Flashback from the end of the last chapter:
"I wanted to go to the house next door, which is next to the church, we haven't been there yet," Carl said, explaining but also seriously. Tyresse nodded and said that Carl should be careful, and Carl assured him that he would be careful. Carl left the church and went to the house that was right next to the church, and looked at the house skeptically.
Now:
After a while, Rick, Michonne, Bob, Gabriel, Rosita and Abraham came back and they had 3 trolleys with them that were filled with different foods and there was also water. Rick saw that Carl was at the house next to the church. He rolled the trolley to Bob who took it and pushed it on for Rick. Rick went to Carl and when he was close enough, Rick spoke up. "Hey, come in, we've found something to eat and drink, and a lot of it," Rick said as he approached his son who was standing in front of the house and looking at the house. "Good," Carl said, but he continued to watch the house, which made Rick a little skeptical. "What's there?" Rick asked curiously when he saw that Carl didn't take his eyes off the house. "These scratches are deep, like from knives or something sharp," explained Carl as he walked a little closer to the house and pointed to the scratch marks before walking a few meters further with Rick and pointing to something carved that said: "You'll regret this." "Hey, we'll get by with this no matter what, okay? Like always," came Rick's confident reply as he looked at Carl after putting a hand on Carl's shoulder. Carl agreed that they would manage because up until now they had always mastered everything.
Meanwhile,Michonne, Gabriel, Rosita, Bob, Sasha and Abraham brought the things to the church where Tyresse was playing with Sophie and Judith. "Here we are again," Bob suddenly said as they pushed the trolleys into a corner. "Hey, it looks like it went really well," Tyresse said with a smile, to which Bob and Gabriel nodded. "Mom, dad," Sophie said enthusiastically when she saw Abraham and Rosita. "Here, I'll take her," Tyresse said gently as he took Sophie from Judith, to which Sophie immediately ran to Abraham and Rosita, who immediately took her in their arms. "Hey, did everything go well?" Abraham asked as he picked up Sophie. "Yes, everything was great. I told Carl funny things, then I held Judith in my arms and then played with Tyresse," Sophie said enthusiastically while she grinned.
"That sounds great," Rosita said, smiling, and meanwhile Rick and Carl came in too. After a few minutes, Abraham went outside and tried to get the bus running and Sophie helped him by giving Abraham the tools even though he often told her what tools were but Sophie still liked being able to help her father like that and Abraham enjoyed the time with his daughter, which Sophie did too, but he kept in mind that he had to talk to Rosita and Sophie about it this evening because they had to show her how to use a gun and a weapon in general even if neither of them wanted to but at least Sophie would be able to defend and protect herself and others in an emergency.
Abraham and Sophie stayed outside until the evening but then decided to go inside when it was dark. When the two of them came in they saw that there were candles lit in the church and everyone was talking about various things, so Sophie and Abraham came over and Sophie greeted everyone because she now trusted most of them and Abraham just said a quick hi.
A little later everyone was talking and had a plate with something to eat because Rosita made everyone a plate and Abraham stood next to them while some sat on the benches in the church but some also sat on the floor but everyone had fun and could forget the problems they had for a moment. Suddenly Abraham spoke up while he was holding a glass of champagne in his hands. "I would like to say a few words," came a little louder, whereupon everyone stopped talking and slowly sat down and looked at Abraham. Rosita also sat down on a chair that she had put there while she handed out the food. When it was quiet enough, Abraham continued. "When I look around here, I see many survivors. Everyone, I mean everyone, has earned this title. Everyone has survived. We adults have earned our own goodies, but the children have especially earned it just as much. Carl and Sophie, you deserve to be able to call yourselves that too," Abraham continued with a smile as his gaze first went to Carl, who was sitting next to Maggie, and then his gaze wandered to Sophie, who was sitting next to Michonne, whereupon they both smiled and grinned. "So, here's to the survivors," came Abraham with a grin as he raised his glass. "Yes to the survivors," came Rosita's next words as she raised her glass with a smile, which the others then did one after the other. Some said the same or "cheers" as they raised their champagne or wine glasses. Even Sophie raised her glass, but it had juice in it, and Carl also had something other than alcohol in it.
"Most people laughed when they saw Sophie join in, which ultimately made everyone laugh.Is that all you want to be? Wake up in the morning, fight against undead assholes, look for food, go to sleep at night with your eyes open and do that every day?" came Abraham's usual tone, after which there was a moment of silence until Abraham continued. "You can do that, I mean you're strong enough but the thing is, you're all falling behind your reality. If we bring Eugene to Washington he'll let the undead die and the living will get the old world back, let's call it that. That's not a bad prerequisite for a little trip," Abraham damn continued and everyone listened intently until Abraham spoke again but turned to Eugene. "Eugene, what exactly is in Washington?" There was a moment of silence in which no one said anything but everyone waited patiently but also excitedly for the answer Eugene would give. After a few minutes of silence, Eugene took the floor to answer Abraham's question. "An infrastructure that was built to withstand pandemics even on this terrible scale, that means food, fuel and also there is shelter there," Eugene began to explain, occasionally asking individual members of the group as he explained. "There would be a fresh start for anyone who makes it there," Eugene continued, and there was silence again as he finished explaining. The silence continued until Abraham spoke again.
"However it turns out, until a new beginning is possible, you will be safe there, at least safer than you have been since it all started," came Abraham, but this time it was addressed to everyone in the group. "Come with us, save the world for the little one," Abraham continued, but became gentler at the end when he looked at Rick, who was holding Judith, who was more or less on his shoulder. "And for Sophie too, she's still young too," came Carl's sudden reply, whereupon everyone's eyes landed on him and Abraham then agreed, and then no one said anything at first because almost everyone was thinking about what Abaham said."What was that? I think she knows what I want to say," came Rick, laughing slightly, as he looked at Tyresse, who was sitting next to him, which brought a slight smile to everyone's face.
"She's in and if she's in then I'm in too, we're in" came Rick, whereupon Tara, who was further back, said that she was in too, which made Abraham smile. "I'm in too!" came Sophie excitedly as she looked at Abraham, which made Rosita laugh. "Sophie, darling, you've been in for a long time," came Rosita laughing, whereupon Abraham agreed. "Oh," came Sophie, whereupon everyone laughed. After a few seconds, Rick stood up and walked a little further away while Sasha quickly kissed Bob. "I won't let my brother be the only one holding the baby," came Sasha smiling but also teasingly as she was about to get up. "Wait," came Bob, whereupon Sasha sat down again for a moment and looked at Bob to see what he wanted."One more," came the quiet but also calm and gentle reply from Bob, and shortly afterwards Sasha kissed Bob again, who kissed back, until the two of them broke away and Sasha then stood up and went to Rick and asked if she could hold Judith, whereupon Rick carefully gave her Judith, which made Sasha smile. Some were talking inside, having fun or talking about serious things, but some were also outside. Daryl was outside with Carol, who was killing a walker, and Bob went out too, but in a different direction, where he leaned against a tree and cried a lot, but he tried to pull himself together quickly when he was suddenly knocked out, but no one noticed that he was gone because he had gone out alone.
