Unchained *Angel Wing's Sequel*

Chapter Eleven: Trial and Error

"She's just being modest. She was a journalist that exposed and put political scum away." The young girl I think was named Kelly explains translating for Connie. Michonne, Aaron, Gabriel, a few others, and I are all seated at a table listening to each person talk about who they were before this. What they can offer to us. Then it is my turn to ask any questions.

"How many walkers have you killed?" I ask as each answers with a variety of answers and odd expressions.

"How many people have you killed?" I ask again each one goes down the line with their own combinations of answers.

"Why?" I finally ask as everyone's faces tense. Each responds with valid answers and I don't see why they shouldn't be here. Magna begins to tell us what she was before all this.

Magna finishes talking when Michonne stands to her feet in anger. I tried to tell her to keep an open mind but I knew she had her mind made up before she even sat in her seat.

"Let me see your hand." Michonne states coldly. I stare at her as if she lost her mind. She takes the woman's hand which is wrapped up.

"How'd you get this?" Michonne asks referring to the girls bandaged arm. The girl tells something I can already tell is a lie making me cringe.

Michonne unwraps the woman's hand and shows us all what looks to me like a stick and poke tattoo of some sort.

"You wanna tell everyone what this means?" Michonne asks. The woman stays silent.

"It's a prison tattoo." Michonne explains. "You want to hand over that knife in your belt too?" Michonne asks as I watch in confusion. The woman reaches for her belt and reveals a hidden knife. She hands the blade to Michonne.

"I want them gone." Michonne says, "immediately."

I can see Judith looking with sad eyes as she runs out of the building. "Judith wait!" Michonne yells.

"I've got it." I say running after her. She doesn't go far, I see her sitting on a curb.

"You okay?" I ask sitting next to her. She turns the other way.

"They are good people, I know it." She tears up

"I know."

Judith is extremely wise and smart for her age, sometimes I forget she's only a kid. She looks to the ground kicking rocks with her feet.

"But they will be okay." I add

"No! They'll die out there. Please Kendall you HAVE to do something."

I sit and think for a moment. What could I even do? I know I have to do something, Carl would, Rick would.

"What if I take them to Hilltop? I'm sure Jesus and Tara will take them in and if not I can try Kingdom. Fair?"

"You promise?" She asks.

"I'll go talk to your mom. I promise I won't leave them stranded." I say as she engulfs me in a hug. I tense at first, not expecting that reaction eventually hugging her back.

We walk back into the building and Jude takes a seat once again. The new people have already left and I go to Michonne.

"I told you we can't trust anyone." She snaps

"I know, and I completely understand why you don't want them here... but I'm not leaving them stranded. I'm going to take them to Hilltop."

"Why? To jeopardize their safety."

"They aren't bad people, she could have been in prison for something minor. We don't know the entire story."

"Or she could have been in for murder. Or armed robbery. Kendall you are just as clueless as Judith is. You may be an adult but you still have a lot to learn."