Cowboy

24) He's Dead

"So how do we do this?" Alicia asked. "Just take a vote?" They were all standing in the living room. It was time to decide whether the boy lived or died.

A long discussion was carried out and they had still gotten nowhere. Eventually Dale got fed up and spoke his mind.

"This is a young man's life, and it is worth more than a five-minute conversation! Is this what it's come to? We kill someone because we can't decide what else to do with him? You saved him and now look at us. He's been tortured. He's gonna be executed. How are we any better than those people that we're so afraid of?" He sighed.

Alicia groaned. "Why are we holding a fucking meeting for this!?" She yelled. "There was no point if we're not gonna get anywhere! I say the boy should live... but I'm tired of arguing. Make your own damn decision." She threw her hands in the air, walking out of the room.

She continued walking, trying to clear her mind.

It was getting late, and she scoffed, watching as Daryl walked to the shed with Rick and the prisoner.

"I'll stand behind you my ass." She mocked him.

She was about to head back when she heard a scream coming from somewhere back in the pasture.

Immediately she broke out into a run. "Oh god." She breathed, recognizing Daryl's figure as he ran towards whoever was injured.

"Help! Over here!" Daryl yelled. "Help! Run!"

She was by his side first, dropping to her knees when she saw who it was.

"Dale!" She cried, leaning over him. "Oh no. No, no!" She put her hands on his shoulders, noticing everyone else arrive. "Get Hershel!" She looked to Rick.

"Hershel! We need Hershel!" Rick yelled.

"Hang on Dale. Hang on." Alicia cried, tears flowing down her face. "Don't give up on me yet."

She looked down at his torn up stomach. Moving out of the way once Hershel got there.

"What can we do?" Rick asked him. "Can we move him?"

"He won't make the trip." Hershel sighed.

"You'll have to do the operation here." Rick started.

"Rick." Hershel put his hand in his shoulder, shaking his head.

"No." Alicia was sobbing now, holding onto Dale. She watched as he gasped for air, staring directly into her eyes.

"He's suffering." Andrea sniffed.

Alicia turned to Rick. "Do something!" She watched as Rick raised his gun. "Oh God." She stood up, turning away. "I can't watch."

She heard Daryl take the gun from Rick. She cried harder, turning her face into Glenn's chest. He hugged her, rubbing her back.

"It's gonna be ok." He whispered to her. "Don't think about it."

"Sorry brother." She flinched, hearing the gun shot. Glenn held her tighter, letting her sob into his chest.

"He's dead." She cried, holding onto Glenn.

"It's ok." He sniffed. "It's gonna be ok."

After a minute, Alicia felt another pair of hands on her. She turned to see Daryl, immediately burying her face in his chest. She cried, holding onto him with a death grip.

He sat down, pulling her onto the grass with him. "We'll be on in a minute, just give her a second." He sighed, turning to Rick.

He nodded, making the rest of the group leave them be.

Daryl tucked a strand of Alicia's hair out of her face, kissing her forehead. "I know." He breathed, rocking her back and forth. "I know."

She shook her head, pulling away. "He's dead." She turned to look at Dale, scooting over to him. "I'm so sorry." She cried, putting a hand on his cheek. "I'm so so sorry."

She leaned down, kissing his cheek before turning back to Daryl. "I wanna go back."