Last One Standing ~ TWD Daryl Dixon

57

Daryl

Jo had been gone too long. It had probably only been five minutes but she should have been back by now. I set aside the coffee mug of wine, climbed to my feet and swung my crossbow over my shoulder. I hated to admit it, but I was worried about her. It had been a rough few days and I didn't like having her too far out of my sight.

Rick caught my eye as I was leaving and he gave me a knowing smile. He thought Jo and I were meeting outside for another reason. I didn't bother to correct him. If they thought we were fooling around in the bushes they would give us some privacy.

She had lied to me about why she was going outside. She knew she couldn't lie to me, so I didn't know why she bothered. I could tell without her saying anything Abraham's little speech upset her.

I wasn't sure what I was going to say to her about it. Rick decided he wanted to be a hero again which meant a road trip to DC. It would be dangerous, but I wasn't willing to separate from the group again. I owed too much to Rick and Carol, but I wouldn't leave Jo behind either. I didn't care if I had to carry her over my shoulder kicking and screaming all the way.

I unlocked the heavy wooden door and closed it behind me. The night air was crisp and cool. I zipped up my jacket and looked around. It was going to be too dark to track her, there was only a sliver of a moon cutting through the trees.

"Jo?" I called her name softly, but it was so quiet in the forest tonight she would hear it if she was close.

I blamed it on the wine, I hadn't drank in a while. It took me a few moments to stop and really think. As soon as I noticed I took my crossbow into my hands. No way the woods should be this quiet. Off to my right I heard a sudden motion in the trees of somebody running. I took off after the noise. Either it was Jo or it was whoever had been watching us. A bad feeling went through me as I remembered the feeling the night before. What if it had been someone and they took Jo?

I ran sure footed through the darkness, dodging and leaping as needed. I was better in the forest than whoever I was chasing. I was gaining on them.

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Jo

I ran through the forest, tripping and stumbling awkwardly as I went. They were still ahead of me. I was panting so loudly I could hear nothing but my own breath, pounding heart and the slapping of my rifle against my back as I ran. I nearly fell on my face when the woods suddenly dropped away and I stumbled out onto a road. I looked up and down it but couldn't see anyone.

The black car was still sitting on the side of the road a hundred feet up. I frowned at it. The hood was popped. There was someone out here. Maybe more than one. And I had stupidly come all the way out here by myself. I had my knives in my hands and my rifle over my shoulder but this felt like a trap. I slid my knives away and brought the rifle around into my hands.

I glanced back over my shoulder once, wondering if it would be better for me to return and get back up. When I looked back at the car, I knew I had to investigate now. As I crept towards the car, the unfamiliar weight of the rifle made me feel even more uneasy. I had been carrying the unwieldy thing for a few days now, but I wanted my hand gun back. Well, mine was gone, swallowed up in the mess at Terminus, but I wanted a hand gun again.

My heart started pounding as I got closer to the car. I stayed back about ten feet as I slowly circled. I didn't see anyone.

I frowned. The hood was popped and the charger was running and hooked to the battery. I adjusted my grip on the rifle and finished circling the car. There was no one here. I walked up and down the edge of the trees in both directions for about fifty yards before returning to the car. I didn't like it, but there didn't seem to be anyone here. I leaned the rifle against the front quarter panel and began unhooking the charger.