Early the next morning, Rick announced that he would be scoping the surrounding area, and he needed volunteers to go with him. T-Dog was the first to offer to go, he said he was tired of missing all the action and wanted to feel useful. After a pause, Andrea agreed too, and Glenn, who said he would come, under the condition it was sneaking, not fighting. Georgie felt like she should offer to come, but she knew she'd be more of a hindrance. She had slept badly the previous night, plagued by nightmares where she was walking with T-Dog and he turned and asked her why she didn't look out for Adele. And then Adele came, but she was a walker, reaching out for her and crying. If that wasn't enough, she had that feeling again, in the pit of her stomach that something awful was going to happen. All in all, she decided to stay behind and sit on top of the RV with Dale, a god awful cup of tea and a shot gun. She spent most of the day up there, chatting to Dale about his late wife, Andrea and his life before the walkers. It was nice to just watch the children playing, and every now and then, Shane or Carol wondered past to pass comment on some event or other. Dale pointed out how you could observe the relationships of the group up here. Like, how Shane would stare at Lori for just that bit too long, or how Carol would get quieter if a man came near her. Georgie almost forgot her feeling of dread and her nightmare.
Early evening came, and the group still hadn't returned. The camp didn't seem anxious, Rick had said it would most likely be a two day expedition, but Georgie was uneasy. She still had that horrid feeling, and she wanted the whole group back-T-Dog in particular. Dale had warned her that the women were gossiping about their relationship which made her laugh. She asked Dale what he thought, and he said that there was no evidence from the RV that she or T-Dog had any real feelings for each other.
"Sometimes, we just find a soul mate that we're not in love with," he said wisely.
A rustle from the trees made them both start, and they aimed their guns carefully. Dale shouted for everyone to get to the RV, and Georgie shouted to the trees.
"If you're alive, you better make some noise, we're shooting to kill"
"Woman, you need to work on your welcome!" It was T-Dog and the rest. Relieved, Georgie lowered her weapon and clambered down the RV.
"Did you find anything?" she asked.
"Sure did." Rick emerged behind Andrea and Glenn, looking tired but proud. "A huge prison about half a day from here. It's perfect-big yard, big fences. If they look weak, I'm sure we can re enforce them."
Everyone started to talk excitedly amongst themselves. Georgie turned to T-Dog and noticed something that made her heart stop. Around his head, T-Dog had a red and black bandana, which she was sure he hadn't been wearing when he left. Bile rising in her mouth, she asked him where he got it from.
"This thing? Found it on a tree branch, all tied up. It's great, keeps my head cool and my hair looking hot." Georgie couldn't smile at this joke referring to his bald head. Her head was swimming. Tied around a tree branch was Joe's mark. She put her hands to her head and crouched down trying to get her thoughts straight.
"Hey, you ok?" T-Dog knelt down beside her, concerned.
"I'm fine, I'm being silly. It can't be Joe's. It's a coincidence that's all." Georgie smiled weakly at T-Dog, who was about to answer, when a voice rang through the clearing that made Georgie's skin crawl.
"I'm afraid Georgie, it is my bandana."
The trees surrounding the clearing rustled, and at least twelve men moved forward holding guns, each pointed at a member of the group. Georgie couldn't move, couldn't breathe. She could only stare horrified as familiar faces swam before her, cruel and leering. She saw T-Dog forced away from her, and felt a cold hand grab a chunk of her hair and wrench her upwards; smelt a familiar smell of sweat and BO and heard a familiar voice hiss in her ear:
"Don't struggle beautiful, or I will shoot the children." A hand snaked around the waist of her trousers, until it found the 'J' burnt into her skin, and almost caressed it with one finger. She didn't dare turn her head, so she saw the men and women being separated, and worst of all the children. Rick and Daryl were fighting tooth and nail, Rick to get to Carl, Daryl because it was Daryl. She found her voice and screamed to Rick
"Do what they say Rick, or they'll shoot him, for God's sake, do what they say!"
Then a pain on the back of her head, and the world went black.
