You Are The Wilderness

Chapter 17 - The Cold Cruel World

Kiara's POV

When Rick and Shane got finally back, it was already dark. I was sitting on the railing of the front porch, taking watch because I knew I wouldn't fall asleep until he was back anyway. I was really glad we finally got rid of Randal. It was creating way too much tension among people, but as I saw Rick walk to the trunk of the car, pulling tied up Randal out of it and then dragging him back to the shed, I knew something must have gone wrong. My suspicion was confirmed when he stepped into the light and I saw various cuts and all the blood on his face. I noticed Shane storm inside and he didn't look any better. I guess the boys worked it out pretty well then...

"What the hell happened Rick?" I walked up to him to examine his face. "Did Shane do this to you?"

"Well uh... we had a little disagreement, Shane and I," he said and hissed when I touched his forehead.

"A little disagreement? That must be an understatement of the century," I scolded him lightly. "So?" I urged. "What happened?"

"I...uh, well we got into a fight, and he uh, pushed me... told me I couldn't keep the group safe and...uh, and said some crass stuff about you and I kinda snapped. I started it and it got out of hand very quickly. At one point I was pretty sure he wanted to kill me... and then Walkers came..." he looked at me and stopped rambling. I could only imagine what I must've looked like, all my emotions were probably battling on my face. On one hand, my heart fluttered at the thought that he defended my honor, and on the other I was so furious with Shane that could kill him myself.

"Son of a bitch!!!" I turned by back on Rick and tried to calm down. "I'm gonna kill him!!!"

"Kiara!" Rick raised his voice and turned me around to face him. "Calm down baby. I'm okay. We worked things out. It will be fine. Shane will behave himself from now on."

"You seriously believe that?!" I asked him incredulously trying to wriggle out of his grasp but to no effect.

"Yes Kiara, I do," he said almost pleadingly. "I need to believe it because the other alternative is just too damn depressive!"

I finally looked up at him and saw the desperation in his eyes and tried to calm down at least for him. "Okay baby, no I'm sorry, I understand. For you I hope, you're right about Shane."

"It's alright babe, I understand," he said and hugged me tight. "You don't like him and you have every right to."

"You ok?" I asked concerned. "You both look like you took quite the beating."

"I'm okay," he kissed my temple. "I love you."

"I love you," I said. "So what happened? Why'd you bring Randal back?"

"Things got... complicated," he started. "We found a perfect spot to cut him loose. We were leaving and he was begging us not to leave him there and then he said he went to school with Maggie. He knows her, he knows Hershel. We couldn't just let him go."

"Oh god," I said, the gravity of the situation dawning on me hard. "What are we going to do?"

"I don't... I don't know, but I'm afraid we're gonna have to..." he muttered looking down on the ground. I could see he didn't want it to come to that but he didn't see a way around and to be honest, at that moment, neither did I. I thought I would puke. I had always been against the death penalty and the idea of executing Randal, in spite of the fact he was shooting at us, made me sick to my stomach. Asshole or not, the boy didn't deserve to die just because he might or might not be a threat. On the other hand, in the world for what it was now, trusting people and hoping they are as civilized and merciful as you are would most likely get you killed. I hated it but that was a harsh reality we lived in and there was nothing we could do at that time to change that.