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Safe Haven in the Chaos	By : IdrilsSecret Category: S through Z > The Walking Dead Views: 6517 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the walking dead or any of the characters. No money is being made from the writing of these stories

Chapter List
- 75
- 76
- 77
Chapter 77 Sun, Sand and Skins

“Would you look at that?” said Aaron with complete surprise. He was standing next to Daryl looking inside the cart delivered by Alden, who had just arrived from Hilltop. They had known it was coming and had been anxious to get it. Michonne, Gabriel, Rosita, Eugene and a few others stood around the cart and gazed inside also. When other residents saw the cart, they gathered around to see what was happening.

“It looks like a delivery from King Arthur himself,” Gabriel commented, as he gazed upon the many weapons and armory. He reached inside and pulled out a spear. “It’s heavier than I would have thought.” He handed it to Michonne.

“This isn’t just for thrusting. It’s for throwing too,” Michonne noticed, feeling the weight of the spear in her hands.

Alden reached into the cart and pulled out a second spear, testing it by balancing it in each hand. “In school, I participated in track and field, and I used to throw a javelin too.” He smiled like he was meeting an old friend. “It’s been years, but I think I can master this again.”

“Would you be willing to teach anyone interested?” Michonne asked.

“Of course. I can stay for a little while if you want. Ezekiel asked me to.” Alden was happy to help out in any way possible. Instantly, a few Alexandrians stepped forward to volunteer.

Daryl pulled out what looked like a shield. It appeared to be made from an oil drum, cut in half lengthwise with a handle attached on the inside. There was a square hole cut out at the top, covered with heavy metal mesh so that the wielder could look through while being protected. On the outside were two vertical rows of large spikes. Daryl balanced it, thrust it forward and moved it side to side. “Awesome,” he commented.

Aaron pulled out metal bracers, too large to fit on the wrist. “These must go with the shields,” he said looking at Daryl while he held the shield in front of him. Aaron noticed that the feet and shins were exposed. “To protect the legs,” he commented, holding the bracer in front of Daryl’s legs. Everyone watched and nodded in agreement.

Michonne took out a handcrafted bow, and a quiver full of arrows. There were more in the cart, much more. “Archers, these are for you,” she called out, and several people came forward.

Eugene lifted the next weapon from the cart, and Rosita smiled. “Nice ax,” she commented.

“Actually, this is a halberd, used in middle Europe from the fourteenth through the sixteenth century. It allowed a foot soldier to contend with an armored man on horseback. The pike head was used to push the horseman back, preferably to knock him from his horse, or to keep him at a distance, while the ax blade could strike a man down once he was in a vulnerable position,” Eugene said, giving everyone a lesson in medieval combat.

Rosita just rolled her eyes and went back to the cart. She reached in and moved weapons around. She pulled out something interesting, looked it over carefully, smiled, and went to Aaron. “I believe this is yours,” she said handing it to Aaron.

He gazed upon it in awe. Daryl came over and stood next to him. “Nice,” said Daryl.

Aaron’s mouth hung agape as he inspected a new prosthetic for his arm. The sleeve was made of stronger steel, and there were hinges attached to the straps. It would allow him better movement. What he had now didn’t bend easily. He noticed a special cuff where the hand attached to the sleeve, and at closer examination, discovered that the hand could actually come off. “I wonder why Earl made a detachable hand.” Aaron said to himself.

Daryl went back to the cart, and after taking another look, found the answer to Aaron’s question. “That’s because it comes with attachments.”

Aaron turned to him, and Daryl handed him the ultimate weapon for a one-armed man. “It’s a mace,” Aaron said in awe.

Alden saw them and came over. “Oh yeah. Earl showed me how it works so I could show you. May I?”

Aaron held his arm out and Alden removed the old prosthetic. He slipped on the new one, and buckled it into place. For the first time, Aaron was able to bend his arm freely.

“How does it fit?” Alden asked.

“It feels good. Feels natural, like I’ve been wearing it forever,” Aaron answered, testing the hinges by moving like he was fighting a walker. “Wow. This is amazing!”

“Now, try this out for size,” Alden said to him. Aaron stopped and held his arm out. Alden took hold of the wide cuff, and with a strong grip, gave it a twist. “You’ll be able to do this on your own, but I’m just showing you how it works. Turn it here, and the hand comes off.” Alden gave the hand to Daryl, who stood by and watched. Then Alden took the mace attachments, and gave it a solid turn until it clicked. “That’s how you know it’s on.”

Aaron held his arm up and studied the mace. It was perfectly round and covered in needle sharp spikes of different lengths, the longest ones about three inches. He moved his arm straight out in front of him and swung it back and forth. “I can’t believe how freely it moves. Walkers won’t stand a chance.”

“Whisperers won’t either,” Daryl commented.

“Hey, hand me that shield,” said Aaron excitedly, and Daryl gave him the one he had been holding earlier. Aaron held the shield with his good hand, moved from side to side, pulled the shield away, and punched the air with his mace. “I need to practice some, but I think this getup works well.”

“It’ll take some getting used to and good coordination. I’ll help you practice,” Daryl noted. He already felt better about Aaron’s safety when fighting.

Michonne stepped forward after watching Aaron try out his new weapon. “Aaron, I’d like to make you captain of Alexandria’s army.”

“What?” he asked in shock. “Why me? There are others here who are better equipped for the job.”

“Why? Because they have all their limbs? That’s not a reason. You are smart and tough. You’ve always been one of our best fighters, and people look up to you as a leader on the council. You are a perfect fit,” Michonne encouraged him.

“I agree,” Daryl added.

Aaron looked at him questioningly. There was a time when Daryl would have opposed the idea of Aaron putting himself out there and in harm’s way. Being a captain might make him a target too. But Daryl was looking at him with pride and confidence now. “Well, if Daryl agrees, then so do I.”

“Good,” Michonne smiled. “Next, we divide everyone according to their weapon of choice. I want three groups, archers, spear-wielders, and melee weapons. I want the front line to be the shield wielders, spears behind them, archers next, and then the rest.”

Daryl came up next to her and whispered in her ear. “Looks like you’ve thought this out already.”

“I’ve been studying those books Maggie sent us years ago. Positioning the troops is the easy part. It’s getting all these people trained in combat that will be difficult. That’s why I want Aaron running things. People like him. They’ll want to please him. He’ll be tough on them, but not to a point where they begin to resent him.”

“Well, I one hundred percent support it,” Daryl told her. Michonne gave his back a pat and returned to the group of people to watch them pick out their weapon of choice.

Daryl went back to the wagon and looked inside to see what was left. Besides a few stray arrows and a couple spears, it was pretty much empty. Then he spotted Lydia’s stick. No one had bothered to pick it up, but Daryl did. He looked it over and saw the seam near one end. He gave it a twist, and it came loose. The end was chained to the larger part of the stick. This was the nunchuck that Earl made for Lydia. Daryl moved away from everyone, to a spot where he was alone, and swung the stick around and back and forth. He had a set of nunchucks when he was a teenager, but it was more for show than anything else. He never mastered it. This one was different, and he wasn’t sure how to handle it. Someone would need to teach her how to use it so that she could protect herself with her new weapon. As Daryl glanced around the yard to see who he could ask, he looked over toward the townhomes that were close by, and saw Lydia sitting on the steps. Standing near her was Negan. It looked as though they were talking to each other. Daryl’s ire rose quickly, and he marched over to them.

“Hey,” he said with a low tone. His eyes were glued onto Lydia. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing,” she answered.

“We were just chatting,” Negan claimed with a smile. “No harm in that, is there?”

“Where’s your guard?” Daryl demanded.

“I don’t know. Maybe he went to take a piss. He’s around here somewhere. He’s never far. I was just taking a break from gardening. Sometimes it kills my back to bend over all day,” said Negan in a friendly tone.

Daryl switched his attention back to Lydia. “I’ve got something for you. Come on.” He led her away from Negan. Once they were far enough away, he turned on her. “I don’t want you talking to him.”

“Why not? He’s never done anything bad to me. He actually gives me advice,” Lydia admitted.

“Advice about what?” Daryl wondered.

“About how to deal with bullies.” She lowered her head as she said it.

“Is someone bullying you? If so, you should come to me and I’ll set them straight.”

“I appreciate you watching out for me, but I can take care of myself,” she said out of aggravation.

Daryl decided it was better not to get into it with her. Sometimes they were too much alike, and they butted heads. “Here,” he said, handing her the stick. “Check out the end.”

Lydia pulled it apart and smiled at the craftsmanship. “Wow. This is awesome. Earl did a great job. Now I just have to learn how to use it.”

“I was thinking about that too. I can help you some, but I’ve never seen anything like this. It’s almost like you have to figure it out for yourself. Have you ever used regular nunchucks before?”

“No, the only weapon I’ve ever used is a knife. My mother wouldn’t let me have anything else,” she admitted with a dark tone. Daryl could tell it hurt her to mention anything about her mother.

“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it, and find someone to work with you. Meanwhile, let’s see what you can do so far,” said Daryl, leading Lydia away from the others.

>>------->

The weather was warming more every day. The snow seemed to be done for the season. It was still cold, but tolerable. The walkers were becoming more active too, as a few everyday wandered to Alexandria’s walls. Daryl spoke with several people about training Lydia on her weapon, but there had been no takers, only excuses. Even his own people didn’t want anything to do with her. It seemed no one trusted her. He went to Rosita to find out if she could help.

“I can show you, and then you can teach her, but I’d rather not train her directly,” said Rosita.

“Why the hell not? She’s a good kid, and she just wants to be a part of this place,” Daryl argued.

“What happens when she’s out there against her own people? Is she really going to fight them? Is she going to abandon the fight? Maybe she turns against us, and here we are training her to fight. I’d rather not take the risk. If you ask me, you should make her stay in the house or lock her up when the time comes, whether it’s for her own good or ours.”

“That’s bullshit and you know it,” said Daryl, calling her out.

“Have you forgotten what happened with the Saviors when Rick tried to bring everyone together? Some of them refused to cooperate, and turned against us. Some people just can’t change. Lydia is the daughter of that maniac, Alpha. Her own flesh and blood. I’m not convinced she’s that far from her mother’s influence,” said Rosita. She was set in stone with her opinion.

Daryl left her to find Aaron. He was practicing with his new mace. Daryl watched him as he approached a mannequin that someone must have brought back to Alexandria. Aaron danced around it, swinging he hand out, and tagging it in the side and the stomach. Then he pulled his arm back and jabbed it outward, chunking a hole out of the side of the head. White Styrofoam exploded and rained down to the ground. The chunk of mannequin head was still attached to the spikes on the mace. Aaron smiled as he looked at the damage.

“Nice shot,” Daryl called out. Aaron turned, a huge smile on his face.

“I’m not gonna lie. It’s fucking awesome, and I can’t wait to get out there and test it for real.” Aaron noticed the serious look on Daryl’s face. “What’s the matter? What’s going on?”

Daryl shook his head and looked to the side. “It’s nothing. I’m just having a difficult time finding Lydia an instructor. No one is willing to work with her.”

“Maybe she can join a group and she can follow along,” Aaron suggested. “I’m teaching hand to hand combat, how to properly use a knife. I know it’s not going to help her much with learning how to use her weapon, but it will be good for her to work with a group. It might be good for the others to see her participating too. She’s always off on her own.”

“Or she’s hanging out with Negan,” Daryl mentioned.

Aaron’s brows creased together as he took a step closer to Daryl. “What? Why?”

“She said he’s been giving her advice on how to deal with the bullying going on around here.” Daryl glanced back toward the townhomes and noticed that Negan was gone now.

“I knew she was being ignored, but I didn’t think anyone was picking on her,” said Aaron. “What are they saying? Who’s been doing it?”

“I haven’t gotten that far yet. I told her I’d handle it. I’ll keep a close eye on her to see what I can find out. Then I’ll have a word or two with whoever is messing with her.”

“Good,” said Aaron, his hand coming up to rest on Daryl’s waist. “Anything else going on?”

“No. I was just watching you. You’ve got some mad skills with that thing.”

Aaron lifted his mace and smiled. “It’s a game changer. I feel so much more powerful.”

“Is that right?” said Daryl seductively into his ear. “You’ll have to show me some of those moves later tonight.”

“I’ll show you step by step, inch by inch,” Aaron replied, turning to face Daryl, and capturing his lips for a slow kiss. He pulled away unexpectedly, leaving Daryl hanging, and smiled at his cleverness. “Now, get going. I’ve got a class to teach soon, and you’re too much of a distraction.”

“Good. That’s what I was aiming for.” Daryl started to walk away, but he stopped and turned back. “Mind if Lydia sits in on your class?”

“Absolutely not. Send her over.”

Daryl found Lydia off by herself, using her new weapon. When she saw him she stopped. “Aaron’s looking for you. You got your knife on you?”

“Yeah, why?” she asked curiously.

“He’s teaching knife wielding 101. He wants you to join the class.”

“I know how to use a knife,” she complained.

“There’s always something to learn. Let’s go.” Daryl walked away and listened for her to follow. He led her back to Aaron and dropped her off.

“Hey, Lydia,” Aaron greeted. “Why don’t you come up here with me? You can be my assistant.”

Lydia backed up a step. “If you don’t mind, I’d rather hang out at the back.”

Aaron watched her a moment, and recognized the awkwardness. It wasn’t easy being the center of attention. “That’s okay too. I’m just glad to have you here.”

“Thanks,” she smiled bashfully.

Daryl moved off to the side and watched as people joined Aaron’s group. Some people ignored Lydia. A few gave her the stink eye. No one spoke to her. He moved further into the shadows to watch so that no one would notice him, and watched the practice. When it was over everyone left, and there were no altercations. He would keep his eye on her, and hopefully he would find out who was making life miserable for Lydia.

>>------->

A month passed and spring was finally upon them. The combat training had been successful, with Aaron leading the troops. They practiced every day since the delivery from Hilltop, and their form was in excellent condition. The only thing left to do was have a real life exercise against actual walkers. Aaron and Daryl scouted the surrounding area around Alexandria, but they were disappointed with the lack of walkers to go up against. It was strange to want more walkers, but the only way everyone would be fully prepared was to have an actual emergency.

And then Alexandria got a call on the radio from Oceanside. It seemed an old boat of some sort washed up on their shore. Upon further examination, they found it to be full of walkers. The Oceanside residents stabilized the boat and shored up the doors so the walkers couldn’t get out, but it would only hold for so long. Hearing about Alexandria’s new army, they radioed them to see if they were interested in making the trip, and use this as training.

“This is perfect timing,” said Aaron enthusiastically. “We need this to put our skills to the real test before we have to go up against a bigger threat.”

“I agree with Aaron,” Daryl added. “It sounds like it could be a controlled situation. If the walkers are trapped inside the ship, we can rig it so we let out a few at a time and let the troops do their thing.”

“And it’s on the beach,” said Michonne. “It’s an open area with plenty of room to move if something goes wrong. I say this is a go. I’ll contact Hilltop. They might want to send some of their people along to see what Alexandria has been doing.”

After radioing the Hilltop, the communities made plans to make the long trip to Oceanside. Ezekiel and Jerry, Magna and Yumiko, Luke, Connie and Kelly all agreed to make the trip also. They wanted to see and participate in the training exercises so that they could incorporate it into their own routine. Within the week, they were all at Oceanside and ready to get to work.

Daryl brought Dog along with him and Aaron, but he asked that Lydia stay in Alexandria to watch Gracie. Aaron wasn’t ready to bring her along on outings just yet, even though Michonne brought Judith and R.J. He wanted her to be a little older, maybe Judith’s age, before he let her be involved, and her childhood slipped away sooner than normal. That’s just how life was now. Children grew up while they were still children. It was the only way to be sure they would survive the new world.

“All right everyone. Take your positions,” Aaron ordered. The group lined up, shields in front, spears behind them, archers next, and lastly, melee wielders. With the shields lined up shoulder to shoulder, it made a solid wall to protect the people behind them. Aaron gave the orders, and they marched forward toward the ship.

Ezekiel and Jerry stood at the doors of the ship and waited for someone to give the order. When it came, they let out three or four walkers at a time, then closed the doors and kept an eye on them. The doors were fairly deteriorated, and the fear was that the walkers would eventually push their way out.

“Forward!” Aaron commanded, and the group moved like a single entity, marching toward the ship and the released walkers. “Don’t break the line, whatever you do,” he said to his fellow shield handlers. “And halt!” The group stopped. “Drop!” he ordered, and the entire army got down on one knee.

The shields hit the ground and their wielders ducked behind them. “Archers!” The archers nocked their arrows and aimed. Aaron gave the order. “Release!” Arrows sailed over their heads, hitting and killing the walkers.

“Retrieve!” he ordered, and a pair of shields opened to let Cyndie and Rachael out before closing again. The girls ran to the dead walkers and collected the arrows from them. “And march!”

The army moved forward. Cyndie and Rachael ran back to them. The shields opened to let them in, and then closed right away. “Ready!” he commanded again, and Ezekiel and Jerry released more walkers.

This time, Aaron waited until they were almost upon the walkers before giving his next orders. “And halt!” The army stopped. “Spears!” The spear wielders moved forward right behind the shields, and the shields dropped slightly. “Thrust!” Aaron yelled. The spears darted out between the shields, killing the walkers. One of them was slower than the rest, but it was still advancing on the army. Alden threw his spear, hitting it right in the head.

“March!” Aaron commanded. “Ready!” More walkers released from the ship.

By now the army was fairly close to the ship, but there was still some distance between them. From the back of the army Michonne gave orders. “Open ranks!” The shields split and Michonne, Magna and Luke moved outside of the army. Magna swung her halberd, Luke his ax and Michonne took walkers out with her katana.

Just as they cleared the threat, Ezekiel shouted in warning. “It’s not going to hold.” The doors were breaking from their hinges and the rest of the walkers came out all at once.

“It’s about to get real,” Michonne warned. “Everyone stay sharp.” She moved back behind the front row with Magna and Luke.

“Fan out!” Aaron called. The shields separated into three groups, forming three smaller walls with people behind them.

“Stay in formation,” said Michonne. “Remember your training.”

Daryl had been standing off to the side, watching the training exercise. Most of the time, he had kept his eyes on Aaron, proud of the man he’d become. He was a captain, and had the respect of every person he commanded. When he shouted out orders, the army did not hesitate, and did exactly as they were told. It was amazing to see, and Daryl actually got chills watching Aaron take total control.

Just as Ezekiel and Jerry moved away from the ship, the doors fell and the rest of the walkers flooded out onto the beach. They were some of the nastiest looking walkers to date. They had been at sea for a very long time, and the salt, wind and water did them no justice. Their skin sagged and hung from bones. Some of them had lost eyes, ears, and noses, their ghostly white bodies moving towards sound since their eyes had deteriorated and melted away.

Daryl took out his knives and moved out in front of the army to take out some of the first advancing walkers. When it got too heavy, he moved behind Aaron and his group of shields, in the center of the formation.

Michonne and Judith were behind a different group. The shields opened and Judith stabbed a walker with her smaller version of Michonne’s katana. Instantly, the shields closed back up to protect her. Michonne watched with pride.

Aaron and the shields on either side of him opened to let Daryl step forward and throw one of his knives. He moved to the side and Alden threw his spear once again. Daryl watched as a walker closed in on Aaron. He was ready if he needed to help, but Aaron smacked the walker with his shield. The spikes on the outside drove through its skull, and another walker was dead. Then he turned to the people behind him and commanded. “On me!” All three shields dropped to a knee, and Kelly, Yumiko and Connie stepped up. The sisters fired from their slingshots, and Yumiko launched an arrow. That took care of all but a few walkers, which Michonne was already slashing with her sword. The training session was finished without injury. It was a major success, and a boost to everyone’s morale.

Daryl waited until Aaron was finished congratulating everyone before he went to him. He could see that Aaron was on an extreme high after his success. “You’ve done a good job with them.”

“It’s not just me. They listen and they act fast.” Aaron paused and shook his head. “What a rush, though.” They walked side by side up the beach toward the shipwreck. A group of Oceansiders was already retrieving abandoned goods from inside the boat. They took everything back to the camp to open crates and sort through their findings. They utilized everything they could, even parts of the ship.

As they walked along, Aaron bumped his hip against Daryl’s. “What did you think? Any criticisms? I’m always up for suggestions.”

“I wouldn’t change a thing,” said Daryl. “Though I feel I need to mention the thrill it gave me to watch you shouting commands like that.” He leaned into Aaron’s ear. “It was kind of hot.”

“Oh really?” Aaron slipped his hand into Daryl’s, and their fingers entwined together. “Which command was it?”

“The one where you shouted thrust. That was it,” Daryl growled. “I’m thinking we can incorporate that command into the bedroom, if you know what I mean,” said Daryl seductively.

“And exactly who will be giving the orders?” Aaron asked in a playful manner.

“I say we take turns, but you go first.”

Aaron bit his bottom lip in anticipation. “Since you seem so inspired all of a sudden, what do you say we slip out of here and practice our own tactical maneuvers?” Aaron released his hand from Daryl’s grip and moved it around to give his ass a squeeze.

“Daryl! Aaron!” Michonne called from further up the beach. They turned and saw her running toward them. Daryl and Aaron looked at each other, both thinking the same thing. Something serious had happened.

“What’s up?” Daryl asked.

“The kids were playing at the estuary, collecting seashells and whatnot. One of them found something … a mask,” Michonne told them.

“I don’t suppose you’re talking about a Halloween mask?” said Aaron, but he knew better.

“I wish I was,” said Michonne. “I went back to the spot where the kids were playing, but I didn’t find anything else.”

“You think they’re back?” Daryl asked her.

“I don’t know, but we need to stay cautious and keep this between us for now,” Michonne told them.

“Who else knows?” Daryl wondered.

“Cyndie, Ezekiel, just the leaders and you two.”

“We need to notify Alexandria and Hilltop?” Aaron started to argue. “They should know too.”

Michonne thought about it for a moment. “Okay. Get on the radio and let them know. I’ll be along in a minute.”

Daryl and Aaron hurried to one of Oceanside’s bungalows where they kept the hand radio. Ezekiel and Cyndie joined them. Aaron got on and called Gabriel in Alexandria. He told him what they found. “The kids found it by the estuary. It must have flowed downriver.”

“What does this mean?” Gabriel said, obvious worry and concern in his voice. “Are they back?”

“We can’t be sure of that.” Aaron paused and glanced at Daryl before deciding to give the next order. “Alexandria should go on lockdown, just in case.”

Just then, Michonne came into the room. She had heard Aaron talking to Gabriel and stopped him. “Hold on. Gabriel, we don’t have enough evidence to justify that they’ve returned. As head of security, it’s my official recommendation that Alexandria be put on alert, not lockdown, until further notice. Got it?”

“Will do,” Gabriel answered. “But you’ll let us know if you find out anything else?”

“Of course. Michonne, over and out.” She hung up with Gabriel and turned to find Aaron giving her a disappointed glare. “I understand your reasoning. I really do, but we don’t need to start a panic.”

“We don’t want to sit around with our thumbs up our asses either,” he complained.

Seeing the tempers beginning to flare, Cyndie stood and addressed them. “We recently had some bad weather here. That mask could have been left behind before the winter, and the rain just now carried it downstream. A lot of stuff washed up after the storm. This might not mean anything.”

“Or it might mean something,” Daryl added, taking Aaron’s point of view this time. “Look. No one saw Alpha’s herd move out. Maybe no one saw them move back in either.”

Ezekiel spoke next. “Cyndie might be right. This could be from before, but what if it’s not. There could be other signs of them out there. We owe it to our people to be sure.”

Michonne felt all eyes on her, and she gave a defeated sigh. “All right. I’ll gather a group. We’ll leave in five.” She left the bungalow to gather recruits. Ezekiel and Cyndie left with her. Aaron approached Daryl. “Thanks for having my back.”

“I’ve always got your back. You never have to worry about that.” Daryl leaned forward and kissed him. “I guess you’re going?”

“Yeah, why? Aren’t you?”

“If you don’t care, I’d like to hang back. Carol’s coming in anytime now. I kind of want to be there when she does.”

Aaron smiled and pushed a few strands of hair from Daryl’s face before he kissed his forehead. He knew how close Daryl and Carol were, and how much he had missed her. “That’s fine.”

Carol had tried to make it work in Alexandria, but she was suffering from nightmares after losing Henry and leaving Ezekiel. Daryl tried helping her, but it wasn’t enough, and Carol left in the middle of the night. She eventually wrote Daryl and Aaron, letting them know where she went. Oceanside seemed like it was far enough away, but when she found out about the crew that spent months at sea, fishing and scavenging, she decided to join them. Carol wrote when she could, but it had been a very long time since anyone heard from her.

“I’ll catch up with you later,” Daryl told Aaron. “You keep practicing your commands,” he teased.

Aaron chuckled and started to leave the bungalow, but he turned back to Daryl. “When you see Carol, tell her not to leave again without saying goodbye.”

“Yeah,” Daryl answered. “You be careful out there.”

“Love you,” Aaron said before leaving.

“Love you too,” said Daryl in return.

>>------->

Michonne and Aaron, Magna and Yumiko, and Luke and Alden rode out of the Oceanside gates to search the surrounding area. “We’ll cover more ground if we split up,” Michonne said. “Radios on. You see any sign of them, call it in.” They split into three groups. Michonne and Aaron rode out together, heading toward the river. They would search along the shore and partially into the area that traveled along it.

They were riding slowly through a forest, taking out some stray walkers along the way. Aaron rode up next to her. “Are we the good guys?” he asked out of the blue.

Michonne glanced at him with confusion. “Why would you ask that?”

Aaron shrugged. “I think about it a lot. Everyone comes from somewhere. Everyone has a story, and most likely we are the villains in that story. They see us as a threat to their survival, people so dangerous they threaten to wipe us out. It makes me wonder sometimes.”

Michonne shook her head. “I don’t give a shit about the Whisperers or what they stand for.”

“I wasn’t just talking about Whisperers. There’s been other groups. I think back sometimes about what we did to the Saviors, mainly the satellite outpost.” That had been a dark time, when they snuck in and killed people in their sleep. But they thought they were eliminating the threat. They hadn’t known about Negan or the Sanctuary back then. Still, it was disturbing to remember.

Michonne didn’t say anything more about it. “The river is that way,” she pointed, and the conversation was done. After searching and finding nothing, Michonne radioed the others, but no one else had found anything either.

“You know we might not find an answer to this,” Michonne mentioned after a long silence.

Aaron shook his head. “Something doesn’t feel right. They cover their tracks. Leaving something like a mask laying around to be discovered isn’t a mistake they make easily. I can’t help but think there’s a reason behind this, as though it’s a sign or a message.”

As Aaron finished talking, his attention was drawn to the sound of growling. Not far was a bridge, and he could see walkers on it. Normally, he wouldn’t bother, but because they were in an area where the mask might have washed away from, he couldn’t help but think they were being watched. It was possible that there were Whisperers within those walkers, and if there were, he wanted to capture one and get some information from them. Since becoming a captain and finding his voice and his authority, Aaron was discovering a new courage within himself. He wasn’t that timid recruiter out scouting for people in need of help anymore. He was a father, a leader. He had a lot of people dependent on him to see them safe and cared for. He was becoming more aggressive. Even Daryl had noticed that. The Whisperers were playing mind games with everyone, and he was getting tired of it. And if there was a Whisperer among those walkers, he was going to capture them and force them to tell him where Alpha was.

Without a word, Aaron took off on his horse, heading toward the bridge. Michonne called him back several times, but he ignored her and kept going. This could be the break they were looking for. He rode out halfway across the bridge before jumping down from his horse. He ran right up onto the walkers without a second thought. Seeing them up close, he knew they weren’t Whisperers, but he didn’t really care if they were. The threat needed to be extinguished. He was tired of always wondering when Alpha would return, if she would return, and when it would happen. The pressure was getting to him. It was getting to everyone, and he knew this was no way to live. Things were good at home. Life with Daryl was wonderful. But always having the feeling that someone was watching was a threat to his freedom. That’s what was missing from his life, and he wanted it to stop.

The closest walker was near a rusted out abandoned car. Using a move Paul had taught him, he jumped and kicked the walker, sending it flying backwards onto the hood of the car. He pulled out his sword and killed a second walker. He thought he would have enough time before the first one got off of the car, but he was wrong, and it was upon him too soon. Aaron blocked it with his metal arm, but he couldn’t get his sword up to stab it. As he was wrestling with it, he felt something grab his ankle. He glanced down and saw a third walker that had been underneath the car, its long bony fingers wrapped around his leg, using him to pull itself out from under the car.

Suddenly, Michonne was there. “Duck!” she shouted, and Aaron did so. She slashed the walker he had been wrestling with. When it fell away, Aaron looked down and watched the third walker about to bite his boot. He thrust his sword downward, stabbing it through the head.

He had worked himself up into a frenzy, needing to keep fighting, but there were no more walkers. That couldn’t have been it, he thought to himself. There had to be more. There had to be Whisperers not far from where they were. After all, the bridge was a marker, and he had crossed over into their territory. He didn’t seem to care. The mask they found was on his people’s territory. It worked both ways. He kept walking across the bridge, and didn’t notice that Michonne stayed where she was.

“Well, that was stupid,” she called out to him, and he stopped at the sound of her voice. “We agreed not to cross their borders or to start anything without a reason. I lost Rick on a . . .” Her words trailed off and she caught herself before she finished her thought.

The mention of Rick’s name made Aaron turn and walk back toward her. He hadn’t been paying attention, but now he could hear the concern in her voice. “For months, we’ve been acting like this is normal. We hold our breaths and think nothing of it. We don’t cross rivers or bridges … or pikes sticking out of the ground because we are afraid of the consequences. We don’t even know if there’s anyone watching us or not. Yet, we tiptoe around and pretend everything is fine, like everything is normal. Well, this is not normal.”

Michonne gestured to the dead walkers. “If it were them, you could have died. Turns out it wasn’t them, and you still could have died. And for what?”

“I take the risk because I want a better life, not for myself but for Gracie, for Daryl, for you … for everyone,” he argued.

“And how is it a better life for any of them without you in it?” Michonne took a step toward him, but she could see he was still upset, and let him go. “For right now it’s simple. We have to keep our cool or they win.”

Aaron’s anger hadn’t subsided any. “I’ve been keeping my cool my whole life. I’ve always been the nice guy, the Good Samaritan. Think back to when you first met me in that barn. I took a hard punch from Rick and kept smiling. And now, this shit we take from Alpha, she’s punching and were all smiling and taking it. But the thing is, people are dead. Tara, Henry, Enid … Jesus, good people who deserve to be here are dead. And I’m goddamn tired of being nice.” Aaron stormed away, heading back to his horse.

Michonne called out after him. “That’s good then, because nice never got me anywhere, but smart did.”

Aaron stopped again to hear her out. Michonne continued. “They have their hoard, their nuclear weapon. We don’t have a weapon of mass destruction.”

“Then maybe that’s what we need to start working on,” Aaron glowered.

Michonne calmed and toned down her voice. “Trust me, I hate this as much as you do.” She moved toward him and laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Look, Aaron, it’s not about being nice or good or anything but keeping our people alive, and not having them die over nothing.”

Aaron heard what she was saying, but he was having a difficult time agreeing with her. She was right to a point. They couldn’t do anything about it right now. But he knew eventually they would have to push back. The problem was, no one was taking steps to secure what they had so that they could push back. Sure, they were doing military exercises. They were training people to protect themselves and their communities, but no one was preparing to go further and eliminate the threat all together.

Aaron glanced around the area, and noticed it was getting late. “We should get back before dark,” he commented, and made his way back to his horse. He heard Michonne on the radio, telling the others that they didn’t find anything, and that it was time to head for camp.

Yumiko came back to Michonne on the radio. “Hold on. There’s something you need to see first.” Both Michonne and Aaron glanced at each other and hurried to mount their horses.

Michonne and Aaron arrived to find Alden and Luke already there. They were in the woods, somewhere close to the river. Yumiko led them to what looked like a campsite. There were sleeping bags, and some discarded supplies. A rope strung with old cans hung around a section of the perimeter. There was even a fire pit where they made their meals.

“It looks like there were only a couple people here. Otherwise it’s just a simple camp. What am I missing?” Michonne asked.

“This way,” Magna said, leading them further on.

On the ground were skeletons of dead walkers. “Whatever happened here, it took place a while ago,” Aaron mentioned.

“You think maybe the campers got into a fight with walkers?” Luke pressed.

“Could be the two things aren’t connected,” Alden said with suspicion.

“Over here,” Yumiko called to the others. They found a dead naked male lying face down in the leaves.

“He’s been here for a while,” said Michonne as she examined the body.

Magna spoke again. “That’s not all. This way.” She led them further still, to a fallen log.

Aaron’s face turned frightful at what he saw. “It’s a skin,” he whispered. Draped across the log was a walker hide. He picked up a long stick and lifted it just to make sure he was right about what he was seeing. “This means that at least one of them has been on our side of the border.”

“Yeah, but when?” said Yumiko.

“That’s the question,” said Michonne quietly. “Were they here before or after Alpha’s border rules? There’s really no way of telling.”

“The mask that washed down shore, could it have come from here?” Alden inquired.

Aaron looked around the log again. “I don’t see a face, just a body skin. I’d say it’s a good bet that it did.”

“We can’t say for sure,” Michonne reminded them. “There’s still not enough evidence to make a solid verdict.”

Aaron felt there was evidence enough, but he let it go. He dropped the skin and the stick and stood back. “What the hell happened here?”

“We need to get back,” said Michonne. “Remember, we inform the leaders and no one else. We don’t want people getting upset when we’re not really sure what we’ve found here.”

“I think it’s pretty clear what we found,” Magna started to argue. Yumiko took her by the arm and pulled her back, quieting her partner. No one else said anything, and they left the area to ride back to Oceanside.

Once back at camp, Aaron noticed that Daryl wasn’t back yet. He had wanted to spend some time with Carol, so he figured they were together somewhere. Aaron wanted to inform them about their findings, but it would have to wait. He glanced around and noticed how hard everyone was working. Some people were still sorting through items found on the abandoned ship. Others were preparing the fish that came in on the boat with Carol. Others were separating the scavenged items brought back by the fishing crew. All of the Oceanside residents were busy with their jobs and chores. Even some of the other people from Hilltop and Alexandria were helping out. It was amazing to see the group effort. It made Aaron feel like they had accomplished the one thing Rick had set out to do. Despite the worries on the horizon, it was still a good day.

“Hey,” said Michonne coming up next to Aaron. He smiled at her and they continued to walk through the camp. Michonne turned serious, and spoke at a whisper. “I can see what’s coming unless we stop it. Magna’s response earlier is proof of that. Fear is dangerous, and if we don’t knock it out now, it will spread and drive the communities apart again. We can’t let that happen, not now.”

“I get it,” said Aaron. “But fear can also keep us safe. I forgot about that today on the bridge. A lack of it can cause you to make stupid decisions.”

“I was telling you to be smart, not afraid,” Michonne told him. “I was thinking about what you asked me earlier, whether or not we’re the good guys. And the truth is, yes, we are. We always have been. I think about Rick and Carl, Eric, Jesus, Tara and Enid, and all the others, and I knew them. They were good people. We are good people. We have to choose to be, even when it’s hard. But the minute we start to question that … the second we lose sight of it, that’s when the answer to that question starts to change, and that’s scarier than any mask.”

Aaron nodded in agreement after hearing what she had to say. “All right. I see.”

“Good,” said Michonne, patting him on the back. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go find my kids, and give them both a huge hug.”

“Yeah, I’m going to see if Daryl and Carol are back yet. And thanks. I think I needed to hear that,”
Aaron admitted.
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Safe Haven in the Chaos