A/N: I'm so fucking excited for this chapter, and I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it! Please comment and leave me your opinion. Yes, it's my story, and yes I have the majority of it planned, but I still value your opinions, and if there are some ideas I'd like, I wouldn't oppose adding them. How does Elena do so far? Do you like where her character is going and how progressively through the story she developed? Let me know!
Cheers :)
Day 493
It took us four long days to reach our destination. Or get us somewhere near it at last. Seventy, long, walker infested miles. And not once we saw any signs of others, except for three more messages, written in walker blood, by Maggie, who apparently found Sasha and Bob along the way.
But about halfway, following their direction, it stopped. Right after we took a long road over the dark bridge, none of us was willing to risk venturing into. It could mean that they finally found each other, Maggie and Glenn, that is. Another option was less appealing, and I tried not to think about that.
In the meantime, Merle recovered. His fever was gone, and the gunshot wound was slowly healing, no puss, no redness around the edges. He was stronger every day, and I knew he's going to be okay when he offered to keep me warm at night.
Yesterday in the late afternoon, about five miles out of the Terminus, we decided to leave the RV, safe what gas we had left. We didn't know what to expect and if we could trust people in this new place, so better safe than sorry. We weren't able to scavenge anything more on the way. Every small town en route was already plundered. We decided to stay here overnight, packing few things, leaving some supplies and bulkier stuff in the RV. We hid the vehicle in the bushes, cutting some branches and covering it as best as we could.
Backpack each and duffel with weapons was enough for now, and we set up in the late morning after some breakfast, preparing for a long walk.
We couldn't be walking for longer than forty minutes when we came out of the woods, to the small clearing, with a wooden cabin in the middle. I stopped immediately, crouching down and urging others to do the same.
"You think someone there?" Oscar asked, but before I could answer, a car pullover from the north, and I was wondering if it was connected to the gunshots we heard some time ago.
I put my finger to my lips, and they stayed quiet, even Lucy, who for a child knew when to remain silent, which I was grateful for. After few more minutes, I became unrestful and decided to check it out.
"You stay here, I'll holler if I need you," I told them and saw that Merle wanted to argue with me, but I just shook my head and glared at him sternly.
Slowly I made my way towards the cabin, making sure to stay hidden from the view and not step on anything that would make noise.
"I knew they trouble. Looked too ruff, you know?" I heard the male voice say, but I still couldn't see him or if he was by himself.
"Shame, they'd fit in," Another voice was female, but it came from radio, small static making it hard to hear properly.
Carefully I walked along the sidewall of the cabin, stopping near the edge. Making sure my hair won't slip from the ponytail, I peaked, noticing a man with his back turned to me. A quick scan of the area ensured me he was by himself, and I hid again, raising one finger towards Oscar and Merle.
"Alex didn't get it," The man kept talking. "See, I knew the chick with the sword was bad news. Bitch looked like a weapon with a weapon."
At those words, my blood boiled, anger rising within me. How many people, especially women, carried a proper sword?
"He was always a sloppy-ass mother." Came reply, and I reached down, unclipping my Glock, switching safety off, and trying to control my breathing.
"Yeah, I told Albert I want the kid's hat after they bleed him out," The male announced, chuckling to himself, and I saw red. I didn't understand why they would bleed him out, but it couldn't be a coincidence.
With a deep breath, I stepped from the side of the house, my gun pointed at the back of the man's head, but it seemed as I wasn't the only one.
"Keep your finger off the button and drop it," I raised my eyebrows when a familiar face snapped to me while I loaded a bullet into the chamber.
"Well, hello. Fancy to see you here, guys!" I chirped, glaring at the man who was still kneeling on the dirt road. He dropped the radio, and I quickly picked it up, not losing him from my aim. I repositioned myself, so I could see his face and nodded towards Carol. After all, she was here first.
"They're only doing eight before public face," Voice in the radio stated, and I hoped she won't get nervous when Baseball Cap doesn't answer.
"Listen, y'all don't have to do this," The man tried to plead his case, and I smiled, very slowly, putting on my best murder face. His eyes snapped to my face, and the next time he spoke, it was with a dose of uneasiness. "Whatever you want, we got a place where everyone's welcome."
"Shut up, man," Tyreese ordered, Judith cuddled in his arms, asleep.
"Okay."
"We're friends of the chick with the sword and the kid in the hat," Carol told him calmly, and I watched his face morph from cockiness to fear.
"So, tell us, did they arrived by themselves? And better don't lie to me, I've been in a very shitty mood for the past week," I asked the man, and he swallowed before averting his eyes to the ground.
"Only them." Hm... strike one. I cocked my head to the side and nodded slowly.
"I see. And how many of you in there? 'Cause I assume you're from Terminus."
"Yeah, not that many. People come and go." He lifted his face but still couldn't meet my eyes, muscle in his jaw clenching. I glanced up for a second at Carol and Tyreese, but they didn't seem bothered by my questions, both standing guard, and she was still pointing at the man.
"Sure. Last question. Bleed out the boy. What did you mean?" My voice dropped down, nearly a snarl because again, just the thought of Carl bleeding somewhere was making my stomach twist.
A quick look to the right, shallow breathing, and a loud swallow later, the man finally looked at me. "They attacked us!"
"Right. One woman and a child attacked your whole compound. Makes sense." Not waiting for his reply, I smiled once more and pulled the trigger.
Gunshot echoed in the air, and I quickly pulled safety back on, holstering my weapon. Carol didn't even flinch, but Tyreese looked at me with worry.
Finally acknowledging that they are here, I dropped my stern face and pulled Carol for a tight hug. She did the same, after a moment of hesitation, but her arms finally wrapped around me.
"I'm sorry," I whispered to her ear and heard a sharp intake of air before she pulled away, holding onto my shoulders.
"Don't ever be sorry. What I've done," At that, my eyes snapped to Tyreese, who looked tired and defeated, sick of this world. "I'd do the same if I were you."
I nodded and wiped at the corners of my eyes, where some tears threatened to spill down my cheeks.
It was when I gently hugged Tyreese, making sure to not wake up Judith, that Merle and Oscar, with Lucy on Black man's back, came charging from behind the house. They both stopped in their tracks and, after a moment of shock, welcomed part of our family.
After a short chat, we all turned around, grabbing the bag that man left on the road, and walked into an abandoned cabin that was here. To regroup and make a rescue plan, because there was no doubt in my mind that it was just that.
Carol as always proven resourceful. She managed to kill one walker on the way to the Terminus, and I found out what the blankets were for. She cut holes in the middle, gutted the geek, and used its insides and blood to cover fabric. Unfortunately, we had only two, but that's why while she and Merle were covering themselves in guts, I was piecing together my Barrett.
I used mud to cover my face and some on my hair, to not be spotted from far away. Always try to blend in with your surroundings. I was missing my khaki jacket right now.
They both had automatic rifles and their blades, and I handed Merle second radio, switching to our channel, in case any of us would have any problems.
When we quietly approached the fence, me, between Merle and Carol, avoiding walkers, I wanted to scream. The first view of the supposed sanctuary for all showed an old rail station, and it seemed we ended up at the back of the place. Rusty, brown supply container with white painted A was hard to miss. And from there, eight guys were pulling and pushing four people to the ground, bounding their hands and behind their backs.
It took everything to stay still when I recognized Rick, Glenn, Bob, and Daryl.
They were alive. He was alive! But for how fucking long? Where were they taken? I reached out and clenched my hand over Merle's jacket, needing some kind of anchor to not barge in and make the situation even worse. We needed a plan, and those fireworks Carol took with her better do the job.
Merle gently pried my fingers off himself and squeezed them shortly before nodding and urging us to move. We went around the corner, coming to the front of the compound, where our chance was.
"There," Merle whispered and pointed to the vast white container, which looked like a gas tank. "Ya make a hole, shoot crackers, and we got ourselves big ass distraction."
Carol and I nodded, but I started standing up to go back to the previous spot. "I'll go back to that container."
"Why? Ya can shoot through here."
"Yeah, but I have a good view from there, still can get the snipers. Plus, when guys escape from wherever they are, they would go back. We know that Michonne and Carl are there too. Rick wouldn't leave them. I'll make sure their escape route is clear."
"Makes sense. I'll wait two minutes before starting," Carol said and gave me a short hug before I jogged off.
Finding the perfect tree wasn't hard, especially that I already picked it when we first arrived in the area. It had a clear view of the buildings in front and decent sized branches, which hopefully will hold my weight. Grunting a little bit and cursing, finally, I sat down, my eyes well above the fences. Sun was to my left, so there was no fear that scope will reflect, and it wasn't in my eyes. Good.
I just managed to make myself comfortable, legs swinging on both sides of the branch, crossed in the ankles when an explosion shook the ground. Alrighty, showtime.
Rushing, I unfolded the bipod and wedged it in the wood, looking down the scope to check my view and movements. Perfect. I closed my eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, shutting unnecessary noises and other distractions off.
I leaned in, my hand wrapping around the handle, positioning myself, so my shoulder was pressed tightly to the but of a gun.
I could see the panic the explosion created, and hopefully soon, the herd we saw will come and do the hard part of the job. But for now, people on the roofs.
This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine.*
My first target was a bulky man standing on the top of the closest building, his back turned to me, and he was shooting down, trying to defend his home. Luckily he was an idiot and didn't move much. Breathing in and out steadily, I pulled the trigger, and when I was sure that bullet reached its target, I moved the rifle gently, looking, searching.
My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. *
Another one was a woman, no older than me. She looked like she was screaming orders, sporadically using her rifle until it clicked, and she reached her pocket to clip the second mug. Barrett was as gentle and sensitive as I remembered, it was enough to press it gently, and the woman swayed, dead body dropping down off the building.
Without me, my rifle is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. *
There were three shooters left on the roofs, at least on those buildings I could see, and my next target was an older man with an automatic shotgun. I could see shells popping out every time he pumped it. It was like muscle memory, not feeling the breeze on my skin, not hearing screams and groanes around me.
I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I will ... *
Another man seemed to be smarter. He was facing my direction, and his eyes fanatically searched for the person who just shot down his friends. That's something I didn't anticipate. Yes, I was far away, but if he looked hard enough and through the scope, he could find me. As soon as his forehead was in the center of my sight, I fired.
My rifle and I know that what counts in war is not the rounds we fire, the noise of our burst, nor the smoke we make. *
The last visible person was a woman, and she was shot in the arm from the other side, quickly moving behind the corner, facing me. She was pressing onto her wound, and her breathing was labored, probably from the pain. With quick repositioning and adjusting, I pulled the trigger once more, getting rid of everyone alive in my sight.
We know that it is the hits that count. We will hit ... *
I was patient. I know, it seems like a joke, but in moments like that, when it was just Barrett and me, I felt relaxed, at ease, so even waiting wasn't bothering me. I'm not sure how much time passed when I noticed four people shooting their way towards the container, but I recognized them instantly when I looked through the scope. Swinging to the left, I hit the first walker that was in their way.
My rifle is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. *
I pulled the trigger once more, taking down the walker that was banging on the doors to the cart, and that's when Rick came into my view. He glanced around with unease but quickly focused back on his task, pulling at the door.
I will learn its weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its sights and its barrel. *
And I focused on protecting him. With a steady breath, I squeezed my finger twice, getting rid of two geeks that were sneaking on sheriff from behind. By that time, doors were open, and Rick himself went back to firing around him. Now the more challenging part.
I will keep my rifle clean and ready, even as I am clean and ready. *
Adjusting my hold on the handle, I tilted the weapon down, focusing on walkers closest to the fence, the direction they were running to. I fired and quickly ejected the empty magazine, reaching to my pocket for a full clip. Checking it's the right way up, I slammed it in place. It clicked, and I went back to glancing down the scope.
We will become part of each other. We will ... *
It was dangerous, as I could hit one of us, but I was experienced enough to know when to shoot. My sight landed on Daryl, who was fighting off two walkers. When he pushed one to the wall and turned around to deal with the other, I reacted, pressing my finger. Blood splashed on the wall, and the hunter swiftly turned around, ready to finish it off, only to find it already dead. Your welcome, honey.
Before God, I swear this creed. *
They were finally reaching fences, and my focus shifted to the walkers on this side. All five of them dropped dead in a matter of seconds.
My rifle and I are the defenders of my country. *
There were few new faces among those who were dear to me. One of them, a ruff-looking guy with ginger hair, struggled with a walker, who surprised him. Taking a deep breath and concentrating, I lined up the geek's head in the crisscross, and when I was sure I won't hit Red, I pulled the trigger. I was relieved to see I didn't kill the new guy. He dropped the body to the ground, and his face was splattered with blood, but his brows were furrowed, eyes snapping in my direction, searching before he refocused on the undead ahead of him.
We are the masters of our enemy. *
They started making over the fence, but it also meant walkers were gaining on them. I fired once more at the geek that was right behind Glenn.
We are the saviors of my life. *
Finally, it was only Red left on the other side, and I shot at the walker to his right, who tried to reached out and scratched the man.
So be it, until victory is America's and there is no enemy, but peace! *
They were out, running ahead and under the tree I was sitting in. So focused that they didn't notice me, but I was surprised that Daryl ignored all the shells lying in the grass.
Quick evacuation. Pulling back into reality, I realized how fast my heart was beating and how much I was sweating. I collapsed bipod, switched the safety off, and pulled the strap over my shoulder.
"They're out," I spoke into the radio, and after a moment, received an answer.
"So are we. Where about?" Merle sounded out of breath, and I hoped he didn't open his wound. It would really be a pain in the ass.
"My direction, they marching further into the woods, I'm following."
I made my way down with those last words, which honestly was much more challenging than climbing up. Mindful of Barrett, I swang from the bottom branch and landed in a crouch, wiping sweat out of my brows. I scrunched my nose at the brown stains on black leather and pulled the rug from the back pocket of my pants. Something Daryl made me do a long time ago, and so far, I was thankful.
Whipping as much mud off my face as I could, slowly I made my way after my people, not willing to be left behind. Even if Carol and Merle would intercept them.
It took me few minutes to catch up to others, silently stepping on the grass and moss, to not startle them. I came behind those new guys, whose faces I didn't recognize, and then heard Rick speaking.
"You two did that?"
I scoffed, making four people in front of me jump and aimed guns in my direction. "They wish."
All faces turned towards me, and I grinned like a maniac. "Now, now it's not polite to aim at someone who saved your life twice, Red."
Guy's reply was interrupted by Daryl, who pushed past him, making the guy stumble. My eyes filled with tears, and I walked forward, meeting him in the middle, wrapping my arms around his neck.
Daryl's arms were tight around my body, burying his face in my neck, while a loud sob escaped my mouth, and I clung to him as if he would disappear in seconds. I was lifted off the ground, and he spun us around before gently setting me back, pulling me slightly away.
My hands moved to his face, currently covered in bruises, and climbed on my tiptoes, kissing him gently, being careful of his split lip. It was sweet, reassuring, and the grip on my waist loosened a little when I stopped.
"I love you," I blurted out quietly, my mouth running off without my consent, fear of losing him again finally reaching the surface. "I wanted to tell you so many times but was afraid you would run for the hills."
At that, Daryl pulled me closer, ignoring voices around us and comments coming out of Merle. He kissed me hard, pressing his lips firmly onto mine, demanding entrance with his tongue over my bottom lip. I sighed happily and pried my mouth open, our tounges dancing together for few moments before Daryl pulled away.
"I love ya too," He mumbled with his forehead against mine. I smirked and pulled away completely, showing him my left hand.
"I know! Now you're stuck with me forever." There were few gasps around us, and Merle laughed loudly, being shushed by Rick, but my eyes stayed on younger Dixon. His eyes went round for a moment, his face redding, and he cleared his throat uncomfortably. I reached to the small pocket inside my jacket and held a ring to him. It was awkward, but we were in front of our family, plus few newbies, so I wasn't ashamed.
"Well, Big Boy? Forever and Always, what you say?" I asked him nervously when he didn't move to take it. His eyes snapped to me, and I could see all emotions swirling in the ocean of blue.
"Ya crazy as they come, woman," He replied gruffly, taking the ring and quickly putting it on his finger. Daryl cupped my face and pressed his forehead to mine, letting me inhale his musky scent. It was mixed with a fresh smell of forest with a coppery note of blood.
"Only for you." Before I could enjoy another kiss and forget about the world around us, I registered voices near, and with a sigh, I closed my eyes before stepping next to Daryl, grabbing his hand in mine.
"Did they just got married?" The man I decided to call Red asked the short woman that was standing next to him. She seemed small standing next to the man, but she also looked fierce, and I saw her swinging knife at walkers on the way to the fence. She definitely wasn't defenseless.
"Actually, what I believe occurred was she accepted his offered somehow in time when they were separated, without him asking, and now she said yes and proposed herself," Oh, this guy will be called Hairdo. Like seriously, why would he do it to himself, I get apocalypse and all that, but that's like two decades old.
"That was almost correct assessment," I told them, letting them know they weren't as quiet as they thought. I looked over to Rick and smiled widely, and then moving my eyes to the others. There were still few important faces missing, but they were here. Except for four new people, Rick and Daryl, I could see Michonne and Carl. Maggie, Glenn, Sasha, Bob, and Axel. We found each other.
"Come on," Carol spoke after quick hugs, her eyes focused on Rick. "There's something you need to see."
The reunion was heart-lifting. When Rick and Carl realized Judith was safe with Tyreese, they ran towards them, tears streaming down both of their faces. Sasha lounged herself at Tyreese as soon as she saw him.
But the reunion which made me turn around and discreetly wipe my eyes was when Oscar came out with Lucy. He and Axel shared a hug while Lucy ran towards us. Daryl smiled wildly and got to his knees, spreading his arms. The girl jumped straight into them, and she stayed there until we reached the hidden RV.
We all agreed that we can't stay too close to Terminus. Of course, traveling in Winnebago with eighteen people and two small kids was not ideal, but we traveled few miles north before making overnight camp. With RV on one side, Oscar used string we used by the stream to secure the rest of the area.
Our big stock of food suddenly seemed really small, considering how many people there we had right now. But for tonight, we decided to rest and talk about plans tomorrow.
We all sat in a circle, Judith sitting with Carl, and Lucy perched herself on Merle's lap. Who would've thought Dixons were good with kids.
"When we found her car seat, it was covered in blood," Rick started his story. Everyone wanted to know what happened in the time we were separated. "We just assumed the worse. I was in horrible shape, but Carl took care of me."
"Not really," The boy murmured and glanced around, his shoulders slouching. "I was so angry. I actually yelled at you a lot when you were unconscious."
"Well, I don't remember, so we're good." Some chuckles rolled around the camp at that, and I offered the rest of my meal to Lucy. She grinned and started picking at meat and canned carrots, shoving them in her mouth.
"I was couple of days behind them, got lost in my mind," Michonne shared her point of view.
"You were by yourself?" I asked quietly, knowing that it was the worst that could happen to her.
"Yeah. But it was different. I found tracks, those stupid cowboy shoes, I'd recognize everywhere."
"Hey, don't disrespect the shoes," Rick told her with a smirk, which she returned.
"I went back to find Beth," Maggie added. "We were ready to leave on a bus, but she wasn't there. That's when Bob got shot. So we needed to go, but the bus was gone. For days we followed it, and when we found it, it was- massacre. Everybody on board turned."
Sasha nodded and sighed heavily. "Someone had to be bitten or died suddenly, without others realizing. That's when we spotted signs for Terminus. I didn't want to go. I- I gave up," The Black woman admitted, looking down to the ground.
"I think we all did, even if just for a moment," I commented, and Merle snorted next to me, making me shove my elbow in his side.
"That's when we met Abraham, Rosita, and Eugene," Maggie continued and nodded towards new people.
"We actually met them first," Glenn interrupted, hugging his wife tightly. "When I get off the bus, Axel followed me, said you'll kick his ass for losing me, Eli."
I snickered and nodded, confirming his suspicions.
"Anyway, we found Tara around the prison, and together we moved on. Guys gave us a little lift until we split up, next to the tunnel. We went inside while they drove off."
"Man, we saw that fuckin' tunnel. Ya got balls of steel," Merle commented, grinning at the Korean man, who chuckled to himself.
"Just highly motivated. We nearly died when those guys showed up with Maggie and others, shooting at walkers."
"I came back when it was already over," Carol admitted when Glenn finished his part. "Saw Tyreese and the girls going into the forest, so I followed. It took me few days to catch up, and then we found the cabin, thought of staying there. But thigs happened, and-"
"We lost them," Tyreese intercepted the story, his voice deep and low, sad. "And we decided it was time to get to Terminus, see if others are there. We spotted the guy by that small cabin, and that's where we heard you're being held captive."
"And that's when we come into the picture," I smiled at the man, who nodded and let me lead the story. "We managed to get into the car, leaving the prison. The closest safe place I could think of was hunting cabin. We thought all of you will get there eventually."
"I don't think any of us thought that clearly when everything happened," Michonne commented, and others grunted in confirmation.
"Well, I get it now. Anyway, we waited for a couple of days, figures Merle got himself shot, back at the prison."
"Now, now, Doll. Ya now it happened when I was savin' yur ass."
"I don't feel comfortable discussing my ass with you, Hook." I deadpanned, and Daryl chuckled beside me. "I found this campsite by the stream. I think- no, I'm sure that's where Governor waited."
There was grave silence after my words, and slowly I took the small black book out of my bag. Scrambling back to my feet, I stepped to the right, standing in front of Maggie, holding it out to her. She furrowed her brows and covered her mouth when she finally opened it, recognizing the item.
"Thank you," Maggie whispered, biting her bottom lip. I nodded sharply, feeling once again tightness around my heart.
"We actually followed your trail, Mags. Found it in one of the towns. Otherwise, we wouldn't think of going to Terminus."
"What 'bout ya, 'Lil brother?" Merle directed his question at Daryl, who slowly shook his head and pressed his lips into a thin line before answering.
"I was with Beth for a while. She got taken, some assholes in a black car with a white cross. Tried to follow 'em, but I was on foot," Daryl answered. I squeezed his arm, trying to offer some kind of comfort while sitting back down between Dixons. "That's when those guys found me. Called themselves Claimers. Bunch of scumbags, but I was alone, and they had a code. A shitty one, but still... Said they following someone who killed one of 'em. Didn't realize they talked about Rick until they attacked him, Michonne, and Carl."
"That's why you look like that, Big Boy?" I asked him softly, and he grunted in reply.
"I actually didn't kill that guy," Rick spoke up, making me look over at him. "They raided the house we were staying in. Michonne and Carl were scavenging, and I was still in ruff shape, so I hid under the bed. Two of them started fighting in the bedroom over a bed, and well, shit happened."
"What's important is that we found each other," Oscar commented loudly, and I couldn't agree more.
"So what's next?" Red asked, and I tilted my head.
"Regroup in the morning. Collect supplies we got here and find a temporary place for a base. Elena, got any plans?" Rick answered and directed the last question towards me.
"We are a few miles west from the small town. We should check for supplies and cars. We can't all travel in RV, and honestly, after the last one, I think we need something more durable."
"And what's after that?" Abraham asked again, and I furrowed my brows.
"What's with twenty questions, Red? The ideal plan would consist of finding a new place we could call home, but we need supplies and vehicles for that. So we going to take one step at the time, no point of getting ahead when we don't have resources."
The man considered my words for a few moments before he grinned at me, nodding. "Were you army or something?"
"No," I cut him off sharply and looked away, focusing on warmth radiating from Daryl.
I'm not sure how much sleep any of us got that night. I know at some point Daryl left me with Merle and Lucy to take a watch with Carol, but I was too tired to give a rat's ass about it.
* This is old snipers creed, not really used anymore, and even though Elena wasn't in the army, we all know she did have training on The Farm, and that consist of many different courses (I assume), and in my mind, one of them would be long-range shooting. I might add a little back story about what she did there ;)
