My Damaged Protector

Chapter Thirty-Six ~ Four Walls and a Roof

We were all stood around the front doors, waiting for any one of our group members to come back and tell us everything was ok, that Bob was fine, and that Carol was just taking a walk, but that never happened. Gunshots exploded outside, making half the group inside duck and grab their guns, Judith screaming from the other room. Rick burst through the door with Sasha, both carrying Bob between them, missing a leg.

I went to grab Judith, holding her tightly to my chest and bouncing her to quiet the cries. "Hush baby girl. You're ok." Rick had sat Bob down on the front pew, Sasha already moving around the little building to gather anything she may need to help him.

"Somebody knocked me out. I woke up outside this place that looked like a school." One of Bob's hands had latched down on Sasha's, holding her still beside him. "It was that guy, Gareth, and five other ones." I stepped beside Rick, rocking Judith as he stiffened. "They were eating my leg right in front of me like it was nothing. All proud, like they had it all figured out."

That's disgusting. How were these people and how did Rick and Bob know them?

"Did they have Daryl and Carol?" Rick asked and I leaned forward, praying that he said no.

Bob shook his head. "Gareth said they drove off." They drove off?

"He's in pain, do we have anything?" Sasha asked Rosita.

"I think there's pill packets in the first aid kit." She pointed behind me and I turned to get it.

Bob's voice stopped me. "Save 'em."

"No." Sasha defied, holding tighter to his hand.

"Really." I looked over my shoulder to see Bob revealing a huge bite in his shoulder. "It happened at the food bank." I held Judith a bit tighter at the sight of his bloody and torn skin.

"There's a couch in my office." Gabriel said quietly. "I know it's not much but..." He trailed off.

"Thank you." Sasha said and had Tyreese help carry Bob in there. Rick turned to speak with Gabriel as Judith laid her head on my shoulder, finally cried out and blinking heavily.

"Time for a reality check." Abraham said loudly, dragging my attention away from the sleepy little girl. "We need to leave for DC right now."

My blood ran cold at his words. "We're not leaving now." I told him, adjusting Judith. "Daryl and Carol are out there. Beth and my little brother are still out here. We're not leaving without them." My words were coming out more and more harsh.

"We're not going anywhere without them." Rick placed his hand on my shoulder gently, trying to get me to calm down.

"I respect that." Abraham nodded to Rick and me. "But there's a clear threat here to Eugene and I need to extract his ass before things get any uglier. So, if y'all don't wanna come then good luck, we'll go our separate ways."

"You leavin' on foot?" Rick questioned, stepping around me.

"We fixed that damn bus ourselves." Abraham argued, his volume growing louder.

"There are a lot more of us." Rick countered.

"You want to keep it that way?"

"So now you're going to kill us?" I asked, my turn to back Rick up.

"You should come."

"Carol and Skye saved your life. We saved your life." Rick added.

"And now I'm trying to save yours." Abraham yelled. "Save everyone's."

"We're not going anywhere without our people."

"Your people took off!" Abraham yelled again.

I rolled my eyes. "They're coming back." My voice had dropped down to a lower volume, my anger and fear rolling through my body as I worked to let Judith sleep and not cry from the loud voices.