𝘽ob was missing. Daryl and Carol, too. Sasha had gone to look for Bob, but Tyreese and Rick had gone to get her back.
Everyone was situated for the night, claiming benches and sprawling out. Maggie had accumulated a stack of bibles.
Gabriel was clearing up the silverware when Rick, Tyreese, and Sasha returned.
She looked angry, stepping up to Gabriel. "Stop," she stated, and he did as told. "What are you doing?" He looked down at the forks in his hand, then back at Sasha, who advanced on him with a stern tone. "What are you doing? This is all connected. You show up, we're being watched, and now three of us are gone."
"I..." Gabriel began, looking stunned. "I don't... I don't have anything to do with this."
And then Sasha pulled a gun.
Rosita dove into action. "Don't!" she cried, running forward. Abraham took a hold of her shoulders.
"Sasha, put it away," Tyreese stated.
"Who's out there?" Sasha demanded, staring Gabriel down.
Gabriel raised his hands in innocence. "I- - I don't have anything... to do with this."
"Where are our people?" Sasha pressed.
"I don't have anything to- -"
"Where are our people?!"
Adalyn jumped as Gabriel just repeated, "Please, I don't have anything to do with this. I- -"
Rick took Sasha by the arm, gently moving her away from the priest. "Why'd you bring us here?" he asked Gabriel, voice eerily calm.
"Please, I- -" Gabriel began.
"You working with someone?" Rick pressed.
"I'm alone," Gabriel said. "I'm alone. I was always alone."
"What about the woman in the food bank, Gabriel?" Rick asked. "What did you do to her? 'You'll burn for this.' That was for you. Why? What are you gonna burn for, Gabriel?" He caught the priest by the throat, locking eyes with him, voice rising. "What? What did you do? What did you do?!"
"Rick!" Adalyn stated, trying to get his attention. She didn't even care if he murdered Gabriel, but all that she wanted was for him to calm down.
Gabriel looked close to tears as he freed himself from Rick's grip, looking around at the group. His lips were quivering.
"I lock the doors at night," he said after a long moment. "I always lock the doors at night. I always lock the doors at night. I always- -" And there were the tears. He tried to hold them back, but it was useless. "They started coming, my congregation," he said. "Atlanta was bombed the night before and they were scared. They were- - they were looking for a safe place, a place where they felt safe. And it was so early. It was so early. And the doors were still locked."
Adalyn realized then. She bit hard at her lip before she said, her voice quiet, "You didn't open the doors. You left them."
Gabriel nodded weakly. "You see... it was my choice. There were so many of them and they were trying to pry the shutters and banging on the sidings, screaming at me. And so the dead came for them. Women..." he held back a sob. "Children. Entire families calling my name as they were torn apart, begging me for mercy." Sobs began to escape him, words barely intelligible. "Begging me for mercy. Damning me to Hell." He nodded slowly. "I buried their bones. I buried it all." He looked up at Rick, at all the others. "The Lord sent you here to finally punish me," he said.
