My Fear, My Silence

Chapter Twenty Two: Good-bye

Rick lead me to the shed. Everyone was there, to hear and watch our goodbyes. Daryl waited inside for me. Shane was leaning against the shed annoyed. I don't blame him. He was just looking out for everyone, even if it was the wrong decision. Lori held Carl close who just gave me a guilty look. Daryl helped me into the shed. There laid broken and bloody Uncle Randall. His face was dripping with blood, and his leg was wrapped in gauze from Hershel stitching him up. His hands were still bound.

"Can you untie him?" I ask Daryl. He sighed and untied Randall. He rubbed his wrists and looked at me. I ran and hugged him tight. He hugged me back, which I haven't felt in years. 

"Mason Jar.....I thought I lost you." He says. I sit back and he was crying. "Your parents here?" He asked with hope.

"Daddy got eaten, and Mama came back as a walker and was put in Hershel's barn." I tell him. "Then someone shot waker Mama and now she is buried."

"Oh Mason.....these people, have they hurt you?" He asks while glaring at Daryl.

"No Daryl takes really good care of me. Miss Beth plays with me too." I tell him. Uncle Randall nods at Daryl as a thanks. 

"How are you Mason Jar? You being good and talkin to people?"

"I talk to Daryl, Glenn and Dale. Sometimes Miss Carol too." I say. "And i haven't had an attack since the CDC."

"Good. I am so proud of you sweetheart." He says as he hugs me tight. I never wanted to let go.

"Times up." Shane says but I shake my head.

"No." i tell him as I hold tight to Uncle Randall's shirt.

"Mason. You had your time but we got to go. NOW!" Shane says and starts to pull me away. Randall doesn't let them.

"Get your hands off of her!" Randall growls. 

"Pinkie, we gotta go." I hear Daryl say.

"Daddy don't let them take him." I cry.

"I'm sorry Mason." Daryl says. He pulls me away, Rick and Shane jump inside and tie him up. I cry into Daryl's shoulder.

"Daddy, why can't he stay." I sob. "I want him to stay."

"Ain't up to us Pinkie, we gotta listen to what Rick says." 

"That's stupid." I tell him and I watch as the truck go down the driveway. Daryl puts me down and goes hunting. I walk to the house and hear Carl and Lori talk about babies.

"Is it a girl or boy?" Carl asks her.

"Not sure. Gotta wait till their is born." Lori says. Then they notice me.

"Mason! Guess what! Mom's having a baby!" He shouts. I look at Lori and her tummy.

"Did you eat it and that's how it's in your tummy?" I ask her making her laugh.

"No sweetie, that is not how it works." She says with a smile. "How are you holding up?" I shrug my shoulders.

"I think it is just what We have to get used to." I tell her. She looks at me in shock. Lori pulls me into her lap.

"Never should you get used to this, one day you and Carl will be able to run around not worried about the monsters." She says. She pulls Carl closer to her and hugs us both.

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After awhile, Shane and Rick came back with Uncle Randall, but they were bruised and bloody. The place they were gonna put him was over run so they locked him back up. I was With Daddy in his camp. Everyone else moved into the house. I was rotating the squirrel over the fire when Dale came over.

"The whole point of me coming up here is to get away from you people." Daddy groaned.

"Gonna take more than that." Dale Chuckled.

"Carol send you?" Daddy asks.

"Carol's not the only one that's concerned about you, your new role in the group." Dale told him, Daddy just rolled his eyes.

"Oh, man, I don't need my head shrunk. This group's broken. I'm better off fending for myself."

"You act like you don't care."

"Yeah, it's 'cause I don't." Daddy snorted.

"So live or die, you don't care what happens to Randall? Mason's Uncle." Dale asked with shock. I was confused.

"Nope." Daddy said while popping the P.

"Then why not stand with me, try to save the kid's life, if it really doesn't matter one way or the other?" Dale pleaded, I was more confused. They were gonna kill Uncle Randall? 

"Didn't peg you for a desperate son of a bitch."

"Your opinion makes a difference."

"Man, ain't nobody looking at me for nothing."

 "Carol is, and I am. Mason looks to you as a father-"

"Leave her outta this." Daddy growls. Dale nods and continues.

"Right now. And you obviously-- You have Rick's ear."

"Rick just looks to Shane. Let him." Daddy says as he returns to sharpening arrows.

"You cared about what happened to Sofia. Cared what it meant to the group. Torturing people? That isn't you. You're a decent man. So is Rick. Shane-- He's different." Dale said.

"Why's that? 'Cause he killed Otis?" Daddy said.

"Who is Otis?" I ask but Dale ignores me.

"He tell you that?"Dale asked shocked. Daddy shock his head.

"He told some story-- How Otis covered him, saved his ass. He showed up with the dead guy's gun. Rick ain't stupid. If he didn't figure that out, it's 'cause he didn't wanna. It's like I said, Group's broken." Daddy told him. Dale sighed.

"Meetings in a few." He says then leaves.

"Daddy, what is the meeting about?" I ask him. He puts me in his lap and rotates the squirrel again.

"Nothin', here." He hands me the black squirrel, just how I liked it. "Eat up. You gotta stay with Carl during this meetin' okay?"

"Okay." I sigh.

"Sorry little one, that's how it's gotta be." Daddy says as he eats his squirrel.

"Was that your ring?" I ask him, referring to the necklace. He chokes on his squirrel a bit then swallows.

"Yeah, it was for Alex." He mumbles.

"You will give it to her soon. I have a feeling." I tell him, then lean against his chest as I eat my black squirrel.