Who We Are | TWD

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    I have no idea what they did to Rick and the others after they took them, but I don't particularly want to know, either. Whatever it was, it was bad enough to make Rick worrisome about their survival.

    As Rick's trying to think up some reason to persuade everyone into joining his side, a figure from behind us startles me. At first, I don't recognize the person, but then, when Daryl goes waste a second to start sprinting to hug her, I know I had guessed correctly.

    Carol hugs Daryl tightly. A smile spreads onto my lips. Today has been yet another shitty day, but some aspects of it aren't that bad.

   Right now, I can hardly believe I'm even seeing straight.

    The few people that know Carol come forward, just as surprised to see her as I am. Carl and I slowly step towards them as Carol and Daryl part. "Did you do that?" Rick asks her in a low voice, nodding his head towards Terminus. She doesn't even get to respond before Rick knows the answer and is giving her the tightest hug he can.

    "You have to come with me," Carol says a sense of urgency in her voice while she begins to start frantically blinking away the tears in her icy, blue eyes. She's grown serious now. I wonder what could be wrong. Nobody asks questions. Daryl picks me back up and the whole lot of us are led out of the woods and onto a road that's fairly close by. She walks quickly and diligently, clearly making sure to follow a path that she has walked before. The entire time, I'm overly curious as to what is awaiting us. Is it Beth? Did she find Beth? There were others, too. Maggie said she found the prison bus completely overrun, but what if there were others like us? What if there were survivors who didn't make it on the bus?

    There's a small hill ahead of us before a dilapidated shack comes into view. It's set off to the side of the road and shaded by several tall trees. Everything about it is old, including the front door that squeals open while I eagerly squint my eyes through the sun to see Tyreese standing on the small porch. He's holding something in his arms. I can't quite see what it is until he comes a little closer into the light and all the pieces cling together.

    Rick takes off running as soon as he sees Judith. Carl follows close behind. Sasha follows after them, in pursuit of the brother she had believed to have lost. I let out a large sigh of relief to myself while I wait in Daryl's arms, watching eagerly as the two families reunite. Tyreese hands Judith off to Rick, who carefully holds her as if she might slip away from in gracious grasp at any moment. Carl stands right beside him, seemingly not wanting to move while Sasha let's out a cry of happiness as she wraps her arms around her brother's neck.

    I guess today can be a good day.

    Daryl sets me down and I walk into Carol's embrace, her open arms beckoning for me. I hadn't had a chance to give her a hug, but I will admit that I want to. "Thank you," I whisper in her ear as she holds me close. "You've done so much." Carol moves backwards a little bit to see my face. She holds her hands to my cheeks and swipes her soft thumbs across them while nodding with a small smile.

    After showing my gratitude to her, I limp off to see Judith. Rick's still holding her, reluctant to let go. I don't blame him for feeling that way one bit. I gently touch my fingertips to her little, soft hands that have been left untouched by a world of cruelty. She's miraculously clean for the rest of us being so filthy.

    "Hey, Jude," I smile. She gives me back a toothless grin. I look to Carl next, giving him a pat on the shoulder. He's the happiest I've seen him in a very long time, so I have no other choice but to feel happy, too.

    The smell of death is prominent in the air and our dirty clothing. I'm starting to get used to it, honestly, no matter how pathetic that sounds. Rick hands Judith off to Carl. Michonne comes over to talk to him as Rick walks away. "I don't know if the fire is still burning," he announces. I look up to where he's pointing to.