Don't Dream It's Over // Glenn Rhee

Chapter 27

"I hear Nebraska's nice."

Glenn

ᨒ↟ 𖠰

"Hershel." Rick calls.

"Who's with you?" Hershel asks.

"Glenn." Rick answers. We hear Hershel lightly chuckle.

"Maggie sent him?" He asks.

"He volunteered. He's good like that." Rick assures. Rick and I move further into the bar. He approaches next to Hershel's side, resting one hand on the bar. "How many you had?" He asks.

"Not enough." Hershel claims. I remained standing back, allowing Rick to do all the talking with Hershel. If there's any chance that Rick gives me a look or some sort of sign that maybe he needs me to step in, then I will. Until then, I'm hanging back here.

"Let's just finish this up back at home." Rick suggests. "Beth collapsed,  is in some sort of state. Must be in shock. I think you are too." 

"Maggie's with her?"

"Yeah, but Beth needs you."

"What could I do? She needs her mother. Or rather to mourn like she should've done weeks ago. I robbed her of that. I see that now."

"You thought there was a cure. Can't blame yourself for holding out for hope."

"Hope?" Hershel finally turns and looks Rick in the eyes. "When I first saw you running across my field with your boy in your arms, I had little hope he would survive."

"But he did." Rick nods.

"He did." Hershel nods. "Even though we lost Otis. Shane and Kira made it back and we saved your boy. That was the miracle that proved to me miracles do exist. Only it was a sham, a bait and switch. I was a fool, Rick, and your people saw that. My daughters deserve better than that." Hershel takes another drink before grabbing the bottle and pouring himself another full glass. Rick inhales deeply and moves over to me.

"So what do we do? We just wait for him to pass out?" I ask softly.

"Just go." Hershel calls. "Just go!"

"I promised Maggie I'd bring you home safe." Rick corrects him.

"Like you promised that little girl?" Hershel asks. I raise my brows at his harsh words. I didn't think it was fair of Hershel to throw that in Rick's face. He wasn't there. He doesn't exactly get an opinion or any say of anything about Sophia's disappearance. 

"So what's your plan?" Rick questions, marching towards Hershel. "Finish that bottle? Drink yourself to death and leave your girls alone?" Hershel stands up from the chair.

"Stop telling me how to care for my family, my farm. You people are like a plague! I do the christian thing, give you shelter, and you destroy it all!" Hershel raises his voice.

"The world was already in bad shape when we met." Rick reminds him.

"And you take no responsibility!" Hershel continues. "You're supposed to be their leader!"

"Well, I'm here now! Aren't I?!" Hershel takes a step back, nodding his head.

"Yes. Yes. Yes, you are." He returns back to his chair and continues drinking. Rick reaches out, grabbing onto his arm.

"Come home. Your girls need you now more than ever." Rick gently calls, but Hershel removes his arm from Rick's hand.

"I didn't want to believe you. You told me there was no cure, that these people were dead, not sick. I chose not to believe that. But when Shane shot Lou in the chest and she just kept coming, that's when I knew what an ass I'd been,  that Annette had been dead long ago and I was feeding her rotten corpse! That's when I knew there was no hope. And when that little girl came out of the barn, the look on your face- I knew you knew it too. Right? There is no hope. And you know it now, like I do. Don't you? There is no hope for any of us." Rick sighs out, turning his back on Hershel. He turns to me, shaking his head.