December 16, 9 NE

Dear Uncle Daryl,

The pony espress is gonna take my letter to ocean side. Then the speed bote is gonna take it to you. I liked your kid. She's funny. Say hi to her.

I drew a pitcher of a car for Gary. Give to him please.

Send me more nock nock jokes. Okay?

Love,

Hershel

^^ Enid made me sign it in curseive. Can you read it?

[*]

December 16, 9 NE

Deer Ant Carol,

Hi! I like cats. Do you like cats?

Luv,

R J

[*]

December 16, 9 NE

Dear Uncle Daryl,

I made a bracelet for Sweetheart. It's in the envelope. My mom says she's too little to wear it yet. She says she could try to eat it and choke on the beads, but I said Sweetie isn't stupid. Mom says its not about being stupid, but its about being little. But I didn't eat beads when I was two. So I'm sending it anyway.

I killed another walker yesterday. All by myself. I used my katana. It's actually a wakizashi, but everyone calls it a katana, so I justt call it a katana now. Mom still doesn't want me to use my dad's old gun to shoot walkers, but I get to practice dry firing with it. I use those red firing caps because otherwise Mom says it will damage the barrel.

You know how I love carrots? Ms. Candy is paying me in carrots to crack corn and strain mash. You know how you rocked me to sleep after my dad died? And you used to sing that song? "Jimmy crack corn and I don't care." Before you left and lived in the woods for those six months looking for my dad? And then moved to Hilltop and then moved to the Kingdom to mary Carol and then moved to Jamestown? I didn't know that song was about booze.

I'm too old to be rocked to sleep anymore, but I miss you anyway.

Say hi to Aunt Carol for me and give her a big hug.

Love,

ASS KICKER

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December 16, 9 NE

Dear Mom,

See that date? Oceanside has agreed to use Jamestown's dating system. So have the Hilltop and Alexandria. Cyndie says it'll make things easier for official documents.

Sorry this letter is all you get instead of me, but the doctor says the baby could come anywhere from late January to mid-February. If it's premature or she loses it or something and I wasn't home I could never forgive myself. Also, Aaron wanted a spot on the boat to go see Mitch. And Rosita wanted to go see Earl. And Enid wanted to go see Raul once last time since they're going to be apart all winter. And Ashley wanted to go see her boyfriend, that guard, Nick? And then Melissa from the Hilltop wanted to go see Seaman Reedus, though I don't know why. That guy's a goofball. So there wasn't room for me.

I guess Dianne got hitched by now, huh? Hard for me to imagine her married. Hope she's happy.

How did that woman take learning her boyfriend Merry died? Does she blame Oceanside? Cyndie's worried she might. She doesn't want any hard feelings between the communities.

Business is slowing down a bit now that it's getting cooler. People don't want to walk all the way up to the pub I guess. I'm thinking of starting a winter delivery service, at least before things really freeze over or we get snow or something. I might close the pub in the worst part of winter. Linda said she did that. It's just not worth keeping the lights on. Not that we have lights, but you get it.

Marcus is settling in here. Cyndie says he's an "asset" because he's really good at crabbing. Crabbing season is over now, though. They've all headed out to warmer waters. But he got a shit ton the last week of November, and we've preserved the meat. (Sorry about the shit, but you swear, too, you know. A lot more than Dad ever did. And I'm an adult now so I figure you aren't going to say "HENRY!")

Got news from Hilltop that Lydia's doing okay there, but she's kind of weirded out by rules and schedules and names and people being nice and things like that. Enid wrote she's "skittish." Rachel's not jealous of her anymore since she's not here I guess. Like I'd be more interested in a Skin Freak than my own wife. I did feel kind of bad for Lydia, though, when I got to know her in that guard house. Her mom really screwed with her head. Makes me glad to have had you in my life. So, you know, thanks and all.

Are those women we found in the woods doing okay at Jamestown? How many boyfriends does the deaf one have by now? It must suck not to be able to tell them to fuck off. Well, I guess actually there's a universal sign for that everyone knows.

Everyone's curious if Mallory will come back to Oceanside on the speedboat or if she's decided to hook up for good with the captain. Rachel thinks Cyndie's jealous, but Cyndie also feels like she's responsible to lead Oceanside, you know? She knew she wasn't ever going to move to Jamestown for the captain, so she tried to keep it casual. Rachel said it's not like the captain would have ever moved here for Cyndie either. And I said, well, it's not like Cyndie ASKED him to. Maybe he would have. Who knows? She didn't give him a chance. And then Rachel says if you love something, let it go. If it doesn't return to you, it was never really yours. Or some bullshit like that.

Anyway, I have to go, because the speedboat is waiting for me to finish this letter to take off, and Rosita's getitng pissed. Kiss my baby sister hello for me. And tell Daryl to keep treating you right or I'll kick his ass.

Love,

Henry