Daryl
I take in the scenery as I drive home. The sun has set and everything has that blue tint to it now. We see Alexandria's gate ahead. Just next to it where the watchtower once stood tall there's nothing there 'cept broken wood. The top of the tower is downed along with a portion of the wall. We can hear the groans as we drive up to the gate slowly. Through the downed section, I can see walkers everywhere. My chest tightens at the sight. Beth is in there somewhere, surrounded by all that. I gotta find her. I know that this tightness in my chest will only go away once she's back in my arms and I know she's okay.
"We're too late." Glenn says sadly pulling me from my thoughts.
"Who's that?" Sasha points to a silhouette at the top of the watch perch by the wall. It's clear whoever is up there is having a hard time staying upright. The walkers are making the perch move and rock back and forth.
As we approach, our headlights are finally close enough to reveal the person. "Maggie." Glenn says with an icy edge to his voice. Seeing her up there confuses me. Why is Maggie up there? Is the baby okay? Why isn't she with Beth? Where is Beth?
I slow the truck down as we approach the gate. A plan flows out of me quickly as I bark out orders. "Glenn, get Maggie, Abraham and Sasha, y'all cover him."
No one argues or hesitates. Just before we come to a complete stop, Glenn rushes out to help his wife. Abraham and Sasha climb up on the truck and start shooting. In less than a minute, I see Maggie and Glenn reunited and can hear Abraham hollerin' above me. "Can ya get the gate? Thanks pal."
A second later the gate opens up and I pull the truck up just enough to get us inside. In the side mirror, I watch a small figure pull the gate closed. The short hair gives her away. Carol. She climbs into the cab with me. I look at her and nod, pleased to see her still alive. "What the hell happened?"
"The tower fell and the herd got in. Everyone's been holed up in their houses for hours. Hiding." She says as she tries to catch her breath.
"What're ya doin' out here?" I ask.
"Saw them trying to get to Maggie. I was trying to help. Glad ya came when ya did."
I nod. Why would Beth let Maggie go out there alone? Maybe she wasn't with Maggie when the tower fell. But if she wasn't with Maggie then where the hell was she? Then the passenger door opens again and Maggie and Glenn squish themselves into the truck. "Daryl! I'm so glad you're safe. Where's everyone else?"
Glenn coughs. "It's just us."
She looks sad and then worried. "Beth and Aaron aren't with you?"
Her question is like a punch in the gut. Anger courses through me. "Why the hell would they be with us?"
Maggie looks ashamed as she says. "Her and Aaron left earlier today, before the tower fell, to go look for you."
Her words are another punch to the gut. Beth left to find me? Damn stubborn woman. She was supposed to be here. To be safe. That's what she and I agreed to!
"And you let her go?!" I shout at her.
"Hey." Glenn says softly but I know it's a warning to back off. "We can't worry about them now. We gotta warn Rick about the Wolves."
I hate that he's right. I shouldn't be yellin' at a pregnant woman and the thought of Beth being out there somewhere looking for us when we're right here kills me. But the truth of the matter is she's safer out there than in here. And at least she ain't alone. Aaron's with her. The realization of it all makes relief wash over me.
"The Wolves?" Carol and Maggie repeat with confusion and concern.
The Wolves are gonna destroy our home and kill everyone if we don't stop them. The memory of the governor rolling up to our gates flashes in my mind.
It ain't happening. Not again.
The Wolves were smart. Their blockades worked. We were delayed too long. A bleak thought slips outta my mouth. "They're already here."
"How do you know that?" Maggie asks.
"We fell into one of their traps. They took me, Daryl and Nicholas. They're… they're…"
Glenn hesitates to say the next part so I continue for him. "They're wearin' masks made of walker's faces so they can walk with the geeks and control 'em. They were on their way here when we escaped. We were able to kill some of 'em. Abe and Sasha took out a few but their leaders got away with some others. We don't know how many they have now. They had a head start on us and made it hard for us to get back with more damn traps. They're here… in the middle of all that." I gesture to the herd in front of us, roamin' the streets of Alexandria.
Carol and Maggie look terrified. Abraham's voice cuts through the tense atmosphere from outside the truck. "So what're we gonna do? Ain't no way to tell them all apart and we don't have enough firepower to take them all on alone."
Sasha speaks up, appearing beside the passenger window. "We make noise and draw the walkers away."
"No, the walkers are too scattered. It would take forever to round them all up." Glenn argues.
"Nah, we get 'em in one place. Somewhere where the Wolves won't follow." I look at Abe who is next to my driver's side window. "Did I see a rocket launcher in the back?"
"Yeah. What'cha got in mind?" He says, smiling wide at me in amusement.
"Me, Glenn, and Carol will go warn Rick. Maggie, Sasha, and Abraham, y'all take the truck to the pond and dump all the fuel in the water. Then-"
"-we light it up like the fourth of July." Abraham finishes my sentence.
I nod. Everyone seems to consider it for a brief moment and then nods along with me agreeing to the plan. I look at Carol and Glenn. "Y'all ready?"
Glenn looks at Maggie and they share a silent moment. She nods at him and he gives her a quick kiss. Glenn and Carol look at me and they nod.
"Alright, let's go." I tell them.
We get outta the tuck then Abraham and Sasha hop in to take our places. I bump Carol's shoulder with mine. "Stay close and watch their hands." She dips her head in understanding. "Any idea where Rick might be?"
A flash of sadness appears in her eyes. "Last I saw him, he was headed to the infirmary… holding Carl."
Dread fills me at the thought of losing anyone else. But Carl… I shake my head. The poor kid's been through a lot and he's hurt again. I can't worry 'bout the kid right now. We gotta get to Rick. I don't like goin' into a herd of walkers on a good day but I sure as shit hate it, knowin' somewhere in the vast sea of walkers are Wolves, lurkin' around, huntin' us like ravenous sharks.
We stay close to each other. The hair on the back of my neck raises at the first walker that gets too close. My eyes narrow in on its hands, the fingers are outstretched as it reaches for us. Walker. Glenn puts it down. The next one is smaller than the last but again reaching for us. No weapons in hand. Walker. Each walker we encounter. I go through the mental checklist. Are their hands by their sides? Does it got a weapon? Do the eyes and mouth look right? It's mentally exhausting playing the are-you-a-walker game. I still ain't seen any Wolves yet. But I know they are here somewhere. They gotta be.
Where the hell are they?
I see Rick not far from us. "Rick!" I shout. "Rick!"
His head whips around to me. His eyes are frantic and hard. Behind him, a long, silver, blade slices through a walker's skull. Michonne. His gaze lands on me and I can see some relief in his expression. "Daryl!"
"Hands! Watch their hands!" I yell back as I push my way closer to him.
"Their hands? Why?" He asks, puttin' down another walker.
"Cause they ain't all walkers!" I pull my knife out of a walker's eye with a squelch. He looks confused but then the realization of my words hit him.
Carol gets to Rick and Michonne's little circle first. Then me, then Glenn. We stand back to back so we can see from all angles. Glenn says quietly. "Rick, where is everyone?"
"Infirmary." He says back softly. "Not all but most."
Noticin' we're right in front of the infirmary. Glenn says to us. "I'm gonna warn the others."
We kill more walkers and cover him as he enters the house. Rick asks. "Who are they?"
"Wolves. Don't know how many are left. Maybe ten? They got masks to look like walkers. If ya see em, don't kill em. Injure em and let the walkers do the rest." I say quickly and quietly.
Just then an explosion booms behind us and a cloud of fire emerges from the pond. I look around to find Abraham on top of the truck, smiling like a kid at the candy store.
Walkers halt and look in the direction of the fire. Then they start to meander toward the flaming water all clumsy. I watch as they walk in the pond and catch fire. The plan is working. My trained eyes begin to search for anything out of the ordinary in the herd. I get into a rhythm and repeat it over and over.
Search. Scan. Are-you-a-walker? No. Stab. Search. Scan. Are-you-a-walker? No. Stab. Search. Scan. Are-you-a-walker? No. Stab.
Where are they?
By the pond, I see some walkers moving parallel to the water but not going toward the fire like the rest. They are walking right at us. But they still are a ways away. That's gotta be them. A tall walker grabs my attention. I recognize the long black trench coat. Beta. If he's there, then Alpha's gotta be close by. It only takes me a second to find her. Sure enough, I see the stringy blonde hair from a distance.
"Got em." I say to Rick in between killing walkers.
"Where?" He grunts.
I stab the closest walker. "Ten o'clock. See that big behemoth in the trench coat? That's Beta." I pause for Rick to get a visual. "Four walkers to his right is Alpha. That's their leader."
Rick's face is studying them in confusion. "You sure those aren't walkers?"
I growl in irritation. I know he ain't meanin' to question me. I know, firsthand, how easy it is to confuse them with regular walkers. The masks work. It's almost impossible to tell the difference. But the question still frustrates me. I down another walker and press my way to the Wolves, knowing Rick will follow. Even if he can't tell that they are human, he trusts me.
Ahead I see Beta's head turn slowly. Something or someone has got his attention. More heads turn revealing the other Wolves in the herd. I count seven Wolves but I'm not certain. There could be more that I just can't see.
What the hell are they lookin' at?
The herd parts just enough for me to see Aaron who is fighting his way towards the wolves unknowingly. We're too far away to warn him. If Aaron is there then surely Beth is close behind. He wouldn't go anywhere without her. He's loyal. He wouldn't dare leave her out there alone. Not if he could help it. I strain my neck but I don't see her anywhere. The tightness in my chest twists causing more pain.
Where are ya Evergreene?
The next thing I know Aaron is right beside Beta killing a walker. The blade of his machete glistens in the moonlight as he removes the blade from a walker's skull. He takes a swipe at Beta who dodges the attack in one swift movement, ducking at just the right time. Beta grabs one of Aaron's arms and twists it behind him as he stabs Aaron right in the back with his large knife. Beta whispers something in Aaron's ear. Sorrow and grief slam down on me as I watch helplessly. I wish I could shoot the bastard with a bolt but there is no time. We are having to fight too many walkers. I grit my teeth in anger as I kill another walker. Aaron's body slumps to the ground and my blood runs cold cause the disappearance of his form reveals… Beth.