𝓗𝓮𝔂 𝓐𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓵 | 𝓓𝓪𝓻𝔂𝓵 𝓓𝓲𝔁𝓸𝓷

Chapter 27: Decisions

A whole spectrum of opinions were present for what was to become of the guy chained up in the shed like an unwanted dog.

At the ends, you had Shane and Dale. The former all for killing him and the latter, utterly opposed insisting that killing him was the ending of society as it was. Perhaps a little overdramatic. For it seemed to me that civilisation as we knew it ended the moment the dead no longer stayed dead.

Then you had the middle grounds of which there were variants. One's with opinions and one's without. Daryl didn't seem to care much either way as he'd said earlier that day though I believed he cared, even if it was just a little bit, about the safety of the group. Carol didn't want any part of the decision to be made and I didn't really blame her. Lori was more than happy to rely on her husband to make the decision for her leaving her in the strange neutral patch.

A little outside those were Andrea and myself. As my eyes surveyed the room I couldn't help but switch back into old habits analysing everyone as best I could. Despite standing right next to Shane I could see the mental debate the blonde was shaving the way her blue eyes flitted between Shane and Dale seemingly swayed by Dale's pleas. I was on the other side with Rick. Of all the options we had right now killing Randall was the only one that left us secure.

"This is a young man's life! And it is worth far more than a five minute conversation! Is this what it's come to? We kill someone because we can't decide what else to do with him? You saved him! And now look at us. He's been tortured, he's gonna be executed. How are we any better than those people that we're so afraid of?"

I would be lying if Dale's words didn't make me feel guilty. Just a little. It's where unbridled logic became my fallback. I felt compelled to justify almost everything I did. the fights when I was younger by the need to protect my brother. The archery to get my mind of things by the fact it was a useful skill for me to learn. Hurting Randall because we needed the information.

"Well all known what has to be done," Shane spoke up.

"No Dale is right," Rick countered having second thoughts on the judgement he had made earlier. "We can't leave any stone unturned. We have a responsibility-"

"So what the other solution?" Andrea interrupted.

"Let Rick finish." Lori cut in - to absolutely no effect.

"We haven't come up with a single viable option yet. I wish we could-"

"So let's work on it!" Dale yelled his frustration written in utter clarity across his face.

Everyone began cutting each other off as they attempted to speak and a solution was no closer than it had been when the conversation began and in the end, the whole has seemed to practically be for nothing. The only mind Dale had swayed completely had been Andrea's most staying silent including myself. I was too caught up in the reactions of others and thoughts about what was being said to actually voice anything.

Dale's words stuck in my head. I wasn't going to allow myself to forget about what we were doing and so I went with Daryl to retrieve Randall and drag him up to the barn.

"You don't have to be here Lilith," Rick said as we reached the barn. Randall was already stammering in fear. Shane took Randall and blindfolded him pulling him further into where he would spend his final moments.

"I do Rick. I am part of this decision and will not let myself forget. We don't have any other viable choice though I wish we did," I sighed heavily and scanned the sight in front of me with a frown. Randall on his knees, blindfolded and crying, realising his time was up.

"Rick are you sure you want to be the one to..." I trailed off as he nodded in understanding.

"This was my decision," He said firmly walking towards the unfortunate soul. "Any last words?"