Never Say Die [Walking Dead Fanfic]

Chapter 22: A Baby

We ran towards him while I was more towards the middle now with Judy. If you were holding her you were always in the safest place.

We saw a priest on top of a rock. Walkers were surrounding him but it was only about four. Rick and a few others went to deal with them while the others kept watch for more.

"Come on down." Rick said to the man. I looked at him confused. He seemed to be a priest. "Are you okay?" Rick asked almost too soon as the man started vomiting. I looked away.

"Sorry." He breathed. "Yes. Thank you." He responded as I looked back over. He was a light brown bald man with a little mustache and some five o'clock shadow. "I'm Gabriel."

"You got any weapons on you?" Rick asked looking at him.

The man chuckled. "Do I look like I have any weapons?"

"We don't give two short and curlies what it looks like." Abraham said looking at him, gun in hand, but not pointed to the man.

"I have no weapons of any kind. The word of God is the only protection I need." He answered. I was surprised he remained with his faith after everything. I hadn't really thought about God in a while. He hadn't done much good in my life for a long time.

"Sure didn't look like it." Daryl responded looking at him.

The man chuckled. "I called for help and help came." He answered.

"Do you have- have any food? Whatever I had left just hit the ground." He smiled.

"We've got some pecans." Carl said as he handed the man a few.

"Thank you." The man nodded as Judith started babbling and pulling at my hair. I moved my hair away and looked at her.

"That's a beautiful child." Gabriel smiled to me and I looked to Rick. It stayed quiet for a moment. "Do you have a camp?" He asked looking to Rick.

"No. Do you?" Rick asked back.

"I have a church." He answered cautiously.

"Hold your hands above your head." Rick said looking to him as he did so. He started patting Gabriel down. "How many walkers have you killed?"

73.

"None actually." Gabriel answered as I moved Judith to my other side.

"How many people have you killed?" He asked as the man turned around with his hands still up.

1.

"None." He answered looking at Rick almost in shock.

Why?" Rick asked as he stopped frisking him.

Because he was going to hurt her.

"Because the Lord abhors violence." He answered Rick. I wiped a stray tear that fell from my eye. I glanced at Carl and noticed him watching me. He's seen me cry before but for some reason, this time felt so much worse.

"What have you done?" Rick asked Gabriel. "We've all done something."

"I'm a sinner. I sin almost every day but I confess those sins to God. Not strangers." He answered truthfully. He seemed like a good person but he had to be hiding something.

"You said you had a church?" Michonne asked leaning against the rock.

"Yes. I'll- I'll take you there now." He said hesitantly but we followed him anyway. We headed towards it and he talked to Rick but I tuned it out. I didn't care enough to pay attention.