Don't Fear The Reaper (R. Grimes & D. Dixon)

18

Kit yawned as she zipped up her leather vest, the side laces tickling her skin. The vest was something Daryl found for her during one of their runs; he gifted it to her to try and appease the woman after months of begging him to let her wear his. she grabbed her bag, doing a quick check-up on Hershel leaving beth with strict instruction and her bag before heading outside to help with the cleanup.

"we'll park the vehicles up by the west entry," she heard rick say as she approached from behind.

"good. our vehicles camped out there look like a giant vacancy sign," Daryl replied, dropping the tow chains from the bus they had just gotten done moving

"After that, we need to load up these corpses so we can burn em'"

"Gonna be a long day," t-dog sighed, rubbing a rag on his already sweaty head

"hey, where's Glenn and maggie?" kit asked, looking around. She figured the woman would have pounced on her for an update on her father as soon as she walked outside.

"Up in the guard tower." Daryl pointed, moving to stand by her "guard tower?" rick asked, confused, moving to her other side "they were just up there last night."

"Glenn! Maggie!" Daryl yelled. Glenn walked out, buckling his pants with no shirt on. kit and Daryl shared a look before he turned back, and she bit her lip, not trying to laugh "hey, what's up, guys?" he awkwardly shouted back

"you comin?" Daryl asks

"what?" Glenn blanches. They all snickered except kit, who now had ricks hand over her mouth, muffling her laugh and the comments he knew would come flying out of her.

"you comin?" he yells louder "come on, we could use a hand."  Daryl and rick each grab one of kits belt loops pulling her away back to the cars. "hey, rick?" t dog says, catching their attention. They turn around, smiles disappearing immediately at the sight of the two inmates coming down their way. Kit followed them as they approached the two men in prison jumpsuits. One very tall, stocky African American and the other an awkward-looking redhead with facial hair that reminded her of colonel sanders. god, she'd kill for some fried chicken again, crispy, juicy seven herbs and spice mouthwatering me-

"that's close enough. we had an agreement." rick says, his voice, firm hands on his hips purposely near his gun

"Please, mister. we know that-" Glenn and maggie walk out behind them "- we made a deal. but you gotta understand. we can't live in that place another minute. You follow me? all the bodies- people we knew. blood brains everywhere there's ghosts" the redhead pleads his southern accent thick

"Why don't ya move the bodies out?" Daryl asks as if it's the most obvious thing.

"should be burning them," Theodore adds.

"We tried. we did." "the fence is down on the far side of the prison," the other man adds "every time we drag a body out, those things just line up., dropping the body and just running back inside," he elaborates the redhead getting frustrated steps forward

"look, we had nothing to do with Tomas and Andrew. Nothin. You trying to prove a point? You proved it, bro. We'll do whatever it takes to be part of your group. Just please, please. don't make us live in that place." the redhead pleaded; kit honestly felt bad. She couldn't imagine how they felt; convicts or not, they were still humans with feelings.

"our deal is not negotiable. You either live in your cellblock, or you leave." rick repeated. Kit sighed quietly.

"I told you this was a waste of time. They ain't no different than the pricks who shot up our boys. You know how many friends' corpses we had to drag out this week. Just threw em' out like that. These were good guys, good guys who had our backs against the really bad dudes in the joint like Thomas and Andrew. We've all made a mistake to get in here, chief. and I ain't gonna pretend to be a saint but believe me; we've paid our due. Enough that we would rather hit that road than go back into that shithole." kit watched them calculatingly, putting her yanked heartstrings aside. Frankly, if she were being honest, she wouldn't even know they were criminals if they weren't wearing jumpsuits.