The Sharpest Lives

Chapter 32

AN: Updated 12/26/20

By the time Daryl and Ace had walked over to the part of the woods Dale and Shane had went off to, the entire group was sitting on the porch of the house. Everybody except Rick. He was supposed to leave hours ago.

"Do you know what's going on?" T-Dog asked as Ace and Daryl arrived. He was with Andrea.

Did T-Dog know about Shane and Dale? What else was going on? What is this group doing?

"Where is everyone?" Andrea asked.

Wasn't she supposed to be looking for Sophia?

"You haven't seen Rick?" Glenn asked.

"No, we were supposed to leave hours ago," Andrea exclaimed, making Ace internally groan.

"Yeah you were, what the hell?" Daryl groaned externally, not afraid to show his anger. "Isn't anyone taking this seriously?! We got a damn trail!"

Daryl swung his arm in exaggeration, only to spin and see Shane rushing out of the woods. "Here we go."

Ace followed his gaze to see Shane pushing his way out of the woods. Except this time, he gripped onto the duffel bag of guns.

He was walking over to them, but Ace ignored him, speed walking right past him towards the woods. She doesn't know if he had it in him to hurt Dale or not, but she wasn't going to put it past him.

Luckily, just after she cleared a few trees, Dale was walking back as well. Ace let out a breath of relief.

"Are you okay?" Ace asked, now realizing how important Dale was in her life. He had his ways of forcing himself in.

"Don't worry about me," he held up his hand. "Worry about him."

Ace looked as Dale pointed right towards Shane, who had set the bag of guns down and was starting to pass them out.

Shit. Why did he have to start something? This wasn't going to go over well. It never does. They should be focusing on Sophia!

Ace quickly jogged back, only now realizing how shitty she felt today. Her stomach was rolling around inside her, and her back was sending pain all the way up her spine and down to her toes. She wiped the sweat off her forehead and tried to act normal.

Ace arrived just in time to watch Shane pass a shotgun to Daryl. "You with me man?"

Daryl, being all angered up already, grabbed it and cocked it, easily on board. Ace knew this is what had to be done, but not hostile like this. It's how Shane gets them kicked off the farm.

Daryl met eyes with Ace as she walked over, standing there in his blue shirtless flannel, swinging a shotgun around, his arms glistening from dirt and sweat.

Ace had to ignore it and tear her eyes away to watch Shane shove a gun in everyone's hand.

"Time to grow up!" Shane called.

"Though we couldn't carry," T-Dog said, taking the pistol from Shane.

"We can and we have to," Shane stepped back, looking at everyone as the rest of the group arrived, making long eye contact with Lori. "Look, it was one thing sitting around here picking daisies when we thought this place was supposed to be safe. But now we know it ain't."

Shane walked over to Glenn, holding out a double-barrel. "How bout you, man? Gonna protect what's yours?"

Glenn looked to Maggie next to him and took the gun from Shane.

"Can you shoot?" Shane asked Maggie.

"Can you stop?" She snapped back.

Ace knew he wouldn't. He's on a roll now. She understands what he's saying, what he thinks they have to do. And yeah, they have to do it, as much as Ace hates killing walkers, they aren't safe. But Shane just fucked everything up.