"I saw him head up through the tree's that way before I blacked out." Shane pointed as he led us through the forest. I followed his gaze, as did Daryl, seeing nothing but trees in that direction. I glanced at Daryl out of the corner of my eye, he seemed focus, on high alert, just like the rest of us.
"He couldn't have gone far." Rick suggested. "He's hobbled, exhausted.
"And armed." I chimed in, swallowing hard.
"Yeah, well so are we." Rick said finally. Rick looked over at Daryl who had been silently watching the ground this whole time. "Can you track him?"
"No I don't see nothin." Daryl said glancing at me. That was my first clue, the only one I needed, and I felt that something wasn't right. Daryl didn't seem to feel anything so I shoved the feelings aside.
"There ain't no use in tracking him, okay? He went that way!" Shane pointed again, looking at all of us. "We spread out, just chase him down." I didn't like the way Shane pushed us in that direction and again the feeling of wrongness crept up my back. I looked at him pointedly.
"Kid weighs a buck twenty five soaking wet, and you're trying to tell us he got the jump on you?" I said ambiguously desperately wanting everyone to see what I did. Daryl glanced at me before looking to Shane, something clicking in his mind. Shane's eyes narrowed at me.
"I'd say a rock pretty much evens those odds, wouldn't you." Shane defended himself, blocking my insinuation.
"Alright alright, knock it off. Beau, You, Daryl and Glenn start heading up the right flank, me and Shane'll take the left." Rick ordered. I glanced up at Daryl and he nodded his head.
"Right flanks small, I'll only need Glenn." Daryl interjected. "Take Beau with you, more ta cover on tha left side." Rick looked at us both before agreeing.
"You're right, her bow may come in handy." Rick turned to leave, before he stopped, again looking at everyone. "Remember, Randall's not the only threat out there. Keep an eye out for each other." Him and Shane walked off, as did Glenn, but Daryl and I hesitated.
"When did you figure it out that something wasn't right?" I whispered. Daryl watched Shane and Rick walk off, his eyes narrowed.
"Back at camp." His eyes darted to me, his face in a frown. "Im only goin along with this dog an pony show because I can't be sure. I'd go with Rick, but I aint sending ya out alone with Glenn. Neither of ya are that strong." I rolled my eyes at him and he grabbed my shoulders, pulling me into his chest. He held me tightly before pulling away, his face grave. "Don't hesitate to shoot that fucker dead. I want you comin back." He kissed me lightly, locking eyes with me. "I love you, darlin."
"I- I love you." I stammered, feeling my throat go dry. Daryl nodded, looking up in the direction that the sheriff and his deputy wandered off too. I looked at him once more before running after them.
It got dark quickly, and Shane, Rick and I made our way through the woods cautiously. Few words were exchanged, mostly simple directions, not a threat in sight. I my bow had been down to my side for sometime now as I walked behind the two men, my eyes rarely leaving the back of Shane's head.
The deputy kept turning around to look at me and I think he could feel me watching him. He scratched his head, anxiously looking around the tree line. I studied the Deputy quietly, clearing my throat.
"Looks like its busted pretty bad." I said suddenly, catching the men off guard. They both turned to look at me, and Shane brushed me off.
"Na, it's fine." He said quietly, again starting to walk. I didn't move, only stared at him.
"Maybe I should take a look at it." I was irritating him on purpose, waiting for him to slip up, do something that would make Rick understand how much danger we were actually in, and not from the missing Randall.
"I said it's fine. Don't worry about me." Shane's tone was aggravated and he began to walk off again. I went to look at Rick, but the sheriff had also moved on, following him into the trees.
Shane led us silently, further out into the forest. As we passed through the tree's I felt more and more uneasy. This was a part of the forest we hadn't cleared yet, we had no idea how dangerous it was.
Shane stopped abruptly, quietly turning to both of us. He stared at us for a long time, sending chills up my spine before walking off again. Rick looked at me and I raised my eyebrow. Something in his stare made me feel like he was catching on.
I maintained my pace behind the men, watching them both. Shane kept glancing to the side, trying to make it seem like he was looking into the trees, but I knew he was looking at the both of us. I felt more on edge about him than the potential threat of walkers and I tightened my grip on my bow.
"Does this way feel right?" Rick spoke up after another long walk of silence. His voice startled me and I took a deep breath, cursing myself for scaring so easily. Shane stopped, looking at him then me.
"Right as any." He replied, almost too quickly. Rick and Shane stared each other down before the sheriff spoke again.
"Snatched your gun huh?" Rick asked. My heart fluttered and I knew he came around. There was a note of uncertainty in his voice, questioning.
"Yeah," Shane scoffed, shaking his head. "My favorite piece too." His eyes darted to me before he looked away, out into the trees. "he's gonna wish he'd killed me when I find his sorry ass." Rick narrowed his eyes at him, grunting in agreement. Shane looked at both of us before nodding his head. "Go on." His words were low, almost threatening and I watched Rick walk away in front of him. Shane looked at me expectantly and my heart dropped. I realized he wanted me in front of him, unable to watch him. Begrudgingly I complied, following Rick up the hill.
We came to vast open field and I closed my eyes, fear suddenly taking over. I could hear Shane's boots still crunching behind us and I whimpered involuntarily. Rick looked back at me, his face stony, trying to tell me to be strong.
"You say he got you with a rock?" The sheriff asked, regurgitating Shane's story.
"That's what I said." Shane replied quickly.
"Inside the shed?" Rick pried. Shane didn't say anything and I breathed deeply, biting my lip. I could feel the tension in the air. "Cuz that door was locked when T-Dog rolled up."
There was a sharp pain in the back of my head and I went sprawling to the ground. My eyesight was blurry, but I could make out the shape of Rick stepping towards me, pulling me across the field to him. I tried to stand, but ended up hitting the dirt again, where I stayed, panting.
I reached my hand to the back of my head, hissing as my dirty fingers made contact with open skin. They were wet, and I knew I was bleeding. I knew Shane had hit me with the butt of his gun. I couldn't see very well, my vision already blurry in the dark, but I saw Shane standing about ten feet from us, my bow discarded on the ground.
The field was silent, the only sound could be heard were my heavy pants and the chirping of crickets. I groaned as Rick pulled me to my feet, my head throbbing. Rick holstered his gun and I looked at him, stunned.
"So this where you planned to do it?" Rick asked. Shane stood silently, his face completely emotionless.
"Good a place as any." He said coldly. I tried my best to stand tall, but an involuntary sob escaped my lips. I was trembling with fear as I looked at the man in front of me. He held his pistol menacingly in front of me and again my eyes darted to my bow. Slowly Shane picked it up, tossing it off behind him.
"At least have the balls to call this what it is." Rick demanded him, his eyes narrowing. "Murder." Rick began to pace and Shane eyed him evilly. "You really believe if you walk back on to that farm no me, no Beau, they're gonna buy whatever bullshit story you make up?" Rick asked, his voice breaking.
"That's just it, it aint no story." Shane explained calmly, waving his piece around. I flinched, and Rick beckoned to me with his hand. I obeyed him, walking over to where he now stood.
"I saw that prisoner shoot you down, Rick. Beau ran in and he blew her away too. I ran after him, I snapped his neck." I shuddered as Shane told the story of our deaths. "It aint gonna be easy. Daryl will have something to say about it, but he'll live, like he somehow manages to always do." Shane looked at me heartlessly. "I may have to put him in his place a few times, but he'll accept it."
"You wont fucking touch him!" I growled at him angrily. Rick grabbed my wrist and Shane laughed at me before continuing.
"Lori and Carl, they'll get over you, Rick, they've done it before." Shane said matter of factly. Rick went rigid and I knew Shane's comment had hit a nerve. Shane sighed, drawing his firearm and pointing it at me first. I sobbed loudly and Rick put his hand around my shoulder. "I'll do Beau first, put her out of her misery."
I didn't want to die, at least not like this. I always knew that this was a viable option, Shane and I hated each other, but I didn't expect this to be it. Shane hesitated and Rick saw his chance.
"Why? Why now?" He asked his friend, taking a few steps forward. Shane's gun switched to Rick and I felt relief wash over me. "I thought we worked this all out."
"We tried to kill each other man." Shane laughed, finding Ricks words funny. Rick looked at me, hesitating before speaking again.
"And Beau?" he asked. My breath hitched at the sound of my name. Shane's eyes darted to me and he smiled.
"Beau's had it coming since the day she walked into camp with that backwater douchebag. She stuck her nose in things that didn't concern her a few too many times." Shane was completely amused by Rick's questions.
"So you're just gonna kill us in cold blood?" Rick asked again, taking more and more steps towards the psycho holding the gun. I stood frozen in my spot, watching as Shane stepped away from my bow. He'd forgotten about me for the time being and I inched closer to my weapon. His gaze shifted to me, so did his gun and I froze, my hands flying into the air. Rick looked at me, yelling again. "You're gonna screw my wife!" Shane's gun flew back to the Sheriff, like Rick had planned and again I began to inch. "Have MY children call you daddy?!" I could hear the emotion in his voice and I felt for him. "Is that what you want?!"
The men stood quietly, staring each other down. I felt hopeful, Shane's eyes trained on Rick completely. I could see my weapon growing closer when Rick spoke again.
"That life wont be worth a damn. You wont be able to live with this."
"You got no idea what I can live with! What I DO live with!" Shane yelled at him, dropping his firearm. I watched silently, freezing in my spot for a moment. "Come on man, raise your gun."
"I will not." Rick said defiantly.
"What happened Rick? I though you weren't the good guy anymore, aint that what you said?!" Shane egged him on. Again I began to make my way to my bow, not taking my eyes off of Shane. "Even now, you aint gonna fight for them?! I'm a better father than you Rick! I'M BETTER FOR LORI THAN YOU!" Rick stared at him silently as Shane closed the gap between them. "It's cuz I'm a better man that you, Rick, cuz I'll was here!" Shane stopped talking, taking a deep breath.
I was so close I could practically feel the bow in my hands. It glinted in the moonlight, like a beacon of hope when Shane screamed again.
"BUT YOU HAVE TO COME BACK AND DESTROY EVERYTHING!" Shane's voice took me off guard and I flinched. "You got a broken woman and you got a weak boy and you aint got a clue how to fix it, Now raise your gun!" Shane demanded him, pointing his pistol at Rick again. I had been completely forgotten and I ran to my bow, picking it up and nocking an arrow.
"NO!" Rick yelled back. "You will have to kill an unarmed man because I wont draw on you!"
I breathed heavily, pointing my arrow at the madman, begging for my nerves to calm. I let the arrow fly. It flew past, only grazing his left arm. I cursed myself for being so inaccurate due to my shaky hands. Shane turned to me, taking aim with his gun and firing.
I screamed as pain radiated from my arm. I hit the dirt, hard, scurrying back. I was afraid that Shane would come after me, but I saw Rick walking up to him. Quickly he drew his hunting knife, turning Shane around and jamming it into his chest.
Shane grunted, painfully, looking up at Rick in disbelief. Slowly he sunk to the ground, falling to his knees. Rick shushed him, almost cooing him. I brought my hand to my shoulder, holding my bleeding arm as I watched them. Rick laid Shane back in the grass gently.
"Damn you for making me do this Shane!" Rick cursed the man, yelling at him. "This was you! Not me! You did this!" I watched as Rick yelled at his dying friend and sobbed, seeing something break inside the once gentle sheriff.
I didn't move from where I sat, my arm still throbbing, still bleeding. My wound seemed meaningless as I watched Rick and Shane's last moments. Rick removed his knife, I could hear it scraping against Shane's bones, and the Deputy stared up at his friend in disbelief, gurgling once before growing still.
Rick began to sob and I too began to cry. I crawled over to the sheriff, sitting next to him and throwing my good arm around his neck. He held me tightly, bawling into my neck while my tears came silently.
"It was right, it was right, it was right." I chanted over and over again quietly. Rick sniffed, pulling away from me, looking at my arm. He wiped his face in his elbow before ripping the bottom of his shirt, wrapping it tightly over my jacket sleeve.
I'm not gonna lie. when i watched this the first time i jumped up and down when Rick killed him... then i jumped up and down when Carl shot him again. Carl started earning back his points that day.
Anyways, reviews are always lovely! I kinda want your feed back on whether to send Beau with Merle and daryl, or to send her back with Rick and the others.
Stay beautiful guys!