Last One Standing ~ TWD Daryl Dixon

17

Daryl

Hours later everyone was asleep and I was sitting in the dark at the top of the stairs. I was exhausted but I couldn't get today off my mind. I lift my head as I hear the quiet scuff of a shoe out in the dining area. What the hell is Merle up to now?

I stand and shoulder my crossbow. I move silently down the metal stairs and by the time I am at the bottom I hear the outside door click shut behind him. I unlock the cell block door as quietly as possible so I don't wake anyone else. I move towards the door and glance towards Jo's cage but pause as I realize her bed is empty.

I backtrack so I can see into Merle's. Merle is stretched out on his back sawing logs like he don't have a care in the world. I frown at my sleeping brother and slip out the door. Glenn is on watch, crouched behind the wood pallet in the cage across the courtyard. In the moon light I lift my chin in his direction and he waves back. The court yard is silent and empty. The only sound is the quiet snarls of the Walkers on the other side of the fence and the occasional rattle of the chain link when one comes too close.

I look around a moment longer, confused where she could have gone and resolve to head over and question Glenn when I finally spot her. She is climbing up the backside of the guard tower using the chain link fence. It only got her most of the way up however before she has to stand on top, plastered against the cement blocks and push off the top of the fence. I watch as she jumps up and grabs the lowest metal rail and pulls herself up pull up style. Once up she rolls beneath the rail. She lays on the catwalk I assume to catch her breath, but she never gets up. She lays there with her face turned up to the sky for so long my feet start to get tired from standing there. I glance over at Glenn but I don't think he was able to spot her. It's a hell of a blind spot she found and I would have to do something about it in the morning. I watched her until she rolled over on her side and I realized she might finally be sleeping.

I watch her startle awake twice in twenty minutes. Part of me wanted to go up there and sit with her, but I didn't know if that would help her or not. I wipe my hand across my face. I should just go back inside and go to sleep. I should just leave Jo alone. I have no idea why I have this overwhelming urge to make sure she is alright. I have been telling myself its the guilt and my responsibility to keep the rest of the group safe in case she ends up crazy. But that's not all. Me standing out here in the middle of the night has nothing to do the rest of the group. I let out a sigh and just shake my head as I make my way over to the guard tower. I use the door however, pulling my keys out and silently turning the lock. I move up the steps in the dark, knowing my way. When I emerge I see her laying on her back once more, her eyes on the sky.

"Can't sleep?" I ask, my voice sounds husky in the dark.

The only sign I startled her was a sudden intake of breath. I wondered how bad things had to get and how long it took her to train herself to react silently.

She sat up, her eyes wary as I approach but I don't say anything. Instead I drop down to sit a few feet away from her, I let my legs hang over the edge and I turn my attention to the stars.

"I don't sleep any more." She whispered. I resisted the urge to look at her, using an old hunting tactic of letting my prey come to me.

She breathed out a sigh. "I can't remember the last time I really did...I think it's-" she dragged off and I finally looked at her. She had sat up and was closer to me than before. She was staring at her hands in her lap as she clenched and unclenched them into fists.

"It's?" I prompted, matching my voice to hers.

She continued to stare at her hands and I could tell she was ashamed. "It's part of the problem." She finally snapped decisively.