Safe and sound, Carl Grimes

041. VERY MUCH STILL ALIVE AND BREATHING

Chapter forty one

"Very much still alive and breathing." 

Rick had gone out with Tyreese and as he did, Katniss and Carl were sitting together, as Carl held her hand, Katniss held it back, the door opened as the two looked to it, Rick and Tyreese walked in with Sasha, as Sasha walked up to Gabriel "stop." Sasha said, as Gabriel looked to her, Rick and Tyreese walked up behind her "what are you doing?" Sasha asked, as Gabriel didn't say anything, Sasha stepped toward's him "what are you doing? This is all connected. You show up, we're being watched, and now three of us are gone." she shared "I..I don't..I don't have anything to do with this." Gabriel shared.

As Sasha pulled out her knife "wait." Gabriel said, jumping back "don't!" Rosita voiced, walking forward, Abraham held her back "Sasha, put it away." Tyreese told her "who's out there?" Sasha asked, as Gabriel held his hands up "I..I don't have anything to do with this." Gabriel shared "where are our people?" Sasha asked "I don't have anything to.." Gabriel shared "where are our people!" Sasha voiced "I don't have anything to do with this." Gabriel shared, as Rick stepped forward and moved Sasha behind him "why'd you bring us here?" he asked.

"Please, I..I.." Gabriel said, as Rick stepped toward's him "you working with someone?" he asked "I'm alone. I'm alone. I was always alone." Gabriel shared "what about the woman at the food bank, Gabriel? What did you do to her? You'll burn for this. That was for you. Why? What are you gonna burn for, Gabriel?" Rick asked, grabbing onto him "what? What did you do? What did you do!" he voiced, letting him go "I lock the doors at night. I always lock the doors at night. I always lock the doors at night. I always.." Gabriel said, looking down, going quiet.

"They started coming, my congregation. Atlanta was bombed the night before and they were scared. They were..they were looking for a safe place, a place where they felt safe. And it was so early. It was so early. And the doors were still locked. You see..it was my choice. There were so many of them and they were trying to pry the shutters and banging on the sidings, screaming at me. And so the dead came for them. Women..children." he shared, as Katniss and Carl looked at him in shock "entire families calling my name as they were torn apart, begging me for mercy." Gabriel said, as he started sobbing "begging me for mercy. Damning me to hell. I buried their bones. I buried it all. The lord sent you here to finally punish me." he shared, going down on his knees.

"I'm damned. I was damned before. I always lock the doors. I always lock the doors." he shared, continuing to sob as he fell to the floor, whistling could be heard, as Katniss turned her head to the door along with Carl "there's something..there's someone outside lying in the grass." Glenn shared, as he looked out the window, Sasha went running out there "Sasha." Rick told her, following after her along with the others, Katniss stood up and so did Carl as the two heard gunshots, as Sasha and Tara came in, carrying Bob who was missing a leg, the others followed in behind along with Rick.

Where they all moved over to Bob "I was in the graveyard. Somebody knocked me out. I woke up outside this place. It looked like a school. It was that guy, Gareth. And five other ones. They were eating my leg right in front of me. Like it was nothing. All proud like they had it all figured out." Bob shared "did they have Daryl and Carol?" Rick asked "Gareth said they drove off." Bob shared, as Katniss looked down, Carl put his hand over her's, Bob groaned "he's in pain. Do we have anything?" Sasha asked "I think there are pill packets in the first aid kit." Rosita shared "yeah." Sasha said "save em." Bob said "no." Sasha told him "really." Bob said, as he sat up, bringing his left hand up and pulling down his shirt revealing the bite "she wasn't the only one who got bit at the food bank." he shared.