Without A Voice

Chapter 18: Randall

~word count: 1147~

~ Authors POV ~

The next morning Jane was surprised to find that Rick, Glenn, and Hershel had not returned. It made her worry. Glenn was her friend. She couldn't lose him too. He was the one who saved her from that hoard. The one who made sure she was okay after losing her hearing aid. His voice was the first she had heard in a long time. Rick too. He was their leader. Their voice of reason. The sheriff. And Hershel was the only doctor. Sort of. They needed him. His family needed him. Beth and Maggie.

"Are you okay?" Dale stopped her as she stepped out of the farmhouse.

Jane nodded, "Yeah, why?"

"Your neck looks worse." She knew what he was getting at.

She sighed, "Stop. I'll tell Rick eventually just leave me alone."

"When they get back go to Hershel. Let him check it. If you don't I'll tell Rick myself." Dale raised his brows.

Jane rolled her eyes, "Fine. I'll do that. Just please don't tell anyone."

He nodded and began walking away when he turned his head. They watched as a familiar car pulled up. Rick hopped out and embraced Carl. Lori ran to him and pulled him into a hug. He was lucky, Jane thought, his family was alive. Suddenly Glenn hopped out of the car and her heart skipped. She ran over to him and hugged him tight. He was surprised and hesitantly put his arms around her.

"What's wrong?", He asked her.

She signed, "I thought you died or something."

Dale told Glenn what she said he shook his head, "I'm okay."

Suddenly Hershel rushed toward the group, "Patricia, prepare the shed for surgery."

Jane glanced over at a man in the car. He had a sack over his head and his leg was fucked up. Great. It was just one problem after another. T-Dog came out of nowhere.

"Who the hell is that?", He pointed at the mysterious stranger.

Glenn quickly responded, "That's Randall."

Shane looked pissed but before he could say or do anything, Rick put his hands up, "We couldn't just leave him behind. He would've bled out."

"If he lived that long. It's gotten bad in town." Glenn scoffed.

Everyone headed into the farmhouse to hear Rick reason with the group. He told them how his group left him for dead but he was just a kid. Jane read his lips as he cautiously spoke. He just had to play the hero.

Andrea sighed, "What do we do with him?"

Hershel walked in and wiped his hands on a towel, "I repaired his calf muscle as best I can but he'll probably have nerve damage."

"When he is, we get him a canteen, take him out to the main road, send him on his way." Rick stated his plan.

"Isn't that the same as leaving him for the walkers?" Andrea questioned.

"He'll have a fighting chance."

"Just gonna let him go?" Shane shook his head, "He knows where we are."

Jane's eyes traced back and forth between everyone's lips as they discussed what they were going to do. Of course, Shane was on the offensive while Rick was on defense. She didn't know who to side with. Shane was losing it and he probably thought the only option was killing the kid but Rick was a good person. He didn't want to leave the guy to be torn apart by walkers. Jane remembered what he had said. "We don't kill the living."

Suddenly Hershel caught her attention as he yelled at Shane, "You know, we still haven't dealt with what you did at my barn yet. Let me make this perfectly clear once and for all. This is my farm. Now I wanted you gone but Rick talked me out of it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. So do us both a favor and keep your mouth shut."

Whatever he said she was sure he deserved it. Rick told everyone they would deal with it tomorrow. They all went their own ways but Jane and Dale stayed. She walked up to Hershel with her notepad and scribbled.

CAN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT MY NECK AGAIN?

Hershel nodded and gestured for her to head upstairs. She showed Dale what she wrote and raised her brows, telling him to leave her alone. When they made it to the guest room she sat on the bed next to the unconscious Randall. He was out cold. Hershel took his fingers and pressed on different areas of her neck. She winced at the pain. He picked up his flashlight and looked down her throat. It was clearly worse than it was the last time he checked. They sat in silence for a moment.

"What happened?" He asked suspicious of the new injuries.

Jane wrote swiftly.

JUST AN ACCIDENT DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT

He shook his head, "Your vocal cords are severely damaged. That doesn't just happen by accident. Somebody did that to you. Who?"

She knew he wasn't going to let up. She had to tell him.

SHANE. ME AND DALE WERE GOING TO HIDE THE GUNS BUT HE FOUND US AND CHOKED ME UNTIL DALE HANDED THEM OVER

"You tell Rick?" He was clearly upset.

NOT YET BUT I WILL JUST PLEASE DONT SAY ANYTHING

Hershel let out a deep sigh, "Fine. Just stay away from him. He's dangerous."

Jane nodded and brushed past Dale outside of the farmhouse. She could tell he was content with the bargain but she didnt tell him what she told Hershel. The second she got into her tent she let out a shaky breath she didn't even know she was holding onto. Running her hands through her hair and took the notepad and pen out of her pockets. She ripped out the page and crumpled it in her hand, throwing it into the corner. There were a couple of reasons she hadn't told Rick yet. One of them was obvious. She didnt want anyone else getting hurt. Confrontation was dangerous when it came to Shane. But the other reason was more personal. If she told him she would have to snitch on Dale. They were close and she didnt want Rick to see him in a negative way.

The next day Rick and Shane went to drop Randall off in the middle of nowhere. This was good for her because it meant she didn't have to talk to Rick. She headed to the RV to check on Carol. When she opened the door Carol wiped her face, she had clearly been crying.

"I'm sorry." Jane sat down next to her.

Carol sighed, "You were out there with Daryl looking for her every day. You have nothing to be sorry about."

Her skin shivered at the mention of his name, "She's in a better place now."

"Yeah. She is."