Surviving Terminus (BOOK TWO IN THE SURVIVING THE WALKING DEAD SERIES)

We've All Done Something

     I began to look around Gabriel's bedroom, hoping to find the clues Rick was asking for, but everything looked normal for the most part. He was copying a bible word for word into journals, he had his rosary sitting on his desk, a clean bowl and spoon, and a bookshelf full of bibles, books by preachers, and everything that points to a normal preacher. Rick was right though, something wasn't right about Gabriel. Even as a kid he wasn't this introverted. Sure, I saw him only a few times a week, but even then he talked a lot more and didn't act this nervous. Maybe he was hiding something, but what?

     "Michaela?" I quickly turned around, clutching my knife handle.

     "Jesus. Ya scared the hell outta me." I sighed as I saw Carl enter the room.

     "Sorry." Carl smiled. "What are you doing?"

     "Your dad doesn't trust Gabriel."

     "Yeah, he said the same thing to me."

     "He thinks he's hidin' somethin'. I thought it was just nervousness because he had people with guns around 'em, but the more I thought about it, the more I agreed. Somethin' just ain't right."

     "So dad asked you to see what you could find?"

     "That's the master plan." I smiled.

     "Can I help? Tyreese is watching Judith."

     "I dunno, Carl."

     "Come on, let me help. I'm tired of people treating me like all I'm good for is watching Judith. I'm not a kid anymore." I let out a sigh. Carl was right, he was growing up on us and proved himself multiple times that he can hold his own. I hated seeing Carl growing up, it reminded me of how long we've been surviving, how much the world has changed us.

     "Alright, you can help." Carl looked up at me and smiled. "But not a word to anyone except me and your dad, got it?" Carl eagerly nodded. "This room's clean."

     "Where else should we look?"

     "His office."

     "Where's that at?"

     "I have a hunch." Carl quietly followed me down the hall. I knew where Gabriel's office was before I left, but something told me that Rosemary's office wasn't empty anymore. Sure enough, I opened the door to Rosemary's old office and was instantly greeted by the sight of a rearranged office.

     "This is it?"

     "Not always, but yeah, this is his office." I walked over to the desk and traced my finger along a familiar cut into the wooden top. It was from my first swing at Rosemary. I lunged at her, trying to slice her throat open, but she dodged it and ran, I ended up falling into the desk and dragging my knife along the top.

     "What happened here?" Carl asked pointing to the dark stain on the wooden floor.

     "Rosemary." I mumbled.

     "The nun?" Carl paused. "This is where you killed her?" I nodded.

     "I ain't proud of my past, but I've accepted that it was necessary."

     "What was it like for you? I mean, killing someone for the first time."

     "Ya ever kill anyone?"

     "Once. Back at the prison when The Governor first attacked. Hershel and I were hiding in the woods and a kid ran up on us. He was handing over his gun, but I couldn't take any chances."

     "What did it feel like for you?"

     "It was scary. Not because I actually killed someone, but because how easy it was for me."