My Hope

Chapter 68

I woke up earlier again and decided to keep watch. Even though we were safe in the prison, there was really no 'safe' anymore.

I walked the fences with some help from Tdog. We walk the fences and I watch as the sun starts to come up over the trees and light up the whole field. I ignore the walkers clawing desperately at the fence trying to get in.

I noticed Rick, Daryl and Carol come walking out into the courtyard. T-dog and I meet them halfway. Daryl yells up to the watch tower where Glenn and Maggie were supposed to keep watch. Daryl yelled up to them and Glenn came out trying to put on his belt.

"You coming?" Daryl yelled a second time making us all laugh.

"Yeah, be down in a minute." Glenn yelled back. Maggie walked out from the watch tower and I could see the guilt on her face. Bet they probably had a fun night.

"Rick." T-dog called out and pointed to the Oscar and Axel who were walking our way.

"Thought we had a deal." Rick told them warningly.

"Please mister, we know that. But you gotta understand, we can't live in that place another minute. All those bodies, they're people we knew." Axel pleaded.

"Why didn't you just move the bodies out?" I ask.

"You should be burning them." T-dog said.

"The fence is down on the far side of the prison. Every time we drag one of the bodies out, those things line up." Oscar explained.

"We had nothing to do with Tomas and Andrew. You trying to prove a point? Well, you proved it. We'll do whatever it takes to a apart of your group. Please." Axel pleaded with Rick.

I looked to Rick who seemed to be having an internal battle of his own. Daryl locked Axel and Oscar in the gated area between the two fences while the rest of us talked about what to do.

"What are we going to do with them?" Carol asked shuffling her feet nervously.

"I know these guys. Hell, I grew up around them my whole life. They ain't dangerous." Daryl replied.

"Do you really want them sleeping in the same cell as us?" Rick asked.

"Hell no. Grew up with up, didn't say I trusted them." Daryl snapped back.

"What do you think, Sarah?" Carol turned and asked.

"I don't know. Do they seem like bad guys? Do we know why they went to jail in the first place? How do we even know that they are even bad to begin with?"

"It don't matter. They went to jail for somethin'. That makes them bad enough." Daryl snapped back at me.

"What if it was Merle?" the words slipped off my tongue before I could stop them. Daryl's eyes glared at me with anger and sadness.

"Ain't even remotely the same!" Daryl growled with only anger in his voice.

I knew I shouldn't have said anything, especially about Merle. It was Daryl's one sore spot and I had just hit it.

"Probably shouldn't have mentioned Merle." Glenn muttered.

"I know." I glared at Glenn.

"Alright. Glenn, come with me. I'll find Daryl, we need firewood. By the time we get back, I'll have a plan." Rick quickly ended the conversation.

Carol and T started walking back towards the prison while Glenn went to go and find Daryl. Rick and I stood there awkwardly while I ran a hand through my hair.