Beyond Terminus (Book Two)

Chapter 46: Buttons

"You can take off, Hope," Elliot says. "We've got this."

"Are you sure?" I ask.

"Yeah! Take the rest of the day off," Pete replies.

"Thanks boys. I'll see you at the party tonight?"

"Definitely," they respond.

Lightning barks her goodbyes to me as I leave. I head down the street, my ponytail swinging as I walk. I reach my house, where I change into my normal clothes swiftly. I look around at the pictures on the walls, my eyes skipping over the smiling people in the photos.

I wander over to the drawers, rustling through the little doodads that us humans used to love to collect. Stamps, postcards, and other trinkets from different countries line the drawers. I stop on one, pulling out a small automatic camera. I smile, thinking of how nice it'd be to be able to take pictures of Daryl, the group, and the baby once he or she comes along.

I sling the strap around my neck, heading out of the house again.

Daryl's POV

I wander through the trees with my crossbow in hand. I breathe deeply, enjoying the smell of the leaves and feeling the wind in my hair again.

Something snaps in the trees and I'm instantly more alert. I raise my crossbow and move towards the spot.

"Come out! Now!" I snap.

There's a few more rustles before Aaron emerges from the trees, his hands held above his head. I lower my bow, narrowing my eyes as I stare at him.

"You can tell the difference between walkers and humans by sound?" he asks, amazed.

Yeah, I can. I can also tell when it's Hope or when it's just someone else, I think. But I ain't tellin' you that.

"Can you tell the difference between a good guy and a bad guy? Rick doesn't seem to be an expert at that," he continues.

"There ain't much of a difference no more," I say, shifting on my feet a little.

"That how you feel about your people?"

I let out a short huff. "Why you followin' me?"

"I didn't know I was. I came out to hunt rabbits." He swallows nervously. "I know why you're out here. Mind if I join?"

That comment makes me stop momentarily. In truth, I'm out here for a few reasons. One is simply that I want to hunt. Two is that I don't want to be around the community with all those people giving me weird stares and judging me twenty-four seven. Three...I need to feel useful to someone other than my wife.

"Keep up," I say. "And keep quiet."

I keep moving through the trees with Aaron following close behind. I see light hoof prints in the dirt and I start tracking. It looks like a horse's tracks.

We get to an open field, where sure enough, a sleek black horse stands among the tall grass. He nickers to himself as he eats.

"I've been trying to catch him for months, bring him inside," Aaron says. "His name is Buttons. One of the kids saw him run by the gate a while back. Thought he looked like a Buttons." He chuckles. I keep watching the horse. "I haven't seen him for a while. I was afraid it was too late."

"Well, it ain't," I mumble, swinging my crossbow on to my back.

He digs around in his bag, finding a rope. I take it, wrapping it around my hand while my eyes remain fixated on the horse.

"Every time Eric or I come close, he gets spooked," he adds. "Have you done this before?"

"My group did," I reply, thinking of Flame. I can't help but wonder if that old horse is alive too. "But they weren't out there that long. The longer they're out there, the more they become what they really are."