"We can work with the hilltop. Maggie hammered out a deal. We're getting food, eggs, fresh butter, vegetables. But they're not just giving it away. These saviours, they almost killed Sasha, Daryl and Abraham on the road." Rick says, looking around at all of us.
We are gathered in the chapel, Rick explaining to everyone what happened on our trip and the deal that we have made with the hilltop. I sit beside Daryl on one of the pews, his arm running along the back of the pew behind me. I have my hand rested on his thigh as I watch Rick as he talks, Jesus sitting to the side of him.
"Now sooner or later they would have found us, just like those wolves did, just like Jesus did. They would have killed someone, or some of us and then they would try to own us. And we would try to stop them. But by then, in that kind of fight, low on food... We could lose." He explains, his tone completely serious.
"This is the only way to be sure, as sure as we can get that we win. And we have to win. We do this for the hilltop, it's how we keep this place. It's how we feed this place. This needs to be a group decision. If anybody objects, here's your chance to say your piece." He says, gesturing around to us all.
The church is silent for a moment before I hear someone standing up behind me. Everyone turns and looks back to see Morgan standing up, his eyes locked on Rick.
"You sure we can do it? We can beat them?" He asks.
"You've seen what this group has done. What we've learned, what we've become. All of us. Yes, I'm sure." Rick says confidently.
"Then all we have to do is just tell them that." Morgan states and I fight back the urge to roll my eyes.
Rick shakes his head, "They won't compromise-" He begins but Morgan cuts him off, "This isn't a compromise. It's a choice you give them. A way out, for them and for us."
"We try and talk to the saviours, we give up the advantage. Our safety. No. We have to come for them, before they come for us. We can't leave them alive." Rick argues.
"Where there is life, there's possibility." Morgan states.
"Of them hitting us." Rick says, raising his voice.
"Hey, we're not trapped in this. None of you are trapped in this." He says, looking around at us all.
"Morgan... They always come back." Rick says, his voice softer.
"They come back when they're dead too." He counters.
"Yeah well stop them, we have before." Rick affirms.
"I'm not talking about the walkers..." He trails off.
Rick looks at him for a moment before turning to the rest of us, "Morgan wants to talk to them first. I think that would be a mistake but that's not up to me. I'll talk to the people still at home, I'll discuss it with the people on guard now too but who else wants approach the saviours? Talk to them first?"
"What happened here, we won't let that happen again. I won't." Aaron says, looking back at Morgan before taking his seat once more.
The church remains silent and Rick speaks, "It looks like it's settled. We know exactly what this is, we don't shy from it. We live. We kill them all."
Rick takes a deep breath before speaking again, "We don't all have to kill. If people are going to stay here, they do have to accept it." He murmurs as he walks off the stage and makes his way out of the church.
Everyone begins to shuffle out of their seat and I glance back at Morgan, taking in the look on his face. I know about his stance on life and to some degree I agree with him. But from what I've heard about the saviours, this isn't something we can handle by just taking with them. They respond by force and we have to respond with force in order to do what is best for us. I rise to my feet and follow everyone out with a heavy heart. We're in for another fight and it's going to be a big one.
YOU ARE READING
Always (A Daryl Dixon/ The Walking Dead Fanfiction)
Fanfiction"It's you and me Daryl, like it always has been." I say, looking into his dark blue eyes. "The way it always will be." He states. I nod my head, a small smile on my lips, "Always." Bree Winchester had known the Dixon brothers since she was running a...
