VIRAGO. glenn rhee

21. judge, jury and dale.

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ACT ONE
(judge, jury and dale)

    A WEEK had passed since the group had found Randall. While he was healed enough to leave, the group had a setback when the boy admitted he knew Maggie.

Now the boy currently resided in a small shed, it wasn't comfortable. Neither was the beating he had just received from Daryl.

So as Daryl spilled all the new information he had forced out of the boy. Veroníca couldn't help but pity Randall. "The boy has got a gang. Thirty people. They have heavy artillery and they ain't looking to make friends. They roll through here, our boys are dead. Our women.. They're gonna wish they were."

"What did you do?" Carol asked, intently looking at the man's bloody knuckles.

"Had a little chat."

"No one goes near this guy." Rick commanded.

"Rick, what are you gonna do?" Lori placed her hand on Rick's shoulder as she questioned him, which he didn't seem to notice.

"We have no choice. He's a threat. We have to eliminate the threat."

"You're just gonna kill him?" Dale asked, disbelief clear on his face.

"It's settled. I'll do it today." Rick loudly announced, walking away immediately afterwards.

When he left, Dale was close on his tail. Through Veroníca didn't know what they were going to talk about, she had a pretty good idea of what Dale would bring up.

Instead of pondering the idea, the woman walked over to Carol. "Ready?"

"Of course." Carol smiled, tightening the bag around her shoulder.

The two then made their way to sit beside Sophia's burial sight.

In the short span of a week, the two women had created a club. The club solely consisted of them, and they'd meet almost everyday to read books in silence beside Sophia's grave.

Though it was a very silent activity, Carol had needed it. She needed the peace and quiet, she was glad she got to do that while sitting beside her daughter. Even if her daughter was no longer alive.

So as the pair sat in their comfortable silence, Carol looked up from her book for a brief second. "Sophia would've loved you."

"Can I hear about her?"

Carol nodded, bending the ear of her page to place it on the ground beside her. "She was a very shy girl.. I remember one day, she was in kindergarten and she came home from school.. And she said Mama! I met a friend! She went on and on about this friend.. Grace.. Ed had been pressuring her, telling her she needed friends. So he was happy when she finally met one.. But, mother's instinct.. You know. Something was off. So, next time i'm picking her up I ask her teacher—I say, Could I meet Grace's mom? And the teacher goes—She goes, Well, Mrs. Peletier.. We don't have a Grace in your daughter's grade..."

Carol paused for a moment, a smile coming on her face as she seemed to picture the fond memory. "I remember thinking it was so silly.. Such a Sophia thing to lie about.. I went into Sophia's room and I said... Soph, why did you lie about this? and she said. Well Mama.. I heard the song Amazing Grace and wanted to meet her.—I remember just laughing and laughing.. Sophia didn't know why I was laughing but she joined in.. We didn't laugh alot at home, but that night we did..."