It's almost like it used to be. We're all sittin' in this apartment an' it all feels familiar. We had been given some bread an' water. Travis had taken all our weapons, our ammo, everything, an' locked it up in their armory. He brought us back to this buildin' an' showed us where they had put Glenn an' the others. He told us we could sort out our own spaces, but nobody wanted to be alone tonight.
"I can't believe we're all together again," Maggie looks 'round the room before continuing. "Well, almost all of us." At that moment, the room goes quiet. But the silence seems fittin', a final respect to the people we've lost. Everybody else is gathered by that old ass fireplace while I sit on the windowsill an' look 'round our new location. From here I have a direct view of the armory. I spot some of the men patrollin' the area. I can't help but question what they're patrollin' for in a fuckin' sanctuary.
The tour we were given today went through the armory, some mess hall, another apartment complex for permanent residents an' a head office where this Mark guy stays. He didn't speak much to us. I thought he might be hidin' somethin', but I couldn't be sure. I wasn't the only one who got a weird vibe off him, though. Even Rick said we should keep close watch on that one.
"You know, rationally speakin', the odds are astronomical that y'all found each other out there." That mullet fella never fuckin' lets up. I swear to God above that guy has no fuckin' off switch. I know I didn't give him the warmest welcome earlier. The first thing he did was look at my bow an' ask me some shit 'bout shootin' practice. I told him to run out 'bout thirty yards so's I could practice long range. I was twenty feet ahead of him by the time he stopped gazin' at me blankly an' he had put together what I said. Fuckin' idiot.
"Our group is strong. I told you all along that we'd find each other. I wish it'd been sooner, but I never doubted we would." You have to admire Glenn's confidence sometimes. He told me 'bout goin' down that dark ass tunnel lookin' for Maggie. I said it before an' I'd say it again, he's a tough bastard. I decide to leave my perch an' sit with the group. I notice half of them are already sleepin'. Maggie lets out a heavy sigh, but it ain't 'cause she's tired.
"I know I should be thankful we're all together, an' really, I am." She looks into our faces. "But I wish there were more of us here." We know what she means. We've lost so many along the way, family an' friends. To me, there was no line. These people were my friends an' my family. I think back to how I used to be. I wanted nothin' to do with the whole lot of them. Rick took me in as a fuckin' brother. He trusted me an' eventually that trust grew with the reliability the others placed on me. I was part of our council, I had a voice in all matters an' these people listened to me. I sit back against the couch, Carl snorin' above me, an' I consider what all it was I really lost.
I'm stuck in my mind for a while, ignorin' everything 'round me. Hell, I dunno how long I sat there. One minute I'm thinkin' 'bout how this world got worst an' I got better, the next thing I know Maggie's hand is on my shoulder. I'm immediately pulled outta my thoughts at the contact. She motions for us to move over by the window an' I realize we're the only two awake. We make our way over quietly, steppin' between the ones sleepin' on the floor. I nod to her, promptin' her to tell me what's on her mind. Her voice is a whisper, but I hear her perfectly clear.
"Daryl, Rick told me. 'Bout you. An' 'bout Beth." Son of a bitch. I wasn't ready for this. I was just thinkin' 'bout how to approach the others on the topic of a search party when she pulled me over here. I can't hide the irritation in my voice.
"'Course he did." She doesn't look hurt at my rough tone. Maggie's seen all sorta sides of me. She don't scare off too easily, an' I think it must be a family trait.
"Don't be like that. He told me how you chased after that car for miles. I need to know, do you think there's a chance she's still alive?" She has my full attention now. I hold her gaze. She continues before I can say anything. "I just need to know, Daryl. I already lost my dad, my family at the farm. I need to know if there's even a faint chance she's still out there." There's so much hurt in those eyes, I can feel my own pain clawin' away at me. I know exactly how she feels. This is what I wanted all along. If anybody will help me find her, it's Maggie.
"I think there's a damn good chance she's still out there. I've been meanin' to get a sorta search party goin'. Soon's possible." There's a determination 'bout her face now, just another thing those Greene girls share.
"I'm in. Glenn will be, too. I'm almost positive Rick an' Michonne would be more than willin'. The others can stay back an' get us better situated in this place." I don't know how to tell her that I'm not comfortable here. I just can't bring myself to trust this place or these people.
"What's that look for?" This is the problem with lettin' people in. They know when there's a change in your thoughts 'cause you so fuckin' clearly show it on your face. But I need to be honest with her. She might think I'm crazy, but it weren't too long ago that Maggie stood by my gut feelin's.
"I don't know 'bout this place. Why call it a sanctuary when you have armed patrol an' a stockpile of weapons? There ain't no point in sayin' it's an open door for everyone when you keep it locked down so damn tight." She looks like she's considerin' what I'm sayin', so I go on. "At first I thought it all had to do with safety, but that don't make sense. What's there to guard against anymore? You heard that Travis guy earlier. They almost lost hope in anyone bein' out there. They were shocked to see us. An' he didn't look all too happy seein' that the whole group of us knew each other. I can't shake the feelin' that these walls aren't for protectin' us. I think they're for keepin' us in. Remember Woodbury?" I can see her eyes glaze over at the memory of that godforsaken place. I know she remembers. The fuckin' Governor saw to it she'd never soon forget that place.
"What does Rick think?"
"He got the same strange feelin' 'bout that Mark we met earlier. Like the guy's hidin' somethin' from us. What if he is? How do we know this place is as safe as they claim?" She seems to really think it over.
"Alright. We need to talk 'bout this to the others. I trust you an' Rick. If y'all say this place is off, I believe you. Let's try to get some sleep. We're gonna have a lot to discuss with the group tomorrow." I tell her to go ahead. I look out the window again to see a few men gathered a few yards away from the buildin' we're in. Even when I lay down to sleep, I can't stop the thoughts swarmin' through my head.
"Well, we weren't planning on staying here long anyways. I already told the others that we would come here to stay only for a few days." Abraham don't seem too concerned with our feelin's on the matter. Ever since he told us last night 'bout his mission with Eugene an' Rosita, I'm surprised they were even still here when we woke up. But they seem to have bonded with Glenn an' the others. I have to trust them, too.
"We aren't leavin' 'til we at least try to find my sister. You heard Daryl. He thinks there's a good chance she's out there. We need to find her, an' it'll be a lot easier in numbers." Maggie an' I have already recruited Rick, Glenn an' Michonne to search for Beth. Now that our feelin's 'bout this place are out in the open, Bob, Sasha an' Tara have agreed to keep their eyes on it.
"Well, we can't just leave them to find that girl on their own, Abraham. A few more days won't hurt. I don't want nobody bein' left out on'a count of me." Eugene may be an idiot, but he's got a good heart. An' Abraham follows him without question, Rosita's the same. Looks like we got a good team goin'.