Anna sat at the kitchen table, the chandelier illuminating the map and the pages of notes. She read through the list of names that Jerry from the Kingdom had given to her, comparing it to the list Emma had given her from Hilltop, and hers from Alexandria. She scribbled a note down on one of the pages and picked up the drawing of Sanctuary Jesus had given her.
It had only been a day since the battle and she was still in a lot of pain. She wanted to lay in bed and nurse her wounds, but there was just too much to do.
"Hey," Daryl called as he walked into the room, pulling his crossbow strap over his head.
"Hey," she greeted, setting her things down.
"You ready?" He asked.
"Now?"
He nodded and she pushed herself to her feet. She shoved her notebook into her satchel along with a pen and pulled her jacket off the back of the chair before she followed him out of the house. As they walked out the door, Anna grabbed her stick sheathed in its new leather holster and looped it around her body.
It was dark as they made their way to the front gates, where they met Rick.
He pulled the gates open as she and Daryl climbed onto the bike.
"If you aren't back by tomorrow evening," Rick started.
"We'll be back," Anna assured.
Rick nodded as the bike roared to life and Daryl steered them out of Alexandria and down the street. Anna pressed her face into Daryl's back, hiding from the whip of cool air as he picked up speed, turning them onto the highway.
She thought about the list of questions in her notebook and the risk they were all taking in getting the information. But it had to be done.
By the time they arrived at their destination, Anna's fingers were numb. Daryl pulled the bike to the side of the road and shut it off as they climbed off. She breathed into her cupped hands, making a mental note to start wearing gloves.
"You good?" Daryl asked.
"Yeah," Anna said as he walked over to her.
He took her hands in his and brought them to his lips, breathing on them.
"It's starting to get too cold," Anna said, huddling closer to Daryl as he gently rubbed her hands between his. "We should scavenge for some jackets while we're out."
He nodded his agreement as he let go of her hands and went to move the bike off the road, hiding it behind some bushes. They started through the woods, moving quickly and quietly. They didn't want to waste any time.
After some walking, they broke through the tree line and came upon the road leading into the city. Daryl led them through the buildings, passing an angel statue before darting behind some abandoned trucks. They peered up at the towering factory.
Anna had never seen it before. It seemed so oppressive; she couldn't fathom why anyone would want to live there. But the yard of walkers separating them from the factory, the limited ways in, assured her that it wasn't about comfort. It was about defense.
A door opened and a thin figure stepped out, a crossbow in hand. There was a flash of flame and Anna could see the blond hair and the gnarled face before the flame died out. Dwight made his way down the steps.
"You got the list?" Daryl asked, pulling a bolt from his crossbow.
Anna nodded and pulled the notebook from her satchel, flipping to the page in question and tearing it out. She passed it to him and he rolled it around the bolt, securing it with a small rubber-band.
He knocked the bolt and aimed his crossbow. A moment later he fired. She watched as Dwight pulled the arrow from the tire Daryl had shot into, unraveling the note. He took a moment to read the list before he fished something out of his pocket.
After scribbling on the paper, Dwight rolled it around the bolt again and loaded it into his—Daryl's—crossbow. He fired in their general direction, the bolt embedding itself into a plank beside them.
Daryl snatched the bolt and passed Anna the paper. She read through the outposts, lookouts, and supply caches. She looked up and nodded at Daryl, assuring him they had what they needed. She tucked the paper in her pocket and they started back the way they came.
"What if he's lyin'?" Daryl asked as they moved through the trees, weapons ready.
The light filtered through the trees in the early morning as they followed some tracks for a deer.
"We'll check out the locations before we send anyone in," Anna said as she spotted a splash of light brown.
She raised her rifle and peered through the scope, spotting the deer.
"I got it," she whispered.
Taking a breath, she steadied her rifle, and was about to pull the trigger when the deer looked up and ran.
"Shit," she hissed, spotting the three walkers fumbling out of the brush. "I hate those fuckin' things," she muttered, lowering her rifle.
"How many?" Daryl asked.
"Three. They're following our deer," she grumbled as she started toward them, slinging her rifle behind her and pulling her stick from her back.
She heard Daryl huff as he followed after her. They dispatched the walkers with ease and checked the bodies for anything useful. One had a jacket that was in pretty good shape. Anna began to pull it off the walker.
"What are you doin'?" Daryl asked.
"This looks like it'll fit Carl," Anna explained, yanking the walker's arm out of the sleeve.
Daryl cocked a brow at her.
"I'll wash it before I give it to him," Anna assured, tying the jacket to her satchel as she stood.
"Carl's got a jacket," Daryl commented as they continued to follow the deer's trail.
"It's too thin for northern winters," Anna said. "It's more of a Fall jacket, really."
Daryl was quiet and she paused, turning to look at him.
"What?"
"I thought you were from South Carolina?" Daryl asked.
"I am," Anna said, frowning at him. "Why?"
"How do you know what northern winters are like?" He asked.
"I was going to school in Cincinnati," Anna said. "Spend four years in the north, you pick up a few things."
"Huh," Daryl said. "Why'd you never tell me about that?"
"You never asked," Anna shrugged. "And it didn't seem important."
They started walking again and Anna began to think about everything else Daryl didn't know about. They rarely talked about their lives before the apocalypse, having no interest in revisiting a life they'd never get back.
"I sucked at keeping down a job," Anna said suddenly.
"What?"
"Six months as a museum guide was my longest job. I'd usually quit for one reason or another," she elaborated. "I guess because it was never what I wanted to do."
Daryl didn't say anything for a moment.
"I was a mechanic once," he said. "Before Merle came back and we started driftin'."
Anna considered Daryl as she knew him. She could see him as a drifter, moving from town to town and doing whatever to make some money, staying in motels and eating at diners.
"Look at us," Anna said, shaking her head. "What were we before all of this? What are we now?"
They broke through the trees again, coming up on the road about half a mile from the turnpike. Daryl crossed the road, headed for the woods. Anna went to follow when a breeze blew past and she paused.
She sniffed the air, and listened intently.
"You comin'?" Daryl asked and Anna put her hand up to quiet him.
Without a word, she started down the road toward the turnpike.
"Where are you goin'?" Daryl called after her.
She spotted the overpass and picked up her pace. Anna ducked behind the barrier as she made her way up the on ramp, peering over the cement and steel. Daryl came to crouch beside her.
They said nothing, breathing through their mouths so they didn't have to smell the overwhelming stench of the herd. Anna looked up at the sun, determining the direction it was headed.
Slowly, a grin spread across her face.