Forfeit ~Shane Walsh/OC~

Chapter Eighteen

Everyone was there for Dale’s funeral. We all silently cried as Rick gave a beautiful speech about how brave and honest Dale was. He said we were gonna honor Dale by proving him wrong about the group being broken. He was buried beside Sophia under the tree with his hat hung on his cross. Dale was a priceless jewel to us all.

“It’s gonna be tight. Fifteen people in one house,” Rick told Hershel. We were all moving in after Dale’s death. It was getting colder and the walkers were cutting closer to the farm and it was too dangerous to live so far out.

“Don’t worry about that. With the swamp hardening and the creek drying up…”

“And with 50 heads of cattle on the property we might as well be ringing the dinner bell,” Maggie finished her father’s sentence.

“All right, let’s move the vehicles near each of the doors facing toward the road. We’ll build a lookout at the windmill and another in the barn loft. That should give us sightlines both sides of the property. T-Dog, take the perimeter around the house. Keep track of everyone coming and going,” Rick broke down a plan.

“I’ll stock the basement with food and water to last a few days if need be,” Hershel said.

“What about patrols?” I asked.

“Let’s get this area locked down first. After that, Shane will assign shifts while me and Daryl take Randall off sight and cut him loose,” Rick said. You could see the annoyance on Shane’s face.

“We’re back to that now?” Shane asked.

“It was the right thing first time around. Poor execution,” Rick explained.

“That’s a slight understatement.”

“You don’t agree but this is what is happening. Swallow it. Move on,” Rick stepped closer to Shane to get his point across.

“You know that Dale’s death and the prisoner are two separate things, right? You wanna take Daryl as your wingman, be my guest.” Shane glared at him.

“Thank you,” Rick told him and took a step back.

“You got it. It’s just another thing of mine he’s getting a taste of,” Shane said as he rolled his head toward me. Rick looked at me weird but I just glared at Shane. He rolled his eyes and bit his lip and looked at Lori for a moment knowing I was starring directly at him. I just brushed passed him, bumping his shoulder on purpose.

“Hey, Abby,” Rick called out to me as he walked by Hershel. I stopped and waited for them to catch up. “While I’m out with Daryl, will you help Hershel keep an eye on things around here?”

“Why me?” I asked him, knowing it was odd to give me any kind of leadership responsibility knowing Shane would much rather himself be in charge.

“Shane’s got a way of letting things get out of hand, especially when he’s torqued up,” Rick explained.

“I think we’re all a little torqued up at this point,” I told him, knowing I was good and pissed off and we were all mourning the death of Dale.

“If you’re staying here permanently, he’s got to understand that it’s what Rick and I say, not whatever he wants,” Hershel said. This is the first time Hershel has ever talking to me about Shane’s behavior. “You’re his wife.” Hershel saying that out loud didn’t feel real. I didn’t feel like we were married anymore.

“Legally,” I muttered.

“Abby, you know he’s not a bad guy,” Rick said. “He’s just his own worst enemy.”