In the Very End: Book One

Chapter 42

*WARNING: Please be advised that this chapter contains mature content and strong language.*

Chapter 42
Quinn's POV

I came in on the tail-end of Daryl and Rick's conversation.

"I haven't told Tyreese yet. I don't know how he'll react."

"Let's go find out," Daryl spat coldly as he started down the stairs.

He caught my gaze for a split second before brushing past me. I averted my eyes to Rick, but his expression was as blank as Daryl's.

"Tyreese, you down here?" Rick called, his voice echoing off the cement prison walls.

"Rick, that you?" Tyreese shouted back.

Rick didn't answer as he headed down the hall, meeting Tyreese at the crossways that lead down four different corridors.

"You guys gotta see this," he said in a concerned tone.

"Can we take a break? There's somethin' we need to talk about," Rick reasoned.

"It can wait," Tyreese snapped. "C'mon."

Rick, Daryl, and I exchanged glances before following Ty down the cold halls. He haulted as we came around the next corner. He pointed his flashlight at a rat nailed to a board.

"The hell?" Daryl questioned as he walked towards it.

"I was just out here lookin' for answers and I found this. Same person that killed Karen and David did this. Remember the mice at the fences? They showed up the same day she was killed. We got a psychopath livin' with us."

"Tyreese—"

"We gotta find 'im, Rick. And I'm not gonna sleep until we do."

"Tyreese," Rick started again. "Whoever did this, I don't think that's who killed Karen."

"Why?"

A loud explosion caught our attention and cement fell from the cracked roof. We ran through the dark halls and out of the prison into the bright sunshine.

"Get back," Rick ordered lowly.

We hid behind a tan shed as we looked out into the fields. The Governor was back.

"Rick," he started, clearly spotting us. "Come on down here. We need to talk."

"It's not up to me!" Rick shouted back after a moment of silence. "There's a council now. They run this place!"

"Is Hershel on the council?" he asked in a mocking tone.

A woman made her way over to an SUV and pulled Hershel out of the back. I curled my fingers into fists. I saw Maggie cover her mouth as tears formed in her eyes.

"What about Michonne?" he asked. "She on the council, too?"

Michonne was dragged to the front and pushed to a kneeling position next to Hershel.

"I don't make the decisions anymore!" Rick repeated.

"You're makin' the decisions today, Rick!" the Governor insisted. "C'mon down here and let's have that talk."

I felt my heart leap into my throat as Rick spoke to his son before sending me a nod and heading down the gravel drive to the army waiting at our gates.

"We can't take 'em all on," I finally said.

"We'll go through the Admin building and through the woods like we planned," Daryl noted. "We ain't got the numbers no more."