Struggling to Connect: The 6th Book

Chapter 36: The Kids

Luckily, there's a break between the fire and the gate and Earl opens it up for us quickly, hollering at us to get in. Although we close the doors behind us, it only takes seconds for the dead to reach it and start pushing their way inside. I turn to head back and kill what I can, but Daryl grabs my shoulder, "take the bow up top. Try and take out alpha's soldiers."

I nod and turn to go, unwilling to argue to anyone right now. I quickly get up to higher ground and start looking down to see who's not actually dead in the horde. Seconds turn into minutes and it finally seems like we are making some leeway with the dead making it's way in. I take a moment to look behind me, knowing everything is burning, trying to see if someone is getting the kids out. But there's no time and I glance down to see a soldier quickly making their way towards Lydia. I shout out to her, "Lydia, get down!" And she instantly ducks, my bow shot taking out the man or woman who was going to come grab her.

She nods up at me but runs off, Mary quickly after her. I take out maybe 2 or 3 more before I know, it's time to leave. I take the few steps to Carol quickly with long strides and yell towards her, "it's time to go!"

"Not yet!" She yells back, she shoots an arrow and I watch as it pierces another soldier.

"Carol, come on!" I argue once more as I push past her to climb down and find my way out. She ignores me and reloads her bow so I head down, making my way out to the west side, gathering as many people as I can to come with me.

An hour into our escape out of the hilltop, we cross paths with Daryl, Rosita and a few others. Jerry is reunited with his wife and Daryl and I nod at each other, knowing we're heading off to the rendezvous point pre established to take the kids too. Daryl assures those who are with us, most of them wanting to see their kids, that Ezekiel is there with them. Another hour or so passes when Rosita trails from behind us and whispers, "Nabila's been asking about her kids. You sure Ezekiel has them?"

"They should be at the rendezvous." He tells her. I can tell he wants to assure her but he knows better than to make that promise. As we approach the old house, a walker is stumbling out from the porch and everyone gasps and holds their breaths. I take the dead out with a bow shot as Daryl ushers by it to get inside. He walks out soon after with his head titled down and shakes it. Nabila begins to wail out for her babies and Jerry does his best to try and console her. Some of the others who's kids are still missing also behind to cry and whisper, so Daryl demands, "Come on, spread out. Come on, let's go." He quickly strides over to Nabila and Jerry to assure her, "I'm gonna find them. I'm gonna find them."

I go to follow Rosita off but Jerry quickly catches up to us and asks one of us to stay back, "Nabila and the others are too scared and weak. I need someone to watch out for them, but I need to be out there finding my children."

Rosita nods and looks to me before looking back to Jerry, "I'll stay."

I nod and head back off with Jerry to catch up with Daryl. He tells us we have to head back to the hilltop to make sure they got out. As we reach the wreckage of the old community, we carefully walk around, keeping an eye out for anyone of our friends or any of the dead we need to finish off. Jerry spots something moving under some debris and quickly we see it's Ezekiel. He panics for a moment but calms when he realizes who it is. He glances around for a brief second before gasping out Jerry's name, "Jerry!" He grabs him by the shoulder, the kids, Earl's got the kids!"

The four of us run off to where Ezekiel believes Earl took them, and as we get closer to the home, Daryl goes up first to open the door. As soon as it opens, the kids come rushing out. Jerry, Ezekiel and I greet the kids with hugs and words of encouragement as Daryl heads inside. The only child not out yet is Judith. I check over all the kids and assure the king his arm will heal before heading inside to see what Daryl is still going in there. I spot him and Judith sitting against the wall with his arm wrapped around her. I see Earls lifeless body beside him and connect the unspoken dots. I walk a few feet forward to get closer and bend down to talk to them, "Judith, I'm sorry you had to do that. I know it must've been hard for you."

"He asked me to protect the kids from him. I had too." She replies quietly.

"Yew did nothing wrong." Daryl assured her.

"Daryl's right. You did what he asked you to do, what needed to be done. No one's mad at you." I tell her, "we're proud of you Judith. For keeping everyone safe." She just nods and stares off past me. I let her sit for another minute before Daryl and I lock eyes and I nod to him, telling him we should move. Jerry is eager to get his kids back to his wife knowing how worried she is, and the other kids are asking for their parents as well. Daryl slowly starts to move on the ground and whispers, "you ready to go?" Judith nods and slowly stands up, the three of us leave the house and Judith goes over to her little brother, getting a hug from Ezekiel as she gets there. We move quickly to return the kids to their parents.