Missing Pieces

Chapter Two

They drove for a while in silence, no music, no talking, just the sound of the tires rolling across the gravel. Every once in a while they would drive over a body or two, causing the car to rise up before thudding against the ground once more. The boy kept his eyes on the road, only one hand touching the wheel. His pale fingers curled around the wheel, slowly sliding up and down it each time they turned down a new road. Rick peered out the window, watching for houses or buildings. There were none. Every half hour there would be a small road leading to a few houses, but the houses were burnt and falling apart. Rick hoped they were accidental burnings, leaving a candle on too long or a camp fire spreading, he didn't want to think about the person that did this. It made Rick sick when he thought about how evil people had become and that this boy was dragging him towards one of the evil people. Maybe the boy was one of the evil people. It was hard to tell anymore, now that monsters wore human faces.

"Where are you taking me?" Rick asked, turning his head and looking at the boy. Small scars peeked out from underneath the bandages giving Rick a good idea of what might have happened. Years ago, Rick had met a man who went by the title of The Governor who was missing an eye. The skin had grown back around it, but it was still ugly. He wore an eye patch to hide it, but he told Rick that he trusted him enough to tell him what had happened. As soon as he told him, Rick left. He didn't need to live with a man who kept walkers like they were pets. After a minute or two of silence Rick repeated himself. "Where are you taking me?"

The boy sighed and rolled his visable eye. Part of Rick wanted to shout at him. Ask him why he was so annoyed by Rick. He had done nothing other than find food. He didn't fight or run. After being taken hostage he deserved to at least know where he was being taken. "The Sanctuary." Now it was Ricks turn to roll his eyes. He had seen places like that, places that gave themselves titles. Alexandria. Terminus. Woodbury. All of them ended badly. Cannibals. Crazies. Alexandria was just full of people who liked to ignore the world. They were blind, stupid. "I saw that," The boy leaned forward some. "It's not a bad place, we save people."

"Pretty ironic coming from you. You threatened to shoot me for getting food. Sounds more like you just want everything and none of the work." Rick didn't believe what he said for a minute. The kid had obviously worked hard. The scars that littered his arms, hands, and even his face proved that he wasn't one for running and stealing. He fought, it was admirable, but it was also inconvenient. He needed someone lazy or at least someone tired. The boy seemed to be neither. "And how full of yourself would you have to be to name your home The Sanctuary, I mean come on."

"I should've gagged you." The kid slammed his hand on the steering wheel. Must have a short temper if Rick was already annoying him. Or maybe he was just on edge. "And if you were Negan you would be full of yourself. The man's crazy, but that's what makes him so smart. He's survived because he wants to. He's not afraid of hurting people and taking what he needs." It felt like Rick was joining a cult. The kid was fucked up. Praising a man for hurting people? It sounded more selfish than brave. The boy turned and looked at him. "It's every man for himself out here, you're lucky I didn't leave you to die. I am saving you, you just don't want to see it because your black and white thinking makes you think everyone's out to get you."

The boy slowed to a stop. "You aren't special. You are just a piece of meat, just like those dead people out there. You got no problem killing them, why should I have a problem killing you? It can be self defense, it can be for resources." He leaned towards Rick, sliding his hand through his hair and pulling it, guiding Rick towards him. "The only thing separating us from being like those monsters out there is that we can still think about consequences, about choices. All they think about is hunger." Rick used to consider the walkers lucky. They didn't feel fear or pain like humans did. "So get off your god damn high horse and realize that they are playing the same game we are. Survival."