Living in a world where all you know is survival is vigorous, friendship could be the only thing we hold onto. With Michelle's new friendship development with the sheriff, she cherishes it deep down. But she could sense that it could turn into somet...
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"So what're you gonna do? We'd all feel better if we knew the plan."
"Is there a plan?"
"We'll know soon enough." Rick nodded to Daryl who was walking towards us with bloody fists. I haven't spoken to Rick since yesterday when he told me to leave. I try to stay clear of him now.
"Boy there's got a gang, 30 men. Heavy artillery and ain't looking to be friends. They roll through here, our boys are dead. And our women, they're gonna-they're gonna wish they were." My stomached churned at what he said. I saw Rick shift uncomfortably, taking a glance at me. I shook it off.
"No one goes near this guy. We have no choice. He's a threat, we have to eliminate the threat." Kill him.
"You're just gonna kill him?" I knew if anyone was going to protest, it would be Dale.
"It's settled. I'll do it today." Rick said walking away, with Dale hot on his heels.
We were meeting at sunset to decide Randalls fate. I could tell, it was going to be a small group that's towards not killing him. I mean, we needed to be safe. And with Randall being alive, we wouldn't be. Me and Ian were sitting around in silence. Nothing was really going on. Dale was trying to talk some sense into everyone, but that was about it.
"Why are you avoiding Rick?" Ian blurted out. I looked at him and thought for a moment.
"I'm not avoiding him. He's avoiding me. I don't know what I did, but he's avoiding me." I say looking at Rick who was by the house.
"It's cause he likes you." I scoffed.
"No he doesn't. He's got a wife. Thats not gonna happen." I said. I put my hand on his shoulder, and walked away.
We were all standing in the front room. Waiting for the debate to be had.
"So, how do we do this? Do we just take a vote?"
"Does it have to be unanimous?"
"How about majority rules?"
"Well, let's just see where everybody stands. Then we can talk through the options." Rick cut off everyone, trying to keep this conversation calm.
"Well, where I sit, there's only one way to move forward." Shane said.
"Killing him, right? I mean why even bother to even take a vote? It's clear which way the wind's blowing." I felt for Dale. I know killing the boy isn't my ideal choice, but it is the choice that keeps us alive.
"Look, say we let him join us, right? Maybe he's helpful, maybe he's nice. Say we let our guard down and maybe he runs off, brings back his 30 men." Shane reasoned with Dale.
"So the answer is to kill him for a crime 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 was getting emotional now. I heard Shane mutter 'oh my god'.
"Shut up Shane. Just shut up." I snap at him. He just glares and looks the other way. Everyone was talking how we would kill him, and what we would do with the body afterwards.
"Hold on, you're talking about this like it's already been decided." Dale interrupted everyone.
"You've been talking all day, running in circles you just wanna go round in circles again?" daryl said pacing the room.
"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!" Dale said pointing to Rick. "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?" Dale finished. It was quiet for a moment before Rick spoke again,
"If anyone wants the floor before we make a final decision has the chance." Dale was the first to speak up.
"You once said that we don't kill the living." Dale tried to reason.
"That was before the living tried to kill us." I spoke across from Rick. He met my eyes for a moment but broke contact.
"But don't you see? If we do this, the people we were, the world that we knew is dead! And this new world is ugly. It's harsh, it's survival of the fittest! And that's a world I don't wanna live in and I don't think that any of you do. I can't. Please. Let's just do what's right." Dale pleaded. There were tears threatening to spill out. I could tell this was hard for him.
"He's right." It was Andrea who spoke, "We should find another way." It was silent again. We were waiting for someone to speak up and see if they agreed with Dale, but no one did.
"Are ya'll gonna watch too?" Dale half heartedly joked, "No you'll go hide your heads in your tents and forget your slaughtering a human being." He took a breath, "I won't be a party to it." He started walking out but before, he turned to Daryl and put his hand on his shoulder,
"This group is broken." Then he walked out the door. They were both right. This group is broken. No one could agree on anything anymore.
We were all sitting around the campfire, waiting for Daryl, Shane, and Rick to come back and tell us the job was done. Ever since our conversation in the living room, I couldn't stop thinking about Dale. Deep down I knew he was right. But in this world, you couldn't take any chances. I wish it wasn't like that, but it was.
We saw the three of them walking back, we all stood up, waiting to hear the news.
"We're keeping him in custody for now." Was all Rick said. He walked over to Lori, said a few things to her before walking towards me. I thought he was just going to walk right past me, but he squatted right in front of me.
"I'm sorry." I waited for him to continue, "I'm sorry for telling you to get out the other day. All you were trying to do was comfort me and I pushed you away. I'm sorry, Michelle." He said looking into my eyes. I had that churning feeling in my stomach again, but I suppressed it.
"Rick, its ok. I know you had your reasons." I put my hand on his shoulder. No one was around us, so they couldn't hear. But over Rick's shoulder I could see Lori glaring at me. I ignored her.
All of a sudden we hear a loud scream. I immediately sprint to where it's coming from. It sounds like Dale. I can feel my chest burning as I run as fast as I can. I can't stop, Dale's in trouble.
Once I got there, I saw Dale laying on the ground, his stomach torn open. Daryl was right beside him. In the distance I was a dead walker on the ground. As everyone starts getting here, they start panicking. Hershel says he can't do anything about it. I heard Rick yell 'no!' My eyes were fixated on Dale. I felt someone holding me, it was Dallas. I had tears in my eyes but I didn't let them fall. Rick pulled his gun out, all the girls were crying except me. I could move or make a sound.
Rick got on one knee, aiming the gun at Dale's head, but I knew he couldn't do it. Daryl took the gun out of Rick's hand. Knelt, looking into Dale's eyes.
"Sorry brother." Bang. I didn't even flinch when the gun went off. We lost another. How more were we going to lose?
