Left Behind (sequel to Not Alone)

Ch. 11 - Find Daryl

Anna

I was cleared to move around the day after having Diamond but when I told The Governor what I planned to do he didn't like it. He kept telling me I should stay there in Woodbury and keep my daughter safe but I couldn't. I had to find out if Daryl was still alive. So while everyone else was occupied, Merle helped me get out of Woodbury so I could go and find his brother. "Thank you Merle," I said looking up at him as we stood just outside the walls. I had tears in my eyes, I wasn't sure if I'd ever see him again. "You go find my baby brother," he said as he hugged me and I wrapped my free arm around him to hug back, "you go find him and introduce him to his daughter." "I love ya Merle," I said nodding as I pulled out of the hug and he kissed the top of my head. "You protect that little girl and get to Daryl," he said as he pushed me out away from the town, "I'll see ya again, don't worry."

I nodded and turned, running off only to look back once and watch him disappear back behind the wall that protected Woodbury. I had Diamond in a make-shift pouch that Merle helped me with and I had my hand over her to keep her from bouncing too much as I sprinted down the street with my knife in my free hand in case I came into trouble. I had a new found energy as I kept going, knowing that in my heart I was that much closer to finding Daryl and being reunited with him and the others in our group if they had all made it out together and survived these past few months since I've been away. I hated that Andrea wanted to stay and Michonne was going to stay with her but I couldn't, I had to find the others or I wouldn't be happy.

I don't know how long I was running before I came across this daycare. It looked like a good place to rest and catch my breath, maybe even stay there for the night if I truly needed to. I found an unlocked door to the place and cautiously walked in, my knife at the ready as I walked around checking for any threats. Finding none, I walked down the hallway to find a room to camp out in, I was too exhausted to go any further and this was as good a spot as any to sleep for the night. I was rocking Diamond, trying to get her to sleep when I heard the sound of metal screeching from out back of the building. "Shit," I whispers as I scooted over towards the wall by the door and hoped they'd walk by and not come in.

Soon after the metal screeching out back, I heard the sound of shattering glass from a room down the hallway and knew whoever it was, they were coming inside. Using the blanket that had been used previously as the pouch I carried her in, I covered Diamond up and hoped they wouldn't come this way and spot us. I heard what sounded like to people come in through the broken window, one making their way back to where I was currently hiding. I held on tightly to my baby as I held my breath trying to keep from making any sound that might cause them to look into this room.

After about a minute, I heard the footsteps quickly retreating, I let the breath out and laid my head back against the wall and closed my eyes. I could hear muffled talking but I couldn't make out the voices or what it was they were saying. When I thought they were getting ready to leave, Diamond decided she wanted to cry at that exact moment. I tightened my grip on her as I heard the footsteps once again making their way towards me as I knew I wasn't getting away with not being caught this time. I closed my eyes when I could tell they were just outside the door, and waited for the yelling that'd most likely come with being found. But it never came.

I slowly opened my eyes and looked over to see someone standing over me with a flashlight stuck in their mouth and something pointed at me, a crossbow? They slowly lowered their weapon, and removed the flashlight from their mouth to allow me to see their face. I slowly stood up, tears in my eyes as I stared into the blue ones I never thought I'd see again. The look on his face was one of pure shock but the look in his eyes was that of love. When I was fully standing, the blanket fell to the floor revealing the once again quiet Diamond in my arms. The look on his face then was that of what appeared to be joy, he was seeing his baby for the first time.