Feral Citizens

The Embers of Humanity

Shane pinched his bloody nose and glowered at everyone in the room while a plan was laid out. With Randall missing, it was being assumed that we only had hours before he found and led his gang of rapists and murderers into camp.

"I need people to come with Shane and me while we go lookin' for him." Glenn put himself forward almost immediately, looking to Maggie worriedly before doing so. It was nice to see the kid had found someone to care for.

I exchanged looks with Daryl, the both of us almost mentally deciding with one would stay, and which one would go. Daryl made the decision for us when he gave the affirmative to Rick. Which meant I got stuck with evacuation. Yay.

That was if we had enough time and people. With four people gone, we were left with only a few of us capable of defending ourselves (myself, T-Dog, Hershel and Andrea) without even including everyone else. They'd left us with adults who could barely hold a gun, and a handful of children. Surely someone had realised that if Randall's group rolled in when they were gone, we would be done in a matter of minutes.

But it didn't matter, because they had left while I had been thinking. T-Dog was stood on the porch, shotgun in hand, ready for whatever came at us, alive or dead. This could go both ways.

"Okay, so what are we meant to do?" Patricia asked. They'd huddled into the middle of the living room like a pride of lions, ready to hunt. My chest tightened when I looked at the sea of determined faces.

"We could start by moving supplies to as many cars as possible," Andrea stated. I nodded in agreement that yes, that was a good idea.

Andrea stayed behind as the group dispersed to loot the house; her hand squeezed my shoulder. "We've got this, right?"

"Hopefully," I answered her. If the others didn't find Randall soon, we could have even more problems on our hands.

Admittedly, I was considering leaving. It would be easy to sneak away with Josie and take one of the cars. Nobody would notice. They were all far too busy debating over whether the eggs could survive a trip in the trunk of a car, or if they should take spare blankets or not. Before now, everyone here had been given time to leave. Even at the quarry, despite being attacked, we'd packed slowly in the morning. There would be no time-wasting tonight. We had to get our shit together and be ready to leave at the drop of a hat.

There were people who didn't think we should go. Lori, for one. She had faith that her husband and Shane would catch Randall before he got anywhere. And maybe she was right. Or maybe Randall would make it past the woods and reach his gang. It was a whole lot of maybes.

"We've got most of the food into the cars," Andrea called from the doorway. "Got some other stuff to bring down, and then we're good to go if we have to."

"We got drivers decided?"

"No... I don't know."

"Maybe ask around," I replied, leaning against the window frame. "Can't have 'em all panicking at the last minute." Andrea joined me by the window and stared out to the woods far off.

"Wonder when they'll get back." She said quietly, so as not to worry anyone inside.

"If they come back," I replied.

"You ever look on the bright side?" I merely grinned in response. Andrea tutted, but let the topic slide.

We lumbered bag upon bag to the cars. Every so often, somebody's head would turn in the direction of the trees, as if waiting for Rick and the others to break through into the clearing. There was never even a rustle from the bushes.

With every step I took, I thought more and more about how dangerous it actually was to be here. How it would be easier to grab Josie, take a car and leave it all behind. Start again. I didn't owe these people shit. I'd done my part- I'd helped Rick find his wife and son. His pregnant wife and injured son.