rag doll | TWD

[34] four walls and a roof

G.T.O --- ronny & the daytonas

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[POV]

Sasha had grown restless. When Bob hadn't turned up, she gathered a few others and searched the surrounding woods. There was no sign of him. No sign of Carol or Daryl either.

When they returned empty handed, Sasha marched up to Gabriel.

"Stop." Her voice echoed through the church.

All eyes turned to her as she closed the distance between herself and the priest. 

"What are you doing?" Gabriel remained silent, so Sasha repeated herself, "What are you doing? This is all connected. You show up, we're being watched, and now three of us are gone."

"I- I don't..." He stuttered, looking to the group for support, "I don't have anything to do with this." 

She didn't believe him and pulled her knife. 

Rosita moved forward quickly. "Don't!" 

"Sasha, put it away." Tyreese told her, firmly. 

She didn't listen to either of them. Instead, she continued to question Gabriel, "Who's out there?"

Gabriel held his hands up in defense, "I-I-I don't have anything to do with this."

"Where are our people?"

His breath became faster as Sasha's patience depleted, "I-I don't have anything-"

"Where are our people?!" She shouted. 

Gabriel pleaded with Sasha and the group, "Please, I don't have anything to do with this." 

Sasha finally stepped aside, letting Rick take her place. 

Rick was calmer than Sasha. He spoke with a low and steady tone, "Why'd you bring us here?"

Gabriel looked around for help from the others, "please, I-"

"You workin' with someone?" Rick interrupted. 

"I'm alone. I'm alone. I was always alone." He said quickly. 

Rick didn't miss a beat, "What about the woman at the food bank, Gabriel? What did you do to her?" 

Gabriel flinched, his mouth opened, but nothing came out.

Rick quoted what he and Carl had found scratched on the outside of the church, "You'll burn for this. That was for you. Why? What are you gonna burn for, Gabriel?" Rick grabbed the priest's collar. "What did you do? What did you do?!" 

Gabriel's eyes became watery, and he was filled with nerves, "I lock the doors at night. I always lock the doors at night." He broke into tears. "They started coming, my congregation. Atlanta was bombed the night before and they were scared. They were looking for a safe place, a place where they felt safe. And it was so early...so early. And the doors were still locked. You see...it was my choice."

The group silently listened to Gabriel, hearing the breaking of his voice as he stammered out an explanation. 

"There were so many of them and they were trying to pry the shutters and banging on the sidings, screaming at me. And so, the dead came for them." Gabriel remorsed, "Women, children...entire families calling my name as they were torn apart, begging me for mercy. Begging me for mercy. Damning me to hell. I buried their bones. I buried it all. The Lord sent you here to finally punish me." 

He fell to the ground, crying, "I'm damned. I was damned before. I always lock the door. I always lock the doors."

JJ felt a chill go down her spine, causing her to glance outside. "Hey-" She held back the remnants of the old curtain, "There's—I think there's someone outside...lying in the grass."