Chapter 16: Demise
KPOV
~1 year ago~
I had just walked into the house, I walked upstairs to place my backpack from college into my room. Hearing footsteps, I turned and heard them coming from the room next to mine. Carl...heading out of my room after dropping my backpack onto my bed, I walked out to the hallway and stopped outside his door. Knocking two times to get his attention.
"Come in," I heard him call out to me, opening the door I stepped inside and saw a sad looking Carl slump to sit on his bed. "Hey Kat...how was college?" he asked me sadly and I couldn't help but feel sad for him. What could make him feel so sad?
"It was all right..." I say but then looked to his bed. "May I?" I asked him and he gave me a solemn nod. Frowning I sat beside him and nudged him with my elbow. "What's got you so sad baby brother?" I question his sadness.
"Mom and dad...they're arguing a lot. I feel like...it's my fault," he tells me which makes me sigh and look down at my thumbs which were twirling in circles. Orbiting each other.
"Carl...don't think that," I encouraged him as I wrapped my arm around his shoulders, pulling him to my side and holding him to me. "Sometimes...we feel like it's our fault. Maybe because we have a part to play but...some things happen and...we can't control it. Sometimes...it's fate but...don't ever blame yourself until you truly have reason to do so," I tell him. He gives me a small smile and wrapped his arms around me in a hug.
Present day...DPOV
"I told you!" Randall pleaded as I would beat his face in, my knuckles were starting to bleed and so was his face. Cuts, blood, busted lip. I honestly felt a little proud with my work. Fucker deserves this.
"You told me shit!" I growled as I picked him up by his collar and slamned him against the wall, getting him to sit up straight and to look at me. I was pacing around, trying to control my anger and my nerves with this asshole.
"I barely knew those guys. I met 'em on the road," the boy shouted at me, pleadingly as though he wanted nothing more than for this to stop. Well...it ain't stopping until I get answers.
"How many in your group?" I asked him again, wondering if he would answer. It had been the third time I asked him this question. I was losing my patience and I knew I had to keep my head level if I wanted to get answers out of him. To protect the group. To protect the ones I cared about...but fuck would I ever admit to that. Never.
"Uh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Come on, man!" he pleaded when he didn't answer. Pulling out my knife and digging it into the wood beside his injured leg. He screamed and panted when he noticed me miss him by an inch, trapping his pants in the wood and knife. He looked up at me scared.
"How many?!" I demanded as I looked at him, our height level and maybe more intimidating than if I was stood up on my two feet. Proximity...a way I learned from Merle. He would say 'get in a mans face an they know ya mean business'.
"Uh, 30- 30!" the boy shouted at me, trying to regain his breath and his eyes pleading. Worried and possibly scared. Better be fucking scared...I could do a lot worse than just hit him around a little.
"Where?" I questioned him, hopeful that he would answer me now that I had him where I wanted him. He fears me. Ripping the cloth, I exposed his stitches and the pale skin that was his leg.
"Uh I don't know. I swear. We were never anyplace more than a night," he screamed, his jaw clenched as he would speak from the pressure I had put against his cut. He squirmed and pleaded as he spoke. Wanting me not to cut open his stitches.
"Scouting? Planning on staying local?" I asked him as I dug the knife a little more, the tip swirling and grazing along his stitched up cut. I wonder what would happen if I cut this wound open again...hope he screams like the little bitch he is.
"I-I don't know. They-they left me behind!" the boy tried to explain, to make me see that he was innocent. Innocent my ass. We all know this guy is far from innocent.
"Did you ever pick off a scab?" I ask him, twirling the tip of my knife deeper into his wound, wondering if he would speak up or stay silent. Trying not to put too my pressure, I saw him wriggle his leg a little, holding onto it tightly and making sure he didn't cause himself a new cut.
"Come on, man! I'm-I'm trying to cooperate," the boy pleaded, wriggling his leg to keep it away from my knife. Looking up at him I didn't know what else to do. That was when I decided to dig the tip a little more, not enough to draw blood but enough to show him I was meaning business.
"Start real slow at first," I tell him, getting slowly closer to his face. "Sooner or later, you've just gotta rip it off," I growled as I twirled my knife, his face showing me he was in pain with his weird whimpers.
"Okay!" he shouted out before I could do anymore damage. Knew he was a little bitch. "Okay. They have weapons. Heavy stuff, automatics. But I didn't do anything," he shouted when he started to try and speak. The boy was stuttering and examining the knife that was still digging into his skin.
"Your boys shot at my boys. Tried to take this farm. You just went along for the ride? You're trying to tell me you're innocent?" I shouted, my anger starting to come out and the boy just sat there and listened. He knows I'm right...he knows he isn't innocent.
"Yes! These-these people took me in. Not just guys. A whole group of 'em. Men and women, kids too...just like you people. Thought I'd have a better chance with them, you know?" he tried to make me sympathise him. It ain't fucking working kid. Ain't ever going to work.
"But...we go out, scavenge...just the men. One night, we...we found this little campsite. A man and his two daughters. Teenagers, you know? Real young. Real cute," I stood up and removed my knife from his leg, pacing around looking at him. Listening to what he had to say. I turned my back as to walk away but then hearing this made me froze.
It's like he fucking read my mind about Kat...wait...is he trying to tell me he knows Kat is here? Turning to look at him my eyes were dark with hidden anger. His looked up at me like he knew something. Fuck...please don't tell me he knows Kat's here...is he talking about Kat?
"Their daddy had to watch while these guys...they...and they didn't even kill him afterwards. They just-they just made him watch as his daughters...they just-just...just left him there," he tells me which made me pant, thinking of what they did and how they almost could have done that to Kat. Fuck...they've done it before. Kat wasn't a one time thing.
"No, but-but-but I didn't touch those girls. No, I swear I didn't to-" he said which made me growl, kicking him he squirmed and groaned from the pain. Liar! You fucking helped keep Kat down...and I bet you helped hold the other girls down! Fucker!
"Please. Please. You gotta believe me, man. I'm not like that. I ain't like that. Please. Please, you gotta believe me!" he pleaded again, crying and panting. My anger was over the roof, thinking about Kat and those poor girls. No way are we letting this fucker live. Kicking him the balls with all my force, I kept punching him and kicking him. Making him cry out in pain and wince. That's for Kat...and those girls...and anymore you've come across.
KPOV
"So, what you gonna do? We'd all feel better if we knew the plan," mom said as he handed me a pot of coffee. Carl had his cup of tea and we were all stood by the fire. I was slighly mad that dad had brought Randall back, exhausted from all the shit that had been going on. I'm a mess...
"Is there a plan?" Andrea asked as she walked around us, I looked to Carl an he looked up at me sadly. He knows I haven't had much sleep...he's the one who sleeps in the same tent as me again.
"We gonna keep him here?" Glenn asked quickly. I just want this all over and done with. I don't want him staying here any longer.
"We'll know soon enough," dad said as he looked to the distance and this was when we all noticed Daryl walking back to us. He had gone to talk to the boy, to get some answers and get some fear into him. Like he did with Miguel back in Atlanta.
"Boy there's got a gang, 30 men. They have heavy artillery and they ain't looking to make friends. They roll through here, our boys are dead...and our women, they're gonna-they're gonna wish they were..." Daryl explained when he stopped to look at us. "Kat wasn't just a one off," he said which made me sigh and shake my head. Shutting my eyes, I sat down and took in this information. They're raped girls before...
"What did you do?" I asked him when I looked up and noticed he had his knuckles red. Blood pouring out from the cuts. He's been beating him up? I thought he was meant to just...scare the boy. Not attempt to kill him.
"Had a little chat," he told us, his blue eyes looking at me as I felt my heart drop to my stomach. He's lying to me. Why does everyone lie around here? Dad said he was going to do what he had to in order to protect us. To protect the group...yet...he brings the fucker back and causes this shit to happen.
"No one goes near this guy," dad demanded and I just scoffed. Don't have to tell me again. I don't want anything to do with that asshole. I don't even want to be even steps away from him. If I am...God...I'll kill him.
"Rick, what are you gonna do?" mom asked as she got up close to dad. He looked at her for a moment, staying silent and I noticed him look to me. His eyes sad and mom's face worried but curious.
"We have no choice. He's a threat. We have to eliminate the threat," dad explained. Trying to reassure us we would all be safe and this was when I saw Carl sit beside me on the ground. I won't let him hurt you baby brother. I promise.
"You're just gonna kill him?" Dale asked dad shocked. My eyes wide with Dale's new tone of voice. As though he doesn't agree with this. What the fuck? Did he not hear Daryl?! He's a rapist and a murderer. He has to be killed.
"It's settled. I'll do it today," dad says and this was when others began to walk away from the camp we had set up. Carl just reached up and took my hand in his. He pressed a gentle kiss on the inside of my palm, where mom would kiss it to sooth me. He cares...I know it. My nose got this feeling and my eyes did too...fuck. No way am I crying right now. Not in front of Carl.
RPOV
"You can't do this," Dale said as he followed after me. "You don't wanna do this. I know you don't," he tried to make me feel guilty but it wasn't working. He's a good man but...I'm not going to let that boy live any longer. Not after what we just heard.
"I thought about it all night. Knowing what we know now, I don't see a way out of it," I tried to make him see clearly. Dale was having non of it as I tried to storm off, Dale following closely by my side.
"But you can't just decide on your own to take someone's life," Dale tried to explain. Trying to make me feel guilty about making such a quick decision without processing what options we had on the table.
"The group seemed supportive," I state, noticing back there that most people saw my daughters moment of dispare. I need to do this. For the group and for Kat. It's hurting her and I don't want her hurting. Ever.
"What, because they didn't speak back? You didn't let 'em," he said as he tapped my side, making me stop and rest my hands on my hips. "There's gotta be a-a process," he tries to reason.
"And what would that be? We can't call witnesses, go before a judge," I ask him, facing him and pointing to the area the boy was locked up in. The world isn't as it was before. We've all changed and...Kat isn't feeling any better about this boy being here. Not with this new information we just gathered.
"So he's automatically guilty by association and sentenced to death? He's just a kid! Gimme some time to talk to everyone," Dale tried to make me see his side, to see what he was trying to point out. He was included in the whole thing. Yes. Of course he deserves to die.
"We can't-..." I said but Dale cut me off quickly.
"Try to figure out another way-" Dale tried to speak over me and try to make me listen to him. My mind was set and I didn't want to back away from this. This is about my daughter...about her safety and the safety of the group.
"No, we can't drag this out! People are scared," I tell him, thinking about Kat and how she winced thinking about the fact she wasn't the first or possibly the last person they tried to rape. She's exhaused...I can see it.
"Which is why they need time to discuss this," he tried to shout to me, to try and make me see where he was coming from. To make me realize that this was a mistake. Is it a mistake to protect the ones you care about?
"No, no, no, they need to be safe. I owe 'em that," I say as I began to walk away. To go to wherever I needed to go. To find the boy and ways on how to end his life. Which way would be preferable.
"You think about your son! The message that you're giving him...shoot first, think later," he tells me which makes me stop. Carl would want Kat safe...I know that but...is what he saying true? What if he was just doing those things for survival?
"I'm asking for one day to talk to everybody. You can give me that. Think-think about Carl and Kat," he tried to make me feel guilty again. Looking at him I studdied his face and thought things over.
"I am," I growled. Kat is exhausted. She wants this guy gone. He is a threat and a bad memory to her. Carl wants us all safe. He doesn't want Kat suffering anymore than she already was. "We reconvene at sunset, then what happens...happens," I tell him and left him there. Heading to the barn and fixing ways on how to kill Randall if that is what everyone wanted to happen.
CPOV
"So he's a kid?" I asked Shane as I walked beside him, curious as to who this dick was. We're keeping him hostage when he tried to rape my sister? That's just stupid.
"He ain't a kid. Just-...that's a figure of speech," Shane explained as he stopped walking and looked at me. We were getting close to where they were keeping him, Andrea was taking watching and guarding the guy who was locked up inside.
"Can I see him?" I ask him curious and wanting to get a look at the guy who everyone was fussing about. The same guy who tried to hurt Kat and is making her so...unlike herself now.
"No. Look, man, this is-this is grown-up stuff, all right? You just-you just let us handle this," Shane tells me and suggests that I go run off and do something. That he needed to go talk to Andrea. Kat had been doing other things, trying to keep herself calm with all the crap that was happening. She said she needed a few more hours sleep.
"Hey. That's a sweet hat. I'm Randall. What's your name? The sheriff guy...that your dad? I like him. Yeah, he's a good guy. I can tell. Your mom out here too? You're-you're lucky you still got your family. I lost mine. Hey, I- I don't know what people been saying about me, but I didn't do nothing. I swear," he said. Liar.
"Your dad was gonna let me go till his friend started fighting with him. It got pretty bad. I-I was kinda worried. My camp, we got lots of supplies. You help me, I'll take you and your folks back to my people. We'll take good care of you. Keep you safe," he said as I climbed down to get a better look at him. He was bloody, his face had been hit multiple times and he looked crazy. What happened next I didn't expect to happen...
KPOV
"Hey...have you seen Carl? I can't find him anywhere," I asked Andrea and Shane who were outside guarding the sun of a bitch who had tried to help the guy to rape me inside. I could hear something inside which made me wonder.
"Just gotta-...just gotta help me get out of here, okay? Just help me pick these locks or find the key, okay? Come on, please? Please?" I heard chains rattle and the sound of Randall's voice. What surprised me most was I heard a small little gasp. I wasn't the only one to hear it and opened the door quickly.
"What the hell are you doing in here?! What did you say to him?!" I shouted to Randall when his eyes widened. Carl was inside with him, close enough to possibly get himself hurt if it was possible. "What did you say to him, huh? Mother fucker! I'll kill you next time I see you! I swear it!" I shouted at Randall as I pulled Carl away from Randall. Punching Randall's face in as he cried and whimpered under my knuckles.
"Oh fuck! I didn't say nothing! I swear!" he pleaded noticing who I was. His eyes wide and his face was already bloody and bruised from Daryl's attack. Fucker. You deserve to die! You were talking to my baby brother.
"Hey, hey. Kat!" Andrea called to me, Shane had left me to punch him as much as I wanted. Andrea pulled me away and towards the door. Restraining me, I looked down at the bloodied face of Randalls. He barely moved and there was more blood than I thought possible come out of his mouth and cuts.
"Get your ass out this door. Let's go. What the hell were you doing?!" I asked Carl while Shane shut the door behind us as we left and I pulled him as far away from the place as I could.
"Please don't tell mom and dad," he pleaded, his blue eyes wide and his face gone paler than normal. He's terrified of mom and dad more than what that fucker could have done to him in there!
"Carl...you could've gotten hurt in there," I said to him, my voice cracking a little as I looked at him with sad eyes. I don't ever want him in dangers way. But...he went in there...and for what?!
"I can handle myself," Carl growled at me which made me look at him surprised. He never talks to me like this. Shane walked up to stand beside us, looking around and never at us while we discussed what just happened.
"Do not go near him again. Do you hear me? He was trying to manipulate you...maybe even hurt you like he tried to hurt me. Got it? It's what big sisters do. Protect their family...especially crazy little brothers," I said trying to take a firm but caring approach. He frowned and looked down.
"You won't tell mom and dad, will you?" he pleaded, I sighed and took a hard swallow. I don't know what to say...what to do. They need to know that he did this and...I don't want to go against him. Maybe tell them privately and then tell them that I handled it. That he won't do it again?
"Carl...this...this isn't about getting in trouble, okay? A guy like that, he will say anything to you. He'll try to make you feel sorry for him. He'll try to make you let your guard down," I tell him, trying to get him to look into my eyes. The entire time I had been talking to him, I had crouched to his level and kept my eyes on him.
"You let your guard down out here, people die. Now, just...do me a favor, man...go find your ma. Go on," Shane interupted our sad moment and made us look up at him. Carl turned to walk away. "Carl, quit trying to get yourself killed, man," Shane told Carl which made Carl run away and me to get to stand up straight, glaring at Shane's words.
"What the fuck?! Why did you just say that to him! He's a kid! He makes mistakes. Don't fucking try and pinpoint what he went through as his fault," I growled at Shane as I got up close and personal with him. Our faces inches apart, my eyes squinting to glare at him.
"Who should I pinpoint then huh? You?...your dad?" he asked trying to hurt me and...he did a little. He angered me more with these words. The fucker. Trying to paint me the bad guy. Fuck you Shane. Fuck you.
"You bite your fucking tongue. I know I wasn't there when he was shot but...God...I would have given anything to take his place. To not let him suffer like he did. Now you...keep out of mine and my family's business. Keep away from my little brother you monster," I spat at him, fed up with his stupid words and trying to seem like he was the best around here.
"And...don't think that I don't know what you've been doing. You killed Otis, tried to kill my dad in more than one occasions...slept with my mom. Lied to my mom, lied to me, hit me, gone against my dad's and Hershel's rules and now...you're making my brother feel guilty. So I suggest you fucking shut up because next time...I'll make it even between the two of us by knocking your teeth out," I threatened, proving to him that I knew more about him and what he did than he thought I did.
DPOV
"The whole point of me coming up here is...to get away from you people," I growled when I saw Dale walking up. I was cleaning up my crossbow and fixing the bolts I had. Making new ones and cleaning the old ones.
"Gonna take more than that," Dale said as he was swinging a stick and threw it to the ground. Stopping to prop his foot on a cut down tree stump. Why don't people just leave me the fuck alone?
"Carol send you?" I asked him, knowing that Carol was keeping a watchful eye on me since everything happened between Sophia and getting stabbed in the woods. Woman needs to get off my back.
"Carol's not the only one that's concerned about you, your new role in the group," Dale tried to convince me that I was important now. Like fuck am I important. No one notices me unless something's happened or if there is something they want me to do for them.
"Oh, man, I don't need my head shrunk. This group's broken. I'm better off fending for myself," I tell him, stating that I was better off doing things alone and not needing anyone for that matter. People slow me down.
"You act like you don't care," Dale pointed out, as though he could look right through me. He knows little then...because I don't care about what he thinks about me. Or Carol.
"Yeah, it's 'cause I don't," I inform him. Slipping my jacket and shit over my shoulders, letting them hang and grip onto my arms. Dale looked at me, holding onto the rifle strap and watching my every move.
"So live or die, you don't care what happens to Randall?" Dale asked me quizically. This made me scoff at the thought of Randall's life. What a stupid fucking question. It doesn't matter what I think. What happens is what happens.
"Nope. Would rather see him dead anyway..." I tell him, being completely honest with my thoughts. Especially after what I found out when I was making that fucker's face more beautiful...and making sure he would never have kids.
"Why not stand with me, try to save the kid's life, if it really doesn't matter one way or the other?" he pleaded of me. Ignoring the fact I had told him that I would reather see the boy die than to see him live.
"Didn't peg you for a desperate son of a bitch," I say as I fix up my collar and jacket. My knife back in place and trying to get comfortable. Dale hadn't moved since he stopped at that stupid stump.
"Your opinion makes a difference," he tells me, trying to make me feel important to this disfunctional group. That is the biggest lie ever. Everyone wants this kid dead.
"Man, ain't nobody looking at me for nothing," I tell him as I picked up my crossbow and began to walk away from him. Why doesn't he just leave me alone already?
"Carol is, and I am. Right now...and you obviously...you have Rick's ear," Dale tried to make me feel important again. And...another lie. Bingo! Full mother fucking house! This group is filled with liers and murderers. I turned to look at Dale surprised of his desperate way of talking to me.
"Rick just looks to Shane. Let him," I growled, walking closer to Dale to prove my point. Rick doesn't look to anyone. Only Shane and sometimes Kat. Kat is the one who plays with his heart but Shane...he's the one who plays with Rick's head.
"You cared about what happened to Sofia. Cared what it meant to the group. You cared about when Kat went out there and almost got raped," he said which made me look at him stunned. How the fuck did he know? "Torturing people? That isn't you. You're a decent man. So is Rick. Shane...he's different," he said which made me want to laugh.
"Why's that? 'Cause he killed Otis?" I asked as I looked at him, my face expressionless and my stance slightly intimidating. We all know that was bullshit. Kat knows it...Lori knows it and so does Dale.
"He tell you that?" he asked me knowing that I had cracked the case. Elementary my dear mother fucking Watson. This guy can be so fucking stupid sometimes. It was obvious that Shane lied.
"He told some story. How Otis covered him, saved his ass. He showed up with the dead guy's gun. Rick ain't stupid. If he didn't figure that out, it's 'cause he didn't wanna," I told him, pointing out the obvious like I did back in the residential home to Andrea. "It's like I said...group's broken," I said as I went to turn and walked off to go hunting. Like I said...I'm observant.
RPOV
"So, uh The nights are getting colder and we're pretty exposed," Lori said as she walked up, watching me checking the noose I had prepared for Randall. For some reason...it felt heavier than what is should have.
"I was thinking...maybe we could clear this place out, station lookouts up here," I went to say but then noticed how Lori looked at me displeased with my idea. "Uh...or we could talk to Hershel about staying in the house," I corrected myself quickly.
"Yeah," she said and we agreed on it. "Is that really the best way to do this? To string him up?" she asked me as I kept checking the noose, the length and where exactly to position it.
"I have no idea. It's my first time. Look, I know how you feel about the death penalty, but-" I sighed and tried to reassure her that this was the right thing to do. This had to be the right thing to do...surely. Please tell me it is.
"And I know the world has changed. After everything that's happened, you, Kat and Shane agree on this," Lori said as she crossed her arms over her chest, looking down at me and watching me as I tried to figure this all out.
"So you support this decision?" I asked her, looking up at her and looking for answers. Does she think this is right? That this is the best decision to make and what we needed to do? If she doesn't agree...what does it mean?
"If you think it's best. Honestly Rick...he did try and assist in the rape of our daughter. Kat...she's not been taking the whole situation between the boy being here and the lack of sleep she gets these past few weeks. I worry about her...and I know you worry too," she said reassuringly, playing her motherly role correctly. Making me sigh and think of what was possibly going through our daughter's mind.
"You never did tell me what happened on the road with you and Shane," Lori said changing the subject after a few minutes we had of silence. Tying the noose tighter, I looked at her and then stood up.
"He won't be a problem anymore," I said as I looked to the ceiling, turning my back on her and trying to find a suitable place for this to hang from. Finding some suitable places, we decided to head out and spend time with our children.
"You need to control that boy," Carol called out to us, she was stood by the graves and was rushing after us, anger on her face and absolutely disgusted with something.
"Carl? What happened?" I asked curious as to what our son could have done to cause Carol to be like this. What could he have possibly said to make Carol like this?
"He's disrespectful," Carol pointed out as though it was a statement. I've never heard this being said about Carl. What the hell did he do?
"Did he say something?" I asked her, wanting to know exactly what he said that would offend Carol like this. Carol looked like she was about to lose it in seconds.
"Something cruel about Sophia," she told us which made me think over why that would be a problem. Sighing, I knew that Carl probably didn't mean it and that he was just having a rough time. He's worried about Kat too and...maybe he had to take out his frustration somewhere. Carol was just the unfortunate one.
"We'll figure it out. It's okay," Lori tried to reassure Carol about what Carl did. Trying to make sure that Carl didn't get the full blame. That we would deal with it.
"It's not okay," Carol spoke back to Lori, un happy with trying to cover up for our son. He's just a boy and we're all having a tough time now. Fuck...this needs to fucking go right. I want some peace. Just one day.
"I'll have-I'll have a talk with him," I say putting my hand up, trying to stop the argument from forming between the two women. "Carl! Come over here. Did you talk back to Carol?" I called to him as I followed after him. He stopped and walked towards me. Stopping we looked at each other.
"No," he said after I noticed a small hint of fear in his eyes. He knows he got caught. That he did something wrong. He can't deny it when he knows he did.
"She says you did. You can't talk back to people like that," I tell him, trying to tell him that it wasn't right what he did and that he shouldn't of said that. What could he have said?
"I said it's stupid to believe in heaven. 'Cause it is," Carl told me which made me look away from him, thinking though how to explain to him that it was out of line for him to say that. His eyes and face were hard. As though he was telling the absolute truth. Like he knew what was real and what was fake. Fuck...no wonder Carol is like that.
"Well, just think about that for a minute. She just lost her daughter. She wants to believe she's still alive in some way," I tried to explain. Hoping that maybe he would understand. What if that was Kat? Would he still think it was stupid? Touch wood that Kat doesn't ever get in that position.
"But she-" Carl tried to say but I stopped him before he could go any futher. Any further to make himself forget that it wasn't right and to prevent him from mucking up again.
"Don't. Don't talk. Think. It's a good rule of thumb for life," I explain to him, teaching a lesson I never thought I would have to teach. He's still acting like a kid. He needs to grow up and realize that this life ain't what it used to be. There can't be any more screw ups.
"Mom always wants you to talk more," he tried to change the subject. What happens between me and his mom is between me and his mom. He doesn't need to get involved with that. Anyway...that's a different subject.
"Don't change the subject. You owe Carol an apology. You made a mistake. Fix it," I tell him, my voice stern and scolding for what he had said to Carol. I can't believe he wouldn't think over his choice of words. To say something like that to Carol. This isn't him.
"Is that why you're gonna kill that guy? Fixing your mistake?" he asked as I turned to walk away. This made me stop. Is this really all it was about? What I would of had to do to the boy in the end either way. Fuck...what do I say?
"That's different," I growled at Carl, unhappy with his way of trying to challenge me. Where has this change of heart come from? Where did my boy go? Normally he wouldn't challenge me like this. Not even Kat challenges me like this in this new world or old.
"How are you gonna do it? Are you gonna hang him in the barn?" he asked probably overhearing our decisions and challenging me further. What is he doing? This is so unlike him. What's got into him?
"You just think about how you're gonna make things right with Carol. Don't talk. Think. You got it?" I said as I pointed to his chest. Trying to keep my voice stern and to not show any weakness by giving in to his questions.
"Yeah," he mumbled and nodding, I decided that was enough and walked away. Hopefully he's learned his lesson. Maybe he'll stop when all this is over. He's probably just worried about Kat...like we all are.
KPOV
"What's up, Dale?" I asked him as he walked up to me, I was clearing up a little the fire and trying to get some more wood for later that night. Trying to keep myself busy by not thinking about Randall.
"I wanna change your mind," he said softly which made my body tense. My jaw clenched, my eyes shut and had a sharp intake of breath. It's like I can never run away from this fucking subject...
"What, you serious? You deny we're in danger, Dale?" I asked him, knowing that he was possibly thinking that this boy was no threat at all. He's a threat and we all know it. Dale needs to stop denying it and he needs to get over it.
"No, but there's a dozen of us, one of him," Dale tried to plead his case, to try and make me less worried but it didn't work for a second. He really is delusional isn't he?
"There's 30 of them!" I pointed out, spitting it out through clenched teeth and a tense body. He is acting so fucking stupid. He's ignoring all the signs and the actual issues that could arise.
"Killing him doesn't change that. No...but it changes us. It changes you Kat," he said which punched me in the heart. Did he really just say that? Like he really knew who I was? Yes...it might change what I believed in exactly. That...we shouldn't kill the living and especially when there is no proof but...there is proof.
"You're wrong about this, Dale. You're dead wrong. You know what changes someone?" I questioned him, getting to my feet and looking at him face to face. "No. I'll answer it for you. Almost being raped is something that changes you. I was out there-" I went to explain but he cut me off.
"I can understand that," he said cutting me off and trying to understand my point of view. Did he...really?! What the hell! What a load of bullshit!
"No. You don't. I was out there looking for a little girl who was dead all along. Only to be played around like some new toy by two men. Not to mention one of them is that prisoner we are keeping under a roof that you want to protect!" I explained, my voice filled with anger and disgust.
"Who instead of doing the right thing, by helping me...decided it would be best to hold me down so the man could gain his pleasures from me," I growled remembering the time when Randall did the wrong thing. "Not only that but...later today I found out he had be trying to convince my brother to let him out. I don't know if he was scared, doing things for survival or what...but...all I know is if that was me in that group...I would want to run the other direction!" I explained to him, showing exactly my point of view.
"Not try and get back to them like my father told me the guy pleaded! Like how he tried to manipulate my brother..." I revealed to him which made him look at me wide eyed. "So no Dale...I won't stand beside you...not when there is solid evidence that if we let that prick free...there will be a shitstorm coming our way. One of 30 men. I'm always going to do what's right for my family," I tell him, his mouth agaped as he stared at me.
"Let's gather up," dad declared to the group, all of us walking inside the house to go inside and to get this meeting started. To see where we all stood.
"Come on, Carl. I want you to stay with Jimmy," mom called to Carl, holding her arm out to place her hand on his back, leading him towards the stairs and walking beside him.
"But I wanna listen," Carl pleaded, I held the door opened and waited for them to come closer.
"Hm-mmm, not this time. Come on," mom denied him the pleasure of being there for the debate. Especially after what he had said to Carol and dad. Especially after what I was keeping from mom and dad for him.
"So how do we do this? Just take a vote?" Glenn asked when we finally knew Carl was gone. I sat down on the chair my dad was supporting himself on. Sitting there I didn't even want to move.
"Does it have to be unanimous?" Andrea asked, I stayed silent. Unmoving and not speaking up. We all know what we want. We all know what's right. This boy needs to die. I don't feel safe with him being under our care. Not after everything that's happened...
"How about majority rules?" mom suggested, I could tell mom had her fingers in her mouth. She too like Daryl would bite at her nails when she was nervous about something. Whereas Shane would rub his head and look around like he was losing his mind.
"Well, let's-let's just see where everybody stands, then we can talk through the options," dad said trying to be the reasonable leader. To take into account of all the opinions and possibilities we had in front of us.
"Well, where I sit, there's only one way to move forward," Shane said and mentally I agreed with him. After what Randall said to Carl...after all that's happened and what we found out. I can't risk knowing he would run back to his group first chance he got.
"Killing him, right? I mean, why even bother to even take a vote? It's clear which way the wind's blowing," Dale spoke up, un happy with how no one was speaking up for the boy. Lowering my head, I sighed and felt my stomach twist...and turn.
"Well, if people believe we should spare him, I wanna know," dad tried to explain, I felt sick and I didn't know either to run and hide or just...God...I don't know. What the fuck do I do?
"Well, I can tell you it's a small group...maybe just me and Glenn," Dale spoke but Glenn stayed silent and unmoving.
"Look, I...I think you're pretty much right about everything, all the time, but this-" Glenn tried to reason his point of view but it only shook the anger Dale was holding inside him.
"They've got you scared," Dale shouted, surprised that Glenn was disagreeing with him on this topic. Randall knows way too much and...we know way too much. They could end up coming back here to kill me for killing their friend. Killing dad and the rest of us for these guys called 'Dave and Tony'...
"He's not one of us. And we've...we've lost too many people already," Glenn argued back, I ran my fingers through my hair that was in a pony tail. Gripping onto the strands that were loose. I heard footsteps come towards me.
"Hey...baby...are you all right?" mom's voice asked me as she rubbed my back soothingly, taking my hand and kissing the spot which always seemed to relax me. Sighing I looked up at her and nod. She was crouching, looking at me from her position and worry was in her eyes.
"How about you? Do you agree with this?" Dale asked the Greene family as some people looked to me, trying to pull the attention away from me and mom's moment. The moment of me almost crumbling.
"Couldn't we continue keeping him prisoner?" Maggie asked, her spiritual side probably telling her that death wasn't the answer. Keeping him tied up and locked away won't solve our problem.
"Just another mouth to feed," Daryl said which made me shut my eyes again for another moment. I felt as though I needed to throw up. Like I needed to let go of all the nerves that were building in my body.
"It may be a lean winter," Hershel spoke up.
"We could ration better," mom said as she stood up, standing beside me and leaning against the chair I was sat on. She didn't leave my side and would rub circles into my back as to calm me down.
"Well, he could be an asset. Give him a chance to prove himself," Dale tried to convince us. Yeah...when the prick is so eager to leave us and to go back to his fucking group.
"Put him to work?" Glenn spoke which made my eyes widen, looking to dad I could sense he could see the panick in my eyes.
"We're not letting him walk around," dad spoke as he looked down at me. His facial expression was serious as he spoke. He is thinking about me. About how tough it is for me right now.
"We could put an escort on him," Maggie suggested but this made me feel sick. Yeah...let's put Andrea who let my brother get close enough to him and possibly get Carl killed.
"Who wants to volunteer for that duty?" Shane teased sarcastically. No one. If I'm near him...I promised that I would kill him. I mean it.
"I will," Dale stood up, hopeful that they would agree with him. Yeah...and let Dale get knocked out by some prick and let him escape. Not a chance.
"I don't think any of us should be walking around with this guy," dad said firmly, my eyes glued to the floor and my stomach churned. Trying to empty all the contents that were in my stomach but I stayed strong. Trying to over come my nerves.
"He's right. I wouldn't feel safe unless he was tied up," mom said as she massaged the back of my head, looking at me as she spoke. She knows she's not the only one who isn't safe. Me...Carl...dad and even Randall from me.
"We can't exactly put chains around his ankles, sentence him to hard labor," Andrea said slightly sarcastic with a dry tone to her voice. She doesn't like the thought of Randall alive too. Especially not keeping him here like some sort of slave.
"Look, say we let him join us, right? Maybe he's helpful...maybe he's nice. We let our guard down and maybe he runs off, brings back his 30 men," Shane suggested which made me nod. Oh he would and will...I know it.
"So the answer is to kill him to prevent a crime that he may never even attempt? If we do this, we're saying there's no hope. Rule of law is dead. There is no civilization," Dale pleaded as though he was a dying men in need of grasping onto something.
"Oh, my God," Shane mumbled and turned away for a moment. Dale's hope...shit. It's the thought of keeping our humanity. Of being the civil people we used to be.
"Could you drive him further out? Leave him like you planned?" Hershel asked as we all stood there unsure of how to go about with this information and point of views.
"You barely came back this time," mom said while looking over her shoulder at dad. Her hand still pressed against my back and some eyes were on me. "There are walkers. You could break down. Y-you could get lost," mom said trying to convince dad that it was a bad idea.
"Or get ambushed," Daryl stated which made me shut my eyes tightly, trying to take in deep breaths as not to spill my meals. The thought of those men finding us...destroying us of what we have...killing us. It struck fear into me.
"They're right. We should not put our own people at risk," Glenn stated which made me look up at him. What the fuck are we to do then? God...this is just us going around in circles.
"If you go through with it, how would you do it? Would he suffer?" Patricia asked, her voice sad and disappointed that we would have to consider this option. I don't fucking know anymore. All I know is what we've seen, been through and heard.
"We could hang him, right? Just snap his neck," Shane suggested as he looked to dad.
"I thought about that. Shooting may be more humane," dad answered which made me look at him surprised. Wouldn't walkers hear? Does he really want to put us at risk like that?
"And what about the body? Do we bury him?" T-Dog asked which made me purse my lips, clench my jaw and glare at T-Dog. We are not burying a man who tried to rape me. We bury the ones we love. No one loves that asshole here as far as I can tell.
"Hold on, hold on! You're talking about this like it's already decided!" Dale stopped us before we could decide. His arms waving around like a mad man as he tried to stop us from deciding the boys fate.
"You've been talking all day, going around in circles. You just wanna go around in circles again?" Daryl asked, hearing him pacing around behind me and Dale look at him incredulously.
"This is a young man's life, and it is worth more than a five-minute conversation! Is this what it's come to? We kill someone because we can't decide what else to do with him? You saved him and now look at us. He's been tortured. He's gonna be executed. How are we any better than those people that we're so afraid of?" he questioned us which made us turn silent. He's right...but we need to protect ourselves from the inevitable if we were to let him free.
"We all know what needs to be done," Shane said which made me lower my head again, causing mom to take my hand, rubbing it soothingly and kissing it from time to time. This is just one huge headache...
"No, Dale is right. We can't leave any stone unturned here. We have a responsibility-" dad spoke trying to reason to us all and only making my head spin more. I can't take anymore of this. It's driving me crazy!
"So what's the other solution?" Andrea asked as she stepped up.
"Let Rick finish," mom tried to stop her but dad fell silent.
"We haven't come up with a single viable option yet. I wish we could," Andrea tried to reason, to try and make us all see straight. I think we're all losing it. This is driving me crazy.
"So let's work on it!" Dale shouted angered. I felt my body shiver, from the fear and the sick feeling I had. I want some fucking peace. For one fucking day. I don't get any sleep. Not since Sophia was lost. I haven't had a chance to relax and to feel like I wasn't being strangled for a second!
"We are," Daryl spoke up but we were quickly silenced by an aggitated Carol.
"Stop it! Just stop it. I'm sick of everybody arguing and fighting. I didn't ask for this. You can't ask us to decide something like this. Please decide...either of you, both of you. But leave me out," Carol said as she looked to them all. Hopefully we can get some peace with this...I just want to not have to worry. Even if it's only for a moment.
"Not speaking out or killing him yourself-there's no difference," Dale said trying to courner us. I was fed up. Sick and tied of this bullshit.
"Shut up Dale. Please!" I said getting to my feet. "Now...we all have our opinions. I get that. But this guy...assisted in the attempt of rape towards me. Has tried to run away back to his people...has raped before me...and...I just am sick and tired of this arguing. Leave me out of it. I have had enough of people asking me if I'm all right and if I have an opinion on this," I began, my anger reaching to the roof.
"Yes! I do. I won't sit around here get talked down to by anyone else! I'm tired of it! I haven't had sleep in...God knows how long. Now...if you want to know what I think. I think we do what's best to keep us safe. One thing's for sure...I'll do anything to make sure we are safe," I tell them and sat back down. Mom went to comfort me. Kissing the top of my head and others looked at me with sad eyes.
"All right, that's enough. Anybody who wants the floor before we make a final decision has the chance," dad said trying to keep us all calm, he gently placed his hand to rest on my shoulder. He knew I was going through a lot these weeks. We were all fed up. People sat down and stayed silent.
"You once said that we don't kill the living," Dale said out to us. Reminding us all of Jim and when he was bitten.
"Well, that was before the living tried to kill us and tried to rape my daughter," dad growled unhappy with Dale's constant defending of the boy who tried to hurt me...and Carl.
"But don't you see? If we do this, the people that we were. The world that we knew is dead...and this new world is ugly. It's...harsh! It's-it's survival of the fittest! And that's a world I don't wanna live in, and I don't-...and I don't believe that any of you do. I can't. Please. Let's just do what's right," Dale pleaded to us, showing us his side of the argument. His beliefs. "Isn't there anybody else who's gonna stand with me?" he asked us.
"He's right. We should try to find another way," Andrea said, standing up. She probably feels sad that he's all alone on his side of the argument. That there is no one who will agree with him. Especially not after what I had just said.
"Anybody else?" dad asked, sounding tired and just wanting to get this all over and done with. Believe me dad...I want this over just as much as you do.
"Are y'all gonna watch, too? No, you'll go hide your heads in your tents and try to forget that we're slaughtering a human being. Whoa...I won't be a party to it," Dale said as he began to walk away. "This group is broken," he said as he stopped to look at Daryl.
CPOV
Kat and mom were down by the camp site, by the fire. Kat was playing the guitar, trying to mask any sound of possible gun fire. Telling mom and Kat that I was going to the house to go to the toilet, they let me walk towards it. Going another direction, I decided to go and see what was taking dad so long. "Would you like to stand or kneel?" I heard dad ask Randall.
"Oh, no, please. Ple-ah-ah-ah," Randall whimpered but was soon shuffling. Someone grabbed him and threw him to the floor. Maybe he's kneeling...maybe someone knocked him out?
"Do you have any final words?" dad asked him firmly, dully and I was slowly creeping up to see what was going on. I'm fed up of being kept in the dark. I want to know and see what happens to the guy who tried to hurt my sister.
"No, please. Please don't. Don't," Randall begged, his voice shaking and whimpering at dad. He's scared and confused. He knows what's going on and doesn't want it to happen.
"Do it, dad. Do it," I say when I finally see them. Stepping inside and encouraging dad. Dad had his gun pointed up, Daryl and Shane were there with him. Randall was blindfolded and tied up, on his knees and pleading for his life.
"Are you kidding me? What'd I say to you? What did I say to you?" Shane asked me as he tried to pull me away from the scene. Angry with what happened just that second and earlier today.
"Take him away. Take him away," dad ordered when he looked at Randall and lowered his gun as he looked at me.
"Get up," Daryl growled as he picked the boy up to his feet and dragged him out the barn. Dad stood there staring at me, watching me and his eyes were scared, worried and unsure of what to do.
KPOV
"We're keeping him in custody, for now," dad said as he walked towards us, Carl was closely with him. This was when I placed the guitar down and knew he lied to us. He went to go see Randall get shot.
"I'm gonna find Dale," Andrea said happily as she went on search for the elder man. Of course Dale would be happy about this. The boy gets to live another day...
"Carl, go inside. Now, please," mom ordered of Carl when she too realized that he had sneaked off to go looking for dad. To watch the execution take place.
"He followed us. He wanted to watch. I couldn't," dad tried to explain to us, mom looking at him sadly and I just looked down. I wanted Carl safe...not seeing someone getting killed.
"That's okay," mom said pleased with his decision. Pulling him into a hug and dad looked over her shoulder, his eyes on mine and they looked sad...disappointed.
"Yeah dad...that's okay," I agreed, going over to them and joining their hug. He didn't want Carl to see what was going on. Can I really hate him for that? No...I can't. Anyway...we don't know if the guy should die or not. I just...I don't know what to do anymore.
"Kat...I-" dad went to say, his hand cupping my cheek and his eyes were sad as they stared into mine. He was about to continue but was cut off by screaming in the distance. "Get Carl!" dad told us as he went to look at what was going on.
"Chip!" I called out for Carl, he ran out and looked at me worried. Mom stood beside me but both of us reached to Carl, mom taking a hold of him.
"What happened?" he asked us confused as to why someone was screaming. Judging by the sound...it's a man. I will always protect Carl. Even when he doesn't know it.
"Come here. Come here," mom told him as she grabbed him and crouched to his level. Grabbing my weapons, I ran towards where dad had ran off to.
"T-dog, get a shotgun now!" dad shouted as he made his way back to us. Carl looked at us confused, worried and unsure of what to do. He's scared.
"I want you to go in the house, I want you to lock the door and I want you to stay inside," mom told him as I went to go with dad, both of us running to the field and towards where the screaming came from.
Reaching where the screaming came from, I was shocked to see that Daryl had saved Dale from being bit but...that Dale had been pulled apart from his stomach. "All right, just listen to my voice. Listen to me, all right? Just listen to me. Okay, hold on now. Get Hershel!" dad tried to calm the dying Dale as he got to his knees beside him.
Falling to my knees, I sat there frozen and paralyzed. What the hell? Oh my God...what do we do? Fuck...I...FUCK! I didn't know what to do other than sit there and hope that Dale could be saved by Hershel.
People kept speaking over one another. Others gathered and Andrea sat beside Dale, caressing his face and looking into his eyes. Dale couldn't speak...couldn't move and could only look at us, his mouth agape and eyes wide.
"What happened?" Hershel said as he got close to us, looking down at the scene and sadly...we all knew Dale couldn't be fixed. He won't make it...plus...doesn't this count as a walker scratch?
"What can we do?" dad asked, his voice shaking and Dale panting. The sight was one of pure shock. There was no way Dale would survive unless we could do the operation where he was laid. "Can we move him?" dad asked Hershel.
"He won't make the trip," Hershel tried to explain. It would be impossible to move him anyway. His guts are spilling out. He's...dying.
"You have to do the operation here. Glenn, get back to the house," dad ordered and looked back down to Dale. Andrea hadn't left his side and was crying silently to him.
"Rick," Hershel said as he placed his hand on my dad's shoulder. Dad was now on his feet and Hershel shook his head when dad's eyes met his. This made dad look at him, swallow a heavy lump and shake his head.
"No!" dad cried realizing that Dale was now to die. There is no chance Dale can survive this...no chance. This was when everyone cried or panted, unsure of how to take it. I was frozen, unable to cry and unable to move. I saw Carl head towards us, stood beside me and walked closer to examine what was going on.
"Oh, God," I heard Carl cry. He walked away from the scene and fell into my arms. He sobbed into my chest and all I could do was hold him tightly. He's seen so much death...so much destruction. This isn't what I want for him. I still have hope.
"He's suffering. Do something!" I pleaded when I realized the pain behind Dale's face. Every gasp he took, every wide eyed head movement and groan of pain. He was unable to form words and we needed to show some mercy to him. To get him out of this endless torture.
"Oh, God," Andrea cried when she saw my dad raise his gun. Dad's aim was directly to Dale's head but...he took his time. He's losing it too. He...he has to do the hard decisions. The things that burden us. Sophia...Jim...and now Dale. He takes the hard tasks that need to be done. Not Shane.
Daryl stepped up and gently placed his hand onto dads. Taking the gun from him when he realized dad didn't have the courage to pull the trigger. Not courage...heart. He knows that it's been though for us all and this...was just another rock in our path. "I'm sorry, brother," Daryl said after he got to his knees. Clutching onto Carl tightly she he didn't have to see, I waited and then...Bang.
Hey guys...I know I've been a little mean and greedy with reviews so...sorry...and here you go. Enjoy and I hope you can forgive me. Please review if you wish. I would appreciate it...but I understand if you don't. Now...soon I might do a few more chapters and throw them at you. So you can enjoy a good few chapters to read during this christmas like...a christmas present! But...there is one favour I would like.
A whopping 10 reviews for the Season 2 finale! Which...we be a blast. Believe me. Then I have maybe 1 or 2 chapters extra before season 3. So...yep. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and leave me a review! I want to know what you think, what you would like to see happen and where you would like this story to go.
Ohhh! Wait! We don't have a ship name for any of our characters! Which would you like? Mention them in the reviews please! We have one more chapter and then it will be the season finale!
Now...replies! AND MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Jessica. orr .1884: Thank you for your review dear! Yes...hope this fullfilled your idea of what Daryl would be like. Internally yes...he was mad with the whole idea of Randall and Kat but...still...he beat the living hell out of Randall. Especially when he heard about the rape.
Caity6991: Oh sweetie. You're not an idiot. It was kind of subtle anyway. The way I wanted it to be. So thank you! I wanted it to be a surprise anyway. Like...to challenge Kat and what was wrong and right to her. Which...you'll have already seen in this chapter. Love you too!
Much love! And Merry Christmas!
HeroJustInTime90 x
