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ARDEN OFTEN HOPED for some divine answer to all of the problems that infected the world. Even though she never believed in it, some days she hoped that she would wake up and not have to worry about surviving the dead that walked the planet. She hoped that it would all turn out to be a bad dream. But she knew that this was nothing but an impossibility.
The shining light that had welcomed them into the building had seemed like such a savior, under the circumstances. But Arden wasn't so sure. Jenner had been so close to sentencing them to die, but if it meant she could give these people somewhere to go, she would gladly return to the place that she had been so willing to leave.
Everyone entered through the doors, guns raised high. Shane ordered Daryl to cover the back of their party. Arden sheathed her sword, knowing that Jenner wasn't going to pull anything.
"Hello?" Rick called out, his voice echoing through the open space.
"Close those doors, watch for walkers," Dale ordered behind her, the others doing so. Rick repeated himself while the group looked around cautiously. Arden treaded carefully toward the hallway she knew led to all of the main areas.
"Hello?" a weak voice called from the hall. Arden stopped dead in her tracks as the silhouette of Jenner with his gun pointed at all of them appeared. A chorus of cocking guns rang out behind her and she held up her hand.
"He's harmless," she told them without glancing behind her. "So about the things I said before I left..." she trailed off louder so that he could hear her. His expression didn't change and she was hoping she could somehow convince him into letting everyone stay.
"Why are they here?" he questioned, nodding towards the group of people behind her. "What do they want?"
"A chance," Rick pleaded calmly. Neither side lowered their guns despite assurances that nobody would be harmed.
"That's asking an awful lot these days," Jenner said, inching closer to them as he spoke.
"I know," Rick replied with a careful nod.
He stared at them for a moment as he walked forward. He looked at the tears in their eyes and the children they had brought. He saw a group of scared people in need of help.
"Please," Arden spoke up, his eyes flickering over to her. Jenner acted like all was forgiven and that was when she realized just severe his fear of being alone was, or at least she thought that's what it was.
"You all have to submit to a blood test. That's the price of admission," Jenner announced.
"We can do that," Rick agreed. Jenner lowered his gun and so did Rick. He began to walk to the doors at a quicker pace while rushing out orders.
