PHOSPHENES¹ [the walking dead]

B - IIX

BETTER ANGELS

"Dale could get under your skin. He sure got under mine, because he wasn't afraid to say exactly what he thought. How he felt. That kind of honesty is rare and brave. Whenever I'd make a decision, I'd look at Dale. He'd be looking at me with that look he had. We've all seen it one time or another. I couldn't always read him, but he could read us."

"He saw people for who they were. He knew things about us, the truth, who we really are. In the end, he was talking about losing our humanity."

"He said this group was broken. The best way to honour him is to unbreak it. Set aside our differences and pull together, stop feeling sorry for ourselves and take control of our lives, our safety, our future. We're not broken. We're gonna prove him wrong. From now on, we're gonna do it his way. That's how we honour Dale."

Rick ended his speech at Dale's funeral with the sounds of Shane and Andrea grunting. They didn't agree with Rick. What Rick was implying was that we'd let Randall go.

"Can you not do that? This is a funeral," Winston spoke out, pointing at the two. "Show some bloody respect." Winston turned to leave holding on to Rowan's hand.

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Dale's death made everyone remember what kind of world they really lived in. Hershel had decided to let them stay inside of his home. To be safer.

"It feels good to sleep in a house again," Rowan said, making her bed. "Even though it's just on the floor."

"It sure is, kid." Beatrix put her hand on the girl's head. She noticed that she was starting to grow taller.

"Dale would've liked it too." The younger girl said with a sad smile. Rowan had gotten very close to the older man.

She had spent most of her time inside the RV. When Winston told her she had to stay away from Shane she went straight to Dale. She knew that he didn't like Shane either. Rowan knew that if she stayed with Dale nothing would have happened to her.

"He sure would have." Beatrix had a small sad smile on her face.

Winston and Rowan had a little spot in the corner, with Rowan closest to the wall and Winston on the outside. Beatrix's spot was across the room, closer to Daryl's spot.

Winston joined the conversation swinging his right arm over Beatrix's shoulder. "It's going to be nice here. I know it."

———————— ✭ ————————

"Randall's missing"

Daryl and Rick were supposed to go out and leave the kid somewhere. Carol had even packed up some provisions for him. T-Dog and Glenn went out to fetch him. When they arrived at the barn, he wasn't there.

"Missing? How?"

"How long he been gone for?" Hershell asked Glenn

Everybody moved to look at the place Randall was supposed to be. "The cuffs are still hooked. He must've slipped them." Rick made the observation, kneeling down.

"The door was secured from the outside," Hershel said but it was drowned out by shouts coming from the woods.

"Rick, Rick!" It was Shane with blood on his face. "He's got my gun. He's armed!" he said in a panic.