Safe haven | Rick Grimes

108. THEY'RE COMING FOR THE KIDS

Chapter one hundred and eight

"They're coming for the kids."

Our mother and the other people we looked to as family told us stories about when the world fell. Innocent people were killed because they were believed to be sick, and soon, the dead outnumbered the living. Our mother waited in that hospital for our father to wake up. When he finally did, that's when everything changed.

They eventually found a group of survivors, which was where our older brother, Carl, was hiding. Those people became their core family. The farther they traveled across the country, the more people they found who became a part of that family, too.

But not all of them survived. Some were lost to the walkers, and others were taken by bad people. Right now, even though everything had initially seemed fine at the Commonwealth, the illusion is cracking. With Uncle Daryl being gone for more days than usual, and angry people yelling in the streets at night, things aren't looking so good.

Judith sat at the table writing in her journal while Gracie worked on an arts and crafts project beside her. Across the room, Daryl kept a close eye on Carol, who had been studying a stack of photographs with intense focus. Caroline and Rick sat nearby until a sharp, burnt smell filled the apartment air.

"Aunt Carol, you're burning the pancakes," Rick informed her.

Carol quickly set the photographs down and turned to the stove. "Oh, no, no," she muttered, lifting the pan off the heat and walking it toward the trash can. She looked back at the kids with a small smile. "You guys don't like 'em extra crispy?"

"Our absolute favorite kind," Caroline told her, causing Carol to chuckle.

Daryl stood up and walked over to the counter. He picked up the stack of photographs and began flipping through them. "I thought Kelly worked for the newspaper with Connie," he questioned, his voice full of suspicion. "Why would she need all these surveillance pictures of these specific people?"

Carol turned to him, her expression turning guarded. "They're so we can... learn about this place. Keep an eye on things," she shared.

Daryl looked up, meeting her gaze. He knew she was lying.

"When are Uncle Aaron and Uncle Daryl coming back?" Judith asked from the table, looking up from her writing.

"They're not," Daryl told her flatly, tossing the pictures back onto the counter.

"What?" Gracie asked, her eyes going wide.

"Daryl..." Carol warned, her tone tightening.

Daryl turned to the table, extending his arm toward the window as shouting echoed from the streets below. "Can't you hear what's happening out there?" he asked fiercely, dropping his arm. "You think whatever they got into out there is less dangerous than this? You're fooling yourself."

"Daryl, that's enough!" Carol voiced, her commanding tone cutting him off. She looked at the rest of the children, her face dead serious. "It's time to get up and move. Everyone, it's time to play the quiet game."

Recognizing the shift in danger, Judith, Caroline, Rick, and Gracie immediately slipped out of their chairs and stood up from the table.

Having hidden inside the large kitchen cabinets, Daryl held his knife firmly in his hand, keeping his body positioned protectively in front of Judith. A sudden, violent banging rattled the front door before the lock clicked, and it swung open.

Two distinct sets of footsteps entered the apartment. One pair of heavy boots marched past their hiding spot, while the second set wandered further into the back rooms. A moment later, the footsteps converged back in the kitchen, and a woman sighed heavily.