Weak//c.g ✔️

Chapter Thirty-Nine

MEADOW FLETCHER'S POV

HENRY has been missing since last night. Some of the Saviors stayed while the others ran, they probably had Henry. 

"I caught their tracks!" I yelled over to Rick and Morgan, we followed the tracks to an abandoned factory. There was a severed foot on the ground, a puddle of blood surrounding it. I felt a sharp pain on the back of my head, blackness surrounded my vision.

A man coughing woke me up. I looked around the room. Rick and Morgan were conscious. The back of my head was in splitting pain. I groaned, trying to move my hands. They were tied behind my back. I blinked my eyes a few times, looking at the man in front of me, "We had to get off the road, out of the forest, and still. Maybe we didn't do it in time." "Maybe we did. Maybe they don't look so hot 'cause we hacked off part of them." 

A man groaned, coughing violently. "We're not just gonna leave 'em here!" The second man argued. "Look at them. They're dead already." "He's right. They knew the rules. You pooch it, nobody carries you." "After everything we've been through? Things are shaky, man. Let's just-" "Look, got the rules so somebody goin' down don't take the rest of us with them. Case in point."

"I can look at them." My throat felt dry, "I can see if it's the infection or if it was too late." "Shut up, you little bitch." One of them yelled in my face, "This is life or death let me help you!" The one arguing looked at me, "What do I have to do?" "Alan, man-" "Check their foreheads, if they are sweltering it's either too late or they need antibiotics. Did you instantly cut the bite off after they were bit?" I asked, Alan checked their foreheads, "They're all burning up, man."  I looked down, shaking my head, "I had water and antibiotics in my bag, take them and crush them up and put them in the water. Two tablets per person. If their fevers don't die down in an hour, I'm sorry." 

"Don't waste it Alan, we're packing our shit up and leaving the dead weight behind. Negan will accept us back because we have Rick and Meadow. This is a loose-end sort of thing, that's it. It's gonna be better for you, better for us." He was about to kill them.

"My truck isn't far. We can get 'em to the Hilltop's doctor." Rick spoke up, "They could come back with us. You all could." 

"You didn't want this. You made a split-second choice, and you chose wrong, but it's not too late. You cut us loose, you cooperate, we'll give you fresh start. I can save your friends' lives. Negan clearly doesn't care about you guys. Simon was going to let you guys' die! You can become part of our community, to become one of us." I looked at all of them.

"I give you my word." Rick looked at the men also, "There's not a lot that's worth much these days, but a man's word, that's gotta mean somethin', right?" One of the guys looked at the Saviors, "You dumbasses aren't dumb enough to believe that." "We can hear them out. W-We could talk it over." 

"Thing is, there isn't enough time for that. There's a herd out there, close, probably headed this way. You're all gonna need to make a choice, and it's gonna have to be now. " 

"Wake up everybody!" The long haired man banged on the desk, "There isn't any herd. There isn't any "deal" waiting back at Hilltop. You think these asswipes came here to save us? They came here for blood! Hell, this one strangled one of his own guys to death with his own hands. All Rick is saying her is a steaming pile of bullshit."

"You know, you're right," Morgan spoke up, "I came here to do what I was supposed to. To kill every last one of you."

"It's different, now. There is a child missing, that's why we came here. We thought you guys had him, which you don't." I tried reasoning with them, "No one is here for blood, not anymore. There is a herd. We want to help you."

Walkers began growling, my heart raced, "Let us help you, untie us!" The Saviors began shooting the herd. "Cut us loose." The walkers began coming closer to us. My lip quivered. "I'm killing these pricks now!"

I closed my eyes, waiting for the walkers to rip me apart. "No!" I heard a ruckus behind the three of us. I opened my eyes and my hands were free from the restraints. Quickly I stood up, a man handed me a gun, I nodded at him. Rick, Morgan, and I began mowing down the walkers with the Saviors.

But then Morgan and Rick looked at each other, nodding their heads. Rick turned around, shooting the Saviors. My eyes widened, "Rick!" I yelled, the gun dropped from my hands as I watched them massacre the men. A man ran up to me, swinging his axe and I took my pistol out of the holster and shot him. 

"Meadow, let's go!" Rick yelled. I pulled myself out of it, following Rick. Their blood on my hands, my face, everywhere. Fear, that's what I felt in this moment, it was fear. I looked at Rick once we got outside. Morgan was behind us. I stayed quiet.

I was quiet the whole ride home.

Carl tried hugging me once I stepped through the gates, I hugged him back. Tears never welled up in my eyes. I didn't cry. I felt nothing, once again. I knew deep down, I had to protect everyone. 

I felt myself slipping away, I felt my sanity slipping away.