Future Ghosts • TWD

49. The Killer in Me, the Killer in You.

A few days had passed and things were not looking up. Rick, Michonne, and Carl had gone on a run and returned with a shit ton of guns, which was good, but the next day, Rick went to meet with the Governor to discuss terms. When Rick returned, he explained what was going down. The Governor wanted the prison, he wanted them dead, and he wasn't gonna stop until he got what he wanted. So, as Rick simply put it, they were going to war.

Merle and Michonne wanted to attack first. Carol and Hershel wanted to hit the road. But Rick was dead set on staying. Rosie wasn't sure what she wanted, but she knew she wanted the Governor dead, so she knew she didn't want to leave. She also knew that she had no say in what would end up happening, so she didn't give her input.

Everyone was gearing up for war. They put traffic spikes across the road leading up to the gates, to hopefully prevent anymore vehicles from riding through. Glenn prepared bottles to use for Molotov cocktails. Rosie was given more ammo for the gun that used to be Glenn's. She tried to give it back to him once, but Glenn told her to keep it because she'd need it and he had another. Along with the guns Rick, Michonne, and Carl brought back, they brought a belt and holster, too, so Rosie wouldn't be walking around weaponless. It felt weird wearing a different belt with a different gun- not having her father's old stuff- but she was just grateful that she had any of it in the first place.

Now, Rosie was frustrated because Daryl had disappeared. Merle was missing, too. Same with Michonne. It was weird and confusing, which was why Rosie was hoping that the reason Rick had all of them gather outside was so he could tell them what the hell was going on and where the hell everyone was. So, she sat next to Carl on the bench, her leg bouncing impatiently as Glenn and Maggie joined her, Carl, Carol, Beth, and Hershel. Then Rick finally made his appearance. Still no Daryl, still no Michonne, still no Merle.

"When I met with the Governor, he offered me a deal. He said... he said he would leave us alone if I gave him Michonne. And I was gonna do that," Rick announced to everyone. Rosie furrowed her eyebrows a little. That's where Michonne was? With the Governor? She couldn't believe Rick would do that, especially after Michonne saved their asses. "To keep us safe," Rick continued, "I changed my mind. But now Merle took Michonne to fulfill the deal and Daryl went to stop him and I don't know if it's too late."

Oh, Rosie thought, that's where Daryl went.

"I was wrong not to tell you. And I'm sorry. What I said last year, that first night after the farm," Rick said, bowing his head a little.

"But get one thing straight- you're staying, this isn't a democracy anymore."

"It can't be like that. It can't. What we do, what we're willing to do, who we are, it's not my call. It can't be. I couldn't sacrifice one of us for the greater good because we are the greater good. We're the reason we're still here, not me. This is life and death. How you live... how you die- it isn't up to me," Rick said, looking around at every one of them. "I'm not your Governor. We choose to go. We choose to stay. We stick together. We vote. We can stay and we can fight or we can go." With that, Rick walked off, leaving everyone else in silence.

•

Another day went by. Michonne returned first. Then Daryl. But no Merle. Daryl was unusually quiet. He was always quieter than most of the others, but now he was even quieter. Merle was dead, Rosie came to find out. He sacrificed himself. He went to Woodbury and he killed off several of the Governor's best soldiers in order to give the people at the prison a fighting chance. Then the Governor found him and killed him. Merle was dead. Added to the list of the people from the Atlanta camp who were gone:

Amy, Jim, Jacqui, Sophia, Dale, Shane, T-Dog, Lori, and Merle.

The decision was made. They were going to stay and fight. Well, everyone aside from Hershel, Beth, Judith, Carl, and Rosie. Rosie and Carl were a bit irritated to not be allowed to fight, but they did as they were told anyway. They packed up their stuff, in case they were in need of a quick getaway, and made their way out to the cars.