Survive the Impossible II. ~ A "The Walking Dead" Fanfiction

The Cruel Truth

Writer's message to the readers:
Rick's long speech is highlightened! It's because I really like it, althought it's not the happiest speexh I've ever heard before, but he says everything in a few minutes.

We were just standing around Rick, and were flabbergasted.

- What? - asked Daryl.

- In the CDC, this is what Jenner whispered to me. This could be anything, we all have it.

- And you didn't say a word to us? - Carol was slightly pissed off.

- Would it matter?

- But you knew it all the time. - told him Glenn.

- I didn't know it for sure.

- It's not you who decides this. When I found the walkers in the barn, I told it to everyone.

- It would be better if they didn't know it.

Well, this absolutely made us wordless. We didn't know what to say for this. Rick walked away, and left us there with my thoughts. I was still sitting on the motor, and when Daryl came to the vehicle, he didn't say anything, just bit his mouth. I was looking in front of me, and when he looked at me, he stood in front of me and put his hands on my tights.

- How's your ankle?

- Painful.

- Take off your boots.

- Why?

- Do it.

I took my boots and my socks off, and Daryl started to roll the bandage all over my foot and ankle.

- Done.

- Thank you! - I gave him a tiny kiss on his mouth. When I looked at Carl, he was smiling and looking at us. I put my forefinger in front of my mouth, and whispered "shh." He nodded and looked at his parents who were on my other side. Rick was talking, and Lori was behind him. I wanted to stand up to help the others, but when I jumped off the motorcycle, I heard my ankles shouting because of the pain.

- You should sit down. - instucted Daryl.

- I want to help them.

- This time, they can spare you. I'll go. Stay here! - he lifted up his right palm and pointed to the sky with his fingers.

- Okay.

When the sun totally set down behind the hills, our temporary camp was ready. Maggie and Glenn set fire, and we were sitting round it. T-Dog and Rick were guarding. All of us just watched the fire and the burning wood. There were no animal voices, neither walkers. Everything was quiet, just like us for a while.

I heard Carol and Daryl talking, but I understood nothing. I didn't really care about it, if they wanted me to know, they would tell me.

- I think we should take our chances. - told Maggie to Glenn. For this all of us pulled up our heads.

- Don't be foolish. - told her father - There's no food, no fuel, no ammo.

Suddenly, we heard something from the woods.

- What was that? - asked Beth with fear in her voice.

- Could be anything. A raccoon, a possum... - Daryl and Carol stood up.

- ...or a walker. - Glenn finished his sentence, and we heard nothing anymore.

- We need to leave. I mean, what are we waiting for? - asked Carol rightfully. What we were waiting for definitely?

- Which way? - Glenn and Maggie stood up, too.

- It came from over there. - Maggie pointed behind us.

- That's where we came from. - Beth panicked.

- Last thing we need is for everyone to be running off in the dark. - told us strongly and roughly Rick. - We don't have the vehicles. No one's travellin' on foot.

- Don't panic. - whispered Hershel to all of us in general.

- I'm not. I'm not sitting here, waiting for another herd to blow through. We need to move. Now. - stated Maggie.

- No one is going anywhere! - Rick whispered forcibly.

- Do something! - reacted Carol.

- I am doin' something! I'm keepin' this group together, alive. I've been doing that all along, no matter what! I didn't ask for this! I killed my best friend for you people for Christ's sake!

Carl started to cry after hearing this, and Lori comforted him. We just looked at him like we didn't believe what he said. I didn't want to believe that, but that was the cruel truth.

- You saw what he was like. How he pushed me, how he compromised us, how he threatened us. He pushed me in front of the walkers, I was tempted to die. He gave me no choice! He was my friend, but when I asked him why did he do it, he pointed a gun at me.

Carl's crying stopped Rick for some seconds.

- My hands are clean - he continued and looked at us. Looked through all of us. We didn't say anything. - Maybe you people are better off without me. Go ahead! I say there's a place for us but maybe it's just another pipe dream, maybe...maybe I'm foolin' myself again. Well, why don't you, why don't you go and find out yourself? Send me a postcard. Go on, there's the door. You can do better. Let's see how far you get.

No one departed, everyone stayed there in silence. - No takers? Fine. But we get one thing straight. You're staying. This isn't a democracy anymore! - his eyes were cold and harsh. Maybe he was right, maybe he was wrong, who knew? None of us. We knew deep in our minds that we needed him. We needed a leader. He was our leader. No one dared to move for around thirty seconds, then they slowly sat down one by one. Daryl sat next to me, put a blanket on me, and I put my head on his shoulder, and he had his left arm around my shoulder and neck. I held his left hand with my right hand, and we were sitting there until I got tired and I fell asleep. That last thing I heard was that Daryl changed with T-Dog and he guarded from then until the sun came up in the next morning.