In the Very End: Book One

Chapter 16

*WARNING: Please be advised that this chapter contains mature content and strong language.*

Chapter 16
Quinn's POV

"Let's gather up," Rick ordered as we all walked into the house.

I leaned against the door frame, Daryl slightly behind me. I crossed my arms and waited.

"How do we do this?" Glenn asked. "Just take a vote?"

"Does it have to be unanimous?" Andrea asked.

"Majority rules?" T-dog piped in.

"Let's just see where everybody stands and then we can talk through the options," Rick reasoned.

"Where I see it, there's only one way to move forward," Shane opinionated.

"Killing him," Dale clarifed. "Right? Why even bother to take a vote? It's clear which way the wind's blowing."

"Well, if people believe we should spare him then I wanna know," Rick said clearly.

Dale frowned. "Well, I can tell you it's a small group. Maybe just me and Glenn."

"Look, I think you're pretty much right about everything, but—"

"They've got you scared!" Dale exclaimed, cutting Glenn off.

"He's not one of us," Glenn defended. "And we've lost too many people already."

It was slient for a moment.

"How 'bout you? Do you agree with this?" Dale asked Maggie.

Maggie faced Rick. "Couldn't we continue keepin' him as prisoner?"

"We'd just have another mouth to feed," Daryl specified.

"It may be a lean winter," Hershel added.

"He could be an asset! Give him a chance to prove himself!" Dale begged.

"Put him to work," Glenn suggested.

"We're not letting him walk around," Rick opposed.

"We could put an escort on him," Maggie suggested.

"Who wants to volenteer for that job?" Shane asked sarcastically.

Dale stood up. "I will."

"One person is going to babysit the whole group?" I asked. "They're gonna come looking. And when they do, this whole camp is theirs, including us."

Rick shook his head. "I don't think any of us should be walkin' around with these guys."

"Quinn's right," Lori agreed. "I wouldn't feel safe, not unless they were tied up."

"And we can't exactly tie chains around their ankles and sentence them to hard labor," I indicated.

I just hoped we could convince Dale so I didn't have to step in with my story.

"So the answer is to kill them?" Dale exclaimed. "Only to prevent a crime that they may never even attempt? If we do this, we're saying there's no hope. Rule of law is dead, there's no civilization."

"Oh my God," Shane groaned as he rolled his eyes.

"Could you drive him further out, leave him like you planned?" Hershel asked.

"There are walkers, you could break down, you could get lost," Lori mentioned.

"Could get ambushed," Daryl added.