𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬

𝟐𝟑 | 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞.

Everyone met in the living room for our group discussion about Randall. I laid Jamie in bed resting with Beth so she'd not be around for this. Carl tried to stay but was told to go with Jimmy.

"So how do we do it?" Glenn asked. "Take a vote?"

"Does it have to be anonymous?" Andrea asked looking towards Rick.

Lori added the next suggestion. "Majority rules?"

Rick took a step forward placing himself in the center of everyone. "Let's just see where everyone stands and we can talk through the options."

"Well... the way I see it there's only one way to move forward." Shane spoke in a calm manner as he looked only to Nate from across the room.

Nate stood with his arms crossed over his chest a few feet behind Rick.

He didn't have the chance to address the look he received before Dale spoke up. "By killing him right? Why bother taking a vote? It's clear which way the winds blowing."

"Doesn't matter which way the wind blows. If you, or anyone else have something to get off your chest then let's hear it." Nate said looking from Dale to Andrea. This is what he meant during their conversation.

Dales eyes were full of sadness as he admitted his day was unsuccessful. "People who want to spare him are a small group. Maybe just me and Glenn."

The floor was open to Glenn as he awkwardly responded. "Look, I think you're right pretty much most of the time but he's not one of us. We've lost too many people already."

The debate began from there as the rest of the group started to chime in.

"We can't just keep him a prisoner?" Maggie asked.

Daryl countered her. "It'd be just another mouth to feed." Hershel agreed. "It's going to be a lean winter."
Lori tried to help the idea. "We could ration better."

Dale was desperate already. "He could be an asset. Give him a chance to prove himself."

No mercy was given when Miller harshly stepped in. "He needs us a lot more than we need him. He's not worth the risk."

"Not to mention possibly a drain on medical resources again." Danny threw in.

"We could let him work?" Glenn suggested.

"He's not roaming free. That's out of the question. I'll kill him myself before that happened." Nate said.

"Put an escort on him." Maggie didn't appreciate the way he shut Glenn down so quickly.

"Who's going to volunteer for that job?" Shane huffed looking over to Andrea making his facial expression scream for her not to do it.

"No one should be walking around with this guy." Rick stated with his hand up.

"Look— say we let him join us. He's helpful and he's nice. We let our guard down and maybe he runs and brings back his men." Shane said as he addressed everyone.

"So the answer is to kill him to prevent him from doing something that he may not ever even attempt?" Dale asked in disbelief with the logic. "If we do this we're saying there is no hope. No chance for civilization."

"Oh my god." Shane whispered as he turned his body from facing Dale to try and not get worked up.

Miller didn't though. "There is no civilization anymore." Shane looked at him thankfully for saying it.