rag doll | TWD

[38] them

It took most of our energy, but we had to keep going. 

A little way up the road, we found some abandon cars. There wasn't much left of them. The most Maggie found was a walker in the back of one's trunk. Some girl had been kidnapped, and I know it made her think of her sister. Blonde hair, blues eyes- hell, maybe that was why she wasn't talking to me. 

Daryl had disappeared into the woods for a second time, starling the group when he returned through the broken trees. 

Finally, the silence was broken when Abraham took out a bottle of whiskey. 

"So, all we found was booze?" Tara asked. 

Rosita answered her, "yeah."

"That's not gonna help."

"He knows that."

"It's gonna make it worse."

"Yes, it is." Rosita responded. 

"He's a grown man. I truly do not know if things can get worse."

"They can." Rosita deadpanned. 

I looked at Abraham drinking out of the bottle like it was water. I didn't really think things could get much worse, so, I gave in and put my hand out. He didn't think twice before he handed it over to me. 

Maggie looked over at me, "she just said it's gonna make things worse."

I didn't look back, but simply said, "yep."

Our attention was brought to the other side of the road. The bushes rustled and a pack of wild dogs came through, barking at us like we were gonna be their next meal. 

Sasha effortlessly took them out, without a single emotion to show. 

I mean, shit, even Daryl hesitated. 

We ate in silence. It was a new low for us, and no one wanted to acknowledge it. I looked to Daryl, who said just a few feet away from me, then down to the rest of my meal. 

"Here." I handed the rest of my portion to him. "Take it as a thank you for earlier." I thought about how I almost became a walker meal if he hadn't've caught it. I stood up, not giving him a chance to say something if he wanted to. "I'll take first watch."

♮♮♮
[POV]

In the morning, they continued on, dreading the journey. By now, they'd lost even more hope, which they didn't know was possible. 

JJ drug up the rear with Sasha, Abraham and Daryl. It was midday and Abraham had already pulled out the liquor, which he offered JJ...and she graciously took. 

Then, he offered it to Sasha, who was looking for a reason to pick a fight, so he gave up. 

"Daryl." Glenn fell back from Maggie, trying to get Daryl to drink. He refused, so Glenn tried again. "Daryl."

"Don't."

"Hey, we can make it together. But we can only make it together."

Daryl began to slow, branching off from the group. "Tell 'em I'm looking for water."

JJ walked a few more steps, before also slowing and looking into the tree line. Carol's words from their previous conversation played in her mind. She huffed, turning to Abraham, "what he said." 

JJ trudged through the overgrown woods to follow Daryl. She had no idea what she was going to say to him, but she felt wrong letting him go off from the group again. 

When she found him, he was leaned up against a large oak, with a cigarette in hand, which he then pressed to the top of his hand. 

She sighed, but her presence didn't surprise him. Either that, or he just didn't care.