The Third Dixon [The walking dead]

Chapter thirteen - part two

After leaving the highway Measi sat on the back of Daryl's bike, taking in the view as they passed the woods. Her head turned when they heard Rick's car honk for them, making them stop and putting the engine of. 

''You out?''

''Running on fumes.'' Nathan took a spot next to Measi, pushing his arm over her shoulder as they looked around. they were stranded in the middle of nowhere with no place to go. She wasn't really paying attention anymore, she tuned out the conversation as she listened to Nathan's heartbeat. She only got out of her own world when she heard Randall's name.

''What if walkers come through, or another group like Randall's?''

''You know I found Randall, right? He had turned, but he wasn't bit.'' Daryl spoke up, his head turning to the others.

''How's that possible?'' Beth questioned before Lori took over, looking at her husband.

''Rick, what the hell happened?''

''Shane killed Randall. Just like he always wanted to.'' Daryl spoke up, realizing what had happened.

''And then the herd got him?'' Measi could see that Rick was closing his eyes, as if he needed to make a big decision about something. 

''Rick?'' His eyes turned to the teenage girl, who looked at him with her lips pursed together. ''Spit it out.''

''We're all infected.'' After a small moment of silence, he spoke again. ''At the CDC, Jenner told me. Whatever it is, we all carry it.''

''And you never said anything?'' 

''Would it have made a difference?''

''You knew this whole time?''

''How could I have known for sure? You saw how crazy that mo... -''

''That is not your call.'' Glenn interrupted him, his gun ready in his hand. ''Okay, when I found out about the walkers in the barn, I told, for the good of everyone.''

''Well, I thought it best that people didn't know.'' He looked at the group before he walked away, Lori going after him. 

It got later and later as the group was sitting in between a structure of small walls around them. Measi had started a fire a bit before hand and she was now sitting next to Nathan, her head leaning on his shoulder as she heard Carol speak to Daryl.

''We're not safe with him... Keeping something like that from us.'' She turned around, looking if Rick wasn't there.  ''Why do you need him? He's just gonna pull you down.''

''No. Rick's done all right by me.'' Daryl told her, his eyes roaming to his sister who was sitting next to him, she raised her shoulders, as she didn't know what to say about Rick. It seemed like he did do it for the good of everyone, but it was quite a big deal to keep something like that from the entire group. 

''You're his henchman and I'm a burden. You deserve better.''

''What do you want?''

''A man of honor.''

''Rick has honor.''

''I think we should take our chances.''

''Don't be foolish. There's no food, no fuel, no ammo.'' Hershel told his oldest daughter. Measi pursed her lips together, Hershel was right, they had nothing and nowhere to go at this point. When she heard rustling in the leaves outside the construction, she got up from her seat.

''What was that?''

''Could be anything. Could be a raccoon, could be a possum.''

''A Walker.'' Glenn added. Measi grabbed her flashlight, shining it into the distance. She shook her head when she couldn't see anything. 

''We need to leave.'' Carol spoke as she as well got up from her seat, shifting her weight from one leg to another. ''I mean what are we waiting for?''

''Which way?'' Glenn questioned, his eyes going all over the place, trying to find the noise. 

''It came from over there.'' Maggie pointed to where Measi her flashlight was.

''Back from where we came.'' 

''Yeah.''

''The last thing we need is for everyone to be running off in the dark. We don't have the vehicles. No one's traveling on foot.''

''Don't panic.'' Hershel told his daughters, but Maggie shook her head at him, gun ready in her hands to shoot anything that came too close to her. 

''I'm not...'' She stopped her sentence for a moment before speaking again.'' I'm not sitting here, waiting for another herd to blow through. We need to move, now.''

''No one is going anywhere.'' Rick spoke with a determined voice. Measi could feel the air shift as she walked to Nathan, allowing him to grab her hand to calm her down. He too could see this go very wrong, very fast. Especially when Carol added to the fire.   

''Do something.''

''I am doing something!'' Rick whisper-yelled back to her, pointing his gun over the group. ''I'm keeping 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!'' Measi's eyes winded at those worlds, letting it dawn into her. ''You saw what he was like, how he pushed me, how he compromised us, how he threatened us.'' Rick spat out, his eyes going over the group as Carl started to cry. ''He staged the whole Randall thing, led me out to put a bullet in my back. He gave me no choice. He was my friend, but he came after me.'' After a small silence, he showed his hands. ''My hands are clean.'' When still no-one spoke a word, Rick looked around the group.

''Maybe you people are better off without me. Go ahead. I say there's a place for us, but maybe... maybe it's just another pipe dream. Maybe... maybe I'm fooling myself again. Why don't you... Why don't you go and find out yourself?'' Measi and Daryl looked at each other, they had been thinking about it before, but now that it came that close, the two siblings didn't say a word. ''Send me a postcard. Go on, there's the door.'' ''You can do better? Let's see how far you get.'' When no-one answered him, he raised his shoulders at them. ''No takers? Fine. But get one thing straight... you're staying.'' He looked all of them in the eye, making Measi shift in her seat. ''This isn't a democracy anymore.'' 

The end of season 2! I cannot wait to start on season 3 and expand the characters of Measi and Nathan even more. I hope you all enjoyed my take on season 2, please leave a vote, comment and add this book to your reading list to stay updated. I'll see you soon! 

-X Violet's-library