HOPE

Stranger

Carol POV:

I run my hand across my forehead to wipe the sweat off my face as the sun slowly set over the Alexandria sky.
After a long, hot day full of work, all I wanted to do was lie down on my bed, close my eyes, and let my mind drift into the universe of dreams.
I look around, after the war against the Whisperers, the city was devastated, but after so much effort, so much sacrifice, all of us, together, could begin to raise it little by little from its ashes.
Lydia approaches, waving at me; I'll never forget what she did for me, keep me from throwing me down that ravine with Beta's horde weeks ago.
I was wrong about her, the girl's always been one of us, she was part of Henry, and now she is part of me.

-Hey Carol, need help to finish securing that fence? - She asks me when he reaches my side.
-In the morning, today we've all worked enough, we need to regain strength, and even more knowing that there are new dangers lurking-I say referring to the incident with the soldier 3 weeks ago.
She nods in agreement with me. She turns to leave but my voice stops her.

-Hey Lydia, would you like to have dinner with Jerry's family and me tonight? I've made soup.

"It won't be rat soup, right?" She replies with a mischievous smile when she sees my expression.
-Jerry told me about the incident you had with the rodent, a bad day huh?

-You've no idea.-I say before we both laugh. Laughter wasn't very common lately so moments like this were appreciated.
Our laughter is interrupted by distant barks which I recognized as belonging to Dog, but these sounded desperate and nervous, they weren't the happy and enthusiastic barks that he used to emit.
Jerry's voice comes from the lookout post.

-Carol! -He yells.

I look up to look at him and he continues:
-It's Dog, he seems very nervous and Daryl is not accompanying him.

-Let him in!-I reply before he began to open the city gates, but Dog doesn't enter, he trots forward, barking and stops, then turns back, looks at us and does the same thing again.
I approach him.
-What's up boy? Where is Daryl? -I ask him worriedly extending my hand to pet the animal, but he turns to run away, stops in the middle of the road and look at me.

-Every day that pooch is more like his owner, his behavior is sometimes as disconcerting as Mr. Dixon's.- Jerry tells me with a laugh.

-No.-I answer.
-Something's wrong, he wants us to follow him, Lydia!.- I turn to the dark-haired girl.
-Tell Maggie to get ready, in case there are problems.
She nods and runs off to carry out my order.
I continue:
-Jerry, call Gabriel on the walkie and tell him to take your place, I need you with me, we must go find Daryl and running we won't reach the dog, you drive.

My friend agrees, also doing what I ask of him.
I grab my bow and we both get into a gray car to rush out of the safe zone, Dog leading the way down the road.
Jerry takes me out of my thoughts when he notices my haunted face.
-I'm sure Daryl will be fine, don't worry.

-We don't know, after what happened with that soldier, we have reasons to worry and Dog would not be like that because of a stupid hunting accident, Daryl knows how to manage by himself.-I answer him, remembering the accident he had so many years ago looking for my little girl, that day when Andrea accidentally shot him after have stabbed his own arrow when he was knocked down by the horse he was riding, falling down a ravine.
Jerry looks at me, alternating his eyes between mine and the road.
I look at him, being thrown forward when he slammed on the brakes.
Dog had stopped, wanting to make us understand that the road continues across the forest.
We have no choice but to get out of the vehicle and follow him in a hurry.
Each time the sky grew darker, and the walkers appeared little by little, attracted by the barking of the animal.