Future Ghosts • TWD

60. You Are Not Safe.

"Hey, earlier, were you watching us?" Rick asked as they all followed behind Gabriel. Rosie didn't trust him. He was creepy and the things he said sounded to good to be true. But, in all fairness, it would probably be a while before she trusted any stranger they met on the road. She'd learned her lesson. So, she walked behind Daryl, close to Maggie.

"I keep to myself. Nowadays, people are just as dangerous as the dead, don't you think?" Gabriel said, looking back at the group- Rick, more specifically. Rosie furrowed her eyebrows without meaning to, looking away from Gabriel and staring at the angel wings on Daryl's back instead.

"No," Rick said.

"People are worse," Daryl added. He felt the urge to glance back at Rosie, to try and figure out what emotions she was feeling, but he didn't. He didn't want her to know that that was what he was thinking about, that they were the people he was thinking about when he said what he said.

"Well, I wasn't watching you," Gabriel told them. He wasn't trembling as much now. He let his guard down quickly. Too quickly, in Rosie's opinion. "I haven't been beyond the stream near my church more than a few times since it all started. That was the furthest I've gone before today." Rick nodded a little and they kept on walking. Then a small smile lifted on Gabriel's lips- not creepy or scary, more playful. "Or maybe I'm lying. Maybe I'm lying about everything and there's no church ahead at all. Maybe I'm leading you into a trap so I can steal all your squirrels."

Rosie's grip on the knife Daryl had given her tightened. They all paused for a moment, glaring at Gabriel. Rosie thought he had to be stupid, saying something like that. She felt the urge to tell him that, but she didn't. She kept her mouth shut, and let everyone's eyes do the work.

Gabriel looked back at them, an awkward look on his face. "Members of my flock had often told me that my sense of humor leaves much to be desired," he said, chuckling nervously.

"Yeah, it does," Daryl told him, glaring again. Very obviously intimidated, Gabriel stumbled back, running into a tree branch, before continuing on walking. He didn't say anything else until they got to the church, which Rosie was grateful for. Every word he said just added to the thick tension.

The church itself looked old and worn down. It reminded Rosie a little bit of the church she'd hid in after splitting off with Sophia and getting lost. This one was bigger, though. And it had a steeple. The walls were a pale yellow color, and the roof was white, but the paint was chipping, chipping, chipping away every couple of inches. The sign out front read St. Sarah's Church Episcopal. Rosie didn't know who St. Sarah was or what an episcopal was, but she didn't ask because it didn't matter.

There were two wooden doors in the front of the church- they were the newest looking things on the whole building- and Gabriel walked up the steps, about to open them.

"Hold up," Rick said to him. Gabriel did, but looked back at Rick with confusion. "Can we take a look around first? We just wanna hold on to our squirrels," Rick said, walking up the steps to look Gabriel in the eyes with a threatening demeanor. He held out his hand and Gabriel placed the keys in his palm.

"Wait with Carl," Daryl said when he looked back and noticed that Rosie was still following behind him. Rosie nodded and went over to where Carl was standing, while Rick, Daryl, Michonne, Carol, and Glenn all went inside to clear the church.

"Hi," Rosie said when she reached Carl's side.

"Hi," Carl said back, smiling a little. "Are you... feeling ok?" he asked hesitantly. Rosie nodded. She didn't want to talk about what she knew he was asking about right now, especially not when Ian was standing only a few feet away. So, she decided to change the subject. Smiling a little, Rosie patted Judith's head.