As the day slowly moved on Rick and Daryl chatted on the front porch, Lori and Andrea fixed up the living room, Carl kept close to me while me and Carol headed back to the old camp site just to make sure we didn't forget anything. I had spent most of the day around Carol and Glenn and they seemed worried and happy at the same time.
No one asked me about Shane and no one even mentioned him until later that night. It was nice to have a break from being on Shane watch. Carl asked me a whole bunch of random questions that didn't really have anything to do with anything. Rick had a talk with him about staying a kid for a little while longer and Carl was doing just that. I answered all his questions to the best of my ability and Carol just giggled at me.
"You know you are really good with kids. It's surprising you don't have any." She said as we were making our way back to the house. Rick and Daryl were leaving soon and he wanted everyone inside for the night.
"I'm actually terrible with kids. I'm just so used to Carl. Ever since he was a baby he seemed to be the only kid that liked me." I smiled and Carol giggled. "Plus I was never really fit to be a mother." I shrugged.
"Oh nonsense!" Carol exclaimed. "You would make a great mother!" She laughed.
"Yeah well I don't think that's really an option right now." I shrugged. "I admire Lori going through with having the baby I could never... bring something that innocent into this..." I sighed.
"Reasonable. But how are we supposed to rebuild our lifestyle if we just keep dying and no one is getting any older?" Carol asked.
"That's true." I shrugged. When we reached the house Daryl and T-Dog were talking by the truck. Daryl looked up and when he saw me a small smile curved just at the corner of his mouth. Carol kept walking inside and Carl ran in behind her. Rick was walking over to the truck and I knew I should talk to Rick before he left. I wanted to talk to Daryl but honestly had no idea what to say.
"You ready?" Rick asked looking to Daryl.
"Yeah." Daryl nodded.
"I'll go get the package." T-Dog sighed walking away.
"How far this time?" I asked walking over beside Rick.
"About 30 miles." Rick sighed.
"You'll lose the light." I pointed out.
"Yeah I know." Rick sighed. "You gonna tell me this is a bad idea too?" He asked as Daryl walked over.
"Oh I think it's an awful idea but it doesn't really matter what I think now does it." I smiled at Rick. "Either way you're gonna go out there." I sighed.
"Better than keeping him here locked up." Daryl said with a shrug.
"I guess." I smiled. It was quiet for a second. "Just for the love of god be safe." I finally smiled.
"Always." Rick and Daryl both nodded.
I smiled at both of them. I was about to walk away before I could T-Dog started yelling for Rick. "Guys!" He yelled waving his arms. Rick and Daryl exchanged looks and took off toward T-Dog. I was behind them. "He's gone." T-Dog said.
"What?" Daryl asked walking into the barn first.
"Wasn't he handcuffed?" I asked.
"Still locked." Daryl answered from inside.
"How did he get the door open?" Rick asked noticing the lock was still in tack.
Once everyone joined they all asked the same questions. I was looking around for Shane. He would have something to say about this but I couldn't find him. Everyone was in a bit of a panic. Then Shane's yell came from the trees.
"Rick!" He yelled stomping over.
"Jesus." I said noticing his bloody face. "Shane what happend?" I asked rushing over to him first.
"He's armed." Shane pushed by me. "He's got my gun."
"You okay?" Carl asked in worry.
"Yeah I'm fine." He shook his head as we both rejoined everyone. "Lil' bastard just snuck up on me and clocked me in the face." He said looking back to me.
"Damn." I sighed. I didn't think Randell was that strong.
"Alright! Hershel, T-Dog get everybody back in the house. Glenn Daryl come with us." Rick ordered.
"Juliet. Your gun?" Shane asked. I looked up noticing the odd looks I was getting from everyone. No one was supposed to be carrying but I was. I never gave up my gun to Hershel and Shane made sure I was armed all the time. I reached behind my belt and handed it to him.
"Just let him go! That was the plan wasn't it." Carol said looking between Rick and me.
"The plan was to let him go far from here. Not on my front step with a gun." Rick said walking away with Shane, Glenn and Daryl at his side.
"Don't go out there! You don't know what could happen!" Carol yelled. They hadn't past me yet but they were walking quickly and all ready for a fight.
"Carol's right." I said rushing to their sides. "It'll be dark soon." I was now pleading with them to just stay.
"Juliet get inside!" Rick said stopping me from walking any further.
Shane and Rick walked past me first. They didn't look back. Glenn walked by looking worried and nervous. Daryl was last to pass me and he looked at me. He stopped for a minute and I ran my hand down his arm. He smiled at me and then he followed the rest of them.
I really didn't want any of them out there. "Juliet!" Carl and Carol called from the house.
"Coming." I called back. I didn't started walking until I couldn't see any of the guys. I sighed and ran back to the house. Everyone kept busy but my head was racing with anything that could go wrong. If any of them got hurt it was be awful.
The sun was slowly going down and Lori asked me to make sure Carl stayed upstairs. He had a habbit of chasing after his dad during a crisis. I agreed and kept Carl company. He took my mind off what was going on for about an hour. "I'll be right back kiddo." I smiled at him and left the room. I was headed downstairs when I ran into Carol. "Hey." I stopped her. "Would you do me a favour and just keep an eye on Carl and Lori. Make sure they don't go after Rick." I smiled.
"I thought that's what you were doing?" She asked.
"Ya but I..." I paused. They've been gone too long. I gotta go find them. Please don't say anything. I'll be right back." I said and before Carol could convince me I made my way to the front door. Everyone was busy so no one noticed me leave. First I ran toward the barn but then a gun shot rang out so I ran toward that.
I was just about out of breath when I came to the source of the bang. I didn't understand at first. I came over the hill to find two dark figures. One hovering over the one who was on the ground. "YOU DID THIS! NOT ME!" Rick started to yell. As I jogged closer and closer my heart started to beat like crazy. "YOU DID THIS NOT ME!" Rick yelled again. Then I saw who he was talking to.
"no." My mouth barely moved before I took off. " Shane!" I called out. Rick jumped to his feet and looked my way. When I saw the terror on his face I was scared. I ran to Shane's side. He was coughing up blood and struggling to breathe. I pushed Rick out of my way when he tried to stop me. "Shane! No no." I said falling to my knees. I put his head on my lap and reached for the bleeding area. Right in the chest just inches from his heart. His eyes looked up at me and he looked scared. My eyes were now over flowing with tears. "Shane please." I begged. "Come on you're gonna be fine." His eyes slowly started to close.
"S..ss...ssooorry." He just whispered then his whole body caved and was heavy on my lap.
"No! Shane come on!" I shook him. " You promised you wouldn't leave me alone! You promises! Please Shane! no!" I screamed and tried shaking him awake. This couldn't be happening. Shane wasn't laying dead in my lap. No. I shook my head over and over before I completely collapsed over him.
"Juliet..." Rick whispered quietly. I just held Shane's body closer and closer. Only getting his blood on me. My eyes were stinging and I wouldn't move. I felt like the whole world just ended in that one moment. "Juliet?" Rick started to walk closer.
Then it all made sense. I knew exactly what had just happened. I whipped my head up and looked at Rick. My eyes squinting at him and anger running through every vein. I slowly let Shane got and stood slowly. Rick could see my anger but he didn't back up. He just tried to come closer.
"You son of a bitch." I chocked out. "How could you!" I finally yelled rushing to him and started to hit him. I was angry but I only managed to beat on Rick chest as he tried to wrap his arms around me.
"I'm sorry." He said over and over. I wanted to believe him but I couldn't. I had stopped hitting him and Rick still held me into him. I cried into his chest so unbelievably mad at him.
"DAD!" Carl yelled with a shaky voice. We both turned to him but my legs were weak and I fell to my knees again. I couldn't look back at Shane. Then I heard it. That horrid grunting and heavy breathing. I slowly looked up to see Shane rushing toward Rick. His back was turned so he didn't see but Carl did. His gun raised at his dad only aiming for my brother.
When the shot rang out and Shane fell I screamed again and rushed over to him. His skin was pale and now he had a hole in his head. My hands were shaking as I tried t unhook his 22 necklace. It was covered in his blood but it didn't matter. If Shane was really gone and I wasn't dreaming I needed something of his to remind me.
Rick once again walked over and took my by the shoulders. "We need to go." I tried to push him away through the tears but I wasn't as strong as I thought. Rick held me close to him as we slowly made our way back.
"What happened?" I demanded in a cracking voice.
Daryl and Glenn made their way back to the house as soon as they heard the first shot. When they got there everyone was quiet and looked to them. "Rick and Shane ain't back yet?" He looked around hoping to at least get answers or questions from Juliet. She wasn't around.
"No." Lori stood quickly.
"We heard a shot." Daryl said looking to her.
"Maybe they found Randell?" Lori asked.
"Naw we found him." Daryl said looking to Glenn then back to her.
"Back in the shed?" Patrica asked him.
"We was a walker." Daryl said and everyone looked confused.
"Did you find the walker that bit him?" Hershel asked. He was still uncomfortable with that word but he used it anyway.
"Weird thing is, he wasn't bit." Glenn sighed.
"Neck was broke." Daryl finished.
"So he fought back?" Patrica asked again.
"Shane and Randell's tracks were right on top of each other. And Shane ain't no tracker. They were together." Daryl shook his head. He was still waiting for Juliet's questions but she had not come around yet.
"Would you please go back out there and find Rick and Shane and find out what the hell is going on?" Lori begged. Daryl had no problem with going after them. It was Juliet's silence and lack of presence that made me worry.
"You got it." He nodded as he and Glenn headed for the door. Once he and he others stepped outside that idea was useless. There were hundreds of walkers headed their way. Spread out along the property. Daryl surveyed the land looking for anyone who wasn't dead.
Everyone was quiet. "Beth get the lights." Hershel commanded and her and Patrica turned the lights off.
"I'll get the guns." Andrea ran inside.
"Maybe they'll just pass us like the heard at the highway." Glenn was trying to think positive. "Should we just go inside?" he looked to Daryl.
"Unless there's a tunnel downstairs I don't know about a heard that size will rip this place apart." They watched for a minute as the walkers got closer and closer.
"Carl's gone." Lori came running back out.
"What?" Daryl asked. How could one women lose that kid so many times?
"He was upstairs... Juliet was with him." Lori said.
"She went after Shane and Rick a while ago." Carol looked down.
"How long?" Daryl asked her.
"About half hour? She said she would be right back." Carol's voice now heavy with worry.
"Maybe he's just hiding?" Glenn offered.
"He was supposed to be upstairs and she was supposed to watch him! I'm not leaving without my boy." Lori's voice cracking.
"We're not. We're gonna find him." Carol said as they both rushed into the house.
Daryl kept his eyes on the heard. Now he had to worry about getting these people out of here, Rick and Shane, and now Juliet. She was just supposed to stay inside. For once she could have listened. He was hiding his worry but he was nervous. What if they all made it to safety and she didn't. There was nothing else keeping Daryl around. Glenn had said something to Maggie as she handed him a gun. Was Hershel really going to try to save this farm that was lost the minute he saw all those walkers.
"You gonna shot' em all?" Daryl asked not believing.
"You can leave if you want." Hershel said back.
"Take em' all on?" Daryl asked again.
"We have guns and we have cars."
"Kill as many as we can." Andrea agreed. Man the people didn't know when to give up. "Use the cars to lead the rest off the farm.
"You serious?" Daryl asked looking at her and the rest.
"This is my farm..." Hershel loaded his weapon. " And I'll die here." He locked it and walked away.
"Alright. As good a night as any." Daryl sighed jumping over the rail and headed for his bike.
Rick never answered my question. He was quiet as he led me and Carl away from Shane. I didn't want to leave my brother but before I had a chance to go back Rick was rushing up toward the barn. I looked around quickly noticing the walkers that had followed us. Not just a small group but a whole herd. Three times the size as the one on the highway. This made me panic a bit. Last time a heard attacked we lost Sophia and I got left behind for two weeks.
Rick started spreading gasoline everywhere. He threw his lighter to me and pushed Carl and I up the ladder. I waited till he led the walkers into the barn and was half way up the ladder before I lit the place on fire.
We looked out the raft of the barn to see the RV headed to us. Rick waved and yelled for Jimmy to come over and when he did he pushed me on the roof and Carl jumped behind me. I was there to catch Carl when he stumbled. Jimmy should have drove away but all we could hear was his screams.
"We gotta get down from here." I said jumping from the roof and killing tree walkers. I helped Carl down and Rick was right behind me. We ran for the house but somehow between getting Carl in front of me and keeping up with Rick, again I got separated then surrounded. I could hear other people yelling for help and when I ran to them they were either dead or gone.
I could heard the rev of Daryl's motor cycle but it sounded as like it was headed away. So I did all I could do. Run. I avoided the heard and ran for the trees. A few followed me but I outran them. I could still see the flaming barn from where I was and I sighed. I prayed everyone would be alright. I knew Rick, Carl and Hershel made it away and maybe Daryl but who knows who else got away.
I knew the first and closest place for everyone to go was the highway were we lost Sophia. I stopped twice, once to catch my breath and twice to kill the three walkers catching up to me. The sun was long gone even when the farm was attacked. As I ran it seemed to get darker and darker. I just hoped I was going the right way.
The sun was just trying to come up when I knew I was close. I kept running. I was so tired but I couldn't stop or they would all leave without me. Then I heard the voices. They were close but still a bit to run.
Daryl had led everyone he found back to the highway in hopes he would find Rick, Carl, Hershel and Juliet. When he pulled up and everyone reunited with their families he watched as Juliet was no where to be see.
"Where's the rest of us?" He asked looking to Rick.
"We're the only one who made it so far." Rick looked to him.
"Shane?" Lori was first to asked. Rick looked to her and said nothing. If Juliet was anywhere she would be with him. Rick just shook his head. Daryl felt his stomach twist.
"Andrea?" Glenn asked.
"She saved me then I lost her." Carol sighed.
"We saw her go down." T-Dog sighed.
"Patrica?" Hershel asked.
"They got her too... I was holding on but they got to her." Beth sighed. "What about Jimmy?" She asked.
"He was in the RV, it was over run." Rick sighed looking her way.
"What about Juliet?" Carl asked pushing away from his mother. Carl looked to Daryl. "Dad you said she was with Daryl." Carl sounded heartbroken.
"What?" Daryl asked.
"I was holding her hand and we were running and then I turned and she was gone." Carl said.
"Where is she?" Daryl asked and everyone looked to Rick.
"I don't know." His voice cracked a bit.
Daryl shook his head and jumped back on his bike. "I'm going back." He said.
"No." Rick stopped him.
Daryl looked up in an anger only Rick saw. "We can't just leave her." Daryl shook his head. "She went after you..."
" We don't even know if she is there." Lori sighed.
"She isn't there." Rick said and Daryl looked at him. "She's somewhere else or she's dead." Rick said. "No way to find her."
"We're not even gonna look for her?" Glenn asked. She was his friend to. He didn't wanna believe she was dead.
I was racing through the trees when I heard my name. Carl had asked for me. He sounded worried. Then Daryl said he was going back and I was touched he would go back for me. It actually brought a smile to my face. Then Lori said I wasn't at the farm then Rick spoke up.
"She isn't there. She's somewhere else or she's dead." He said. Oh jez thanks Rick. Such faith in me. I shook my head pushing through the bushes. "We gotta keep moving." He said.
"We're not even gonna look for her?" Glenn spoke up.
"We gotta keep moving." Rick said.
I had made it to the road as soon as Rick had said that. "Nice to know how easy it is for you to leave me behind." I spoke up walking out of the trees. Everyone looked to me with wide eyes.
"Juliet!" Carl yelled quietly and came running. I was both out of breath and tired but the joy in his face when he saw me made me smile a bit. He crashed into me and hugged m tightly.
"Hey kiddo." I smiled down at him.
"Thank god." Carol smiled as she walked over and hugged me too.
"Juliet what happened?" Glenn asked when Carol let me go.
I took a second to catch my breath. " Well you all saw what I saw. Walkers everywhere." I shrugged taking a deep breath. "Rick and Carl were headed to the house and I led the ones following away." I looked at Rick.
"Was Shane with you?" Lori walked over and pulled Carl close to her and away from me.
"No." I sighed still keeping eye contact with Rick. "Shane.. He uh didn't make it." I said looking away from everyone.
I watched as everyone looked down and away from me. "We should keep moving." Rick said. "There have been walkers crawling all over here."
"Head east?" T-Dog offered.
"Stay off the main roads. The bigger the road the more walkers. More assholes like this one." Daryl said reaching for his crossbow. He aimed it my way and I looked behind me to see a walker making his way toward Carol and I. " I got em'." He said shooting off an arrow.
Daryl walked past me retrieving his arrow as everyone made their way to a vehicle. "Juliet come with us." Carl asked.
I noticed Rick looked my way. "Sorry buddy, I'm gonna go with Glenn and Maggie." I said and he sighed walking off with his mom and Dad. I was walking over to Glenn when I felt someone reach for my hand.
"You're comin' with me." Daryl's voice whispered in my ear before walking around me.
A small smile spread on my face when Daryl walked to his bike. Everyone started to take off and I walked over sitting behind Daryl. He started his bike and followed behind everyone. I started with my hands on his hips just trying not to fall off. Then as he made his way on the road I put my arms around his waist and sighed placing my head on his back. The thing that made me smile again was Daryl didn't tense up or eve move. I even felt his hand rest on mine for a minute.
We were riding for two hours before anything stopped up. Daryl had pulled in front to lead the other two cars and all I kept thinking about was Shane and how angry I was with Rick. I was pulled out of my daydream with the sound of a car horn. Daryl stopped and so did every one else. He stood and looked back to see Rick and everyone coming toward us. I got off his bike and stood away from the group.
"you out?" Daryl asked as Rick came closer.
"Runnin' on fumes." he sighed looking around.
"We can't stay here." Maggie said.
"We can't all fit in one car." Glenn said back.
"We'll have to make a run for some gas in the morning." Rick said looking around. It was like he was looking for a place to stay the night. Terrible idea.
"Spend the night here?" Carol asked.
"I'm freezing." Carl sighed as his mom held him close. I looked over just as Rick handed him his jacket.
"We can build a fire." Lori stated. "yeah?" She looked to Daryl.
"If you go out looking for fire wood, stay close." he said reaching for his cross bow. "Only got so many arrows." he said. " How you doing on ammo?" he asked Rick.
"Not enough."
"We can't just sit here with our asses hanging out." I had to laugh a bit at Maggie. That is the first time I had ever heard her swear and she was right.
"Watch your mouth." her daddy warned. "Everyone stop panicking. isten to Rick." Hershel said looking to everyone. I shook my head looking down.
"We'll set up a perimeter. In the morning we'll set out for some gas and supplies." Rick said having a close hold on a gun. It wasn't his gun either. It was the one I had given to Shane before they took off into the woods. I wanted to take that gun back from him and beat him with it but I didn't move. "We'll keep pushing on." He tried to reassure the group.
"Glenn and I can go now. We need gas." Maggie said.
"No we stay together." Rick hushed her. "God forbid something happens and people get stranded with out a car." He started to pace.
"We're stranded now." I said and he spun around and looked at me.
"We could at least look." Glenn added.
"I know it looks bad. We've all been through hell and worse." He looked at me. "But at least we found each other." He said tilting his head then looking to the others. "I wasn't sure. I really wasn't but we did." he said looking to his family. "We're together. We keep it that way." He said. "We'll find shelter somewhere. there's gotta be a place." He sounded like he was trying to convince himself.
"Rick look around." Glenn stepped forward. "Okay there's walkers everywhere, they're migrating or something." He sighed.
"No, there has to be a place. Not just where we hold up but were we fortify, hunker down. Pull ourselves together. Built a life for each other." He spoke in an angry tone. As much as I wanted to believe what Rick said I didn't. "We just have to find it."
"Even if we do find it. Think it's safe. We can never be sure for how long." Maggie was being real. "Look what happened with the farm. We fooled ourselves into thinking it was safe."
"We won't make that mistake again." Hershel said. Either way I still agreed with Maggie.
"We'll make camp tonight." Rick said. "Over there." He pointed to what looked like just random walls sticking from the ground. "We'll leave at the break of day." He said.
"This look alright to you?" Carol walked over to Daryl. He didn't answer he just looked at her then down.
"What if walkers come through or another group like Randell's." Beth walked over to Rick. Her and her sister were the only ones being realistic. They were smarter then I ever gave them credit for.
"You know I found Randell." Daryl spoke up and Rick looked to him. "He had turned but he wasn't bit."
"Hows that possible?" Beth asked.
"What the hell happened?" Lori asked.
Daryl looked back to me then back at Rick. " Shane killed Randell. Just like he always wanted to." Everyone looked at me like I knew why.
"And then the heard got him?" Lori asked looking between me and Rick. I wanted to say something and Rick knew I was about to.
He was quiet for a minute and just as I was about to tell everyone his dirty little secret he dropped a bomb on all of us. "We're all infected." He said and everyone looked at him in shock and confusion.
"What?" Daryl asked taking a step back and in front of me. Like he was blocking me.
"At the CDC, Jenner told me. What ever it is. We all carry it." He said looking at everyone but me.
He was quiet while everyone took it all in. It made sense why Shane had turned without being bit. It hurt more that knowing no matter what we would all end up like those things. I shook my head but I wasn't as shaken as others like Carol and Lori. She held Carl close to her and Carol looked between Daryl and Rick in shock.
"And you never said anything?" She was mad he never told us.
"Would it have made a difference?" Rick asked as I played with Shane's necklace around my neck.
"You knew this whole time?" Glenn was mad too.
"How could I know for sure? You saw how crazy that man was."
"That was not your call!" Glenn freaked.
"And he wasn't crazy." I spoke up. "You spend months alone underground see how stable you become." I shook my head at Rick. Jenner may have been off but he wasn't crazy.
"When I found out about the walkers in the barn I told for the good of everyone." Glenn said.
"Well I thought it best if people didn't know. " Rick answered looking at everyone. It was quiet as everyone just looked at him. Rick said nothing then started to walk away. He walked up the road to be apart from everyone. No one said anything as Lori started to follow her husband.
I was still standing away from the group until Carol looked like she was going to fall. "Oh God." She said to herself.
"hey." I walked over quickly to try to steady her. "You're alright." I said trying to get her to calm down. Then out of no where Carl came running and was holding onto my for dear life. "Carl you're alright too." I patted his back as Carol took a tight hold of my hand. I gave her a small smile. Truth was I was freaking out too but others weren't has good as holding back their emotions like I had become. Only reason I was still here was because of Daryl and Carl. I didn't want to leave them but deep down knew I had to or I would do something I would not be proud of.
While Lori talked to Rick everyone looked around. "I'm getting some fire wood." Daryl said.
"T-Dog go with him." I asked and he nodded. Daryl looked at me. Like I was sending a guard with him. "No one is going anywhere alone." I said to him and he walked off with T-Dog. Once they were gone and the group was quiet we all watched as Lori came stomping back. She looked horrified and scared. "Lori you alright?" I asked and the I got my answer in a huge and tight hug. I hesitated for a minute and figure Rick must have told her what happened. She didn't let go until Rick came back. He watched as his wife pulled away from me but said nothing.
"We should make camp before it gets dark. What happened to Daryl and T-Dog?" He asked.
"Went to get fire wood so we don't freeze to death." I walked past Rick with Carol and Lori at my side. I didn't look at him and I heard his sigh as I walked by.
As the sun went down and Daryl came back we all sat around a small fire as T-Dog took first watch. We were sitting out in the open with only a few walls as shelter. Lori and Carl sat together. Glenn sat with the Greene family and Carol kept close to Daryl. I thought it was nice she found protection and comfort in Daryl. Again I sat away from everyone in on of the walls corners. I had no interest in talking or pretending everything was going to be okay.
The night was quiet. Rick had wondered off to walk the perimeter and no one knew what to do. I had my plan. Once everyone was asleep I would leave. I had decided I couldn't stay and follow the man who killed my brother. I couldn't tell anyone or let anyone seem me or they would ask questions.
"We're not safe with him." Carol whispered to Daryl. He looked at her in confusion. "Keeping something like that from us." She shook her head. "Why do you need him? He's just gonna pull you down." Carol tried to keep quiet but we all heard her.
"Naw. Rick's done alright by me." He said throwing more wood into the fire. That was one of the great things about Daryl. He was loyal.
"You're his henchmen. And I'm a burden." She shook her head. I knew she wanted to leave but she wouldn't go alone. "You deserve better." She said with a sigh.
I watched as Daryl looked at Carol and was confused. " What do you want?" he asked.
"A man of honour." She answered.
"Rick has honour." Daryl stood up for Rick.
"No he doesn't." I said to myself and no one heard.
"I think we should take our chances." Maggie said to Glenn. Just as things were getting tough everyone was ready to leave. Good, I wouldn't be the only one gone by morning.
"Don't be foolish." Hershel looked at Maggie then oddly he turned his eyes to me. I was far away but I could see he was looking and talking to me. "There's no food, no fuel, and no ammo." He said. I looked away trying to deny how right he was.
Then a russel in the bushes made everyone but me panic and stand. "What was that?" Beth asked.
"Could be anything." Daryl stood grabbing his crossbow and ready to fire. "Racoon, or a possum." he tried to look on the bright side.
"Or a walker." Glenn said.
"We need to leave." Carol was the first to sound panicked. Rick had come back from his little walk and looked at Carol. " What are we waiting for?"
"Which way?" Glenn asked.
"Over there." Maggie said.
"Last thing we need is everyone running off in the dark." Rick made himself clear. "We don't have the vehicles. No one is traveling on foot." He said looking at everyone. That's what he thinks.
"Don't panic." Hershel warned everyone.
"I'm not. I'm not sitting here waiting for another heard to come though. We need to move now." Maggie said.
"No one is going anywhere." Rick hushed his yell. He was irritated.
"Do something." Carol asked she was scared.
"I am doing something." Rick barked quietly at her making her step back. "I'm keeping this group together. Alive." he said still with Shane's gun in his hands. "I've been doing that all along." He shook his head. "No matter what. I didn't ask for this!" His yell was still hushed. Everyone looked at Rick I just kept playing with Shane's necklace. Not caring about anything he was saying. "I killed my best friend for you people for christ sake!" Then everyone was quiet. I shook my head and clenched my jaw at his words. I looked up slowly as everyone started at Rick and then slowly over to me. Carl was the one who looked most afraid.
Everyone was quiet as Rick looked around. Everyone's eyes were on me and him. "You saw how he was. How he pushed me. How he compromised us. How he threatened us." Rick was now going to explain to everyone and I needed to hear it. I slowly stood with my fists clenched. "He staged the whole Randell thing to led me out to put a bullet in my back." Rick shook his head. "He gave me no choice!" He was now looking at me. "He was my friend. But he came after me." He was now just trying to reason with me. Everyone could now heard Carl's cries as his mother held him. "My hands are clean." he said looking at everyone and slowly turning his back.
I couldn't take it anymore. I walked slowly toward everyone while their eyes were on Rick. "Is that what you're telling yourself so you don't have to deal with it?" I asked quietly and he turned looking at me. "Tell yourself that it was best for the group so you don't have to accept the fact that you killed my brother?" I asked my eyes narrowed at him. My eyes were stinging and I couldn't hold the tears as much as I tried. "Shane was dangerous so you had to drive a knife through his... heart." My voice cracked as tears fell.
"Maybe you are better off without me." Rick said to everyone but kept eye contact with me. "Go ahead. I say there's place for us, but maybe that's just another pipe dream. Maybe I'm fooling myself again. Why don't you go find out yourself." He said still looking at me. "Send me a postcard!" Everyone stared at Rick. "Go on there's the door. You can do better." He said shaking his head. "Let's see how far you get." Now he was just daring me.
Everyone looked around and I just started at Rick. I shook my head then smirked a bit. I walked up to Rick and took the gun from his hands. Everyone watch closely. "I'll save you the guilt." I said through my teeth. I shoved the gun in the back of my jeans and headed for the wall's opening.
"Juliet." I heard my name and I turned slowly. I smiled at Carl who jumped to his feet. Then I looked over at Daryl who looked hurt and confused. I smiled at him to and turned to walk away. I sighed as I walked into the dark. I had nowhere to go and no food but I needed to get away.
