like real people do | c.g [#wattys2019]

M E M O R I Z E

"NO! No way in hell." I, along with everyone else in the room, am trying exceptionally hard not to roll my eyes at the moment. After Jesus lead everyone back to the Barrington House, we met with the Hilltop's leader, Gregory, once again to discuss our situation with the Saviors. Only Gregory seems to be everything but a leader. I'd noticed it before when we first came here and throughout the past couple of days. He's so much of a selfish coward, I genuinely found myself wondering how he would've survived if people hadn't turned to him for leadership. The short answer is, he wouldn't have.

He's a standard politician, he's not a leader. Seeing him try and smoothly talk himself out of this sticky situation reminds me of all the political rants my parents used to go on. And as he stands there now, pacing behind his mahogany desk as he refuses to help us, he exudes the sleaze politicians always seemed to carry.

"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. We aren't trade partners, we aren't friends, and we never met. Hmm? We don't know each other." As he observes the exasperation on our faces, he raises his eyebrows, leaning back in his chair as he plops himself down. "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 is the one who speaks up, sarcasm dripping from his voice as he stares the man who supposedly governs this community down.

"Hey, don't you work for me? Aren't we friends?" Despite his words, Gregory's tone includes a warning. Jesus doesn't seem too affected by it, though he does stay quiet.

"Gregory, we already started this." Rick's tone is strained as he tries to keep his cool. This man seems impossible to work with, he's more stubborn than a child, and a complete narcissist at that.

"You started it."

"We did. And we're gonna win." Rick raises his voice and I smirk to myself seeing Gregory recoil slightly. The latter still keeps his foot down, pointing out that the Saviors are killers. I can't push back my scoff, getting tired of biting my tongue, but as Carl looks back at me, I resign myself back to silence, knowing quippy insults aren't gonna be of any help to us.

"Is this how you want to live? Under their thumb, killing your people?" Rick questions, his voice now more judgemental than angry. That seems to get some type of reaction out of Gregory.

"S-Sometimes we don't get to choose what our life looks like." He stutters. "Sometimes, Ricky, you have to count the blessings you have."

Maggie's apparently run out of patience given that she walks up to the desk, eyes set on the Hilltop's 'leader'. "How many people can we spare? How many people here can fight?" She questions. His reaction, though, sends a wave of anger through me, cutting through the irritation that previously occupied me.