Till Kingdom Come

The following morning, Noelle made sure to wake up before anyone else had the chance to; it wasn’t difficult considering how she could barely sleep that night, thoughts of her young sister flooding her mind. She knew she had to find her, but she was also well aware of the fact that no one would risk their lives in search of someone they didn’t know, and they wouldn’t put their necks out for this stranger that had just started living in their prison. Noelle had been alone basically since the outbreak started, and she knew that if she made it this far on her own, she could push forward a little more to find the only family she had left. Besides, she no longer feared the dead that were walking around, she only feared the living.

Quietly sliding the prison cell door open, she peeked her head out to make sure no one was around to stop her. Everyone was quietly in their cells, and Daryl Dixon lay on the floor of his perch, eyes covered with a raggedy flannel shirt. Once again quietly sliding open the door of the cell block, she made her way out to the courtyard. She paced herself, moving quickly and quietly towards the part of the fence that was being held together with wire. But just as she reached the fence, she noticed that someone was standing on the field, looking past the fence…Rick.

If she turned back now, she wouldn’t be able to leave again, but she also knew their was a high chance of not being able to just walk by Rick and cut loose that piece of fence. Noelle tried her luck anyways, and Rick quickly turned around at the sound of shuffling feet, pointing his .357 magnum revolver at her head. Once he saw her panicked face, he relaxed and gave a deep sigh as he lowered his gun and placed it back in the holster.

“Scared me…couldn’t sleep?” he asked, readjusting the holster on his belt.
“Something like that.” Noelle replied, looking past Rick and towards the wire holding together a small part of the fence.
“Plan on leaving?”
Noelle sighed and looked down, feeling somewhat ashamed and powerless at that point. She didn’t know what he was thinking, if he was willing to look the other way or not, but she needed to try.

“My sister…” she started, “I lost her a long time ago, but yesterday, during my run with Daryl, I found her pendant.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out the little sparkling piece of jewelry. “I know it’s a long shot, and I wouldn’t ask any of you to risk your lives to help me, but…I need to find her. Or at least know…it’s the not knowing that’s killing me.”

Rick sighed knowingly before speaking.
“When everything happened, when the world turned to shit, I had been left for dead in a comma. Waking up, not knowing what was going on and not finding my family…it killed me. I made it my PRIORITY to get them back, and I did. Shit happens, and we lose people, but it was better knowing that I had some more time to spend with my wife and son…and now my daughter.”

Noelle now knew then that baby Judith was his, and felt a sharp pain in her chest knowing he lost his wife, especially after finding her. But at least he knew; he went back for her and his conscious was clear.

“It’s not safe out there, you and I both know that. But who am I to keep you from finding your family? Me? I wouldn’t recommend you go out on your own, but something’s are better done alone, and I’m not gonna keep you from knowing you could’ve tried, especially with that lead you have. Be safe.”

With that, Rick handed her a police issued pistol which he had in the back of his pants and she took it sheepishly, placing it I her borrowed jeans next to the holster that held the large knife Daryl had lent her.

“Don’t shoot unless your backs up against a wall. Come back, will ya?” Rick asked one last time. And after a small nod, she slipped through the fence and ran out into the woods, avoiding the occasional walker.

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Daryl sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, looking around the prison cell as everyone slowly walked around, serving each other some breakfast. He found himself looking for Noelle, not able to find her amongst what had become to be his family. He heard the loud clank of metal doors and saw Rick coming into the cell block, instantly making his way to his new daughter.

Making his way down the stairs, Daryl peered his head into Noelle’s cell only to see she wasn’t there either.
“Hey, new girl…anyone seen her?” he asked. And that’s when panic washed over everyone, Theirs always risks with bringing in someone new, and everyone was uncomfortable with letting anyone leave once they were in. No one knew her story like Daryl, no one knew she didn’t have anyone else to turn to, but everyone feared the possibility of another attack.

“Great…I knew this was a bad idea Rick. What if she has people…we cant face that again!” Glenn spoke up, in a stern and hushed voice. He didn’t want to startle any one else, but he knew taking in people was a risk, and now all they had worked for could possibly be in jeopardy once again. Maggie, Glenn, Hershel, Rick, and Daryl stood off to one side.
“I made a call!” Rick spoke sternly. “She had things to do, who am I to stop her? We’ve all been there, lets not forget that. End of discussion.”

You could still sense the discomfort and fear in the air, until Daryl decided to speak up.
“She aint no one. Talked to her first night here…girls been abused and lost people like us. Just wants to find her sister. Probably wont even make it far…she’s weak.” Daryl had become a valued member of the group, his opinion mattered a lot more than he liked to think.
“Maggie, you’d do the same for Beth. Wouldn’t we all…for our family?” Hershel made a point, and everyone averted their eyes to the floor, realizing this girl only wanted what the rest of them had been fighting for this whole time; to keep their family safe.

Their was nothing more for them to do now but wait. Their was still that ounce of anxiety that at any moment, everything they had built could be torn apart, but Rick knew that he made the right call. He felt it in his gut that everything would be fine…or so he hoped.

Sensing the tension that now hung in the room, Daryl grabbed his crossbow and began heading out of the cell block.
“Ima go look for her, so you all can stop worryin' your sorry asses. Glenn, open the gate will ya?”

And without any further questions from anyone, Daryl and Glenn headed out of the cell block. No one bothered to convince Daryl other wise, they knew it was useless. And everyone knew they could count on him to bring Noelle back…or at least make it back himself. Rather than taking his motorcycle, he decided to take one of the trucks, thinking ahead just in case they did manage to find Noelle’s sister.
As Glenn slid the gate open, Daryl drove off in search of Noelle.

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The sun was starting to set as Noelle reached the town where her and Daryl had found the pendant the day before. She could see couple of stray walkers ambling around, but their was no real threat thus far. Looking around carefully, she saw a light flicker from inside one of the shops and ducked down, sneaking her way towards the shop.

Staying low, she opened the door and slithered in carefully, one hand resting over her knife, ready to attack. But just as she continued forward, she felt a cold metal object being pressed against the back of her head, and she immediately knew it was the barrel of a gun.

“Arms up.” she heard a deep voice say from behind her, but Noelle only tightened her grip on her knife, not giving up that easily. She was slowly reaching for the gun Rick had given her when a tall man stepped out from the shadows and stood directly in front of her, the large revolver pointed directly between both her eyes.

“Now, now little lady, hands up.” She studied the man in front of her as she slowly raised her hands, her eyes lingering over the eye patch covering his left eye.

Suddenly, Noelle focused her attention on the small figure that stepped out from behind the man, and could only stare in disbelief.

“Sandy?!”