Last One Standing ~ TWD Daryl Dixon

97

Jo

We stood in the vee of the semi trucks, the bottle neck that was holding the entirety of the horde in the quarry at bay at the west entrance. I rolled my shoulders, trying not to let the growls of the walkers get too deep into my head. There were just so many of them. The rough estimate we had come up with was twenty-thousand. 

Everything for the plan was completed, we had moved backwards along the path to the quarry where we were going to do a practice run today to make sure everyone knew their jobs for tomorrow. We had been working hard all morning, putting finishing touches on the fences and cars that would funnel the Walkers where we wanted them to go. Once we were done with the practice run Rick was sending everyone home to rest and spend time with the families. Eight a.m tomorrow was when it would begin.

I looked up at Daryl who stood beside me watching Rick. I bumped his shoulder affectionately with my own. I was looking forward to some time alone tonight. It had been an insane three days and we had both worked each night until we about dropped. Daryl looked down at me and smirked, bumping my shoulder back.

Rick cleared his throat and drew our attention to him. He was standing on top of one of the cars and looked down at us all. "I know this sounds insane, but this is an insane world. We have to come for them before they come for us. It's that simple. This is where it all starts tomorrow. Tobin gets in the truck, opens the exit and we're off. He hops out, catches up with his team at red staying on the west side of the road. Daryl gets on his bike-"

Behind us there was a rumble of moving earth that made my blood run cold.I whirled around to face the quarry. 

"You see that?" Sasha called. We all watched in horror as the force of the horde was finally too much and the ground beneath one of the semis blocking the east exit gave way. The exit that would send the entire horde straight for home.

"It's open!" Sasha screamed at the top of her lungs.

"We gotta do this now!" Rick called, jumping off the car. "We're doing this now! Tobin's group get moving go!"

I turned and started moving towards my group. I was going to be on the south side of the road with Rick, Michonne, Morgan and Carter. Daryl had been pissed when Rick put Carter in our group but I understood his reasoning. We needed to keep an eye on anyone likely to cause trouble. It was the same reason Glenn had insisted on keeping Nicholas with him.

Carter froze, his eyes wide with fear and I wanted to punch him across the face worse than I have ever wanted to hit anyone in my life. "No Rick, we're not ready!" he protested, as though we actually had a choice in the matter, as if the Walkers would wait for us to be ready. Every second he wasted those walkers stood a greater chance of getting home.

"Sasha! Abraham!" Rick yelled.

"Damn straight!" Abraham called as the two of them ran for their car. "We'll do it live."

"You meet Daryl at red," Rick commanded. "Let him take them through the gauntlet."

I pulled up at his words. Daryl going through the gauntlet alone was new. I didn't like the idea of Daryl going by himself. I turned to face him, to find him, but people were running everywhere. I met his gaze across the open expanse as he climbed on his bike. Our eyes held and he dipped his chin to me.

"Love you," I mouthed to him.

He nodded, and jump started his bike.

"Yeah, we meet at red!" Sasha yelled to Daryl climbing into the driver's seat.