You guys are going to kill me, but like every great trilogy, the 2nd installment ends on a cliffhanger…
Katelyn sat quietly in the back of the car. She held the test in her hand, staring in disbelief. Hershel kept peeking in the mirror to make sure she was okay.
Her thoughts turned to Daryl and again she prayed, wondering if he's even returned, or if he really did leave forever. Her heart sank at the thought of never seeing him again and she began to cry softly. Turning her head out the window, she watched the trees pass by. Raising her hand slowly, she placed it on her belly protectively. Closing her eyes against the pain, she conjured his smiling face in her mind and imagined his arms around her.
She doubted she would ever see him again and hadn't known how she was going to go on, but the moment she learned she was carrying his child, she felt a ferocity enter her. She would live and love their baby, and in doing so, she would love him.
Even if she never held him again.
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Daryl kicked the chair across the room. The whole place was empty. It had been ransacked so he knew that the Governor had been here but there was no blood, no bodies…no sign that anyone had been killed so he knew the Governor was lying.
Walking over to stairs, he climbed them, going to their old room. The room had been tossed, the bed flipped, but lying on the floor was a piece of paper on it that read:
I love you.
We've headed west with Madeline.
Going to Colorado first.
Please come home.
Daryl wanted to cry. Holding the piece of paper to his chest, he sank to his knees, leaning his head forward onto the cement.
They were alive, he thought, relief filling him, but he had a long journey ahead of him. Sitting back up, he turned to look at his brother who stood quietly in the doorway watching him.
At least he'd learned to keep his mouth shut.
Daryl took a deep breath and stood.
"They've gone west. Heading to Colorado." Daryl stated, walking past Merle and back down the stairs.
Walking straight out of the prison, he headed for the truck. Merle jogged behind him, trying to be jovial but Daryl was single-focused.
"I'll help ya! It's easier with two of us. Besides, I gotta get outta here." Merle said, hopping into the cab on the passenger side.
Daryl didn't tell him no, but he didn't answer him either. He turned the key and backed out, flipping the car around quickly before speeding off down the road.
He watched the prison disappear in the rear view mirror as he smiled.
Katelyn still loved him.