My Retribution (third instalment of Exception Series)

Thirteen

It was such a strange sensation, mourning over our loved ones while marvelling at Maggie's little miracle. We'd both cried an inconceivable amount while the world turned around us.

"He's wonderful, Rackel," Maggie whispered.

"He is."

My friend's eyes crinkled at the corners, new sobs wracking her body. "He's gone, isn't he?"

"Yes," I said. I wanted to tell her I was sorry and that everything was going to be alright, but she didn't need those lies right then. She laid there, with a squirming newborn in her arms, whilst her husband's head stood snarling upon a pike.

Surely someone would've bought them down by now.

Maggie just looked down, cuddling into her little one.

"I'm going to see how my little ones are going, alright?" I kissed her forehead and got up. On the way out, I made sure Rick kept an eye on her.

"I will." Rick held his hand out just as I was about to walk away. "The twins are fine, Rackel. I'm glad that Alexandria has got something to celebrate. We haven't made an announcement yet. We've just stopped people from leaving. The Kingdom are starting to suspect something." He buried his face in his grubby hands. "Fuck me. What am I going to do?"

I hesitated, but placed my hand on his shoulder. "I can make the announcement. You don't have to shoulder all this on your own."

In the small amount of time I'd been outside, I couldn't help but notice a small congregation of people hovering around Rick, muttering "why can't we leave?" And "what's going on now?"

Leaning into Rick, I whispered, "Have you taken care of." I swallowed. "Them?"

His eyes widened, but he nodded. "Aaron and Jesus helped."

"We need to tell them. It's been long enough, and time isn't going to make it any better." I nodded at the group of people and held Rick's hand. "Lets go."

"Alright," he rasped.

My heart raced as I walked to the makeshift stage that had been custom built for the festival. The banners and decorations dropped from the long, hit day. People from all the local communities huddled around us as we stood on the elevated ground.

I almost wished that they were still talking, anything to delay that bitter pill I was about to administer. Rick's eye's glowed red, almost droopy. The man was tired, and I had to take the reigns.

"Hello everyone." I called, every eye locked on me.

Just tell them.

"I know some of you are wondering why you've been encouraged to stay here." I squeezed Rick's hand, tears brimming my eyes. "It's with deep sadness that I tell you that we've been attacked."

An intake of breath chorused through the courtyard.

I haven't even told them yet.

"A group has taken the lives of some of our most beloved members."

The people erupted, some collapsing on the soil.

"Who?"

"Who?"

"Rosita." Dead.

"Eugene." Snarling.

"Glenn," I faltered. They deserve to know.

"Daryl," I coughed out, digging my nails into my free palm.

"And King Ezekiel."

All I could hear was wails and sobs. I scrubbed my tears away, finishing my announcement.

"Now I don't know much about the animals that did this, but I promise you, The Sanctuary will do whatever it takes to bring them to justice." I barked, the fire blazing in my chest. "If it's the last fucking thing I do, they will fucking pay!"

The people are beginning to feel it too, erupting I'm snark and howls of approval.

A white-blonde teen weaves through the crowd, making her way to the front. Carl trails behind her holding onto his hat.

I stepped down to him and Rick followed. That kid's grown up. What are they putting in the water here?

"Carl," I whimpered, pulling the young man into a hug. "Daryl. I—"

"You just need to leave it be." The blonde girl cuts me off, her face hidden behind her locks. "My mother won't stop if you keep it up."

What is this girl talking about?

I turn to her, head tilted. "What do you mean, leave it be?"

Rick receded, taking a step back.

"My mother warned Rick to stay away from her land and bring me back. If we just leave her alone, maybe she'll—"

My body was not my own from that point. I'm ashamed to say, but I pounced on that kid. "Fucking Lydia. He fucking said something about fucking Lydia!" It wasn't long until people were getting between us, but I got a few good hits in. "You're the reason they're dead? So Carl can have a little girlfriend?"

Carl stands firm between us. "I love her. And I can't give her back to them!"

"They're dead, Carl! Because of her!"

"She let the men rape her, Rackel! Treated her like a piece of trash." Carl's teary as Aaron and Siddiq whisked her away.

She's a kid. What are you thinking?

Rick grabbed my wrist, trying to tug me away. "We need to talk."

I flung my hand out of his grip. I don't know if I was more angry at myself or him, so I channeled it into everything I'd always wanted to say. "Why? So you can not tell me anything? So you can feed me some bullshit to shelter me from the truth?" I shoved him. "No! Not anymore. I'm the fucking Queen of the mother fucking Sanctuary, Rick!"

"You're just a ki—"

I walk away, afraid of what I would do to him. He was never going to change, and I just needed to accept that. It was time for me to step up and do what he couldn't.

Time to gather my kids and King and mow this mother fucker down.