48 ~ Blood

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Say it once again with feeling

How the death rattle breathing

Silenced as the soul was leaving

The deflation of our dreaming

Leaving me bereft and reeling

My beloved ghost and me

Sitting in a tree

D-Y-I-N-G

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It's been nearly a week since Hershel woke up.

The group has been cleaning up their new home, clearing the bodies. It's been a lot of work but worth it in the end.

Daryl, T-Dog, Rick, Carol and Elaina stand in the field below one of the guard towers.

"Are they up there again?" Elaina asks with a laugh.

Daryl nods and then puts his hand up to his mouth. "Glenn! Maggie!"

After a few seconds, the door opens and Glenn exits, buttoning his pants, squinting in the light. Maggie stands behind him, wearing his shirt.

The group below giggles slightly. "You coming?" Daryl asks.

Elaina has to bite back a cackle.

Glenn calls down. "What?"

"You coming?" Daryl asks again. "We could use a hand."

The lovers nod and go back to finish getting dressed. Elaina nudges Daryl. "Nice one."

He smirks at her.

By the time Glenn and Maggie get down from the tower, the group is already in the cell block, having a discussion about the prisoners.

Rick is talking to T-Dog. "Are you serious? You want them living in a cell next to you? They'll just be waiting for a chance to grab our weapons, you want to go back to sleeping with one eye open?"

"I never stopped. Bring them into the fold. If we send them off packing, we might as well execute them ourselves."

Glenn shrugs. "I don't know. Axel seems a little unstable."

Carol shakes her head. "After all we've been through? We fought so hard for all this, what if they decide to take it?"

Maggie rubs her arm. "It's just been us for so long... they're strangers. I don't... it feels weird all of a sudden to have these other people around."

T-Dog faces her. "You let us in."

She nods. "Yeah, but you turned up with a shot boy in your arms, didn't give us a choice."

"They can't even kill walkers." Elaina says.

Carol nods at that. "They're convicts, bottom line!"

T-Dog crosses his arms. "Those two might actually have less blood on their hands than we do."

Daryl shrugs. "I get guys like this. Hell, I grew up with them. They're degenerates, but they ain't psychos. I could have been with them just as easy as I'm out here with you guys."

"So, you're with me?"

"Hell no! Let 'em take their chances out on the road, just like we did!"

Rick nods. "We've been through too much. Our deal with them stands."

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