Daryls Sister {Book One}

86

"I was in the graveyard. Somebody knocked me out." Bob told us. "I woke up outside this place. It looked like a school. It was that guy, Gareth. And five other ones. They were eating my leg right in front of me, like it was nothing, all proud like they had it all figured out." He added.

"Did they have Daryl and Carol?" Rick asked him.

"Gareth said they drove off." He answered. He then started groaning in pain.

"He's in pain. Do we have anything?" Sasha asked.

"I think there are pill packets in the first aid kit." Rosita said.

"Yeah." Sasha said.

"Save them." Bob said.

"Why? You need them." I said, sitting on my knees next to him. He started moving and he showed us a bite on his shoulder. "Oh my god." I said, putting my hand over my mouth.

"It happened at the food bank." He told us. Sasha started to cry and I was too. We moved Bob to the couch in Gabriel's office, the same one I slept on earlier.

"Do you know the place Bob was talking about?" Rick asked.

"Yeah it's an elementary school." He answered.

"How close is it?" Rick asked.

"It's close." Gabriel said.

"But how close is it?" Rick asked.

"It's a ten minute walk from here through the woods and due south of the graveyard." He told Rick. Judith then started to cry. Carl carried her around to quiet her down and I was still on the floor just sitting there lost in my thoughts.

"Does he have a fever?" Rick asked Maggie.

"He's just warm." She told him.

"Jim lasted two days before we left him." Glenn said as he was helping me stand up.

"Time for a reality check. We need to leave for D.C right now." Abraham said.

"We're not leaving without Daryl and Carol." I said, looking at him.

"I respect that you don't want to leave without them but clearly there's a threat here to Eugene. I need to extract his ass before things get any uglier. Good luck to you if you all don't come. We'll go out separate ways." He said.

"You leaving on foot?" Rick asked.

"We fixed that damn bus ourselves." Abraham said.

"There are a lot more of us." Rick said.

"You want to keep it that way? Then you should come." Abraham said.

"Carol saved your life. We saved your life." Rick said.

"And I'm trying to save yours. Save everyone's." Abraham started to shout.

"We're not going anywhere without our people." Rick said.

"Your people took off." Abraham said.

"They're coming back." Rick said.

"To what? Picked-over bones?!" Abraham shouted.

"You're not taking-" Rick began to say about to put a hand on Abraham.

"Do not lay hands!" He shouted.

"Abraham! Calm down!" Rosita said.

"Hey, hey, stop! Now!" Glenn said, splitting Rick and Abraham up. "Do you really think you're going to be any safer leaving in the middle of the night?" Glenn asked Abraham.

"Yeah." He answered, angrily.

"What about tomorrow?" Glenn asked. "We need each other for this. We need each other to get to D.C. You can't go alone. We have to stick together!" Glenn  said.

"I have an idea." Tara said. "If you stay just one more day and help, I'll go with you to D.C no matter what alright." She said. "Okay?" Tara said, now looking at Rick.

"Glenn and Maggie too." Abraham said.

"No." Rick said.

"Good luck then." Abraham replied. "I'm not interested in breaking up what you all have here." He added. "Grab your gear Rosita." He said.

"Abraham-" Rosita started to say before Abraham interrupted her.

"Now." He said. "Come on Eugene." He said, looking at Eugene. "Move it." He demanded.

"I don't want to." Eugene replied.

"Now." Abraham demanded. Eugene got up and followed him.

"You're not taking the bus." Rick said, looking at the floor.

"Try to stop me." Abraham said, turning around slightly.

No one moved a muscle and I was scared something was going to happen. Rick was starting to walk towards him but Glenn stopped him.

"Wait." Glenn said, getting between the two. "You stay and help us then we'll go with you." He said.

"No." Rick said.

"This isn't your call." Glenn said, looking at Rick. "You stay, help us." He said, looking at Abraham.

"Only half a day." Abraham said. "When high noon arrives, we're leaving." He added. I walked to the room Carl walked into and saw him holding Judith.

"You're good with her Carl." I said, sitting down next to the best I can.

"You think so?" He asked, looking at me.

"I know so. She really loves you." I said, seeing Judith smile.

"What was happening in there Maddie?" He asked.

"Abraham wants to leave now but Rick said we're not leaving without Daryl and Carol and now Abraham is staying until high noon." I told him.

"Do you think Gareth will come after us?" Carl asked.

"I wouldn't doubt it." I replied.

We heard them talking again, well, we heard Rick start talking but I decided to stay in here with Carl and Judith. Rick then came into the room and knelt down in front of us.

"Carl, I want you to protect Judith and Maddie while me and the others goes and try to find Gareth and his men." Rick said.

"Okay dad." Carl said.

"Please be careful, I don't want to lose any of you." I said, looking at him.

"We'll be back Maddie." He said, pecking my lips.

He then stood up and they left leaving me, Carl, Judith, Tyreese, Rosita, Eugene and Gabriel. Bob was unconscious in the office which he might be for awhile.