Dead Silent

Chapter 4

Alexandria is silent, most of it's resident's sleeping soundly. Michonne guards the gate, a rifle in her hands. She hears footsteps from the other side of the gate and instinctively aims her weapon.

"Don't shoot, i got squirrel," comes a familiar voice.

"Daryl? I didn't even know you'd gone out," she smiles, making her way down the platform.

"That's cos i'm good, slipped out yesterday mornin," Daryl smiles. "Did he come?" He asks, his smile fading.

"He did. He's coming back tomorrow though," Michonne says.

Daryl frowns. "Why? He didn't get enough today? Asshole doesn't know when he's unwelcome."

"He wants Kirsty to work with him," she says.

Daryl furrows his brow. "What? And Rick agreed to that?"

Michonne shakes her head. "He doesn't have a choice, Daryl. None of us do."

"There's always a choice," Daryl mumbles, walking off.

~

Kirsty sits on her porch swing smoking a cigarette. She'd barely slept, and when she had, she'd dreamt of Abraham. Kirsty had been close with both Glenn and Abraham. But she'd been much closer to Abe, laughing at his jokes in the silent way that she had. He had always taken the time to talk with her. The people at Alexandria were good, but she was well aware that she made some of them uncomfortable. She guessed maybe they found it hard, kinda like having a one-way conversation. But mostly, she thought maybe they assumed she was dumb. Kirsty always thought that.

She sees Daryl walking towards his house. Kirsty claps her hands. Daryl turns his head, then makes his way over.

"Michonne just told me about Negan," he says, twiddling with the strap of his crossbow. "Ya don't have ta go."

Kirsty nods her head.

"I'll talk with Rick, maybe-" he starts.

Kirsty shakes her head, and writes on her pad. I'll be fine, don't worry about me.

Daryl's face almost touches the paper, as he attempts to read it in the dark.

"It ain't right, Rick should know it ain't," he frowns.

He knows. There just isn't much he can do about it. You should probably make yourself scarce when he gets here. She writes.

Daryl looks down at his feet. "Maybe i'll offer ta work with him instead?"

She shakes her head. That's sweet, but you should probably go shower. You smell like an armpit. Kirsty writes.

Daryl shakes his hair away from his face and smiles. "This is a man smell."

Yeah, sure. She writes, smiling.

He looks down at his feet again, his hair covering half his face. "Don't go."

Kirsty writes. Then she walks over to him, placing her finger under his chin, tilting his head towards the paper. I have to, you know that. I'll be fine. I'm tougher than i look.

Daryl shifts his feet, biting on his lip nervously. He nods, then walks away.

~

Kirsty stands at the gate with Rick.

"You okay with this?" Rick asks.

I don't really have a choice. But either way, i'm fine. Maybe this is a good thing? Maybe I can get some inside info? She writes. After he reads it, she tears the piece of paper from the pad, and hands it to him. Burn it, she mouths.