48 Three Communities

234 4 0
                                    


We walked to the Hilltop. Michonne, Tara, Rick, Carl and me.

    "Sasha! Enid!" Maggie called happily as we approached.
The gates opened and we walked in. Rick went up and hugged Maggie first.

    "You were right, right from the start. You told us to get ready to fight. I didn't listen, and I couldn't. I can now." Rick told Maggie.

I look out and from behind a building two people walking out, Jesus and Daryl.

I ran over pulling him into a long hug. After I finally finished it was Rick's turn then the others but last Daryl looked to Rick again and pulled out a revolver, Rick's revolver.

————

"No! No way in hell. That was not the deal. You people swore you could take the Saviors out, and you failed. So any arrangement we had is now done— null and void." Gregory said, he was the 'leader' of the Hilltop. "We aren't trade partners, we aren't friends, and we never met. Hmm? We don't know each other. I owe you nothing. In fact, you owe me for taking in the refugees, at great personal risk."

"Oh, you were very brave staying in here while Maggie and Sasha saved this place. Your courage was inspiring." Jesus sarcastically told him.

"Hey, don't you work for me?" Gregory said. "Aren't we friends?"

"Gregory, we already started this." Rick walked forward.

"You started it." Gregory told him.

"We did." Rick corrected. "And we're gonna win."

"These are killers." Gregory said.

"Is this how you want to live? Under their thumb, killing your people?" Rick asked.

"S-sometimes we don't get to choose what our lives look like. Sometimes, Ricky, you have to count the blessings you have." Gregory said.

"How many people can we spare? How many people here can fight?" Maggie wondered.

"'We'?" Gregory scoffs. "I don't even know how many people we have, Margaret. And it doesn't even matter? I mean... w-w-what are you gonna do? Start a platoon of sorghum farmers? 'Cause that's what we got. They grow things. They're not gonna want to fight."

"You're wrong. When people have a chance to do the right thing, they usually step up. I mean, people just—" Tara said.

"L-let me stop you before you break into song, okay? And, by the way, who would train all this cannon fodder?" Gregory asked.

"I will." Sasha stepped up.

"Give me a week." Rosita told him.

"Rhetorical, okay?" Gregory said in a sing-song voice. "I don't want to know. I never want to hear another word about any of it, ever."

"Would we better off without the Saviors, yes or no?" Rick asked.

"Yeah. Sure. Okay." Gregory sighed.

"So, what will you do to fix the problem?" Michonne asked.

"I didn't say we had a problem. You did. And what happens outside of my purview is outside of my purview." Gregory explained.

"What the hell, man? You're either with us or you ain't." Daryl told him. "You sit over there talking out of both sides of your mouth."

"I— I think I've made my position very clear." Gregory stood up but sounded more uncomfortable. "And I want to thank all of you for not being here today and not having this meeting with me or — or being seen on your way out. In other words, go out the back."

We all existed his office.

    "Walking ballsack." Rosita muttered.

     "Wanna knock that idiot's teeth out." Sasha said.

     "He's a coward, it's a miracle he's still alive." I say.

     "Yeah, well, we don't need him anyway." Daryl said.

    "Yeah, that's right. 'Cause we have Maggie and Sasha and Jesus here." Rick told us.

    "And..." Maggie spoke as the door opened and Enid came in.

    "Hey, um—" Enid started.

   "What's wrong?" Sasha assumed.

    "Nothing. Come outside." Enid smiled, Maggie lead the way outside.

   "What's going on?" Maggie asked as the people of the Hilltop stood in front of the door.

    "Hey." A lady stepped forward. "So, if you don't remember, I'm Bertie. And I owe my life to you all, twice over. A bunch of us do. Enid says that you want Gregory to get us to fight the Saviors with you. Is that true?"

   "Yes." Maggie nodded.

    "Do you think we can win, that we really could beat them? Us?" Bertie wondered.

    "I do." Maggie told them.

"Well, Enid says you could show us the way. I'm ready." Bertie said.

"Me too."
"Yeah."
"Let's do it."
"I'm in." Everyone agreed.

"It's a start." Michonne said.

"We'll get more." Sasha hoped.

"It still won't be enough." Michonne told her.

"No, it won't." Rosita said.

"Well, we find the right stuff, then maybe we don't need the numbers. Blow 'em up, burn 'em to the ground." Daryl told us as we walked to the gate.

"You said there weren't just soldiers with the Saviors, that there were workers there. People didn't have a choice." Tara said.

"We gotta win." Daryl said.

"We need more hands, another group." Rick explained. "Negan has outposts. The geography, the distance works against us. We gotta get back. If they come looking for Daryl, we need to be there."

"You don't have to get back." Jesus told us just as we reached the gate. "Not yet." Jesus took out a walkie-talkie. "It's one of theirs, long range. We can listen in, keep track of them."

"So, if we're not going back, what are we doing, then?" Michonne asked.

"I think it's time we introduced you to Ezekiel. King Ezekiel." Jesus added.

"King?" Rick questioned.

————

"It's called 'the Kingdom'?" Rick asked as him and Jesus exited the car leaving the rest of us inside.

"Yeah." Jesus said. "I didn't name it."

"How much farther?" Rick wondered.

"Well, technically, we're already here. I mean, we're always here, but here we are— at the Kingdom. Well, its outer edge." Jesus explained.

"Hey, what the hell we waitin' on?" Daryl asked stepping out.

"Waiting for them." Jesus pointed.
I looked as two men on horses approach.

"Who dares to trespass on the sovereign land of the— oh shit. Jesus, is that you?" One of the men asked, Jesus waved. "Who are all these people, Paul?"

"Hi, Richard. Nice to see you." Jesus walked forward.

"It's good to see you, too." Richard said.

NOT DEAD YET // the Walking Dead  ( Carl x Reader)Where stories live. Discover now