Nothing But Dead (The Walking Dead Fanfic) Book 2

The Safe Way

"I shot that man in cold blood Dave." Garrett explained. He and Dave were alone underneath a tree within shouting distance of the farmhouse. He, Lakota and Oscar were the first ones to arrive. Soon followed by William and Davie. The two of them had some news they wanted to share with everyone when they got back from their runs. The only ones that weren't back yet were Mitchel, Dylan and Rebecca.

"You can't keep telling yourself that." Dave said to him. Over the winter, he got used to the others coming to him with personal problems. Dave was the oldest one in the group, he was wise, at least the others thought he was. He gave good advice, he just wished he followed his own advice sometimes. "They came at you. That women stabbed you in the shoulder with her knife. You did what you had to do."

Garrett placed his hand back up to his shoulder. He felt the bandaged wrapped around his shoulder. "It's Lakota, she told me I didn't have to kill that man.....But me and you both know what could have happened if I didn't." He pauses and lets Dave think for a minute. "He could have followed us here, he could have kill one or two of us...maybe more!"

"You've gotten us this far." Dave began. "Hell, you've gotten us through the winter and I know you'll get us through the next. If you are second guessing yourself, don't. You have no reason too."

Garrett didn't say anything.

"We will follow you anywhere Garrett." Dave said placing one of his hard working hands onto his shoulder. "You know that, and so do I."

"I know." Garrett brushed Dave's hand off of his shoulder and looked at the ground. "I'm just.....afraid."

Dave went to go say something, but Lakota came running across the field towards them. She was waving her hands in a manner that they knew something was wrong. "Garrett!" She shouted at the top of her lungs. As she got closer, the two of them could tell that she has been crying.

As she entered the shade of the tree Garrett grabbed her by both her arms. "What's wrong?"

She sniffled, "Mitchel....he was bit."

Fear is an illusion, but not an amusing one brought about by a conjuring trick. Fear locks onto what you love most and makes you terrified of the loss. It taunts one, the more pain and trauma will be there latter on. Garrett's eyes went wide as he heard that. He wanted to break down right there, but there was other times for that.

He let go of his girlfriend and run straight for the house. He didn't bother waiting for Dave, or even Lakota. One can feel it, building like an unstoppable snowball in the pit of their stomach. He couldn't concentrate on anything else than running. The next step, his heart starting to beat harder and faster, adrenaline levels rise and his brain starts to fire out negative thoughts like a machine gun. He felt the sweat start to form on his forehead as he reached the porch.

"Garrett it's Mitchel...." Davie went to say but Garrett walked right past him into the house. He wasted no time as he went up the stairs and walked into Hershel's old room. He closed the door after him.

Dylan, Rebecca and Jessica were already inside. Jessica seemed to be doing some kind of tests on Mitchel. "What happened!?" Garrett said sternly to everyone in the room.

"It was...." Dylan began to say.

"It was a stupid accident on my part." Mitchel piped up with a lie as Jessica began to wrap the stump where his hand used to be. "I knew better not to go in that building.....but we were desperate."

The room goes silent. They wait on Garrett to say something. He walks over to the side of Mitchel's bed and looks at where his hand used to be. "This could of been a lot worse Mitch. You know that." He turns and faces Rebecca and Dylan. "You two know it could have been as well. I thank you, both of you. If you weren't there, Mitchel would likely not be here right now."

"We just did what anybody else would have done." Rebecca said quietly but loud enough for them to hear.

Garrett shakes his head agreeing with her. "Yeah, you did."

Garrett ushered Dylan and Rebecca out of the room. He let Jessica stay with Mitchel to make sure he will make it through the next few hours. Down stairs, everyone was gathered around. Davie was visible through the screen door as he paced the porch.

As William watched the three of them come down stairs he stood up. His face was tense, he has been waiting to tell the others what they saw when they went hunting. "Can I tell you all now?"

Garrett continued walking down the stairs and shook his head. "Somebody will fill Doc and Mitch in." He reached the bottom of the stairs. "Go ahead."

William walked slowly into the middle of the room. All eyes were on him and he felt them. The pressure of the eyes. He never was the center of attention every often. It was the uncomfortable for him to talk in front of a large amount of people. Even if he had to give a presentation to the class about the 16th President of the United States. It wasn't an easy deal for him.

He made his hand into a fist, then brought it up to his mouth and coughed into it to clear his throat. "When me and Davie went out hunting, we came across a structure...... a government structure. A complex made to place the worst of human kind in. A prison."

The group didn't know what to think of his discover, some were confused the others didn't seem to care.

Not getting the response he hoped he would, William continued on. "Inside this prison.....food, water, guns, ammunition!"

Then everyone started to realize it was a good find.

"How did you two find this place?" Dave asked from a sitting position on the couch.

"We heard an alarm." William said trying to remember. "We ran down some railroad tracks until we found it. There were also some gunshots."

"Whoa whoa whoa......" Dave stopped him. "Gunshots? That means someone is already there. Most likely prisoners!" He looks at Garrett for an answer. But Garrett has his head towards the ground.

"We can deal with the prisoners." William continued more. "We've dealt with people before, we will deal with them again."

"We can't just go in a kill other human beings!"

Rebecca comes into the middle of the room to defend William. "They are prisoners, why should they get to live safe and sound while we live out here and keep surviving? We don't even know if we will make it till tomorrow. I'd rather it be us in there."

"Can't we live together?" Lakota asked. She was tired of the killing.

This is when Garrett brings his head back up. "I don't want any of us living with some guy that brutally murdered his wife and children for no reason. And if we send them away, who says they won't try to come back?"

"Are you saying what I think you are saying?" Dylan asked as the room grew silent.

"We go in.....and we kill everyone." Garrett told them. The words echoed through the minds of everyone that heard them.

Lakota began to cry softly as Dave comforted her. "Think about what you are doing Garrett." Dave tried to get him to change his mind

"You just don't get it do you!?" Garrett yelled. "All we have to do in this world is survive, that's what we've been doing from day one!....... Yeah, I know some of you hate to kill other people.... But this way, my  way is safe! Until someone comes up with a better idea than that, this is what we do!"

Garrett is starting to come unhinged.