- 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐍𝐨 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝗴 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤-
TAYLOR
"SOMETHIN' TELLS ME YER NOT
suppose' ta' be out here." Kenny said to Taylor as the two walked side by side through the woods.
"That's because I'm not, but fuck it. I don't give two shits." She replied, her eyes trained on the vibrant green leaves hanging on the nearby oak trees.
"Half expected ta' see Daryl walk up with ya'". He said, making an attempt at changing the subject.
"Look, to be frank, I'm pissed at him right now. So Kenny...please...let's just...not talk about him, okay?" She sighed, looking up at the old man with sad eyes.
"Yeah, okay..." He simply nodded before the two continued foward.
That's when shots, explosions, and screams rang out, all originating from the prison as Jordyn ran up.
"What the hell is going on back there?" Taylor asked as Jordyn began to catch her breath.
"T-The Governor. He got new people; got them to march right up to our door with a fucking tank. He killed Hershel and now it's an all out fucking war." Jordyn explained.
"Jesus Christ, I-I gotta go back." Taylor said, beginning to rush foward, but Kenny stopped her.
"Taylor, yer gonna get yerself killed.".
"My family is back there; innocent people too! I can't just abandon them!" She argued, pointing back to the prison.
"Taylor, listen to me. Daryl would want us to protect you. The best way for me and Kenny to do that is by us leaving. There's no turning back." Jordyn said, kneeling down to Taylor's level.
"Yeah...okay..." She mumbled, fighting the tears in her eyes.
"It's okay. C'mon, let's get going. We'll need to find shelter for tonight." Jordyn smiled, grabbing Taylor's hand before the three continued foward through the woods.
———
THE SUN HAD SET OVER THE
horizon, and Taylor, Kenny, and Jordyn decided to hold up in a decently-secure corner store for the night.
Sitting by the gas lamp they had found, it being the only source of light to the interior of the store, Taylor sighed as she sat her book down, looking up at Jordyn who was opening three cans of food with a can opener.
"Can I have the peaches please?" She asked as Jordyn finished, earninga smile from the older woman.
"Sure. Here you go, Taylor." She handed Taylor the can of peaches as she thanked her, furrowing her eyebrows as she realized she'd have to eat the contents of the can with her hand.
"Ya' do what ya' gotta do to survive, Taylor. Don' ever forget that." Is what Daryl had always said to her.
Sighing at the memory of him, she really hoped he survived the attack as she began eating the peaches.
Kenny walked in, setting his rifle down on the stores front counter, "Area looks clear. Lord knows walker's love comin' out to sound, so let's keep it down.".
"Kenny, you never told me what the hell happened to you. After six months of being gone, you just randomly show up in the woods." She said.
"Well, we got to Savannah. It was a fuckin' shit show. Clementine ended up gettin' kidnapped, an' Lee was bit. We went lookin' for her, but that fuckin shitbird Ben got hurt real bad; imapled. Me an' Lee tried to save him, but the poor kid was screamin' too much; attractin' walkers. I forced Lee to keep goin' an' fin' Clementine while I tried to save Ben. There were too many walkers, an' there was no way I could get him outta it, so I put him down. After that, I somehow made my way outta those walkers an' out of Savannah. I couldn't fin' Clementine, Lee, or anyone else from our group, so I thought it would be best ta' head back to the prison an' re-group with y'all. But then that fuckin' Governor jus' had to come back". Kenny explained.
"...I hope someone did it for me." She mumbled, picking at the remnants of her peaches.
Cocking a brow, Jordyn asked, "Do what?".
"Kill the Governor. I hope someone; anyone did it for me so that way we could avenge everyone who died because of him, but mostly for Andrea and Merle. I cared so much for them, and that asshole...I already lost one Dixon brother...and becuase of my bratty ass self, probably lost another..." She cried, her eyes fixated on the small, burning flame inside the lamp.
Resting her hands on Taylor's shoulders, Jordyn smiled, "I'm sure Daryl made it out, and I bet he's out there right now looking for you.".
"...You think so?" She asked, looking up at Jordyn.
"I know so. Now, why don't you try to get some sleep, alright. We have to keep moving in the morning." Jordyn explained.
Nodding, Taylor slid her backpack over, using it as a pillow as she rested her head on it.
"Give me your jacket." She heard Jordyn whisper to Kenny.
A few moments later, she felt something soft and warm drape over her as she was already quickly falling asleep, then a hand brush over her head as it brushed her bangs our of her face, "Goodnight, sweetie.".
———
TAYLOR WOKE UP TO A STRONG
grip on her shoulders, and her eyes quickly shot open, looking at the figure above her.
It was a man, and he leaned down and brought his nose to her hair, breathing in deeply before he chuckled darkly and looked across the store, "We got a good batch here, Joe. Think I'm gonna claim this pretty little thing right here.".
"That we did, Len. Interesting group. A woman, man, and little girl, surviving out here all on their own." The supposed man named Joe smirked between Jordyn and Kenny before he knelt down to Taylor, "This your mom an' dad sweetheart?".
Glaring, she bit the man who had her pinned down, Len she heard, on his thumb, causing him to groan in pain as he pulled his hand away, the other keeping her pinned to the floor.
"Fuck you, asshole. I'm not telling you shit." She glared, spitting in Joe's face.
Chuckling, he wiped it away on his sleeve before slapping her hard across her cheek.
"Taylor! Fucking leave her alone, assholes; I'll fucking kill you!" She heard Jordyn yell through the ringing in her ears.
Her cheek was stinging, and it felt like it was on fire as she tried to ignore it, looking back up at Joe.
"Guess your mommy an' daddy didn't teach ya' manners, huh? Don't worry, we'll fix that." He said.
"C'mon, Joe. Let us have 'em now. Fresh bodies jus' for us." Len chuckled, his hands snaking down to the button on her jeans.
"No! Fucking get off of me! Get the fuck away!" She cried, balling up her hands as she repeatedly hit Len, hearing Kenny and Jordyn yelling at him to stop.
"Not right now; they're attractin' walker's; we gotta go." Joe replied.
Sighing, Len yanked her up, shoving her over to Kenny and Jordyn as Joe and the rest of his men began packing their belongings.
Her hand resting over her cheek, she glared up at Joe, "Who the hell are you guys?".
"Well, lil' lady. Me an' my gang here like to call ourselves 'The Claimer's'. An' you an' yer friends here, well...we jus' claimed you.".
———
DARYL
DARYL HAD LOST TRACK OF TIME
of how long he had been running for.
All he knew is that Beth was kidnapped in the middle of the night, and it was now early morning.
After losing Taylor, Jordyn, Carol, Rick, and everyone else at the prison, he just had to lose Beth right when he was becoming good friends with her.
He lost Taylor, his ray of hope and reason to fight and survive, and now he lost a girl who was just like her, who saw the very little good in him.
Maybe he was just redneck trash...
His sprinting came to a halt as a group of men, all armed with guns came out from seemingly nowhere, all aimed at Daryl.
"Well, what do we have here, boys." A man, who was presumably the leader, smirked.
"Leave him alone!" He heard a familiar voice yell, and he saw a few of the men being pushed out of the way.
Then, Taylor bursted out from the crowd of them, Jordyn and Kenny close behind her as she ran up to Daryl and hugged him.
"Daryl! I-I thought I lost you! I thought you died!" She cried, burrying her face in his shirt as tears ran down her face.
"It's okay babygirl. I'm here..." He replied, tears of his own falling.
He smiled up at Jordyn and Kenny before he looked back down at Taylor who was starting to calm down.
"Please..." She croaked, "Get us away from them...".
To Be Continued...
Word Count: 1533
Edited: ❌
(A/n: Hey guys! I'm so sorry this update took forever to come out. I was out of town and couldn't update. I'm back home now, so updates will return back to hopefully every other day. I'll see you next time guys! Bye! ^^)