My Fear, My Silence

Chapter Twenty One: Why?

Uncle Randall was in the shed. Hershel fixed up his leg but I still couldn't see him. Daddy was gonna go talk to Uncle Randall.  Daddy said I had to stay at camp, not if or buts just stay. i sat playing with Ika and Sophia's doll. Carol gave it to me. Then a light went into my eyes. I look to see the sun shining on a thing in the grass. I crawl over to see a ring on a chain. The ring had a black band with little shiny clear gems on it. Mama had one when she got married to Daddy. Maybe this was Daryl's. I walk over to the shed, no one was around. Before I knock I hear grunting and cries.

"I told you--" Uncle Randall groaned.

"You told me shit!" Daddy shouted.

"I barely knew those guys. I met 'em on the road."

"How many in your group?" Daddy asked. "Come on, man. How many?!"

"Uh, 30-- 30. 30 guys."

"Where?"

Uh... I don't know. I swear. We were never anyplace more than a night."

"Scouting? Planning on staying local?" Daddy shouted. I started to get scared.

"I-- I don't know. They-- they left me behind."

"Did you ever pick off a scab?" Daddy said. He was hurting Uncle Randall.

"Come on, man! I'm-I'm trying to cooperate."

"Start real slow at first." Daddy started.

"No." Randy cried.

 "Sooner or later, you've just gotta rip it off."

" Okay. Okay. They have weapons-- Heavy stuff, automatics. But I didn't do anything. Your boys shot at my boys, tried to take this farm. " Uncle Randall explained.

"You just went along for the ride? You're trying to tell me you're innocent?"

"Yes! These-- these people took me in. Not just guys-- A whole group of 'em. Men and women, kids too-- Just like you people. Thought I'd have a better chance with them, you know? But... We go out, scavenge-- Just the men. One night, we-- we found this little campsite. A man and his two daughters-- Teenagers, you know? Real young. Real cute. Their daddy had to watch while these guys-- they-- And they didn't even kill him afterwards. They just-- They just made him watch as his daughters-- They just-just-- just left him there. No, but-but-- but I didn't touch those girls. No, I swear I didn't to-- Please. Please. You gotta believe me, man. I'm not like that. I ain't like that. Please. Please, you gotta believe me." Uncle Randall pleaded. I opened the door to see Daddy's knuckles bloody and Uncle Randall's face swollen.

"Daddy...What..What are you doing?" I ask with fear.

"Mason, is that you?" Uncle Randall cried with a slight smile.

"Mason, what are you doing here?!" Daddy yelled. I held up the necklace.

"I..I wanted to see if it was yours....why are you hurting Uncle Randall." I cry. He stares at the necklace, then looks back at me. He was lost for words. I Ran and hugged Uncle Randall, but he couldn't hug me back cause his hands were bound. "I missed you Randy." I cry.

"I miss you Mason Jar." Randy says. Then two big hands pull me away.

"NO! LET ME GO NO UNCLE RANDALL!" I scream.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF HER!" Uncle Randall shouts. We go outside and they lock the shed. He was still yelling. I see Carol, Rick, Shane and Dale. Daddy was carrying me. He put me down I kicked him in the shin.

"Ow! The hell Mas-" Daddy winces but I start to yell.

"You said you would talk to him not hurt him! You say he is dangerous but you're the one beating him!" I scream. Guilt floods Rick's face, but not Shane. He just smirked. "I thought you were a good guy not a bad one!" I cry and run. I run to the barn with the horses in it. In there was Miss Beth, Maggie and Glenn.

"You okay Mason?" Glenn asked as they notice me and come over to me.

"Da...Daryl was....was hurting Uncle....Uncle Randall." I sob. Maggie picks me up and rubs my back. Just like Mama.

"I am sorry Mason." Miss Beth says.

"They dragged me away from him." I told Glenn. He took me from Maggie's arms.

"I'll be back." He says then kisses her. He carries me as we walk in the field. "Okay, now that its just you and me, tell me what happened." I tell him everything from the ring to shouting to me seeing Daryl. He shakes his head.

"Uncle Randall is really nice, he just got into bad things thats all." I tell him. His head tilts with confusion.

"What things Mason?" I shrunk.

"Mama says we can't talk about it." I mumble.

"Mason, you have to tell me. This could mean life or Death for Randall." I jump and he was giving me the I'm serious look.

"When we moved to Georgia, Mama and Uncle Randall would fight about the drugs he got into. But he gave them up so he could spend time with us. Mama wouldn't let him come over if he was 'sick'. I'm not supposed to know." I tell Glenn. He nods and listens.

"Thank you for telling me, I know that is hard cause your mother said not to." Glenn says while putting a hand on my shoulder. I shrug.

"It's okay. She's dead now so she can't be mad." I tell him. He was about to say something when we heard Rick yelling.

"Glenn! You seen Mason!" Rick shouts. 

"She is right here." He shouts back. Rick runs over, so Glenn leaves.

"Mason, we need to talk." He said. I refused to look at him. "We are taking Randall to a school and leaving him there, I want to give you the chance to say good bye."