After your world fell into black putrefaction, you soon realize that walkers are the least of your worries. Tragedy and loss has led you to fear attachment more so than the undead. You thought hiking the trail of survival was best accomplished alone...
The evergreens disappeared as you traveled south. Forests drew back their leafy curtains and revealed the jagged hills on the horizon. The sun poked its fiery head over the peaks of the mountains, and the mauve light trickled through the windshield. Gio pressed a button on the dashboard and turned up the volume of the speakers. You giggled as you flicked your ashes out of the crack in the window. The song Stuck in the Middle with You by Stealers Wheel reverberated through the clunky confines of the vehicle. Gio tapped along to the rhythm on the wheel. You swung your head from side to side and sang along. Bobbing your heads, you drove down the abandoned road into the sunrise. Between The Saviors and The Whisperers, I truly am stuck in the middle with Gio, you mused as the tune blared.
After about four hours of weaving through pot-holes and small herds of walkers, Gio decreased his speed and entered a patch of forest couple of miles from The Sanctuary. Tents and lean-to's peeked from the woods, and you spotted a few men in tattered clothing. A couple of them were sharpening spears and knives. Some carried masks in their hands--the skinned faces of lurkers. "This is my stop," Gio announced. The car halted, and he jumped out of his seat.
You met him in front of the camp of nomads. "Thanks," you murmured, eyes tracing the scars on his enormous body.
"For what?" he questioned with a hint of a grin.
"For everything," you answered. "That was one hell of an adventure."
He wrapped his strong arms around you, leaned down, and kissed the top of your head. "I have a feeling the adventure isn't over just yet," he whispered, tenderly. You gave him a tight hug with your left arm, and you heard him sigh in elation. "I knew you'd make it."
You kissed his chest. "I wouldn't have made it with you." As you embraced, you caught a figure out of the corner of your eye...watching you. Turning your head, you saw a woman of about thirty-years-of-age with a shaved head and eyes as cold as ice. Her hands rested on her hips in a stern manner. "Who's that?" you inquired.
"Layla," Gio said under his breath. "She's the chief's daughter." He looked to her and nodded in greeting. But her eyes were fixed on you. "Once her dad kicks the bucket, she'll be the queen bee."
"Oh yeah?" you remarked, breaking the hug. "She sure looks like a royal bitch." You kept your voice down, hoping she wouldn't hear you.
"She's pretty temperamental. And not very nice." A tinge of apprehension darkened his gaze.
"I'm sure you can handle her," you said in reassurance.
"Yeah, we'll see." He took a step towards the camp and glanced back at you. "Take care of that arm," he called before he departed.
"Take care of yourself," you responded, waving to him.
As you climbed into the car and turned the keys, you noticed this Layla lady staring at you, again. She nodded in your direction with a smoldering smile on her lips. What's HER problem? you thought. Making a U-turn, you headed to Negan's territory, and the woman with the shaven head disappeared in your rear-view mirror.
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