Take On The World

21.All We Have Left

(PLEASE READ)
I'M THINKING ABOUT CHANGING MY OC MASON'S  NAME TO JOSIE PLEASE COMMENT OR MESSAGE ME WITH WHAT YOU THINK!

       I wake up to daryl's pounding on my cell. I'm feeling extremely nauseous. It probably has to do with my empty stomach due to my throwing up all the food last night. I get up and groan, Apollo kisses me all over my face. I laugh and push him off the bed, which he technically isn't supposed to be on in the first place.
"Pack all your stuff." Is all I hear from Daryl as he quickly turns to leave.
"Why?" I try to ask, but he's already on his way down the stairs.
It's not like I have much to pack, so I'm done in minutes. My cell looks exactly like it did when I first got here, just much cleaner.
I walk downstairs with my backpack, and see everybody else packing too.
"Carl what's going on?" He Shakes his head and sighs irritatedly,
"Ask them." He nods his head at Rick and Daryl.
Daryl starts walking over, and puts his hand on my shoulder to lead me away from Carl.
"Did you clear everything out of your cell?"
"Yes, but why?"
"We have a plan, but you, Carl, Beth, Hershel, and Judith are going to wait in woods behind the clearing. Take Apollo with you and keep him in the car, we don't want him running towards the noise.
"Why can't I stay with you?"
"It's gonna be dangerous. Hershel is in charge, you best listen to him." he says giving me the look.
"I will." He looks at me skeptically.
"What?!" I snap.
"Nothing," He starts to walk away.
"I want a gun." He freezes, and turns around to look at me.
"Why?"
"Cause I'm not a kid anymore, I don't want to throw rocks from my stupid slingshot. I want to protect the group."
"You are still a kid, and your slingshot works just fine for killing squirrels, and other small game, and walkers. That will be the only thing you kill if I can help it."
"You can't shelter me from this Daryl."
"Listen to me, you are going with Hershel, and you will not so much as look at a gun until I say it's okay." I stay silent and glare at the ground.
"Do you understand me?"
"No." I say stubbornly and try to walk away. I see the others in the group looking shocked that I would talk back to Daryl, but I don't care.
"Hey we aren't finished." Daryl tries to stop me, but I jerk away. Kinda like I saw Carl do a few minutes ago to Rick. I'm surprised when Daryl doesn't make me stop.
I go to throw my bag in the van, but stop and pull my slingshot out. I walk to the gate and throw it over as far as I can. Then I go back to the vehicle throw my bag in. Carl comes over to me and opens the door for me to climb in first and then Apollo. He gets in next and slams the door. I look out to see all the adults in shock at Carl and I.
"Carl?" I whisper so Beth and Hershel can't hear us.
"Yeah?"
"Do you have a gun?"
"You know I do. Why?"
"No, like an extra one?"
"Well, yeah, but if Daryl or my dad found out where you got it."
"They won't."
"I don't know M."
"Carl." I say exasperated.
"I'll think about it. Besides I only have the one silencer." I scoff at him and look out the window angrily.
    When Hershel stops the car we all get out and hide behind our car which we covered with branches some camouflage stuff. I pull my knife out, and stand Guard facing away from the direction of the prison. Carl guards the opposite direction so We're back to back.
"M?"
"What?!" I snap,
"I'll give it to you at the prison, I hid it in the guard tower. My dad doesn't know I have it. I found it on a run."
"Why are you going to give it to me?"
"Because their being stupid trying to shelter us, we need to learn to be on offense not just defense."
"Thanks."
"Us 'not' kids have to stick together." We chuckle, but the fun stops as soon as we hear an explosion. I turn around to face the prison forgetting about what Rick told me and Carl to do. Carl and I look at each other.
"We should be there!"
"I know." I reply as irritated as he is.
"We could sneak off." He suggests
"It's not like Hershel could stop us, and Beth Is holding Judith," I add in to our scheme.
"Let's go." He says and I'm about to go to when we hear a branch break on the other side of the mound.
     Carl looks at me and we both straighten up and I motion for him to go first. I figured it's probably best so he isn't pointing the gun anywhere near me cause I'll be behind him. We walk heal toe for a few steps like Daryl showed us a while back, and wait for the intruder to try to get past us.
    It's only a few seconds before we see the enemy. It's not what I'm expecting, he's just a kid about the same age as Beth maybe a bit older.
By now Hershel and Beth are both standing there too and when Carl and I jump out he freezes on the spot.i have my knife, but he has a gun. Luckily Carl has a gun otherwise we'd be in trouble.
"Woah woah woah don't shoot." He says.
"Drop the weapon son." Hershel demands holding his handgun, which I had no idea he had.
"Sure, here." He says, but he's not putting it down.
"Drop it or we'll drop you!" I say dangerously close to sounding like Daryl.
"Okay, okay!" Before he gets a chance I'm thrown off when I hear a gut wrenching sound, and see Carl's gun kick back a little. The boy's lifeless body falls to the ground and Hershel looks at Carl in astonishment, but not the good kind of astonishment.
"Carl?" He looks angry. But Carl just looks at him.
"I had to, he wasn't putting it down."
"He wasn't pointing it at us." Beth said.
"But he wasn't putting it down," He defends. I just take the kids gun and check his pockets where I find a pocket knife which I take. I put his rifle in the trunk and get in the van. I'm guessing that kid running away meant the battle is over for now at least.
    Turns out I was right, and we won. Not that I did anything to help with that. I'm not really talking to Daryl, but I'm not ignoring him either... I'm more avoiding him. After I copped an attitude with him earlier he's probably angry with me. I'm sitting next to Carl when Rick starts walking over. He's probably gonna get in trouble. It sounded like Hershel and Beth were pretty mad about Carl shooting that kid. I don't think it was the right thing to do either, but it doesn't matter. What's done is done, no sense to think about or argue about it anymore.
"Masie, will you give Carl and I a few minutes?" I look at Carl and he nods at me so I go without sparing Rick another glance. I go to the guard tower to find the gun Carl's giving me. It will look suspicious if Carl and I both go in and come out for nothing. I hid the gun in my waistband and put my shirt over it. I walk up to where the others are,
"Masie a word," Rick calls you me.
"About what?"
"The boy that Carl shot. Was he surrendering?"
"He wasn't putting the gun-" he cuts me off.
"Was he pointing it at you?"
"He was starting to." I lie.
"That's not what Hershel said." Rick says taking a step toward me and leaning down to my level.
"Hershel didn't see what I did. He had a bad angle."
"Mason, did Carl shoot that boy in self defense or not?"
"I think I already answered you." I say and walk away. I may think Carl was wrong to shoot that boy, but right now all we have are our friends. I'm not gonna rat him out, we need to stick together. It's the only thing we got.
(3/23/21)