The Rest of your Life

Chapter 47

There was a man. His name was Aaron. Rory shot up from her seat, sharpening her knives, when Maggie and Sasha walked in, announcing there was a guy. They brought him into the barn and Daryl immediately went to check if he was followed before locking the door. Rory looked at the man, he was clean. Maybe he had a stable place.

"We met him outside. He's by himself." Maggie told the group. Rory slowly inched forward, a dark look in her eyes as she played with her knives. She took pleasure in the way Aaron noticed and tensed up a little, it was funny to the young girl. "We took his weapons and we took his gear." Daryl patted the man down before nodding to Rick.

"Hi." Aaron said softly. Almost immediately, Judith begun to cry. Rick looked to Rory, but upon noticing she was armed with her knives in both hands, he passed the child to Carl. "It's nice to meet you."

"You said he had a weapon?" Rick rasped as Maggie walked forwards, handing him Aaron's gun. "There something you need?"

"He has a camp nearby." Sasha revealed. Rory squinted her eyes at the man, so she was right. "He wants us to audition for membership."

"I wish there was another word." Aaron breathed out, his hands still up in surrender. "Audition makes it sound like we're some kind of a dance troupe. That's only on Friday nights... um, and it's not a camp. It's a community. I think you all would make valuable additions. But it's not my call. My job is to convince you all to follow me back home... I know, if I were you, I wouldn't go ether. Not until I knew exactly what I was getting into. Sasha, can you hand Rick my pack?"

Rory watched as Sasha did exactly that and Rory tuned the man out as she watched Rick pull out an envelope of pictures. She watched as Rick stood up and stared at the man that was rambling. He stalked forwards and Rory puffed out a breath as Rick punched the man and knocked him out cold.

•••

Rory and Carl were rifling through Aaron's pack, as requested by Rick. The two kids did so in silence, Rory taking an orange gun from the pile and gesturing to Rick. The man walked over and Carl looked to the object in his friends hands as she passed it to Rick.

"Never seen a gun like that before." Carl commented.

"It's a flare gun, right?" Rory spoke, perking up a little. "I remember when dad let me use one one time he worked late at the station."

"Yeah." Rick breathed out before walking away. Rory frowned at the short answer.

•••

"You're being cautious. I completely understand." Aaron spoke as he was sat up by Maggie and Michonne.

"How many of your people are out there?" Rick asked sternly. "You have a flare gun. You have it to signal your people. How many of them are there?" It was silent for a moment as Aaron breathed in, his face becoming guarded. Rory tilted her head, he was trying to protect somebody.

"Does it matter?"

"Yes." Rick shot back almost immediately. "Yes it does."

"I mean, of course, it matters how many people are actually out there, but does it matter how many people I tell you are out there?"

Rory looked over her shoulder as Carl approached, handing their sister to Rory. Rory held the baby close as she watched the man converse with Rick.

"Because I'm pretty sure no matter what number I say... eight... thirty two... four hundred and fourty four... zero. Now matter what I say, you're not going to trust me." Aaron reasoned. Rory bounced Judith tiredly on her hip as the baby sat content in her arms.

"Well, it's hard to trust anyone who smiles after getting punched in the face."

"How about a guy who leaves bottles of water for you in the road?"