Mark tried opening the pet door, but for some reason a red light flashed and the door stayed closed. "We have no choice. We have to stay here. We'll find a way in." Omid noticed that Mark was struggling with the door. "It's locked?"

"Who the hell ever heard of a locked doggy door?" Kenny asked, frustration caged behind his voice.

"I have. My neighbor had one just like that. A dog wears a collar with a chip in it, so the door only opens if the collar is close." Omid explained, causing Kenny to eyeroll.

"Well shit, every day's a school day."

"So.. Where's the dog?" Travis asked, everyone looking around to see no sign of a furry animal pet. Just a grave. Mark got a grim idea.

"It might be over there.." Mark sighed, pointing at the tomb cluttered over dirt.

"The dog house? Yeah, that is pretty obvious." Omid said, a smirk on his face.

"Not the dog house.. The grave." Mark picked up a nearby shovel and began digging, the smell getting worse by the second.

"Ducky, look away, honey.." Katjaa demanded sweetly, grabbing his shoulder.

"Why? What's in there..?" Duck asked carefully, unable to look away from the man shoveling away at the dirt.

"Just.. It's not good." Kat replied, forcefully shielding him away from the sight before it was too late. Duck rolled his eyes, looking towards the wall with spite in his glare. That was a new look.

Mark dug up the dog's carcass, the smell of an old, skinned corpse hitting the survivors nose. "Oh my god, that smell.." Carley gagged, standing over Mark's shoulder. He tried to grab it by the collar to avoid touching it's 'skin' or lack thereof.

"Ugh, I can't get the collar off." Mark sounded just as disgusted, and almost puked when the dog's head flimsily fell off of its body.

"That's sick!" Travis choked out. Christa had a much stronger reaction, vomiting in a bush. When she recovered, she saw everyone staring at her. "W-what? It's just the smell.." She panted, wiping her mouth. Mark grabbed the collar and stood up, walking towards the door before activating the doggy door.

"Finally. Duck, you need to do this, in and out. Do you hear me?" Kenny asked sternly, folding his arms like an upset parent in front of Duck.

"Aye aye!" Duck replied, rushing to the door.

"Ducky.. You don't have to do this." Katjaa said slowly, putting a hand on his head.

"Yeah, I do mom! They need me. I'll be back soon!" He assured, getting on his knees before crawling inside the house. Everyone but Omid, Christa, Ben and Travis crowded around the door, awaiting the ten year old's return. Eventually, the door opened and Duck stood on the other end with a proud smile. "Boom! C'mon!"

The group came inside, peaking around to check if no one was here. Luckily, no one was. "Alright, the coast seems to be clear. Now, we need a plan for who's going to be in charge while Lee is gone." Kenny said after looking around the living room and kitchen of the mansion.

"I hope you're not suggesting yourself." Christa bluntly spoke, laying Omid down on the couch. Kenny glared at the two.

"Ah, thanks, babe.. Happy to be off my feet." Omid replied to his girlfriend.

"Of course. You need to rest." Christa smiled back, kissing his forehead.

"I think Carley should lead in Lee's absence. She is closest to him, she's smart, she is currently holding our supplies and is trustworthy." Mark suggested, getting mostly nods and voices of approval from the group.

"Really? Thanks, Mark. We should probably search the house first before we do anything else, check upstairs, the spare rooms." Carley was already starting it seemed, pacing around the room while ideas soured through her head.

"No, first things first is taking shitbird here out of the house. If Lee were here, he'd want us to vote on this scumbags fate." Kenny grabbed Ben's arm and looked toward the brunette.

"He's got a point.. We can't just leave Ben alone." Carley didn't like Kenny's attitude, but Ben was a traitor, and Lee would have had him delt with.

"Guys, please, I told you, I would never betray the group again!" Ben pleaded, getting a tighter grip from the husband.

"Bullshit, keep your mouth shut, traitor." Kenny shouted loudly, causing Katjaa to turn away.

"I can't take this anymore." She blurted out before speed walking upstairs. Kenny said nothing but left Ben anyways.

"I'll check up on her. I vote to kick this fucker out, the rest of you can vote on what you want." Kenny voted before heading upstairs, his fists turning to calm palms.

"I vote him out, if it wasn't obvious." Travis easily said.

"Travis, please-" Ben tried to speak, but was cut off as Travis limped toward him.

"No, fuck you, Ben! You're supposed to be my best friend, but you sold me out instead!" The teen cut him off as he collapsed to the couch.

"Andy would have killed me instead!" Ben defended, struggling from his binds. His rifle was given to Mark instead.

"Well, it's a good thing we know how selfish you really are." Travis coldly stated, resting his foot on the table sat in the middle of the loveseats. Omid was fast asleep already.

"I vote to keep him! People should be forgiven, right?" Duck spoke for the teen, getting odd looks from most of the group due to his age.

"Are we really counting his vote?" Mark whispered to Carley.

"Duck, your opinion matters. If Lee were here I'm sure he'd count your vote. I vote for Ben to stay too." Carley gave the boy a smile while Ben let out a sigh of relief.

"Well, I'm sorry but I vote we leave him. Ben, you put the group at risk, and I can't let you risk hurting Omid and I too." Christa added, her eyes directed directly in the kids.

"Mark, you're the swing vote. Katjaa is in no state to vote and Omid is out cold." Carley notified, putting pressure on the young man.

"Please, Mark, let me stay. I won't ever do it again." Ben begged, fear in his eyes at the thought of being kicked out into a walker infested Savannah. Mark began pacing, his face in his palms. Usually he'd be quick to save Ben but now? This was quite the dilemma.

Choices:

A: Kick Ben out

B: Ben deserves to stay.

Relationships (Lee):

Clementine hopes you forgive her soon. She still believes her parents are out there. 7/10

Kenny wishes you were here as he doesn't really like Carley. 7/10

Carley misses you dearly. 10/10

Mark misses you as well, wishing you were here to lead the group out of these tough spots. 10/10

Duck likes that you're gone a bit, it gives him a chance to shine without Clementine one upping him. 10/10

Chuck is happy to be by your side. 9/10

Katjaa wishes you were here. 9/10

Omid hopes you and Clem are okay. 7/10

Christa hopes you're taking good care of Clem. 7/10

Travis is grateful you saved him. 10/10

Ben is terrified. He knows you'd give him a second chance. 7/10

There's a man on the radio after Clem, he doesn't seem friendly. 3/10

((Question of the chapter, do you like Ben in the actual walking dead canon?))