, "we doing this?"

Rick confirms, "no." The RV turns off and all of us except Maggie head out of the RV, our own guns slung on our arms, he asks the man across from us,"who's this?"

The guy answers, "he's someone who was with a whole lot of someones who didn't listen."

Rick replies, "we can make a deal right here, right now."

"That's right, we can." He yells back, "give us all your stuff. We'll probably have to kill one of you. That's just the way it is, but then we can start moving forward on business. All you have to do is listen."

"Yeah, that deal's not gonna work for us." Rick answers him, staying loud and confident, "fact is, I was about to ask for all of your stuff, only I'm thinking I don't have to kill any of you. Any more of you."

Another man steps up and starts to rattle a can of spray paint. He starts to spray the man on the ground as the one next to him says, "sorry, my deal is the only deal. We don't negotiate."

Rick gives us a hand signal, telling us to go back in. We all start to slowly get back into the RV, "me and my people are leaving."

"Okay, friend." He replies, "plenty of ways to get to where you're going." His arms are open wide as he turns away from us.

I get in just before Rick does and I hear him ask, "you want to make today your last day on Earth?"

I listen as he replies, "no, but that is a good thing to bring up. Think about it. What if it's the last day on Earth for you? For someone you love? What if that's true? Maybe you should be extra nice to those people in that RV, 'cause you never know" He snaps his fingers, his voice continuing in a low and and serious tone, "just like that. Be kind to each other. Like you said, like it was your last day on Earth."

Rick answers with one more comment, "you do the same" and I continue to make my way up the RV and towards the back to Maggie.

I told her everything that just happened, and she barely gets out, "so we're going a different way?"

I nod and assure her, "yes, we'll get you to the hilltop. Don't worry." She gives me a small smile and closes her eyes. I leave her to rest and head back to the rest of the group. A few miles of backtracking then we stop to figure out a new route. Eugene gets us one, and we make our way in that direction. I continually check on Maggie, and she just lays on the back bed trying to rest. She doesn't want to eat anything so I just make sure I keep her hydrated. The RV stops again, and I go to the front where everyone else is starting to go and look out at the window. Another group of people have blocked our path, their guns at the ready. I ask Rick, "we making our stand?"

"Yeah" Carl answers, "we end it."

Rick calmly says back, "no, not now. They've been waiting. They're ready. With one of us behind the wheel, that's six on— 16. We're gonna play it our way, how we want it. Right?" He asks any one of us.

Abraham answers, "right."

Rick nods, confirming the choice and tells him, "all right, go slow." As Abraham reverses the RV back, the man in the front of the group lets his gun ring out, wasting bullets just to make noise and put on a show. We all watch and stare them down as the big vehicle turns around. As we go down another road, the RV comes to a squeaking stop again. I look out and see a strand of walkers all linked together blocking our path. Rick comments, "we can't go through it. Can't risk the RV." He looks to Abraham, "you stay behind the wheel, just in case." He grabs his gun and clicks it ,"we'll clear it."