TWD The Crusade

15

Mason sits there in bed feeling Presley rub his back softly as he whispers.

"thank you-"

"so, what happened? how'd you  get bit?"

"it's complicated-"

Mason closes his eyes feeling Presley's hands run on his back and opens them hearing a voice. 

"mace...." A teenager dressed in all black walks into the room shutting the door and Mason turns his head asking.

"what the hell are you doing here?"

the kid nods his head and glances at Presley and shakes his head not paying her any attention as he stares at his leader.

"you said, well you said if I ever saw anything to report it to you directly. I drove over here as fast as I could man-"

Mason glances back to Presley and motions to the door.

"give us a few minutes-"

"you sure? you know I won't tell anyone-"

'just a few-" he motions to the door and Presley gets off the bed and stares down the unknown teenager in the room and walks out shutting it behind her. Mason walks to the door shushing the kid and locks it as he looks to the doorknob and walks over to a small record player raising the volume as he asks.

"so what's going on?

"I, I don't know how to report this but Mason I don't know man, but I think Sam is alive."

"Sam? we still on this it has been years. he was never found most likely a walker wandering around-"

"yeah but-"

"no-" Mason shakes his head and stares down the teenager.

"We won't do this again. I spent months looking for him so I could put him to rest and I never found him. It's over Alex..."

"it doesn't have to be-"

Mason walks up to the younger kid and places his hand on his shoulder.

"look I know it has been tough on you after what happened to Sally-"

"This isn't about my sister. people die when they are weak. Sally, she was weak-" 

"that's not true." Mason says it softly and stares up to Alex as he shakes his head.

"she had a rough time but your sister was  a survivor-"

"look mason you always taught me if we live in the past too much we may miss something in the future-"

"exactly so no more of this Sam bullshit. Sam is dead, understand?"

Alex looks to the floor and Mason presses his hand firmly on the younger kid's shoulder as he whispers to him.

"you're like a son to me Alex. So I'm gonna say something to you I don't say much."

Mason bites the inside of his lip and stares down Alex sadly as he opens his mouth and admits to his failure.

"it's my fault your sister died and I'm sorry I was weak-"

Alex leans forward hugging Mason as Mason grips Alex into a hug comforting the younger kid as Alex asks sounding even more upset as he notices Mason's missing hand.

"What happened to your hand?"

Mason glances down eyeing the missing hand and up to Alex telling the truth.

"I tried to do the right thing-"

"the right thing isn't always easy, dad-"

"I'm, not your father-" Mason says it coldly and stares down Alex as Alex shakes his head and speaks softly.