Emma's P.O.V
Rick was talking to us about how we're going to war. I know I should be scared because The Governor has a whole town, but how many of them actually have experience shooting a gun. All of our people have tremendous amounts of experience with guns and are all pretty good shots. I mean, I'm scared, but probably not as scared as I should be. I have faith in our people.
Rick then finished his talk about war, which I paid attention to very closely. I walked off and went to stand watch, since it was my turn.
I heard a door open and close. Not too long after I heard the same door open and close once more.
I hear talking and I can tell its Rick and Hershel. I'm just doing my job out here which is standing watch but I don't think they knew I was because they began talking about something I don't think I was supposed to hear.
"The Governor says we can stop this all if I hand over Emma and Michonne." Rick said.
"And what do you think about that?" Hershel asked.
"I can't give him them. He'll kill Michonne. He says Emma will go back to her mother but she has Daryl here. Theres also a scenario where Emma wont even go back to her mom, what if he does the same thing he did last time to her? What if he kills her? I can't just hand them over. The other day Carl told me he thinks Michonne is one of us. If I hand over Emma, it'll just rip Carl apart, and don't even get me started on what Daryl would do." Rick said.
"So, your guts telling you not to hand them over. Listen to yourself, Rick. Your 'gut feelings' have gotten us this far already." Hershel said.
"Yeah, but what if I do hand them over. Then I could save everyone here." Rick said.
"I think you should do what you think would be right for all of us. These people will stand behind you no matter what you do." Hershel said and then he hobbled away on his crutches.
I don't blame Rick for considering handing us over, I would do anything to save these people, give them a chance to live to fight another day.
What if I just leave on my own? That would save Rick from having Carl and Daryl mad at him. Thats what I'm gonna do, maybe if he gets one of us he wont need the other, maybe he'll consider holding his end of the deal. I don't know, maybe I can just talk him down, which sounds impossible but its worth a shot. Maybe I can tell the whole town who he really is.
I'm out here on watch for a while longer so I take this opportunity to plan out what I'm gonna do.
I'm gonna start by packing up all my stuff that I'm gonna take with me. I'm then gonna write a note saying why I left, which wont say anything about over hearing Rick and Hershel. I'm somehow gonna give Daryl and Carl a hug goodbye without them knowing its a goodbye hug. I'm gonna leave them each a more personalized letter. Lastly, I'm gonna wait till nighttime, when everyone besides the person on watch is asleep and sneak out. I'll just sneak out through the hole in the side of the prison like I did last time. That is how I'm gonna save everyone at the prison.
Once I conclude that, that is my plan Carol comes out to relieve me of watch. I don't have that much time till it gets dark so once I go in, I begin working on it.
I go in my room and begin packing up my things. Carl walks by and sees me doing so and asks, "Hey Emma, what're you doing?"
"Oh, I'm just packing up my things, making my cell a little cleaner. It was starting to seem really messy." I lied.
He nodded.
That hurt me the most. I just lied to him. I can't help it though, I just want to save him, make sure he stays that way too.
My stuff is all packed up so I go try and find a piece of paper somewhere. Then I remember, Beth has a notebook, I'll just ask here for a piece.
I find Beth in her cell. "Hey Beth, can I have a piece of paper?" I asked.
"Sure, what for?" She asked me.
"Oh, I just used to draw to calm myself down. I managed to find a pen but no paper. Thank you by the way. I'm sorry, you're the only person I could think of who had paper." I said.
"Oh, its okay. Can I see your drawings once you're done?" She asked, throughout this whole conversation she stayed all smiley and positive.
"Of course. Thanks again." I said walking away with a fake smile on my face.
There goes lie number two. I hope they don't get mad at me.
I then go into my cell and begin writing the note. It read "I left, but hopefully this will help clarify why. I left to go to Woodbury. There is no use in coming to find me because by the time you are reading this I will have already arrived. I went to try and reason with The Governor. I know you're probably thinking, how will I do it if Rick couldn't. Well, I'm hoping since I know two people on The Governor's side (Andrea and my mom) I can tell them the truth, along with everything he plans on doing. I'm gonna attempt to use their help and my own to get the word out to his people on what he plans on doing to us, I also plan to explain how we're the good guys in this situation. It might be hard but I'm willing to do anything if it gives you all a chance to survive. If I fail, I know you all will win the war. The Governor and his people don't stand a chance against you guys. He might have a whole town, but how many of those people have experience with guns and can accurately shoot them? All of you guys can, I believe in all of you. Never lose your will to fight. You WILL win this thing. I know so. Don't worry about me either. I will hopefully see you all again one day, hopefully before it comes to being beyond the grave. Thank you all for being the only family I've had in a real long time. You all have taught me so much from how to be as good of a person as I can possibly be in the world today to how to survive. I only took one knife that I don't think any of you know about. It was the one in the arrow bag. The rest of the weapons are all yours. Use them to fight off The Governor and his people (if I fail) and keep this prison and what is rightfully yours. I'm sorry I had to lie to some of you to execute this plan, I hope you can forgive me. I'm also sorry I didn't get to hug all of you, if I did it would've made it too suspicious. For the two people I did hug, check your cells, more specifically your bags. I left you each a more personalized letter. I love all of you beyond explanation. You are all my family. I have now learned that family isn't only established through blood. Thank you all. I hope you can now understand why I'm doing this. I want you all to live, and if it takes me risking my life then so be it. Its worth it. Again, thank you all and I love you all, each and every one of you. Sincerely, Emma Dixon."
I reread my finished letter and a single tear rolled down my left cheek. I managed to stop other tears from coming though. I wiped the tear away and folded up the note and put it in the pocket of the hoodie I was wearing for the third day in a row.
I left my bag sitting on the bottom bunk of my cell. I leave my cell and now realize the sun is setting. It is my last few hours with these people. I over hear Rick talking to Daryl and Merle about taking Michonne to The Governor but completely leaving me out of the negotiation. I assume thats because Daryl will never go along with it, or maybe Rick hopes that only Michonne will be enough... well, she wont have to be.
I now feel I should tell Daryl about me getting shot, just so theres nothing that he doesn't know when I leave. I made sure to wait till Rick and Merle left though so Daryl wouldn't think I heard them talking.
I walked over to the platform that Daryl was on.
"Hey Dad." I said.
"Hey Kiddo." He responded.
"Its no big deal but I just feel like I should tell you. The other day when I went with Rick, Michonne, and Carl I got shot by some guy. Don't worry though, it hit my locket. It just left me with a big bruise." I said showing him the locket.
I then realized, my locket is now destroyed. When I go to Woodbury I wont have anything to remember my dad by. I begin tearing up but I fight the tears back and dad doesn't seem to notice them.
He just nodded at me. "You sure you're okay?" He asked me.
"Yes." I said kinda giggling.
He handed the locket back and kinda chuckled himself. He went back to doing whatever it was he was doing and I noticed the sun was down and it was completely dark. I sighed.
"Hey dad." I said.
"Yes..?" He said but more questioned.
"Can I have a hug?" I asked.
"Sure..?" He said kinda confused.
I then walked over to him and hugged him, probably the tightest I ever have. He hugged back just as tight. "I love you, Dad." "I love you too, Emma."
The hug broke and I walked away. As I was going down the steps off the platform I took in a deep breath trying to hide my probably super obvious sadness. No one has said anything though.
I somehow managed to find three more pieces of paper and went to write the letters for Carl and Daryl, and just to draw something for Beth so she wouldn't think I was lying.
I first worked on the drawing. The drawing was of all of us at the prison but with everyone we've lost here too. Judith was there too even though Lori died giving birth. Hershel still had his leg and all too.
I then went on to write Daryl's letter. "Dad, I'm really sorry for doing this. Please realize I'm doing this for the safety of you and everyone at the prison. I don't blame you and I never have for not being there with mom and I. I'm really glad that even with the world gone to shit I was still able to be happy, and a big part of that is because of you. I hope if I ever get free from The Governor things will still be the same between us. The last thing I want out of this is for you to be mad or sad. I love you and I'll see you again someday. Thank you for just accepting me all the way back at the quarry outside of Atlanta. Thank you for teaching me how to hunt like the best of them. Thank you for being such a great dad in as little time as I've known you. Please don't try coming after me, you'll just get taken by The Governor. This is what I want and I'm willing to accept any possible out come of this decision. Again, thank you. I love you. Sincerely, Emma Dixon."
I then went on to write Carl's letter. "Carl, I'm really sorry for leaving you for a third time. If I ever make it back from Woodbury its gonna take a whole lot to make me leave you. Thank you for listening to my hopes, dreams, fears, stories, traumatic experiences, all of it. Daryl told me that while we were still on the farm I ended up blabbing out the fact that I like you, more than friends. Which is true. And I'm not turning this into I like you as best friends. I like you Carl. If you don't feel the same its okay. I just wanted to tell you incase I never saw you again. Please realize I'm doing this for the safety of you and everyone at the prison. I really hope you can forgive me. I will see you again someday. I love you, Carl Grimes. Not just in a friend way or a family way. I may not know what love is, at least not in this way, but thanks to you I have a pretty good idea. Thank you for being my best friend. I love you. -E.D. (P.S Daryl told me that you knew my notes on the walls were from me.)"
With those being done I folded them up and snuck Daryl's into his bag. I saw Carl wasn't in his cell so I went and put his in his bag.
I then took Beth the drawing. She was still in her cell but with Judith.
"Hey Beth, I finished my drawing." I said handing the folded up drawing over to her.
"Emma, this is amazing." She said admiring it for a moment then attempting to give it back.
"Keep it." I said.
"Are you sure?" She asked me.
"One hundred percent. It's yours now." I said.
"Thank you." She said.
"It's no problem, really." I said and then walking out of her cell.
Some people had already fallen asleep but I caught Carl just as he walked into his cell.
I entered in after him.
"Hey Carl." I said attempting to have a sense of happiness.
"Hey Emma." He said.
"Can I have a hug?" I asked.
"Sure." He said as if it were nothing.
I then walked up to him and hugged him tighter than I ever have before. He hugged back just as tight. "I love you, Carl Grimes." I said while we were hugging. "I love you, Emma Dixon." He replied without even thinking about it.
When the hug broke we stood there a second, I was kinda in shock of what just happened. I don't know how he meant he loved me, but I know how I meant mine.
He was probably just as shocked as I was.
For a second we just stood there not too far from one another just staring into each other's eyes.
I don't know what happened next but we got closer and closer to one another and we kissed, on the lips.
It wasn't a long kiss, we were only kids. It was just a quick peck on the lips but it was still magical.
That just makes him ten times harder to leave.
"Goodnight Carl." I said smiling as I left.
"Goodnight." I heard him say.
I then went to my cell and laid in bed acting as if I was gonna go to sleep. I laid there for a while waiting for everyone to be asleep and when I thought they were I left. I was sure to place the note on my bed so if anyone were to come looking for me, they'd find that.
I was walking past everyone but I forgot Daryl doesn't sleep in a cell. He sleeps on the platform. I tried to go down the steps as quiet as possible but he heard me when I walked passed his head.
"Hey Emma, where are you going?" He asked me half asleep.
"To the bathroom." I lied.
"With your bag?" He asked.
"I shouldn't have to explain that part." I said, thickening the lie.
"Oh, sorry." He said.
"You're good." I said as I laughed a bit.
We made sure to talk really quietly so we didn't wake anyone.
I went to leave but had a last thought.
I went into Beth's room ripped a small piece of paper out of her notebook, one that would be noticeable.
I wrote on it "Don't worry Rick. This way Daryl and Carl will never know and can never be mad at you. Good luck getting Michonne to The Governor if you choose to do so. I only know about this because I was on watch when you and Hershel were talking. Good luck, take care of Carl and Daryl for me. - E.D"
I snuck into Ricks room and folded it super small and put it underneath his gun by his table.
I then walked out of the door and disappeared into the tombs. I didn't know my way through them at all so I just took a bunch of random turns. I knew I was going in the right direction once I found the generator room.
The writing from before was still there "I'm okay. -E.D."
As I stepped outside of the wall I began crying. I just left everyone I loved, I headed towards Woodbury to never see the prison again.
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I hope you all are enjoying the story as much as I am. Thank you all for reading. If you enjoyed this chapter don't forget to VOTE and if you have anything to say at all don't for get to COMMENT, I read them all.
Much love, the random girl who wrote this book.-<3