home, glenn rhee[1]

ch.16

judge, jury, executioner

after me and glenn took a long walk around the farm, rick motioned for us to come back in the house.

i groaned knowing what the group meeting would be about. randall.

"so how do we do this? just take a vote?" glenn asked, holding my hand tightly in his as he glanced around the room.

"does it have to be unanimous?"

"what about majority rules?"

rick motioned an x, "well let's- let's just see where everybody stands. then we can talk through the options."

i nodded, looking to shane when he started talking, "well, where i sit, there's only one way to move forward."

"killing him, right? i mean why even bother to take a vote. it's clear which way the winds blowing." dale huffed, causing me to fiddle with glenns hand, unsure what side i was on.

"if- if people think we should spare him, i wanna know." rick ruled out, looking at dale with irritation in his eyes.

"well, i can tell you it's a small group— maybe just me, melanie, and glenn."

glenn slowly, looked up to dale, almost looking regretful of his opinion, "look, i- i think you're pretty much right about everything, all the time but this-"

"they've got you scared." dale hollered, pointing to everyone with his hat. "he's not one of us and we've lost too many people already."

"look, say we let him join us, right? maybe he's helpful, maybe he's nice. we let our guard down and he runs off. bring back his 30 men."

dale scoffed, "so the answer is to kill him to prevent a crime that he may never attempt? if we do this, there is no hope. the rule is dead, no more civilization."

i nodded, folding my hands together, "dales right. if we do this...if we kill him. our last bit of civilization is destroyed. gone."

"oh my god" shane groaned, earning a dirty look from me.

"if you go through with it. how would you do it? would he suffer?" patricia questioned, looking to rick, who looked to me.

i shrugged, "um, hanging him would be cruel, he'd suffer. shooting would be more humane."

patricia nodded, having her question answered. "this is a young mans life! and it is worth more than a five minute conversation!" dale shouted, blowing me and glenns eardrums out.

"anybody that wants the floor before we make the final decision. has the chance." rick announced, causing my eyes to search the room. no ones expression changed.

"it's survival of the fittest and that's a world i don't wanna live. i don't believe that any of you do. i cant. please." dale started, fidgeting with his hat, "isn't there anybody else who's gonna stand with me?"

i hesitated for a moment before i stood up, moving to his side. "i'm with dale" i insisted, scanning the group.

andrea nodded, "he's right. we should try to find another way."

"anybody else?" rick questioned, only earning silence.

"are y'all gonna watch too?" dale asked, forcing a laugh, "no, you'll go hind your heads in your tent and try to forget that we're slaughtering a human being. whoa."

my eyes follow him as he started to walk away, "i won't be a party to it." he started, walking past rick to meet daryl, "you're right. this group is broken."