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

Chapter 29: Take Over

Next time we see Rick, he tells us that he is going to a community that Tara found to try and convince them to help us with the Saviors. He also informs us that even if they decline, we need to get the weapons that they have. Daryl and I agree to go along with Jesus, not wanting to stay behind and have another chance run in with the saviors. We leave the next day, heading East towards the water. I go with Carl and Gabriel to the outskirts of the community. We are going to use the explosives they found to direct all the people in the community out one way. Our job is to bunch them together and to make sure they stay put. Tara goes in first, trying to convince the people to fight with us. I guess she is unable too, as the explosives go off. I hear them scream at it, and continue to scream and panic as the others begin to go off as well. All it takes is three minutes and then we see everyone pile from the community towards us into the woods. I holler out towards them, "everybody down!" My AR pointed at them.

"Hands on your heads." Gabriel says out, "everybody stay calm."

Carl explains, as the people start to do what we ask, giving them no choice, "we don't want anyone to get hurt."

"Stay down and listen to what we say." Rick's voice booms out as he beings to walk into view from them, "we want this to go as simply and as peacefully as possible. All of you can make it that way."

"Get down over there." Daryl and Jesus come out of the woods a different way with two other women, "keep quiet."

"Now, we made a lot of noise." Rick tells them, "we want to wrap this up quick so you can send people to redirect anything coming this way. Tara said your forests are relatively clear, so we won't take any chances. No one needs to get hurt. This is just about what you have, what we need."

The older women, who I assume is Natania comes from the community, a gun to Tara'a head, "nobody's taking anything." She stares Rick down, "you need to let everyone go and leave right now. Just walk away or this one dies."

"Yeah, we'll leave you alone. But we're taking your weapons with us. That's not gonna change." Rick answers her, "it's Natania, right? Put the gun down, and let's talk about what we can change."

"No." She demands, "leave right now.

We all hear Tara call out, "Michonne, don't!"

I glance up to the tree she is in, her eyes through the scope of a sniper. Natania returns, "we just wanna be left alone."

"Yeah, we'll leave you alone." Daryl snarls

"Just let go of her. Now. Or we'll kill you." Rick adds on, "none of us want that."

"They want us to fight The Saviors." Natania now looks to her people, kneeling on the ground, "we tried that. We lost. Too much. We're not gonna lose anymore. Not our guns, not our safety, not after everything we've done to get here."

Rick doesn't care, he answers back, "we're gonna win. With your guns, with or without your help."

"Natania, put the gun down." Tara tries to encourage her to listen, "you kill me, and you die. And my people take the guns and nothing changes."

"Maybe we should try." A female voice says out loud, and I hope others are also thinking the same thing as they start to whisper to one another.

A young women next to Natania pleads, "Grandma, stop. It's over. Just talk to them, okay?"

"It's not over!" The older women yells out to everyone, "they've forgotten. You've all forgotten. Some of you actually want to fight them? After everything? We can lose our guns, but us leaving this place to fight? After everything? I have to remind you!" She looks to her granddaughter, "yes. I am gonna do this, and then I'm gonna die. But it's that important. This is your life, all of you. Remember what it looks like. Remember what they did to us! You need to see this. Open your eyes!"