What's Next

Chapter Fifteen 🦋

Val's POV:

It was decided, we were going to wait it out. Gareth and his group of cannibals were on their way to us, it wasn't worth trying to run away. What if Daryl and Carol came back and we weren't here, what if Gareth and his crew just followed to wherever it was we ran to, it would just be this situation all over again. No one else needed to die, except those who deserved it. At least that what I started to truly believe. I couldn't keep Daryl off my mind, worrying if he was okay, if he even still wanted to be with me especially now that I'm carrying his unborn child. I wish he would just talk to me about whatever it was playing on his mind, like he used to. I was the only one that could get him to open up about shit, even Carol couldn't get him to do that. "Hey little sis, you alright?" Rick questioned, crouching down in front of me.

"I'm fine rick, but that's not what you came over here to say." I replied, bluntly.

"how did you know?" He chuckled.

"Because for as long as I can remember you only call me little sis when you've got something to tell me." I giggled.

"Alright, alright ya caught me," he laughed, throwing his hands up.

"here's the thing, before you get pissed or defensive I know you can look after yourself pregnant or not but..."

"but you want me to stay here with Carl and Judith." I huffed. He nodded his head, knowing I would probably put up a fight about his decision. "alright fine." I muttered, slightly annoyed that I've had to sit out on some of the most important things now that I'm pregnant. I would've of loved to kill the people who almost took my family away from me for good. "I just feel a lot better with you here with them and Tyreese. I know you can protect yourself, I just know Daryl would be up my ass if I didn't try to stop you from helping." Rick explained.

"besides you can keep the priest in line." He chuckled, nudging my arm lightly. I nodded my head with a smile and walked away to the room we were to hide in while the others made it look like they left us here, knowing Gareth and his group would come in here looking.

**

I could hear footsteps making their way through the church and I knew that meant Gareth and his group were here. They've taken the bait, just like we hoped they would. "well, I guess you know we're here. And we know you're here. And we're armed. So there's really no point in hiding anymore." Gareth taunted. Hearing his voice, made my blood boil. I couldn't wait until I could hear he was begging for mercy. For mercy he doesn't deserve. "we've been watching you. We know who's here." Gareth continued to taunt. I wasn't afraid. I couldn't be afraid.

"There's Bob, unless you've put him out of his misery already." I looked at Bob, feeling my heart break for Sasha. "and Eugene. Rosita. Martin's good friend Tyreese. Carl. Judith." I stayed as close as I could to my niece and nephew, my knife being held tightly in my hand. "And I couldn't forget the bitch who tried to kill us all. Rick's little sister right? Val was it?" I could hear him chuckle lightly, knowing he only knew about me cause he had been following us. "Rick and the rest walked out with a lot of your guns."

"listen, we don't know where you all are, but this isn't a big place. Let's just stop this now before things get more painful than they need to be." The doorknob began to rattle, as one of his goons tried to open it. "Look you're behind one of these two doors and we have more than enough firepower to take down both."

"can't imagine that's what you all want." The sound of a gun being cocked followed straight after. Any second now, he will be on his knees begging my brother not to kill him, to spare his life. Only I know it won't end the way Gareth would hope it will.

"How about the priest?" Gabriel looked as though he was going shit himself, holding his rosary as tight as he could. "father, you help us wrap this up, we'll let you walk away from this. Just open the door and you can go. You can take the baby with you." I made eye contact with him, soon making a swift killing motion with my knife by my neck with a blank look on my face, essentially telling him that if he was to try anything to screw this up, he's dead. "What do you say?" Gareth questioned, when he was still hearing nothing. Gabriel stayed silent just like he was supposed to.

Judith began crying, 'shit' I thought to myself, instantly putting my knife down and picked up Judith and began to rock her in my arms, hoping she'll settle down. I knew she had given us away now they knew where we were hiding. I don't know what was going to happen now, I just held out hope that my brother and the others were nearly here. "it's your last chance right now to tell us you're coming out." I could hear more talking, then bodies dropping to the floor.

Rick's POV:

"Put your guns on the floor." I demanded.

"Rick we'll fire right into that office." Gareth threatened, pointing straight at the door that my family were behind. "so lower your gun..." I shot his hand, knowing I would have taken off the fingers he was pointing with, as he held his hand, whimpering in agony. "put your guns on the floor and kneel." I demanded once again.

"do what he says." Gareth begged, as one of his friends had a smug look on his face while the others listened. "martin, there's no choice here."

"yeah, there is." Martin replied all smug. "want to bet?" Abraham questioned, coming forward with his gun aimed at Martin's head. The smug looked was wiped off his face as he then followed the instructions.

I walked around to stand on the other side, making Gareth turn to face me, as I stood staring him down. "No point in begging, right?"

"no."

"still, you could've killed us when you came in. there had to be a reason for that."

"we didn't want to waste the bullets." I stated.

"we used to help people. We saved people. Things changed. They came in and... After that... I know that you've been out there, but I can see it."

"you don't know what it is to be hungry."

"you don't have to do this. We can walk away. And we will never cross paths again"

"but you'll cross someone's path. You'd do this to anyone, right?"

"besides I already made you a promise." With that I took out the machete and made a swift motion, bringing straight down into his head.

**