The Walking Dead (Fanfic)

Chapter 21

With my gun pointed at the ground, I remained quiet as Glenn told Rick about the pills, and Rick proceeding to tell him that it was okay, and that it just wasn't the right thing to do at the time.  We were quiet as we search the surrounding areas for walkers, when it was clear, we looked at one another before walking into the bar. Where we found Hershel and an almost empty bottle of whiskey.

"Hershel?" Rick called out after we closed the doors behind us, the elderly man spoke but his speech was slightly slurred, "Who's with you?" he asked without turning around. "Glenn and Aideen." Rick answered without a beat. Glenn and I looked at one another, as all three of us slowly walked towards the bar counter. 

"Maggie sent them?" 

"They volunteered. They're good like that."

Rick was focused on the man in front of us, but for a moment he looked back at us, before slowly approaching Hershel. Glenn and I followed silently. The bar itself was dusty but otherwise not a bad place to come for a drink. There were countless photo frames on the walls, all showing those who had been here before. It was strange to think that the people in those photo's are either alive, dead or a walker.

"How many have you had?" Rick asked as he leaned against the bar, looking down at Hershel and what I assumed was his whiskey glass. "Not enough." he replied with a sigh. Putting my gun safely between my back and belt, I walked behind the bar and looked at Hershel. "Beth needs you, she collapsed in shock and no one knows what to do. We need you." I said carefully, I was still unsure about how the elderly man felt towards me, I could only hope that it was not hate.

"Maggie with her?" He asked looking up at me, I nodded and was about to speak but he cut in, "What could I do? She needs her mother. Or rather to mourn, like she should have done weeks ago. I robbed her of that. I see that now." Hershel said as he took another sip from his drink, I backed off and allowed Rick to continue. Seeing him this way, only made the guilt I felt worse. Why couldn't I have stopped him? Why didn't I try harder?

Glenn gently touched my shoulder which pulled me out of my mind, I blinked rapidly before looking at my best friend. "It not your fault. Stop blaming yourself." he reassured, I smiled gratefully before walking around the bar. Glenn and I stood by the door as Rick walked up to us, glancing over his shoulder at the drunken man. "So what do we do? Just wait for him to pass out?" Glenn mumbled to Rick, I nudged his shoulder and shook my head.

"Just go. Just go without me! Just go."

We all looked at him from the door before I spoke, "We promised Maggie to get you home safe. And that's what we intent to do." Suddenly, Hershel began laughing before cruel words left his mouth. "Like you promised that little girl?" The image of Sophia running into the woods, and her dropping to the floor after Rick put her down. My heart ached.

"So what's your plan? Finish the bottle? Drink yourself to death and leave your girls alone in this world?" Rick snapped as he walked towards Hershel, the older man stood angrily to face our group leader. "Stop telling me how to care for my family, my farm. You people are like the Plague! I do the Christian thing and give you shelter, and you destroyed it all!" his drunken words hurt more than I thought it would. I looked anywhere else as Rick and Hershel continued to go at it. Glenn and I remained silent, not knowing how we could possibly help.

Despite Hershel's faith he believed that there was no more hope left in the world, no hope for anyone left alive. Rick admitted that he too struggled with having hope, but he pretended he did for the sake of our group. He pretended so that we could believe in something, to have hope in something, it was at that moment I noticed how powerful of a leader Rick actually was.

Rick's words showed the old man that, he had to be the pillar for his family even though he felt weak. Hershel looked at Glenn and I who moved behind the bar together, before taking his glass and placing it upside down. Showing all of us, that he was finished and it was time to go. Hershel was about to stand when the creak of the bar's door's caught all of out attention. I grabbed my gun as we watched two men walk in.