Lost Too Much 【REDONE】 ║ Daryl/OC or Shane/OC

Chapter 75: Please don't ruin this.

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(DAY 453) Let me sum up the past few days. So on 451 AZ, we were attacked by the Woodbury Army and took off to attack back at their place, but a lot changed before we got there. We stopped on the road a little bit later because we found abandoned trucks and dead bodies and walkers all bunched up, which we soon figured out were the people from Woodbury that had just left from attacking the prison. Paul's dead, and Allen, who I met on my way back to the prison when I escaped from Woodbury on 444 AZ. The whole army was dead, but we found Karen alive so she's at least okay. She then told us that Phillip was the one to kill everyone, and he ran off with Marty and Shumpert so who knows when we'll come across him again.

We went to Woodbury anyway and found Andrea bit in the neck by undead Milton, who I'm assuming was killed by Phillip as well. After we said some final words to Andrea, a couple people went to bury those two while Rick and I went to round up the civilians and bring them back to the prison. I showed them around and all that and we cleared out Cellblock D for them. We're planning on getting the water working but overall, things are pretty good. Maybe if things stop being so eventful, I'll be able to save pages in this notebook and write a little less.

Back to Andrea, though. When we talked before she died, she reminded me about this thing she told me at the farm, when Clark announced to the group that I had miscarried before then. When Daryl and Andrea came up to the shower to talk to me, I pushed Daryl away, and Andrea told me that even if he doesn't show it, he cares about me more than anyone else does. She told me not to try to push Daryl away or he might stay away. She said a lot of stuff about that, just things of her knowing how Daryl and I needed each other. I don't know, but it was sad as hell and I'm going to miss her forever.

Rest in peace, Andrea, Milton, Paul, Allen, and many others.

Signing out,
Cory Jenner 
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Once the gates came into sight, I regained the hope I didn't even know I had lost. They were still standing and that we enough to turn my whole mood around. What made it even better was the sight of two guards stood atop the towers on each side, watching us as we got out. The icing on the cake was the sound from the other side of the gates, laughter and chatting.

We left our car and our bags in the trunk, walking up to the gates of the Kingdom with smiles on our faces though none of us spoke. I recognized the guards, not enough to know their names but I had seen them around during my stay at the Kingdom. One of them yelled down for someone to open the gates. I wasn't sure if they recognized me or if they were just open to letting newcomers waltz right on in but once we were inside, it wouldn't matter.

As the gates parted enough for us to enter the community, we came practically face to face with two people I should've expected to see at the entrance. I almost didn't recognize her because of her long, flowing gray hair, as long as mine now. Carol and Ezekiel stood side-by-side, ready to greet whoever had shown up, but they definitely didn't look ready to see us.

"Cory?"

She spoke so quietly I wasn't sure I even heard it. It was like she had to confirm that what she was seeing was real. A smile broke out onto my face ---and tears on hers--- as I found myself already heading toward her impatiently. The second we were close enough, I had my arms around her and she returned the gesture. I could see Ezekiel approaching the boys in the corner of my eye, grinning. Over my shoulder, I could hear Carol murmuring in a soft, glad voice.

"I can't believe you're here," she said. The struggle to stop herself from crying was apparent but I was feeling the same way. Seeing and feeling familiar people had overwhelmed me far more than I expected.