My Hunter || D. Dixon (On Hold)

Twenty-Nine - Sorry Brother

We'd decided to vote on the fate of Randal after Dale went around trying to talk people to join his side. I limped my way to the house, where I'm guessing everyone was. As I reach the steps Caleb opens the door for me, saying that Jess was upstairs with Carl, that they shouldn't be here while we talk about this.

I thanked him as I walked inside. Everyone looked at me, the room was silent. Especially Shane. I could feel Shane's stare from a thousand miles away. I stood next to Daryl, leaning against the wall. "Couldn't you drive him out further? Leave him like we tried to do?" Andrea asked.

I shake my head, looking to Rick. "You barely came back alive last time." If it came down to it. If Shane and Rick had that fight again. I wouldn't hesitate to kill him. Shane was looking right at me, watching my every move and my every word.

I think Daryl saw him looking at me because I could feel him tense up next to me. I set my hand on his arm, glancing up at him as Caleb shifted closer, seeing Shane's glare. "Okay, what if we did kill him. How would you do it? Would he suffer?" Patricia asked Rick.

T nods his head. "Yeah, and what do we do with the body?" He asks.

Dale looks around at us like we're crazy. "Whoa whoa whoa! You're talking about this like it's already been decided!" He protests, making me look to him with a sad look.

I let out a sigh, crossing my arms. "We are going around in circles, we just need to come up with some decision because we are wastin' time" Daryl spoke from beside me.

They went quiet, taking in what he said. Andrea looked over to us and locked eyes with me. "Luna, what do you think?" She asked making them all look to me.

How was I to know? I didn't care what happened but I really didn't want him to die. Let alone did I want Shane to kill him. Does my opinion really matter though? It's not like anything change. If I defend him then that's two against the rest of the group. Plus even if it played in our favor Shane would no doubt find a way around it.

They started to argue again about what to do. My hands ball into fists, nails digging into my palms. "Everyone shut up!" I yell, finally fed up with everyone yelling. "Is this what it's come to? Standing around arguing? Killing someone because we don't know what to do with him? I'm not taking any sides, but everyone needs to calm their asses down, and quick." My accent really came through with the yelling, the Irish in me made clear to the group. I cross my arms, looking at the group, who had turned their full attention to me. "You want my thoughts? Go and drop him off on the side of the road like planned."

Dale looks happy and points to me. "See? Luna is right! This boy. . .you saved him and now look at us. He's been tortured. He's gonna be executed." His voice breaks and he stops, putting his hand down. "How are we any better than those people we're so afraid of?"

Shane shakes his head. "We all know what needs to be done," Shane says taking a quick glance over at me. Even the glance was full of hate, knowing what I know about him.

Rick shakes his head at Shane. "No. Both of them are right," Rick disagrees, looking back at me then to Dale. "We can't leave any stone unturned here. We have a responsibility-"

"So what's the other solution?" Andrea cuts in.

Lori shoots her a look. "Let Rick finish," She commands, though to be honest, I probably had more authority here then Lori does at this moment.

Andrea ignores Lori, still talking. "We haven't come up with a single viable option yet. I wish we could."

Dale looks at Andrea with wide eyes. "So let's stop arguing and work on it!" He yells

"We are!" Rick says.

"Knock it off!" Carol, who I completely didn't notice was here, yelled. "I'm sick of everyone arguing and fighting. I didn't ask for this. I agree with Luna. You can't ask us to desire something like this. Please decide, but leave me out."

I nod in agreement with Carol, leaning my weight on my left leg. "Not speaking out or killing him yourself - There's no difference," Dale says.

I shoot Dale a glare. "I'm not the one holding the gun, Dale." I snap at him. "And I'm not the one holding the judgment hammer! Do not say that, like Carol and I have already killed the kid."

"Alright! That's enough!" Rick yells, making the room go quiet. "If anybody wants the floor before we make the final decision now has the chance."

The room fills with a tense silence. "You once said that we don't kill the living," Dale says looking to Rick.

I scoff at that. "Well, that was before the living tried to kill us," Rick says back.

"But don't you see? If we do this, the people that we were and the world we knew are dead! And this world. . .it's ugly! It's. . .harsh. It's. . .it's survival of the fittest. That's a world I don't want to live in, and I don't believe that any of you can do either! I can't. Please. Let's just do what's right." We only keep our eyes to our feet. "Isn't there anybody else who's gonna stand with me?"

Andrea takes his side. "He's right. We should find another way," She says, and Dale's eyes glisten with hope briefly.

"Anybody else?" Rick asks through the room stays silent.

"Are you all gonna watch too?" Dale asks sarcastically, his voice breaking with every word. "No, you'll go hide your heads in your tents and pretend that we aren't killing a human being. I won't be at that party."He starts walking, stepping between Daryl, Caleb, and I. He pauses and looks to Daryl. "This group is broken."

With that, he leaves the house. "Ya know what? Go. Kill him. I'll sit by the fire and wait for the gunshot." I say shaking my head. "But Dale's right about one thing. The people we once knew or were are gone."

I turn and leave. I walk over to the group's fire pit where Carl and Jess sat setting up to play a game of cards. Carl leaves about a minute after the guys bring Randal into the barn. Jess went off with Caleb, turning in for the night. I sit, looking to the fire. After a bit, the shot still hasn't gone off. I look to the barn to see Shane dragging Randall back to the shed. Rick follows with Carl close behind him.

I small smile goes on my face when I see Daryl walk up to us. "Hey, what happened?" I ask getting up from my spot by the fire.

Daryl crosses his arms. "Carl showed up as Rick was about to shoot. He told Rick to go ahead and do it, and then. . .he couldn't." He says and I nod my head in understanding.

"Hey, Da-"

I'm cut off by a scream that, almost instantly, has Daryl and I go running towards it. A figure was in the field, a walker to be exact. Daryl ran ahead of us and tackled the walker to the ground, killing it. Once close enough I could see that it was Dale. His chest was ripped open, exposing organs and his rib cage.

Daryl yelled for the group as I knelt down beside him. The group comes running to the site, Andrea in the lead. "Dale! Oh my god! She screams, kneeling beside him as tears run down her face. "Herschel! Do something!" Dales' eyes are wide and his breath was loud and more like gasps.

"He can't be saved. I'm sorry," Herschel says looking down.

Andrea sobs again. Rick slowly upholsters his gun and aims it at Dale, but does nothing. Daryl's moved to my side, putting an arm around my shoulders as I buried my head in his neck, not wanting to look at Dale. Daryl takes his gun out, raising it. Dale stares at him. "I'm sorry brother," Daryl says quietly. He pulls the trigger, and the night goes silent once more.