Chapter 2

Hazel-

It remained silent for a long moment, until the man finally spoke again.

"You can get your hands on a tanker, you're people our person wants to know. So let's get those side arms shall we." The man walked right up to Daryl gesturing with his hand." Right now." Daryl complied, and gave me a slight nod, calming me slightly," thank you," I slowly dropped the blanket I had wrapped around myself, the man's eyes growing wide. I handed him my belt that had my hatchet, knife, gun, and club on it, leaving the axe on my back that the man was eyeing. The man looked me up and down for a moment," that it?" I nodded with a raised brow." Thank you then."

He made his way to Sasha who also complied thanking her, then went over to stone faced Abraham who was dressed in a Navy uniform." If you have to eat shit, best not to nibble. Bite, chew, swallow, repeat. It goes quicker." The man nodded, Abraham still glaring down his nose at him, until Abraham finally handed over his gun." Thank you." The man turned away.

"Who are you people?" Sasha asked.

"I get the curiosity, but we have questions ourselves, and we'll be the ones asking them." The man handed the weapons to his other men on the bikes." While we drive you back to where ever it is you call home. Take a gander at where you hang your hats. First though, your shit, what'd ya got for us?"

"You just took it." Daryl grumbled.

"Come on, can we not, okay?" This man was clearly not putting up with any bullshit." There's more, there's always more." The man sighed heavily seeing we weren't giving him anything." T, take my man here to the back bumper." A large bald man came bounding toward Daryl and shoved him." Work your way to the front." The two disappearing behind the truck as the three of us continued to stand there." Bite, chew, swallow, repeat." The man admired the gun in his hand.

"Who's Negan?" Abraham finally spoke up, causing me to shift from foot to foot nervously.

"Ding, dong." The man pointed his gun at us." Hell's bells," he sang," see usually we introduce ourselves, by just poppin one of ya right off the bat, but you seem like reasonable people." Abraham shifted uncomfortably as he glared at the man." I mean you're sportin dress blues for Christ Sake, and like I said we're driving you back to where you were, but do you know how awkward it is carpooling with someone who's friend or friends you've just killed?" The man cringed." I told you not to ask any questions, and what does this ginger do? So that's that." I don't want you to get the wrong impression of me." He clicked back the gun's hammer.

"Wait!" Sasha said strained, as she stood there stiffly, taking a deep breath, chills going down my spine." Wait, you don't have to do this." The man pulled out another gun, pointing it in our direction.

"Shut up." Abraham said under his breath to her.

"I am talking to the man." Sasha growled at Abraham.

"No you're not." There was a long tense moment as the man pointed steady the guns at us, then he dropped them with a heavy sigh." I'm not gonna kill you." A sigh of relief coming over everyone." Wait, Wait, you know what? Yes I am." Suddenly the men erupted into fire, knocking us back on to the ground, chunks of metal and body parts flying everywhere.

Daryl came from the back of the truck wielding a rocket launcher, we climbed to our feet heading over to Daryl.

"Sum' a bitch was tougher than he looked." Daryl growled, as he turned to look at the man he killed, revealing a stab wound in his shoulder.

"Did he cut you?" Sasha asked noticing the wound herself.

"A little." Daryl shrugged. Sasha put a rag to Daryl's wound smiling happily." What a bunch of assholes." Daryl grumbled.

"Let's get you fixed up at home." Sasha laughed lightly. Daryl looked at me, I was smirked at his handy work, giving him a nod then a thumbs up.

"Let's go." Daryl grumbled, we collected our weapons from the rubble, the four of us climbing back into the truck." It'll be dark when we get back, what's the plan?" Daryl asked after driving for several miles in silence.

"We gotta draw 'em away." Sasha shook her head." But at night, not the safest or smartest idea."

"I'm sure the walls will hold one more night." Abraham assured everyone.

"So that's the plan, we pull up and wait for morning to draw them away?" Daryl glanced at them then back at the road.

"It has to be." Sasha stated.

"Alright." Daryl sighed.

"And what about her, she hasn't said a word." Abraham looked at me, I quickly looked down at my hands, picking at my fingers nervously.

"What about her?" Daryl grumbled.

"We don't know anything about her." Sasha glared at me.

"Her name's Hazel, that's all you need to know for now." Daryl said simply but kind of harsh.

"And did she tell you that was her name?" Sasha asked eyeing me then staring at Daryl hard.

"No, she used hand signals to talk to me." Daryl explained.

"Is she deaf?" Abraham looked at me and I slowly shook my head." Then why don't you talk?" Abraham ordered an answer, I just shook my head again.

"Why does she have to, I like fewer words." Daryl furrowed his brows as he glanced at me then back at the road.

"Well she'll have to talk sooner or later." Abraham sat back in his seat getting cozy for the rest of the ride. As it got dark, Daryl noticed that I started to fidget, and get nervous, I hated being out in the open at night. Daryl bumped me with his shoulder, getting my attention, giving me a reassuring nod, slightly calming my nerves.

"Shit, the watch tower is down." Sasha said as she sat up straighter looking hard through the dark." The walkers are gone." Daryl rolled down his window listening intently, it sounded like there was an ocean ahead.

"That's cause they're inside." Daryl stated.

"We gotta do this now, drive up to the gate." Abraham ordered, loading up his gun, Sasha doing the same.

"Glenn!" We heard screams inside the walls. Daryl drove right up to the gate, Sasha and Abraham climbing out quickly, getting on top of the truck and immediately firing inside the walls.

"Could you get the gate, 'preciate it pal!" Abraham chuckled as he started firing again. I heard many foot steps on top of the truck, the gate opening, then several people climbed into the truck next to me, This was uncomfortable. Daryl started to drive into the place he called home, through walls of walkers until we approached a large pond, he turned the truck around the back end facing the pond now.

"Back it up, just watch me, I'll tell you when to stop." Daryl said carefully to me as he opened the door, plunging his knife into a nearby walkers head." Back it up!" He yelled to me, I put the truck in reverse, slowly backing it up." Stop!" I hit the brake a little harder then I should've, everyone in the cab looking at me. Over come by nerves I quickly got out of the truck, following after Daryl, who was emptying the contents of the truck into the pond." C'mon."

Daryl climbed to the top of the truck, with the Rocket Launcher on his back, I climbed up quickly after him. He adjusted the rocket launcher in his hands, resting it on his shoulder, and fired the rocket into the lake. The lake burst into flames, it was mesmerizing to watch it grow and light up the entire town, the many nearby walkers stumbling their way into the burning lake.

"C'mon let's finish this." Daryl grabbed my arm pulling me after him into the swarm of walkers. We chopped, swung, and plunged our weapons into the skulls of countless walkers, until the final stragglers fell at daybreak, and I was too tired to even walk.

As the sun rose higher I looked out at the walkers that littered the ground, you could barely see the ground under them, everyone slowly started to make their way toward the infirmary. Daryl came over to me, looking me over." You okay?" He asked, I nodded panting tiredly.

"Daryl." Sasha approached us." Carl was hurt, pretty badly, I'm not gonna ask Rick to leave his side to talk to Hazel." Daryl nodded in understanding.

"I'll take her to the holding cell then-"

"No you won't, get yourself fixed up I'll take her, she'll be fine." Daryl looked at me then at Sasha and nodded, walking toward the infirmary." C'mon, this is just temporary, until Rick can find the time okay?" Sasha explained simply." There's no reason to be scared." I nodded slowly as I followed her down the street into an unfinished house, she closed the door behind us, locking it, then looked apologetically at me." I'm going to have to take your weapons, I'm sorry. You'll get them back trust me." I took a deep breath then complied handing her my artillery.

My belt that had my gun, hatchet, knife, and club, my slingshot from my back pocket, the axe from my back, and my bag of ammo. I sighed as I walked through the open, door less, doorway that led to a small room with just a bed, a bed, I smiled as I sat on it, my eyes closing in pleasure at the soft comfortable mattress.

"You need anything before you settle in?"

"No." My voice came out in a scratchy whisper, Sasha looked at me a little surprised.

"So you can talk." She raised a brow and crossed her arms. I nodded in response, then kicked off my shoes, rubbing my feet." So why don't you?" I moved the tips of my fingers back and forth over my throat." So you won't?"

"I can't." My voice came out exactly the same as before, I clutched my throat, swallowing hard.

"I'm sorry, I'm just trying to piece everything together but it's hard when you won't talk." Sasha explained herself. I gave her the "okay" sign with my hand, with a light smirk." Well settle in." Sasha sighed as she sat back in a chair by the front door.

I pulled off my zip up hoodie, placing it carefully on the floor, then slowly reclined back onto the mattress, sighing in delight. I pulled a small book from my jacket, propping it up on my knees, thoroughly digesting every word, it was The Hobbit, I had read it several dozen times.

Once I let the scent leave my nose I was asleep all night, for the first time in a long time.