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

76

"Judith!" Rosita called, looking for the little girl that separated from their little hunting party

"Jude!" laura called, tightening her grip on her bow. Eugene looked around for the little girl, shifting the buck he had on his shoulders.

"Jude!" Aaron called with a more panicked tone.

"I'm here!" She called back finally.

"Are you okay?" Aaron kneeled to level, checking her from head to toe. His eyes shot behind her though alarmed as a group of strangers approached; he shot to his feet, pushing Judith behind him.

"I heard them calling. they needed our help." Judith explained. as three women collapsed in front of them, the middle one with a bandage on her head.

"Our rig- It got overrun-" the only man spoke up; Eugene tossed the buck on the ground, his hand on his knife, ready to attack if need be. "By sickos. We owe our lives to miss Dixon Grimes here."

Judith took the canteen from Aaron's shoulder. "They still need our help," she said, handing it to the injured woman, who gulped it eagerly. While everyone else just eyed each other with unease.

"We can't just take them back; you know that," Rosita said, pursing her lips and looking back to Judith.

"But-" Judith went to protest.

"Hey uh, I dabbled in the culinary arts, uh, once upon a time ago, and uh," the man started talking again, pointing to the deer.

"Luke," a woman tried to stop him, but he just kept talking," -You know, with a little bit of help, I can help whip this buck into a mighty fine osso buco."

"Stew. We make stew, more milage for the masses," Eugene explained, tossing his braid over his shoulder.

"There are more of you?" a woman in a green long sleeve shirt and unruly Carmel hair spoke up. The Alexandrians looked at Eugene with a 'really' look.

"Way more, with walls and-" Judith started to explain, but Laura and Aaron's protests cut her off. Two women began to talk to each other in sign language until one turned as a walker stumbled out of the bushes a couple of feet from them. "Incoming."

Eugene was the first to charge forward, ripping out his hunting knife and killing three with ease thanks to the rigorous hours Kit forced him through one on one to prove his loyalty after the whole savior's deal.

"There's more on the way." the same woman from before spoke up.

"We gotta get outta here," Laura spoke up, not liking the idea of being surrounded by the dead.

"They need food and water and medicine." Judith pleaded. "If they don't go, I don't go," she pressed.

Rosita shared a look of disbelief with Aaron; Kit would have someone's head if they ignored the new safety protocols. It wasn't that they stopped taking people in, it was just more strict, and they never brought them back at the first meeting, not after what happened.

Aaron looked at them, knowing the cabin they usually sent people to before it was decided would not work in this situation, not with the injured lady. So, against his better judgment, he nodded with a tight jaw. "Come on." When they reached their wagon, Eugene set the deer inside and then distributed the cloth sacks for the strangers to wear on their heads. 

As the group approached the Alexandria gates, Eugene began to feel his internal anxiety levels rising. "Again, I need to remind you that what we are doing is in direct and flagrant violation of the current security protocols."

"Yeah, we know." Rosita sighed, taking off their sacks, allowing the strangers to see. "Come on," she said, turning back to the gate; it screeched slightly as it was opened.