There was a soft knock on the door and Lori steppped through. She placed a hair brush and a pile of folded clothes along with her boots and Annies pistol and holster.
"Everyone is moving into the house tonight since it's getting colder." Lori motioned for Aggie to sit on the toilet lid and started to brush out her blonde locks. "I always did like your thick hair. Would you like me to braid it how I used to?" Lori asked. Aggie simply nodded.
Lori methodically pulled and twisted Aggies hair into a french braid curving it over to one side so it fell over her shoulder and securing it with a small rubber band. "I'll leave you to get dressed then. Don't be too long Rick is anxious to question you about where you've been all this time."
"Oh goody." Agatha rolled her eyes and Lori kissed her on top of her head and left the bathroom. Aggie wiped off the excess water droplets from her body and dressed in a plain pair of jeans with plain black underwear and a simple white bra that looked a little too snug, which it was, and a plain white tank top with a light blue and white plaid shirt thrown over it. Needless to say she felt pretty good for the Apocalypse. She also pulled on socks and her trusty boots, and strapped on her gun.
Walking out into the hallway she could hear the hustle and bustle of the house from people moving their belongings in from out side. She moved downstairs and into a formal sitting room where she could see everyone moving totes and sleeping bags around to fit everyone. She spotted Maggie in the dining room speaking softly with Glenn and walked over to her.
"Hey Maggie is there an attic by any chance?" She asked.
"Yeah, there is, not sure if its suitable for sleeping. Im sure we can make it though." Maggie smiled sweetly.
"Is it a pull down staircase or is there a door?" She inquired.
"It's a pull down. Actually I was headed that way anyway. Let me show you." Maggie led her up stairs and down the hallway passed the bathroom Aggie used and past 4 more doors to the end of the hallway. Maggie opened the door at the very end. "Rick Carl and Lori will be sleeping here." She closed the door and pointed up. "And there is the attic. Haven't been up there since last Christmas. It will probably get really cold at night, you sure you wanna stay up there." she quirked an eyebrow.
"Yeah, not much of a sleeper and I like to be alone. By any chance would you have any books?" She asked the young lady.
"I have some, mostly Jane Austen and a few books of poems." She answered.
"Pride and Prejudice?" She asked hopefully.
"My favorite, let me go grab it for you." Maggie walked into a door halfway down the hallway.
PAggie pulled the cord which pulled down the staircase which led up to the attic. She climbed up the stairs and was surprised to see how roomy it was. There were boxes everywhere but she could stack them to give her more room she even spotted a camping cot in the corner, which she practically drooled over when she found it. Aggie started to organize the attic to give her room when Maggie popped her head in.
"Heres the book." she placed the book on the edge and made her way back down leaving Aggie alone again.
After about an hour Aggie had cleared a substantial space for herself and also set up the cot and found an old oil lap and tiny stool to set it upon. She beamed at the sight, simple yet fancy for the Apocalypse. She knew everyone downstairs would be cramped and she would be practically living in style, but she didn't care. No one had to know exactly how roomy it was up there.
She made her way back down to the main floor only to find everyone in a heated debate. She figured she would stay out of it and spotted Carl and Jimmy out back chasing chickens.
"Oh those poor chickens!" She cried over dramatically. Carl laughed and picked up a baby chick and handed it it Aggie. Aggie held the chick close and brushed her finger over its tiny head.
"Do you know what they are talking about in there, little man?" She asked Carl.
"Some guy from another group is being held in the shed over there." He pointed at the shed. "And they either wanna let him go or kill him."
"Whoa, heavy." She sighed. "Well it's a good thing we get to play with these cuties then huh?"
"Yeah I guess." He replied. Carl took the chick fron Aggies hands and set it back down to join the others. Aggie watched Carl and Jimmy for awhile playing with the chickens and decided to see if the discussion was over.
She went in through the house and spotted Rick talking to Daryl. Daryl spotted her frowned and took off saying "Gotta take a piss." She walked up to her Uncle and and placed her head on his shoulder.
"What was the pow wow about?" She asked. He placed his chin on her head.
"Daryl and I are gonna go on a run. Drop something off and maybe hit a few stores for supplies."
"You mean let that guy go right?" He looked down at her surprised. "Carl told me." He nodded knowingly.
"I need you to do something for me okay?"
"Anything."
"Keep the group under control. You are the only one I can trust to have my back." He frowned. "I can't even say that about Shane anymore."
"Whatever you need Uncle Rick." She heaved a heavy sigh. "Why can't you count on Shane, I thought he was your partner?" Rick spun around to face her.
"We tried letting him go the other day, but we argued about it and one thing led to another." He paused. "Now I can't trust him."
"You don't need to explain further. I'll watch over Lori and Carl, and I'll try to keep order around here, but they are my priority." She gazed at him seeing a worried expression on his face.
"Lori is pregnant." He paused trying to see her reaction. She blinked at him.
"You have got to be kidding me." She gasped. "Mom told me you got, you know." She made scissor motions with the left hand.
"She told you huh?" He questioned. "She always did have a big mouth."
"Well what do you expect, coming from a Christian family. She prayed for your soul for over a month." Aggie giggled. She immediately frowned after. "Do you know who knocked her up?"
"Shane." He said with a shallow tone to his voice.
"Oh, Jesus." She gasped. She stepped back from him. "Why are you telling me this."
"Someone needs to know the truth, in case I don't come back." He stated.
"Then who should I trust?" She inquired.
He mulled it over for a moment. "Daryl." He said flatly.
"Right." She eyed him questioningly. "And what if neither one of you make it back?" It was a reasonable question. She didn't know if she could trust anyone besides Rick, now hearing about Shane and Lori. She didn't blame her Uncle for not being able to count on Lori to have his back.
"Then it's your call. I would look to Glenn or Herschel if I were you." She nodded in understanding. "Under no circumstances are you to trust Shane. He will try to take over, don't let him. Got it?" He stated a bit too forcefully.
"Absolutely, should I shoot him if he tries?" She questioned.
"I hope it won't come to that." He said grimly.
Aggie continued to talk with her Uncle for a while, discussing her next move should they not come back. It was decided that before they left Rick would let them know he was leaving Aggie in charge. They knew that at least Shane would have a problem with it, but what choice did they have.
A little while later Shane walked up to discuss something about the young man being held. Her Uncle was being tight lipped about the details. All Aggie could find out was that she was only a few years older than him, which had to put him at about 23. Other than that Rick told her not to worry about it.
Aggie left the two men alone to discuss whatever they needed to discuss, and went around back to find Daryl at the water pump washing his hands.
"Hey Daryl?" He grunted in response. "I wanted to thank you for bringing me back here."
"Look here girl, the only reason I didn't kill you was because your Aunt was annoying with those damn family photos. Saw one of you and another blonde girl. If you were anyone else I would've just come back with your bags." He replied harshly.
"I get it. I really do, but still thank you." She stepped close to him and wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed. He stiffened and tried to step away, but Aggie being as aggressive as she is, she just moved with him and gripped tighter. "By the way." She let him go. "I'm not a girl remember?" She smiled sweetly, and turned around and went back into the house.
Aggie made her way into the kitchen following the smell of something delicious. She spotted Carol and Beth chopping vegetables and carving a chicken.
"You have no idea how long its been since I've had meat, and that canned shit don't count." She joked.
"No cursing in the house!" Yelled Patricia as she came into the kitchen carrying a basket of eggs.
"Sorry, Ma'am." Aggie felt like she was being scolded again by her mother.
"Here taste it." Carol passed Aggie a piece of the skin that came off the chicken while being carved. It tasted heavenly to Aggie and she moaned.
"Oh dear lord this is the best Carol." She smiled. "You are an Angel." Carol laughed and went back to carving.
They heard some yelling coming from the front porch. Agatha in a flash had her pistol out and bolted to the porch to see Shane red faced and screaming at Rick.
"You wanna leave that girl in charge!" Shane had his hand on his holster. He didn't notice Agatha behind him, her gun aimed at his head just in case. Ricks eyes flicked to her, just long enough for Shane to notice.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing Agatha!" Shane had his gun out but pointed down.
"Making sure you don't do something stupid." She growled at him. She knew she had the balls to shoot him if he did do anything to harm anyone in camp.
"Why don't you let the men talk, Sweetie. Go and do some laundry or something." He snidely remarked not taking his eyes off of Rick.
"I'm right where I need to be." Agatha replied calmly. Everyone by now had heard the noise and they came around from all sides. Daryl had seen it unfold from just around the corner of the house, away from Shanes view. He snuck around the other side bow in his hands, with Shane in his sights.
"Shane, stop it!" Cried Lori, she saw Daryl coming up behind Shane and panicked. Aggie saw in Lori eyes a flicker of sadness, but in Shanes when he looked at her aunt, it was pure devotion. She narrowed her eyes at Shane.
"I won't hesitate to put you down Shane!" Aggie warned.
"Rick, I think maybe we should wait on goin on a run." Daryl suggested. He moved closer and Shane spotted him. Shane raised his gun at Daryl. With Shanes eyes off of Rick, he made his move putting Shane in a choke hold.
"Daryl grab my cuffs!" Exclaimed Rick.
Daryl moved lightening fast and slapped the cuffs on Shane after taking his gun. Rick pulled him up. Shane was gasping for air trying to rub his neck.
"Put him in the shed." Herschel suggested.
Rick nodded at Daryl and they both lifted Shane up and dragged him to the shed with Aggie not far behind. Rick opened the door to the shed and Aggie saw the kid everyone was talking about. She almost didn't recognize him. She had a run in with his group pretty early on. She had just taken a perch on a low hanging tree a couple hundred yards away from the highway just outside Atlanta. She had been scouting for vehicles to possibly commandeer, and it was starting to get dark. Agatha remembered that when she was up in the tree she smelled the distinct scent of a fire. Still being the naive woman she was, she decided to investigate. Coming across a campsite with a lone tent was pretty familiar to Aggie. Always some idiot thinking they can just hide out in the woods, wait it out. This one though, this one was different. Before Aggie could make herself known a young girl poked her head out of the tent. Agatha knew one girl couldn't make it out there on her own. And much to her surprise and older gentleman came out behind her followed by another young girl a little older than the first. She swore she heard one of them call the man "Dad". Knowing this was a family unit she felt she needed to let them know of the dangers coming closer to them if they stayed in one spot. And maybe share some of her supplies if they were running low. But before she could do anything she heard more rustling in the bushes close to where she had come from. So she did what any smart woman in an apocalypse would do. She scampered up a tree. Watching from close by Agatha saw 5 men emerge from the trees almost directly below her. She froze in shock. She knew exactly what they were going to do. Three of the men had to hold the Father down while the other 2 raped the little girls right before his eyes. Agatha had to turn away but she could hear every cry and plea made to the men. After every one of the men had a turn on the girls they slit their throats and then proceeded to torture and beat the man to death taunting him with descriptions of how it felt to rape his daughters. Agatha purged her morning breakfast and cried in silence for the family knowing that she couldn't intervene or she would succumb to the same fate as those young girls.
Seeing the young man and knowing he was one of the animals that raped the young girls sent Agatha on a war path. She barreled at him and stuck her pistols barrel in his mouth.
"You fucking Monster! I should kill you right now for what you did!" She cried tears coming out of her like before. The images still fresh in her mind. Daryl and Rick froze not expecting the outburst that just happened. Shane sat there on the sheds floor chuckling to himself.
Agatha leaned in close to the man and whispered "Or should I rape you with my fist and then torture you to death just like you've done." She moved the gun and pointed it below his neck giving him a chance to answer.
"I wasn't with those guys." He started crying. "I had to follow them or I'd be dead!"
"So you thought raping young girls was the answer! Huh?" She pressed her gun harder into his throat.
"What are you doing Agatha?" Rick stepped up from behind and put his hand on her arm trying to coax her into lowering her gun.
"I'm going to make him feel what that family felt when him and his boys raped 2 girls in front of their Father then I'm going to torture him and maybe kill him."
"I didn't do anything!" The man screamed.
"I saw you, don't lie!" She snarled. Agatha saw his injured leg and dug her heel into it making him cry out in pain but before he could pass out she stopped.
"Agatha. Stop!" She heard her Uncle yell. She went ridged but never took her eyes or gun off the man. "Put the gun down." Rick softly said while stepping back away from her.
She took a deep breath and lowered her gun. "If you say one more thing to me or even look at me I will kill you where you are." She backed away, straightened up, and looked at her Uncle dead in the eye.
"We have to let him go. We decided that already." He placed his hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. Shane was now laughing. Agatha shot him a glare that could kill.
"At least someone agrees with me." Shane cackled.
"If you let him go he will just bring his friends back and rape and pillage this place."
"We will gather everyone and you can explain what you saw and what you think we should do." He pushed her out of the shed followed close by Daryl with you pleas of Shane to not leave him there.