For the Love of a Woman

Chapter 6

Once Carol had seen that Connie stayed in Daryl's tent after a few minutes of being in there, she smiled and stubbed out her cig. She had gone to her tent to try to get some sleep. When she opened her eyes again it was still dark. Carol reached for her watch.

The sun will be up in two hours. May as well get up. I can enjoy a cig in peace before everyone starts moving around.

When Carol opened the flap of her tent, she spotted Kelly and Connie trying to help Luke scale the ten foot wall. Luke was struggling to get over the top.

What the hell?

Once Luke was over, Kelly grabbed the rope and started climbing. Carol noticed that they had their gear and things they brought with them from Alexandria.

What's going on? Where are they going in the middle of the night?

Carol thought about running over to confront them, but they could tell her a lie. It would be best to find out the truth - her way. Carol retrieved a notepad and quickly tore off a piece of paper and grabbed a pen from her satchel. She scribbled one sentence and left the note under her solar powered lantern. Then, Carol hurried to grab her side sack which she always had ready, her bow, and a pack of arrows and stood at the tent opening, waiting for Connie to go over.

Once Connie was over, Carol sprang into action. Luck would have it, they left the rope. Once Carol got her body on top of the logged wall, she could see three shadows power walking down the dirt covered road.

Carol got over the wall and kept a safe distance without losing them, especially when they dipped into the brush. Someone was looking out for her and them tonight because not one walker approached them. Then again, they were so quiet the walkers didn't hear them. If it wasn't for the moonlight and the slight movement of weeds when they walked, Carol would have lost them.

They traveled for over an hour before they came to a clearing. It was the main road. Carol got as close as she could and stayed in the woods to keep from being discovered. Her eyes squinted with surprise and confusion when she spotted a horse drawn carriage with an emblem of a golden lion with a purple background on the carriage doors. An officer of some sort approached Connie and bowed his head to her.

Carol started moving closer so she could hear what was going on.

***

As Connie had laid on top of Daryl's naked form under a sheet, she was happy and devastated. If she didn't leave tonight, she never would. If that happened, then all hell would break loose causing Daryl's death along with everyone else's. Once she was sure he was asleep, she had slipped out of his arms, got dressed, and went back to her tent. She had quickly wrote Daryl a letter and then woke Kelly, telling her they had to leave tonight. Kelly had gotten dressed as Connie made sure all of their things were packed. Kelly had left to get Luke when Connie gave her the note she wrote for Daryl. She had asked her sister to place it in the tent where he could find it in the morning.

Connie couldn't go back to Daryl because she feared she would never leave his side again. The pull was too strong, too deep, too real. Connie swallowed as the small brigade that was sent to pick her up came into view.

I'll never escape my past. I'll never escape him. I thought I could, but I failed.

The carriage door opened and he climbed out.

Connie shouldn't have been surprised that he came himself, but she was. She didn't think he would be in Virginia for at least another day. And if he did arrive early, she figured he would stay at the temporary headquarters to rest and eat.