my tears ricochet

Chapter Fifty One

The group had industriously spent the night trying to pull nails straight from the walls of the train car, clawing their fingernails against any weak bit of wood to craft a weapon out of nothing. Low bits of conversation flashed from around the small space and Daryl caught bits and pieces of it from where he stood with his daughter, her hand clinging to his like he might vanish into nothing.

He had never imagined standing beside the people that he had lost again. It was hard watching the bare bits of sunlight vanish, shrinking Glenn and Maggie into outlines; Bob's voice a nervous whisper in the background. Rick had bullied them into shape, laying out the vague details of a plan that largely relied on overpowering Terminus with a fight.

Bits and pieces of night burned away. Daryl led Ivy to the door at one point to watch the sun make it's slow rise up, casting indigo gloom into red fire sweeping their bare view. They couldn't linger long before Rick caught sight of the rotting frame of the door and started sawing away at the wood with the chain of Glenn's watch to carve out a jagged piece for himself.

"How's that shoulder doing?" Daryl tried asking her when they repositioned themselves against the back wall but she remained silent, unresponsive to the question.

"I think it's just the echoing in here," Maggie informed him with a grim tone, drawing closer. "Ivy probably can't see enough of our faces to work out what's being said."

Daryl caught Ivy's hand as it tried to pick apart the knot of the sling, holding it for her until she gave up on her mission. It wasn't worth trying to verbally reprimand her in the dark when his mouth was veiled by shadows so he settled for giving is a quick squeeze, warning her from trying again. "How'd they bring her in?"

Bob had already filled him on the dislocated shoulder and how it had been wrenched out of place recently before he manipulated it back in. Slowly, Maggie reached over and gently ran a hand over Ivy's hair as she dropped her voice. "Don't think she got around to finding out that they're cannibals. From what Glenn and I got, she and Beth walked right in and felt off. Tried leaving together but they got Ivy instead."

"Fuck," Daryl exhaled, thinking of Beth alone outside their reach.

"Glenn didn't want to tell her. Said it was enough that she knew they weren't good. Might as well try and spare her some of it."

Ivy tugged her hand back and maneuvered herself tighter against Daryl, her good arm bracing herself to his side. Everyone was seething in their rage but a small part of Daryl's soul burned in gratitude. His daughter might have been in the same danger he was, but he knew exactly where she was for the first time in weeks. He knew she was alive, that her body hadn't curled itself in some ditch somewhere else; cold and hurt with no one left to find her.

He settled into that bare comfort. Distance was suddenly erased and it was her pulse beneath his fingers, her own fingers worrying at his shirt sleeve whenever Ivy felt like he was further away than she liked.

Occasionally the sound of a radio paging would cut through from the outside, static and the muffled sounds of a voice speaking. He knew someone was pacing around the train car, keeping the situation monitored. Whatever the end game was, it was well established. People came willingly and Terminus kept them from ever leaving again.

Daryl gently repositioned Ivy further behind him and worked at his belt, undoing it so he could wind it around his fist instead. The buckle jutted up, an easy replica of pair of brass knuckles. "Was on their trail trying to find them. Figured out Ivy was with Beth the whole time."

The barest bit of light showed the sadness around Maggie's eyes. "Think she got far enough away?"

"Pair of 'em were clever. If anyone could, it'd be Beth."