traded my life [TWD]

『32』

The argument between Rick and Shane was exhausting. 

"Benning or CDC.. Doctors or soldiers.." I scoff. "What if you're both wrong?"

"What?" Rick asks.

"If the CDC was safe, don't you think they would've told people? And if the military was still up and running, do you think we'd be stuck in this situation to begin with?"

"What are you saying here?" Shane asks.

I look around at the group that was huddled. Shane, Rick, Lori, Daryl, T-Dog, Carol, Dale, and Morales were with me.

"I'm saying what I just said. What if you're both wrong? What if the CDC is a ticking time bomb? What if Benning already went to shit?"

I glance at Lori.

"Hell, it wouldn't be the first time you were both wrong about something," I note. "Maybe you should take it from someone who's been out in the streets like Glenn and I. T-Dog, Morales, Jacqui, too. We've seen this shit up close and personal."

"Where would we go, then?" Carol wonders.

"Somewhere quiet. Away from all city limits. People gathered in the cities, that's where the walkers bunch up and move together. Out in the middle of nowhere is safer. We could build our own camp instead of relying on someone to save us."

"And the dead girl? Jim?" Daryl asks.

Amy was already dead. She had been bitten twice, so she would be turning any minute now. But, Andrea wouldn't let anyone around her. Jim was bit in the fight, but he was still up and moving. Coherent for the most part.

"We do what we gotta do," I say with a shrug.

"You're proposing the same as Daryl? That we blindside Andrea and just shoot Amy? Kill Jim?" Rick questions, judging my thoughts.

"If I was bit, I would jump off a cliff to avoid turning and hurting someone here. Daryl said he'd thank you while you offed him," I point out. "If they give a shit about us and our survival, then we wouldn't have a problem."

"Jim could get help at the CDC," Rick argues.

"And if the CDC is already gone? If there's no one there? If it's been ransacked and gone through like every other building for five miles? Do we decide then that we should kill him in an empty science lab?" I push. "What if Jim doesn't even make the drive there? Then, we'd have a walker stuck in the RV and we'd be trapped in it with him. That'd just get more people killed."

"Hyejin, maybe you should step back and let-"

"If you say I should let the men decide, I'm gonna start swinging," I cut Lori off, receiving a scolding look from her, Rick, and Shane.

"The girl's right," Daryl speaks up. "You go looking for aspirin or a tank.. do whatever the hell you need to."

He picks up his pick axe and turns around, running at Jim. "Someone needs to have some balls to take care of this damn problem-"

"Hey!" Rick shouts, cocking his gun and pointing it at Daryl's head before he could hit Jim.

I take a step forward and pull my gun out, though I wasn't really sure who I should point it at- if at all.

"We don't kill the living," Rick states.

Shane walks around, putting his back to Jim and blocking Daryl.

"That's funny. Coming from a guy that just pointed a gun to my head for the second time today," Daryl scoffs.

Once Rick and Shane get Daryl to drop the pick axe, Daryl walks away. I brush through Rick and Shane, putting my gun away and chasing after Daryl.

--

"Look, man, I need your help-"

"You need my help or the pigs need my help?" Daryl asks.

"I do. And because of what it is, the whole damn camp needs your help."

"What?" he asks, blunt and tired.

I peer around the edge of the ambulance to make sure the coast is clear. I grab Daryl's arm and yank him to the passenger door. I climb in and open the glovebox.

"I need you to put this with your shit. They won't search you, no matter how little they trust you," I explain.

Daryl leans his arm on the doorframe. "You saying you don't trust them?"

"I do. I just think they're stupid," I admit.

I hold out a ziplock bag to Daryl.

"What is it?"

"Meds. Pain killers. Opioid-based stuff. Heavy shit," I answer.

"Damn, you been hiding the good shit?" he jokes, taking the bag.

"Where do you thinkn your brother got his shit from?"

"For real?" Daryl suspects.

"There's a reason Merle didn't argue with me on shit. Why he went on hunts," I shrug it off.

"You've been dealing to my brother?" Daryl asks, a sense of amusement in his voice.

"The world hasn't changed that much, man," I remind. "Some of us gotta revert to old ways to get by."

"Well, I hate to break it to you, but I'm not hooked like he was."

"No, but you're damn good at hiding things. If they know that I have pain meds and shit, they'll want to give it to Jim. We can't lose valuable medication for a man that is already dying. It's a waste of resources."

Daryl nods once, then twice- slow. "I underestimated you, China Doll."

"Still not Chinese, my guy."

"Well, how's about just 'Doll'?"

"Better than racism," I decide.

Daryl scoffs the tiniest laugh. "I'll keep 'em back. Glad to know someone around here has their head screwed on straight."

𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓇 𝓇𝒶𝓂𝒷𝓁𝑒𝓈--

you dont understand im obsessed with them