Losing Hope *EDITING*

Chapter 11; Claire Curvel

  "Is it safe?" 

  "It's gotta be. You got food, water?" 

  "You got cooze?" Tony asked right away. "Ain't had a piece of ass in weeks. Little Claire over there ain't so friendly."

I frowned, turning around and glaring at the back of his head. Glenn pulled me to him by my elbow, shielding me a little behind his body. I didn't mind since these men were starting to remind me why I was so scared of 'em.

  "Pardon my friend," Dave apologized, rubbing his eyes again. "City kids-- they got no tact. No disrespect. So listen, Glenn--"

  "We've said enough," Rick spoke in a strong voice, interrupting Dave's sentence. 

Dave shook his head and looked at Rick with a scowl. "Well hang on a second, this farm-it sounds pretty sweet. Don't it sound sweet Tony?"

  "Yeah, real sweet," Tony confirmed.

Dave gestured his head towards me. "You let Claire up to the farm, so why shouldn't we get a chance."

  "She's a different story," Hershel told him.

I almost forgot I was Hershel's goddaughter. I keep forgetting if I wasn't, I probably wouldn't even have been aloud on the farm.

  "How about a little southern hospitality? We got some buddies, back at camp, been having a real hard time," Dave tried to reason. "I don't see why you can't make room for a few more, we can pool our resources. Our man power."

Rick shook his head. "Look I'm sorry that's not an option."

Tony looked to Dave. Don't do it. Don't fucking do anything stupid. "Doesn't sound like it'd be a problem."

 "I'm sorry. We can't," Hershel repeated.

  "We can't take in any more."

Dave chuckled, playing with something in his hands. "You guys are something else," he grunted, rubbing a dirty finger over his eyebrow. "I thought-- I thought we were friends. We got people we gotta look out for too." Dave's gaze flickered to mine as if he was trying to give me a signal.

If he thought I was going to attack one of these people, he was dead wrong. He's not taking Hershel's farm from him and he's not moving those other evil bastards in with Rick's group.

  "We don't know anything about you." Rick pointed out. Tension was in the bar. Any sudden movements could end someone's life.

  "No, that's true," Dave agreed. "You don't know anything about us. You don't know what we've had to go through out there, things we've had to do. "

I watched Dave closely, the palms of my hands becoming clammy, making me wipe them on the back of my shorts. The way he was looking at Rick was like he was threatening him. Rick's tough though. He knows what he's doing.

  "I bet you've had to do some of those same things yourself, am I right?" Silence came from Rick at Dave's words. "Cause ain't nobody's hands cleans in what's left in this world. We're all the same. So come on, let's--," Dave paused before continuing. "Let's take a nice friendly hay ride to this farm and we'll get to know each other."
Rick shook his head. "That's not going to happen."

  "Rick."

  "This is bullshit," Tony spat. 

  "Calm down," Rick ordered to Tony. Bad move.

Tony turned to look at him furiously. "Don't tell me to calm down. Don't ever tell me to calm down."

  "Whoa," Glenn muttered in uneasiness. "Claire, can you sit down behind the bar for me please?" He whispered in my direction. 

I obeyed him -panic creeping back. He finally caught on, but way too late. My back was pressed against the wall of the bar counter, my hand clutching onto Glenn's just in case. This situation  was turning deadly by the second.

  "I'll shoot you three assholes in the head and take your damn farm. That little bitch Claire too," Tony shouted.

Glenn squeezed my hand, stepping over me so his legs were on either side of me. Any other case, I would have yelled at him for having his crotch in my face, but right now I didn't care. What if Tony does shoot them? I don't want to be stuck with him and Dave until I die. I'd rather be a walker than that.

  "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa relax," Dave reasoned with Tony. I couldn't see what was going on, but everything was spiraling out of control. "Take it easy, nobody's killing anybody. Nobody's shooting anybody, right Rick?"

I pushed Glenn back a little, turning around and peeking over the counter a little bit to find Dave jumped over another bar counter and was staring at Rick. I could see right through him though. He was up to no good. 

  "Look," Dave said slowly, reaching behind him for his gun and setting it down. I pushed at Glenn's chest as he hovered over me, almost blocking my view that was on Tony who was reaching for his gun.

  "We're just friends having a drink, that's all," Dave put his hands out in defense. "Now, where's the good stuff, huh? Good stuff, good stuff, good stuff. Let's see."

I watched Tony, noticing Glenn's attention was on him too. "Stop trying to push me down," I whispered harshly, shaking his hand off my shoulder, only for him to place it back firmly. I had to stay watching because I know this people to damn well for Dave to be so calm about everything. He didn't like to be told no. Learned that the hard way.

  "Hey, look at that. That'll work." Dave inhaled deeply, pouring whatever liquor he had into a shot glass. "You gotta understand, we can't stay out there. You know what it's like."

  "Yeah I do," Rick told him. "But the farm is too crowded as is. I'm sorry. You'll have to keep looking."

  "Keep looking. Where do you suggest we do that?"

Rick shrugged his shoulders. It wasn't his problem and Dave just needed to leave it at that. "I don't know. I hear Nebraska's nice."

Dave laughed humorlessly. "Nebraska. This guy." A scowl was placed on Dave's face as he reached for his gun. Rick was quicker at getting his out of its holster though and firing one shot into Dave's head; blood spattering on the mirror behind. Rick turned quickly and fired two shots into Tony, and then another into his head.

I stared wide eyed, Glenn still hovering over my, but much lower so I felt his chest on top of my head. What just happened? I stared wide eyed at the two bodies on the floor -oddly feeling relieved that they were dead. They were gone and I was happy about it. 

I was turned around forcefully, Glenn's eyes boring into mine. "Are you all right?"

I nodded, holding back a chuckle. "Chill, I'm fine."

Glenn nodded, helping me stand up and make our way over to Rick. I leaned on Glenn for support, the pain in my leg reminding me I had an injured ankle. Guess this thing was never going to heal anytime soon.

  "Holy shit."

  "You all right?" Rick asked Glenn.

  "Yeah," he replied.

  "Hershel?"

Hershel only nodded, staring at Rick for a few moments. I gulped as Rick's stare turned to me. "How do you know those people Claire?" He demanded, his tone completely serious.

I took a step back, putting my hands up in defense. "I didn't willingly join their group," I rushed out. "They killed my mother and forced me and my brother in a while back."

Rick nodded, understanding my explanation. I sighed in relief, not minding that Glenn was rubbing my back even though he looked freaked as shit. 

  "Let's head back."