By the time night fell, most of the group had already retreated to their rooms in the motel. Aside from Ben and Sam, Lilly was the only one out. She was sitting atop the RV with a rifle, looking out into the street.
"I'll go, uh . . . look for the meds if you could stall her so she doesn't see me," said Ben.
"How long do you need?" Sam asked.
"A couple minutes, maybe."
"Okay. Try to be as fast as you can." He walked over in front of the RV. "How are you holding up?" he asked as Ben slipped inside her room.
"I feel like shit," Lilly said. "Does that answer your question?"
"Yeah . . ." Sam looked around. Ben was still in Lilly's room. "Do you think we're safe here?"
"Safer than we would be out there," said Lilly. "And now Kenny's got this idea in his head that we should leave. But where the hell would we even go?"
"I don't think he's planned that far ahead."
"No shit." Lilly yawned. "Look, I never did thank you for trying to help my dad back at the dairy."
"You don't need to," Sam said.
"I do," said Lilly. "So thank you."
"I . . ." He saw Ben walk around the side of the RV. Sam cleared his throat. "My parents are gone, too. I just didn't want to see that happen to someone else." He paused. "Hey, Lilly, we . . . Ben and I can take over the watch if you want to get some rest."
"That would be nice . . ." Lilly said, though it was more of a sigh. She stood up and climbed down from the RV, walking back to her room.
"Oh my god, I can't believe we've gotten ourselves into this . . ." Sam whispered as he walked over to Ben. "Did you find anything?"
Ben unzipped his jacket and revealed a small paper bag, rattling as he took it out. "I got a flashlight, too. So we can see what we're doing."
"Fuck . . . Let's just get this over with," Sam said. He took the flashlight and the bag from Ben and hopped over the fence to put it in the grate. Okay. Don't make any noise. Ben was watching him from the inside of the motel. Once the meds were stashed, he re-entered the motor inn and handed the flashlight back to Ben.
"Didn't that guy say to mark the place?" asked Ben.
"How do we do that?"
"I don't know," Ben said. "Is there chalk anywhere?"
"Probably."
"Here, let me check over there," Ben said, walking over to where Clementine and Duck were drawing earlier in the day. He came back with a stick of pink chalk. "I'll be right back." Ben wandered off, shining the flashlight at the ground. Sam followed him. Ben drew an X on the wall with the chalk, out of sight so that nobody would see it. "I think that's- shit!" Ben had dropped the flashlight, resulting in the loud sound of glass shattering. "Oh no. Oh, god."
"Be quiet," whispered Sam. "Just . . . Get rid of the flashlight. I hope nobody heard that."
Ben walked over to the barrel where the group would put their garbage and tossed the flashlight in. "Are we done?"
"I hope." Sam looked around. "You can go back to your room. I'll take care of the watch."
"Okay," Ben said. "Be safe out here."
"Yeah."
- 10 DAYS LATER -
Ben and Sam had been slipping the supplies to the bandits every couple of days and had put the most recent bag in the grate the previous night. To their knowledge, the stealing of the meds and whatnot had gone unnoticed.
"Alright, Kenny and I are gonna head out," Lee announced. "We should be back soon. Just gotta scrape together some supplies from the drugstore." He took a rifle from Lilly as Kenny put a backpack on.
"Be back as soon as you can," Lilly said. "I want to talk to you about something."
"We'll be as fast as possible," said Kenny. "Don't wanna be out there longer than we have to be." The two exited the motor inn and started down the street. Lilly re-entered her room.
Clementine resumed her drawing, which was just her shading over a leaf she placed beneath a sheet of paper. Ben had found a couple of stickers in one of the motel rooms and gave them to her a few days ago, with which Clem had stuck to her walkie-talkie.
Ben pulled Sam off to the side. "I . . . I don't think we should keep giving the bandits supplies."
"Keep your voice down," Sam warned.
"Sorry, sorry . . ." said Ben, his voice a whisper.
"Look, Ben, I don't think we should have even started giving them our medicine," Sam said. "But you heard them. They told us they would kill us if we didn't."
"Maybe they were bluffing," Ben suggested.
"You can't honestly tell me you think they were lying about being able to murdering us."
"I just . . . Fuck, Sam. I don't know," said Ben. "It's not gonna end well."
"Nothing ends well," Sam said. "Not anymore."
"What happens when the group finds out?"
"They kick us out, for sure," said Sam. He paused. "I'll tell them it was just me and that you knew nothing about it. It's my fault, really. No need to risk your life because I was stupid."
"But it's not entirely your fault," Ben said. "It's both of ours."
Sam sighed. "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. But for the time being, we have to keep the deal going. These people will die otherwise. The bandits outnumber us."
After an hour or so, Lee and Kenny arrived back at the camp. Sam had taken watch since Lilly hadn't left her room and Ben, having nothing else to do, joined Sam on the RV. Lee knocked on Lilly's door.
"Look's like we got the kids on watch again," Kenny pointed out.
I'm nearly twenty, Sam thought.
"What'd you get?" Lilly asked.
"Might as well leave a sign out that says, 'The men are gone, come and rape our women and children'," said Kenny.
Lilly took Lee's rifle. "Ha." She put it on the dresser in her room. Lilly walked back over to Lee and Kenny. "So, what did you get?"
"A lot of stuff," Lee said.
Kenny passed the backpack to Lilly. "We're fine, by the way."
"Nice work," Lilly said after checking the bag. "This'll keep us going. If we carry on like this, we'll get through the winter here."
"The winter?" Kenny asked. "We'll freeze our asses off out here!"
"Because piling into an RV with you two, after what you did to my dad, is so appealing."
"Why wouldn't it be?" asked Kenny. "You know I'll do whatever it takes to keep everyone safe."
"We're already safe," Lilly said.
"We do whatever is best for the kids," Lee said. "Doesn't that make sense?"
"It's suicide out there," said Lilly.
"We'll die in here," Kenny argued.
"They're gonna get into another yelling match, aren't they?" Ben asked. Sam shrugged.
"You're right," Lilly said. "You could see someone sleeping and kill one of us."
Carley and Katjaa walked over. "At it again, are we?" Carley asked.
Kenny glared at her. "Can it, Carley."
"Don't boss people around," Lilly warned.
"I'm sorry," said Kenny, "but somebody needs to make executive decisions for the group, though, and I don't think you're capable anymore."
"We're strongest together," Lee put in. "It can't be you versus us, Lilly. We're sorry for what happened to your dad, but we're in this together now."
They ignored him. "What about the food situation?" Kenny asked. "What about protection? What about when this place falls? Somebody's gotta be thinkin' about this shit."
"We got plenty of food from that station wagon," Lee said.
"You didn't even want to take it," Kenny said, defensively. "Where the hell would we be now? We can't just keep our fingers crossed for more station wagons."
"Everything that happens to us is another excuse for you to pull this crap about leaving," said Lilly. "All I want is a week of peace; of not hearing it." Her voice was starting to rise.
"Do you know how we got these supplies?" Kenny asked. "We got lucky and let a girl get eaten out there."
"What . . .?" Katjaa asked.
"Some girl came screamin' out of an alley," Kenny explained. "She had dead hangin' all over her. She gave us enough time to get everything we could out of the drugstore."
"You just let her suffer?" Lilly asked. "Like what? Like bait?"
"She was dead anyway," said Lee. "It made the most sense in the moment."
"Lee's right. We've been puttin' our lives on the line doin' these runs into the city. You wouldn't believe the shit we see."
Katjaa looked at him. "We all appreciate it, Ken-"
"You should be thankin' Lee for not shootin' that girl," Kenny said. "Look, Macon and its people aren't savable. It's not a town. It's full of walkers and the people who were left are dyin' and wanderin' out into the streets. It's hell on earth and it's comin' this way."
"It's not going to be easier out on the road!" Lilly shouted.
"How would you know?" Kenny asked.
"What I know?! I know you're not above murder. I know somebody had been stealing our supplies! That's right, stealing! And I know the list of people I can trust here gets smaller every day! Now everybody, get out."
Sam's stomach dropped. "She knows."
"Oh, god . . ." Ben said.
"She'll get over it," Lee said.
"She's rilin' everybody up otherwise," said Kenny.
"You understand, Ken," Katjaa said.
"She's right about one thing; none of this is getting any easier," Kenny admitted. He and Katjaa walked off.
Carley and Lee started talking.
"Ben, does she know it was us?" Sam asked.
"If she knew it was us we would have been kicked out already," said Ben.
"I hope you're right . . . No doubt she's been trying to find out who, though. And now she's said something and somebody's gonna go ask her about it."
"They can't, like, dust for fingerprints or anything," Ben said. "They're not gonna know it was us unless we tell them."
"I don't know . . ."
After a few minutes, Lee approached the RV. "Hey, you guys," he said. "I need to tell you something."
"Is it about the watch?" Sam asked. "We're doing the best we can." But I've never fired a rifle before, he thought, looking at the gun in his lap, so that's that.
"You're doing fine," Lee said. He hesitated before saying, "I'm a convicted murderer."
"Whoa, seriously?" asked Ben.
Lee squinted. "Why would I joke about that?"
"I dunno . . . Wow."
"You're part of this group and you should know." Lee looked at Sam. "When we met, you said you were a student at UGA?"
"Yeah . . ." Sam said. "Why?"
"I used to teach history there," Lee said.
"Lee . . ." he mumbled, trying to recall any teachers named Lee. Sam's eyes widened. "Holy shit, you were the professor who got fired for killing that senator! They wrote about you in the school paper. Wow . . . small world."
"I guess it is . . ." Lee said. After a moment of no one saying anything, it got awkward so Lee said, "Well, I'll talk to you two later," and strolled off.
"I can't believe that was him," Sam said, still marveling. "I think I actually saw him once when I was going to one of my classes."
"Really?" Ben asked.
"Yeah. He was talking to one of the other professors," Sam said. "That seems like such a long time ago . . ."
"It's better if you don't think about before," Ben said.
"Yeah. I know."
After some more time, Lee came back over to them. "A flashlight was broken. Was it either of you?"
"No," Ben answered.
"You're not in trouble if it was," said Lee, "I know you get nervous and maybe you went out to go to the bathroom, broke it, got worried, and tossed it."
"What's with the third degree? I didn't break any flashlight," Ben said, obviously defensive.
"Yeah," Sam chimed in, "I would have said something if I did."
"Okay then." Lee still seemed skeptical. "Have you seen anything weird on watch? Is there anybody out there up to anything?"
"Nope," Sam said. "It's been quiet."
"Really?" asked Lee.
"Yeah. Everything is fine," Sam said.
"Either of you come down here to Macon much?" Lee asked.
"I didn't have much reason to," Ben said. "My parents would let me take the car into the city on the weekend, but what's in Macon? It's kind of a waste of time compared to Atlanta."
Lee and Sam crossed their arms at the same time. "I grew up in Macon," Lee said.
"So did I," said Sam.
"Oh. I didn't mean to say it's crappy or anything." Lee raised his eyebrows. "It's super nice. I mean, not now, but I bet it was. Is."
"Talk to you later." Lee walked away.
"I didn't think the apocalypse would be this boring," said Ben.
"I found a pack of cards in my room a few days ago," Sam said. "Do you know how to play any card games?"
"I kind of remember blackjack," Ben said.
"Alright, then," Sam said. He took the deck out of his jacket pocket and shuffled the cards. The two began playing blackjack to pass the time. After about five minutes, Sam saw Lee walking into Lilly's room out of the corner of his eye. A few more minutes passed and as if it was nothing, four bandits had hopped over the fence.
"You all get the fuck over here!" one shouted. They pointed their crossbows and guns at everyone until they were all lined up on their knees in front of the bandits. "You don't fucking steal from us!"
"You made the biggest mistake of your lives!" another shouted.
"Enough of this bullshit!" the first one shouted. "Drew, start puttin' your boot to these doors!"
Lee exited Lilly's room with his hands up.
"Hold it, asshole," the bandit said, pointing his pistol at Lee.
"Take it easy . . ." Lee said. "We have more supplies. We can keep the deal going."
"Too late, shithead," the bandit spat. "We ain't givin' second chances."
"It was a mix-up," Lee tried to reason. "We'll make it worth your while."
"I'm listenin'," said the bandit.
"We can split the supplies," Lee said. "Spread 'em around."
"Or we can just kill you and take it all," the bandit said.
"And what about when they run out?" asked Lee. "When you don't have us out there collecting them for you?"
The bandit lowered his pistol. "Well, I suppose we oughta hash out some terms, then."
"I don't like no hash," a different bandit said.
"Man, shut up or I'll-" A gun fired. It was Lilly and she had shot the bandit clean through his forehead.
"Christ!" a bandit shouted.
Kenny sprinted for the RV. Carley picked up the dead bandit's gun and shot two of the remaining ones through the head, but there were no bullets left to shoot the third. She dropped it and ran behind cover, where Ben and Sam had run. Clem, Duck, and Katjaa had run behind a couch on the opposite side of the motel.
Lee shot the third bandit in the bottom as he was climbing back over the fence. The bandit whistled and arrows began flying out of the woods. More bandits with rifles came running towards the motor inn. Lee ran to the RV.
"Shit," Carley said. Lee fired a rifle towards the bandits and then shouted for her, Ben, and Sam to get in the RV. They didn't hesitate whatsoever.
"Man, you saved our asses," Ben said.
"Get inside!" Lee moved to the other side to help Katjaa and the kids.
"Why did this happen?" Carley asked.
"I don't know," Sam said. It was partially true. He knew why the bandits might hypothetically attack, but he didn't know why they actually did since they had placed the bag in the grate the night before.
"Kat!" Kenny shouted before sprinting out of the RV. "Oh, Christ." Sam looked through the windshield. Katjaa was lying on the ground, her head bleeding and with a dead walker on top of her. Duck was lying under her arm. Katjaa shoved the corpse off of her. Kenny helped them up and they ran into the RV.
"Lilly, get in the RV!" shouted Lee.
"Screw her, let her stay!" Kenny yelled. As soon as he began trying to start the RV up, Carley ran back out and started shooting the walkers that were making their way into the motel. The RV finally started and Carley re-entered it.
"Lilly, last chance!" Lee shouted. "Get down here!"
Kenny started driving away as soon as Lee got back in. But Lilly was too late and Kenny had driven away without her.