HEART FOR BRAINS • the walking dead

010: a follower

"So what you gonna do?" Lori asked the next morning, as she boiled the kettle. Rio walked over rubbing his eyes. She looked up to Rick and Shane, "We'd all feel better if we knew the plan."

"Is there a plan?" Andrea questioned.

"Are we gonna keep him here?" Glenn asked.

Shane and Rick wouldn't look at each other, not even when they were being asked questions. They kept avoiding each others gazes.

"We'll know soon enough." Rick answered, right as Daryl approached. His crossbow was slung over his shoulder and his knuckles were red with fresh blood again. He walked over confidently.

"Boy there's got a gang, 30 men." He announced, "They have heavy artillery and they ain't looking to make friends. They roll through here, our boys are dead."

He stopped, puffing out his cheeks before sighing. "And the women, they're gonna... they're gonna wish they were."

"What did you do?" Carol asked him. Daryl looked down at his hands before replying.

"We had a little chat."

"No one goes near this new guy." Rick ordered.

"Rick, what are you gonna do?"

"We have no choice. He's a threat. We have to eliminate the threat."

"Your just gonna kill him?" Dale asked.

"It's settled. I'll do it today." Rick announced, ignoring the older man's protests. Dale followed after him eagerly.

"Aren't you curious?" Carl asked, as they walked.

"About the man?"

"Yeah."

"I guess." Rio admitted, but then he shrugged.

Shane walked in the direction of the barn and Carl joined him. Rio joined Carl even though he didn't want to. He tried to ignore where they were headed. He kept his head down as they reached the front.

Shane and Carl talked about the man chained up inside, who Rio now realised wasn't actually a man.

"So he's a kid?" Carl asked "How old is he?"

"He ain't a kid. Just... that's a figure of speech."

"Can I see him?"

"No." Shane was stern, he stopped walking to make sure the boy understood what he was saying clearly. "Look, man, this is... this is grown-up stuff, all right?

Carl sighed as he continued. "You just... you just let us handle this." Shane walked off, not giving them a second look.

He let out a hm of annoyance before walking the other way. The boy made sure Shane was out of sight before he grabbed Rio's arm, pulling him by the elbow towards the back of the barn.

Rio watched the front of it as they walked away, trying to forget the bodies that had been there days before. Rio swore he could still see blood stains on the ground.

"I'm going up. Are you coming." Carl whispered, too quietly. Rio pointed to his ear, a small sign that showed Carl he didn't hear a word he just said.

"I'm going in." He repeated, loud enough this time. "Are you coming?"

"I... I don't know."

"If you don't want to just don't tell anyone."

Rio thought for a moment, although his mind was already made up. He shook his head at Carl. "I won't tell. Let's go."

Carls frown tipped into a smile as he and Rio climbed to the top of the barn. He pressed a finger to Rio's lips and whispered "Shhh." He was the one making most noise, Rio thought to himself.