I sat out on the train tracks looking up at the night sky. It was a full moon and there was a lot of stars out. It was beautiful. Peaceful. But…that was about the only good thing that night.

"Cain't sleep?" I heard Daryl say from behind me.

"...no."

"Me neither." He sat down across from me. For a while, neither of us said anything. We just listened to the noises of the night. I was never too fond of the sound of crickets. So, I decided to break the silence.

"Daryl…what are we doing with these guys? We don't need them. I don't trust them." I tried not to be too loud. Joe and the rest of the gang weren't too far from us. "We should just go, right now. They'd never know. Yeah, let's just—

"I know." Daryl cut me off. He glanced up to see if anyone heard him. "I know." He said again but quieter. "But we cain't. I was worried about what they'd do if we said no."

I sighed and looked down. "Well, I don't wanna be alone with any of them, especially Len." I shivered. I caught him eyeing me up on occasion. And Dan.

"Ya don't have to be." Daryl said. He looked up at the night sky. "I'm goin' huntin' as soon as it gets light."

I paused for a minute. "I'm sorry I told you to fuck off." I let out a nervous laugh.

"Fuck you."

"Huh?" I gave him a surprised look.

"I believe you said, 'fuck you'."

"Oh." I breathed a sigh of relief. "Aren't they basically the same thing?"

He snorted.

"Well, either way, I'm sorry." I looked down at my hands and nervously played with my fingers. "I just said it because," my lip began to quiver, "you really hurt my feelings what you said to me…back at that house." I got teary eyed as I remembered what happened between the three of us.

Daryl seemed to get a little nervous and cleared his throat. "What exactly was it that I said? I don't really remember."

I felt a little angry that he doesn't even remember. "You called me a butch."

"Is that all?" He snorted.

I shot him a dirty look even though he probably couldn't see it. "What do you mean 'is that all?' It was enough."

"I just don't—

"Look," I said cutting him off. I could feel another argument coming so I stopped it before it started. I sighed deeply. "I had a cousin…he was sort of like my Merle. He was really mean to me sometimes and he used to call me that. It always hurt my feelings and I guess, I guess it brought back some bad memories."

"Oh." Daryl said. He sounded embarrassed? There was an awkward pause. "Well, I'm sorry then. I didn't…"

"It's okay. We were all kinda drunk." I smirked. "That's why alcohol is bad. My family used to get in arguments all the time when they'd drink. No one could ever have a party or get together without alcohol."

"My family didn't have to have a party or get together to have alcohol." Daryl said. "It was just always there."

I let out a nervous laugh. "Let's just pretend it didn't happen and change the subject." I thought for a minute. "Did you really never get anything for Christmas?"

Daryl was quiet for a minute. "Merle once got me a bottle of whiskey."

"But I mean when you were a kid?"

"I was a kid." Daryl snorted.

"Oh." I blinked. That's awful. "So…you never got like some legos or a firetruck? Every little boy wants a firetruck." I laughed.

"No." Daryl said.

My mouth pressed into a thin line and I gave him a sympathetic look. "That's sad. I'm sorry."

Daryl looked a little awkward and stood up. "We should probably get some sleep before the sun comes up." He put his hand out to me. I took it, and he hauled me up.

The sound of a walker woke me up along with everyone else. There was one stuck on the fence we built. Joe killed it. I looked around for Daryl and began to panic when I didn't see him.

"Looks like that Robin Hood cat cut out on us after all." Tony said.

"I didn't think he had the sack to go out on his own." Len said.

"He don't." Said another. "Dude left his stuff here. Probably just stepped out to drop a morning deuce."

"He just went hunting." I said remembering our conversation last night. I got up and walked away to go use the bathroom. I had to go far enough away so none of those guys would follow me.

As I was making my way back, I heard a voice say, "hey, sweetie," and gasped. It was that Len guy. He was holding half of a rabbit.

I calmed down. "What do you want?"

"I was thinkin'," he took a few steps closer, "how's about you and me have some fun?"

I glared at him. "I'd rather die."

He laughed. "Come on, now. Let's get to know each other." He walked closer so he was very close to me now.

"No." I said firmly. I tried to walk away but he stepped in front of me. Now I was getting a little scared.

"Well, I say yes." He grinned evilly. He reached out and started playing with my hair. "Huh? What do ya say?"

I was breathing heavily. I was scared but tried not to show it. "I said, no. Back off." I glared.

We stared at each other for what seemed like forever. Finally, Len laughed and stood aside. I took my chance and hurried away. He grabbed my bottom as I walked passed him. I glared back at him then just quickly walked away.

I stopped behind a tree and started to cry. My nerves must be shook up. I hate guys like him. Why does he think he can touch me without my permission? I wondered how many girls he's raped in his life? Probably even before the turn. I calmed myself down and wiped away my tears.

"Abby." I heard Daryl say. I peeked out from behind the tree. "There you are. I been lookin' fer ya." I didn't say anything. Daryl must have been able to tell I'd been crying. "What's wrong?"

I just shook my head. Just then, Len came walking along behind us, he was whistling. He stopped when he noticed me and winked then walked on.

"What happened?" Daryl became angry. "Did he do soemthin' to you?" He turned and looked at Len walking away. "Hey!"

"No, Daryl." I grabbed his arm. "Please, just stop. Nothing happened. I promise. Nothing happened."

Daryl looked to and from me and Len angrily. "Come on." He finally said.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding then we went back to join the others.

"So what's the plan, Daryl?" Joe asked him as we walked.

"How so?"

"You're with us now, but you ain't soon?"

"Yep."

I stayed back behind Daryl and listened to them talk.

"So what's the plan?"

"Just lookin' for the right place is all."

"Oh, we ain't good enough for you, huh?"

"Some of you ain't exactly friendly."

"You ain't so friendly yourself." Joe said to Daryl. "You know you need a group out here."

"Maybe we don't."

"No, you do. You should be with us. People don't got to be friendly. We don't have to be nice. We don't have to be brothers in arms. We just got to follow the rules. You claim. If you steal, you keel. I know that sounds a little funny, but nobody laughs when something goes missing. And you don't lie. 'Cause that's a slippery slope indeed."

"W-what happens if you break 'em?" I finally spoke.

"Oh, you catch a beatin'." Joe replied. "The severity of which depends upon the offense and the general attitude of the day. But that don't happen much 'cause when men like us follow rules and cooperate a little bit, well, the world becomes ours."

I swallowed hard.

"You shouldn't have to worry about that little lady." Joe said. "We wouldn't hurt you. But we're not used to having a woman around."

I gave him a weird look. Before I could say anything, Joe stopped and pointed at a car garage. "Right there. It's our abode for the evening."

"Hey." Daryl said to him. Joe stopped. "There ain't no us."

"You leaving right now?" Joe said. "No? Then it sure seems like there's an us." There was a brief pause. "You a cat person, Daryl? I am. Loved 'em since I was three years old. Vicious creatures. Anyway, I'll tell you, and this is true, ain't nothin' sadder than an outdoor cat that thinks he's an indoor cat."

Daryl stood there with his head down for a moment. Joe and everybody else went inside.

"Daryl?" I said. "Are we going inside?"

He glanced at me and nodded. "Come on."

There was some cars inside the garage. It'd be nice to sleep on a car seat than on the ground for once. Every time we approached a car, someone "claimed" it. I sighed. Daryl threw his bag on the ground and laid on it. I sat next to him.

"Oh come on." Joe said. "Why don't one of you guys be a gentleman and let the lady sleep in a car."

"She can sleep with me." Len said then laughed.

"Hey." Daryl glared.

I looked at Joe. "No, thanks. I'm fine."

"Suit yourself." Joe said.

I looked around. I felt awkward that we were in the middle of all these guys and became nervous. I sighed and just sat there with my head down.

As the time went on, Daryl went outside to go pee, I was scared to stay in there with those guys by myself so I walked over to where Joe was in his car. I wouldn't particularly say I liked the guy, but I trusted him more than any of the others. I was looking around at nothing trying to pretend like I was doing something. I absentmindedly turned around and I saw Len walking away from Daryl's bag. I narrowed my eyes. What did he just do?

Daryl came back shortly after and I decided not to tell him about Len. He already doesn't like him. I don't want to cause any problems. I could so see them getting into a fight.

"You've got to be kiddin' me." A voice said after sometime. Len walked over to where Daryl and I were. "Give it here."

"You step back." Daryl snapped. He stood up immediately.

"My half was in the bag." Len said. "Now it's gone. Now ain't nobody around here interested in no half a damn cottontail except you. Ain't that right?"

"You're the only one still thinkin' about that crap." Daryl yelled.

"Empty your bag." Len said.

"I said step back." Daryl yelled and grabbed the bag.

My eyes grew wide and my breathing quickened. "Daryl."

"Did you take his rabbit, Daryl?" Joe said. "Just tell me the truth."

"I didn't take nothin'." He snapped.

Joe grabbed the bag off of Daryl. "What do we got here? Come on." He dumped it on the floor. The other half of the rabbit that Len had fell out. My eyes got wide again. "Well, look at that." Joe said.

"You put that there, didn't you?" Daryl accused Len. "When I went out to take a piss."

Now I remember. "He did. I saw him walking away from our bag." I said.

"You lied." Len said. "And so did your bitch." He pointed at me. "You lied. You stole. We gonna teach this fool or what, Joe?"

I was panicking inside. Surely, they would take their friend's side over Daryl and I.

"Whoa, whoa." Joe said. "Now, Daryl says he didn't take your half of the rabbit. So we got a little conundrum here. Either he's lying, which is an actionable offense, or you didn't plant it on him like some pussy, punk-ass, cheating, coward cop, did you? 'Cause while that wouldn't be specifically breaking the rules, it'd be disappointing."

"It would, huh?" Len said. "I didn't."

"Good." Joe patted Len's shoulder. "Well…" Joe looked at Daryl and I. I waited in anticipation to see what was going to happen. I was scared and my nerves were very shaken. Then, Joe punched Len right in the face. I gasped. I was so surprised. "Teach him a lesson, gents. He's a lying sack of shit. I'm sick of it. Teach him all the way." All the other guys started beating up Len.

"I saw him do it." Joe turned to us.

"Why didn't you try to stop him?" Daryl said.

"He wanted to play that out. I let him. You told the truth. He lied. You understand the rules. He doesn't." There was a brief pause. "Looks like you get the head, too." Joe tossed Len's half of the rabbit to Daryl.

Daryl and I shared a look. I heard squealing and looked back at Len getting beat to death. I grimaced and looked away. Daryl noticed.

"Let's go outside." He said. He put his hand on the back of my neck and guided me towards the door.

The next day, we got up earlier and headed out. We saw Len's mangled dead body outside. I gave Daryl a look then he grabbed a white sheet and was about to throw it over him but then stopped like he was thinking and threw the blanket aside. We moved on.

Joe and Daryl were talking. I always stayed close to Daryl because, even with Len gone, these guys still kind of scare me.

Joe handed Daryl his flask and he took a sip. "White Lightning." Joe said. "Easiest thing to make with the least amount of supplies. I'd start slow if I was you. Your stomach's probably emptier than you think."

"Mmm. I ain't been lit at dawn since before everything fell apart." Daryl said.

"Fell apart? I never looked at it like that. Seems to me like things are finally starting to fall together. At least for guys like us. Living like this, surviving. We've been doing this from the start, right?"

No one said anything.

"So, you two related or something?" Joe asked us.

"Friends." I said.

"Hmm. You still stickin' with us?" He asked again.

"Not sure." Daryl said.

"We're looking for someone." I reminded him.

Back on the road, we saw a sign that said, Terminus. Sanctuary for all. Community for all.

"Getting closer." Tony said.

"You seen this before?" Daryl asked.

"Oh, yeah." Joe replied. "I'll tell you what it is. It's a lie. Ain't no sanctuary for all. Ain't gonna welcome guys like you and me with open arms."

Daryl and I shared a look. Our people could be there!

"So is that where we're headed?" I asked.

"So now you're asking?" Joe said.

"That's right." Daryl answered for me.

Joe paused and looked at me. "We're lookin' for someone, too. We were in a house minding our own business and this walking piece of fecal matter was hiding in the home." Joe informed us. "Strangled our colleague Lou and left him to turn. Lou came at all of us. He lit out. We tracked him to these tracks, one of those signs, and thus we've got a destination in mind."

"You see his face?" Daryl asked.

"Only Tony." Joe said. "That's enough for a reckoning."

There was a tomato growing on a plant by the tracks. One of the guys went to grab it but Daryl said, "claimed," and grabbed it first.

"Now you're gettin' the hang of it." Joe patted Daryl's back then walked on.

I smiled at Daryl. Maybe these guys aren't so bad and maybe things will be all right from now on, especially with Len gone.

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