The Next World

Chapter 26

Once Rick had left, everyone started to converse with one another. Morgan stood up and left.

"I'll be back," I told Daryl.

"Where you off to?" he asked.

"Gotta take care of something. It'll be quick I promise," I said kissing his cheek.

I went after Morgan. I had gotten to know him a bit since he first came to us. He had a philosophy that all life was precious. I could understand where he was coming from. He had gone through a lot of heavy shit. And after all of that, he managed to find his way back. Just like I had. Like most of us had. Which was why I needed to talk to him. He was halfway down the street when I was out the door.

"Morgan hold up!" I called.

He stopped then turned around. I jogged over to him.

"Listen, about what was said in there," I began trying to catch my breath at the same time.

"No need. I get it," he said.

"No. Morgan, listen. I get what you were saying in there. I do. But you have to know that these Saviors, they aren't the talking type. They beat a kid to death just to get a point across. People like that don't deserve to live. They're bad people, Morgan," I said.

"You know there was a time that I would have easily killed someone who I came across. Your uncle being one of them. I don't know if he told you about that," he said.

"Yeah. He did. Saw the knife wound you gave him too. But you changed. You came back," I said.

"Which is why I believe that all life is precious," he said.

"Some more precious than others," I said.

"People can change," he said.

"Not all people. Some are too far gone. And we have to accept that," I said.

"Well, maybe next time we can give the choice of talking it out first," he said.

"Yeah. Maybe," I said.

He nodded and turned around. He continued down the street. I sighed and watched as he got further and further away.

"Hey," Daryl said wrapping his arms around me.

I leaned my head back to rest on his chest.

"You good?" he asked.

"Yeah. I just, I talked to Morgan. I wanted him to know the kind of people we would be dealing with. How we have to do what we have to do. But he just didn't accept it," I said.

"Well, like you said, not everyone would be willing to kill," he said.

"Yeah. I know. So we're going back to the house or what?" I asked turning around and wrapping my arms around his neck.

"You hungry?" he asked.

"Come to think of it, I am," I said.

"We got better stuff. Could make something other than pasta," he said.

"I thought you liked my pasta," I said.

"I do but we got more stuff. Something different may not be so bad," he said.

"Fine. Let's go to the pantry to see what else I can make," I said.

I grabbed his hand and made our way to the pantry. We agreed on some stir fry without the soy sauce. I'd substitute a few eggs for the chicken. I got started the minute we got back to the house. The smell of onions filled the house. I got to chopping more vegetables. Daryl had helped me chop some bell peppers.