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chapter six | the sinner's haven
AT THE END of the second day of walking, Ethan's long curls had fallen in his eyes, interrupting the game he was playing with Michonne. The two walked beside each other while slamming their fists into their palms before throwing up a symbol after a count of three. Ethan pointed two fingers outward while Michonne's fingers were curled into a fist, "Ha!" she laughed watching him drop his arms in defeat and roll his eyes.
"You got lucky, best two of three, come on," he beckoned her, lifting his hands again.
Michonne humored him more games before finally calling it quits after they tied a few rounds. In a row. Now the pair walked in silence, nothing but birds and the voices of the others around them. Ethan wanted to keep doing something, but he understood Michonne was tired as he was too. Who knows how long they were going to keep walking? His fingers played with ripped strings in his jeans pocket.
Laurel was with Daryl in the back of the group, talking to each other quietly like yesterday. Meanwhile, Cassie was at the front of the group with Judith, who sucked on a baby bottle filled with water in her arms. Carl and Rick walking on either side of his sister.
The week it was just the three of them, Ethan had doubted they were going to find the group when they all ran from the prison, and he was glad his sisters were right about finding them. They needed it. They needed each other. He needed them as well.
After everyone shared the stories back at Terminus where they've been since they all split up, he's been wanting to ask Maggie or Glenn if they've seen Ren on the bus that they found. If she was among the walkers or if she was somewhere out there like he was. Maybe the reason he hasn't asked yet was that he was too scared to know. He just couldn't stop thinking about her. He tore a string from the hole, causing it to widen.
He just hopes she's still alive.
"Help! Anybody, help!"
The group halted, frozen in place as someone screamed in the distance. "Dad, come on," Carl begged Rick, who hesitated for a moment before following his son toward the pleads.
The others quickly followed after, pulling out their weapons as they listened to a man scream for help. Cassie who still held Judith, fell back behind until Ethan was at her side, staying close to them.
Daryl helped Laurel who struggled to keep up the pace with the others, she held onto his arm as they ran towards the screams. Laurel was surprised to see a man on top of a large boulder with walkers surrounding him. She caught her breath as the group stepped forward and took out the small group of walkers all at once. Daryl handed her the squirrels and watched him aim his crossbow at a walker flanking them, swiftly taking it down. The growls of the dead stopped and the man on the rock tried to catch his breath.
Laurel regretted running immediately. She held onto Daryl's squirrels as her vision blurred and her knees weakened. Her headache giving her hell.
"We're clear. Keep watch," Rick warned the group. He looked up at the man, "come on down." The man sat up giving the others a clear view of what type of black clothing he wore. The priest shuffled down the boulder, briefly looking at the dead laying at his feet before looking up at them. "You okay?" Rick asked. The priest held up his index finger before suddenly bending over, emptying his stomach.
