The Wolf You Feed
Chapter 98
"We can't afford to feed these people," Gregory squawked, trying to yell loud enough that the people on the inside of the wall could hear him. "We barely have enough to feed ourselves." Carl rolled his eyes. While he agreed that Aaron and Jesus should not have taken the saviors prisoner, they did. And he just wasted an entire day helping to get the entire load of them back to Hilltop safely. It would just be stupid to kill them now. And if they were keeping these people hostage, then they couldn't just let them starve.
"We'll have plenty now that we aren't paying the Saviors tribute any more," Jesus argued.
"It's not safe to keep these people here!," Gregory hollered. He was always quick to change tactics. Maybe too quick. Jesus had a feeling that Gregory didn't even care what they were doing with the prisoners. And he certainly had no idea what their food storage looked like. He was likely just trying to cause division and upset people. Jesus kept hoping that Gregory had enough dignity left to back down quietly once it was clear that he lost the people's respect and trust. Yet here he was, outside the walls throwing a fit and trying to challenge Aaron's authority.
"The decision's been made," Aaron said, boosting Gracie up higher on his hip while he sent someone in to get water for the captured men. He only gave Gregory one dismissive glance before he turned back to what he was doing before the man exited the walls and started throwing a fit. Jesus hid a smirk, knowing that Gregory hated one thing more than anything else. And that was being ignored. Like Jesus expected, the man started yelling even louder.
"JUST BUILD A GALLOWS ALREADY AND BE DONE WITH IT."
With his last bit of drama expended, Gregory finally turned and stomped off back through the gates. Jesus shook his head.
"We should build something," Aaron said. "Not gallows, but we need somewhere to keep these people. They can't stay here." Having a bunch of people sitting outside the walls would only attract the dead.
"I'm on it," Jesus said. He headed inside, calling out to a few people and asking for their help to build some sort of enclosure. Aaron assigned a few guards to watch over his prisoners for the night. Then he took Gracie inside. People crowded in. Even if they weren't excited about their unexpected guests outside the walls, they were certainly eager to meet a cute new baby. A few of the women took turns holding her. And before Aaron knew what was happening, people were dashing off in all directions to retrieve baby items that they thought he was going to need.
A few hours later, Jesus barely had room to pull his chair out with the amount of baby things that had been packed into his small trailer. He wasn't really sure if a crib, a bassinet, and a playpen were all necessary. But people were so kind bringing everything over that neither Jesus nor Aaron had the heart to refuse any of the items. Carl was the most experienced baby handler of the small group. While the rest of them ate, he held Gracie in his arms and fed her a bottle of goat milk. Jesus got a laugh out of Carl explaining to two grown men how to hold the bottle so Gracie wouldn't swallow a bunch or air and get gassy later.
"If Gracie gets any more gifts, we're gonna need a bigger trailer," Aaron announced with a laugh. Jesus smiled. Though Aaron insisted he was still grieving and wasn't ready for a relationship yet, Jesus noticed the man was slowly slipping into referring to them as a unit. Nothing physical happened between them yet. But they were living together. And apparently they somehow managed to adopt a child. They were doing everything backwards. But Jesus didn't really mind. He spent his entire adult life searching for a partner. One that he could count on to have his back no matter what. And he already had that. He was content to wait and let the intimacy happen naturally. There was no rush.
"It's such a nice night," Aaron said. "And we got that fancy new stroller." He plucked Gracie from Carl's arms. "How about a walk?," he asked her. She cooed and grabbed for his nose.
"I'll catch up when I'm done eating," Jesus said. Aaron nodded as he dragged the stroller out the door. Setting Gracie down in the seat, he pushed the stroller down the gravel path. She was babbling away and seemed to enjoy the fresh air. Aaron stopped when he saw someone hurrying in his direction. When he realized who it was, he let out a heavy sigh.
"Hi Gregory," he said. He was hoping the man had some other pressing business and would just pass him by. But there was no such luck. Gregory stopped and started carrying on about how someone vandalized the graveyard. Aaron didn't feel it was the emergency Gregory was making it out to be. After all, the people there weren't getting any deader. But since he was already out for a walk, Aaron agreed he would head over and take a look at the damage.
Aaron stopped when he arrived at the spot designated for burials. He didn't see any vandalism. Or damage. And there really was nothing to damage except the simple markers people used to show who was buried where. Aaron shrugged his shoulders and turned, intending to head back to his trailer. He stopped short. There was a man standing behind him. His hood was pulled up to obscure his face. And Aaron could see the moonlight glinting off a knife in his hands.
"Can I help you with something?," he asked. The man didn't answer. He just advanced on Aaron, raising the knife. Aaron was able to take one step back before the man rushed at him. Gracie's stroller toppled onto its side, spilling the little girl out into the grass. They struggled for the knife. Aaron felt the searing pain when the blade raked across his cheek. The man was taller and outweighed him. His body was crushing down on top of Aaron's, the knife getting closer and closer to his throat. Aaron could hear little Gracie screaming. And then suddenly the weight was gone. Jesus and Carl were dragging the man up and away from Aaron. Enid picked Gracie up and checked the little girl to make sure she wasn't hurt when the stroller flipped over.
"You got my son killed bringing that trash back to town!," the man hollered. Jesus shook his head. The man's son died when they were taking the outpost. No one died bringing the prisoners back. Jesus crouched down in front of the man.
"Who told you that?," he asked.
Gregory paced back and forth nervously in his office. They took control of his town from him. He knew it wouldn't be long before they took his home as well. Aaron had to go. He was dangerous. Or at least that's what Gregory kept telling himself.
The door swung open. Gregory turned, expecting to see the grieving father that was waiting near the gravesites to kill Aaron. The man was looking for someone to blame. Gregory only gave him what he wanted. Gregory paled when he saw not the man he was expecting, but the man that was supposed to be laying dead in the grass outside.
"A.. aa. Aaron," he stuttered. "What can I do for you?"
"You just tried to have me killed," Aaron said, slowly advancing on the man. There was blood dripping down the side of his face where the man cut him. Gregory was a coward. Aaron expected him to lie and deny his involvement. He wasn't prepared for Gregory to rush at him with a knife. Even with the element of surprise on his side, it was only a moment of struggle before Gregory was overpowered. Aaron twisted the man's arm behind his back and walked him outside.
"He deny it?," Carl asked. They had Aaron's attacker on his knees with his wrists tied behind his back, ready to repeat his story for the small crowd that was now gathered outside the townhouse.
"No!," Aaron answered. "When I confronted him he tried to stab me himself."
"That's a lie," Gregory whined. Aaron released his grip on the man, tossing him down onto the ground. Before he could even decide what he thought ought to be done with the man, Carl already had his gun out. He fired once, hitting Gregory in the middle of his forehead and knocking him backwards into the dirt. When Aaron turned to the boy for an explanation of his act, Carl stated his position quite plainly.
"I'm done taking prisoners."