Surviving. (Book Two.)

Chapter Thirty Seven.

Sarah;

Deanna had put Rick and Pete in two houses as far away from each other as possible; asking that nobody except a select few go in to see them but when I saw Glenn, Carol and Abraham making their way inside, I followed. I had to know what the hell he was thinking.

The leader of the community had also set up a meeting for tonight. She told me when she came to the school this afternoon but she wouldn't look me in the eye.

She didn't trust any of us and quite honestly? I didn't really blame her.

Closing the door behind me, I turned to see everyone was crowded around Rick, who was sat up against the wall so I moved between Glenn and Michonne.

"You took the gun from the armory, right?" Carol asked and I scoffed quietly to myself, "That was stupid. Why did you do it?"

As if she wasn't in on it.

"Just in case."

"Deanna's planning to have a meeting tonight. For anyone who wants to go and say their piece." Glenn informed them and I nodded along with him.

"This meeting could effectively seal Rick's future here. Our future."

"Not necessarily," Glenn said, looking at me, "Maggie's with Deanna right now trying to figure out what it is."

"At the meeting," Carol begins, "You say you were worried about someone being abused and no one was doing anything about it. You took the gun to be sure that Jessie was safe from a man who wound up attacking you. You say you'll do whatever they want you to. JUst tell them a story that they want to hear. It's what I've been doing since I got here."

"Why?" I asked quietly and she turned her gaze onto me.

"Because these people are children and children like stories."

Abraham then ran his hand over his mustache, "What if after all that, they still try to kick 'im out."

Michonne was looking at me as Rick dove into some ridiculous plan of taking over this place or something and I shook my head, stepping forward. "Really? Jesus, Rick. Why does everything resort to killing with us? Rick, these are smart people. I'm sure if we just talk to them, they'll listen to what we have to say."

"She's right," Michonne agreed, "We can talk to them."

"And we will," he nodded, "If we can't get through, we take Deanna, Spencer and Reg and say we'll slit their throats."

Disgusted at how casual he sounded about doing that, I turned on my heel and left the house. Why Rick felt the constant need to kill people, I don't know. It was as if he was slowly descending into a pit of insanity.

I leant against the side of the house, smiling as a little boy ran by, closely followed by his parents.

If Daryl were here, the way he was feeling about this place now, I'm sure he would agree with Michonne and I that killing people, that wasn't the answer. Nor was it necessary. If we did that, we would be no better than the people at Terminus. He would be able to talk some sense into the man.

I finally decided to go home; where Sam was.

After everything yesterday, Jessie asked if he could stay for the night while she and Ron could get things cleared up.

He was sitting on the floor when I came in, some scrap paper scattered around him so he could use his A stamp.

"I didn't get to stamp your hand at the party, did I?" he asked quietly, turning to look at me, "You left before I could."

"Well," I smiled, kneeling down beside him, "I'd love to be a part of this A club you've got going on."

He smiled for the first time since last night and took my hand, pressing the stamp firmly against the skin which left the bright red letter behind, "I hope you get to stay?"

"Why's that?"

He shrugged, "Carol makes great cookies."

Smiling, I got up off the floor, "She does."

*************

Maggie let herself in just after Sam had left, finding me in the kitchen, "Deanna's doing what we thought."

"Shit," I breathed, "What are we going to do?"

"I'm gonna keep talking to people. See where people are at, how they're feeling."

"That's all we really can do," I mumbled, "How's Tara?"

"No change," she said sadly, "Rosita's with her now but what she really needs,"

"Is Pete." I finished, "Isn't there somebody else? I mean, surely someone else will have at least the basic medical skills."

"I don't know. Maybe," she murmured, "Sundown. Get to place Deanna set up for sundown."

"I will," I nodded, "I'll be there."

"Good. He's going to need all the help we can give him. Deanna sounds like she's already made up her mind."

"Hopefully we can help change it."

*********

Daryl;

Aaron and I had been tracking some guy in a red poncho but somehow, we had managed to lose sight of him and now we were stood outside a fence to a large building that used to be the home of Del Arno Foods.

"We've checked everywhere, man. He's gone. Sometimes this happens. But you don't come across something like this everyday."

"Yeah," I mumbled, somewhat agreeing with him. Part of me just wants to go back. Back to Sarah and the group but another part, wanted to carry on trying to find the dude and actually bring someone back with us. I turned to look at Aaron, "We do this, means we're giving up."

"Home is fifty miles back. It's time to go." he said seriously, "You saw it last night. There are bad people out here."

I nod, thinking back to the woman we found tied to the tree, left to the walkers. She had a W carved into her forehead just like the ones Sarah and I saw in the woods. They were all connected in some way but I just didn't know how.

"We should keep lookin' for the good ones."

"We need more people and we'll find them but when we do, we'll need to feed them."

Sighing, I pull out my knife and tap on the fence.