Would It Matter // Rick Grimes

Chapter 36

We were low on food and water when we heard someone yelling for help. Carl started running to the voice and we followed him. We saw a man on top of a rock with three walkers trying to get him. They started killing them then the man got off the rock.

"Are you okay?" Rick asked.

He didn't respond just bent over and threw up then looked at us.

"Sorry." He said. "Yes. Thank you. I'm Gabriel." He said.

"You have any weapons on you?" Rick asked.

Daryl stayed close to me and Emma to keep us safe just in case he tried something. Carl was beside Glenn with Judith.

"Do I look like I have any weapons?" Gabriel asked.

"We don't give two short curlies what it looks like." Abraham said.

"I don't have any sort of weapon on me. The word of God is the only protection I need." Gabriel said.

"It sure didn't look like it." Daryl said.

"I called for help. You all came." He said. "Do you have any food? What I had left just fell on the ground." He said.

"All we have is crumbs." Carl said, handing him the crumbs.

"Thank you." He said, when Judith made a little noise with Emma joining her. "Those are beautiful children." He said.

"Do you have a camp?" Gabriel asked.

"No. Do you?" Rick asked.

"I have a church." Gabriel answered.

"Put your hands above your head. How many walkers have you killed?" Rick asked, searching him.

"Not any, actually." He replied.

"Turn around. How many people have you killed?" Rick asked.

"None." He answered.

"Why?" Rick asked, standing straight.

"Because the lord abhors violence." He said.

"What have you done? We've all done something." Rick said.

"I'm a sinner. I sin almost everyday. But those sins, I confess them to God not to strangers." Gabriel said.

"You said you have a church?" Michonne asked.

We then started following him to this church he said he has.

"Earlier, were you watching us?" Rick asked Gabriel.

"I keep to myself. Nowadays, people are just as dangerous as the dead, don't you think?" He said.

"No. People are worse." Daryl said.

"Well, I wasn't watching you. I haven't been beyond the stream near my church more than a few times since it all started. That was the furthest I've gone until today." Gabriel said. "Or maybe I'm lying about everything and there's no church ahead at all. Maybe I'm leading you into a trap so I can steal all of your squirrels." He said, turning and looked at us.

None of us were laughing at his joke, if it was a joke.

"Members of my flock had often told me that my sense of humor leaves much to be desired." Gabriel said.

"Yeah, it does." Daryl said.

We continued walking to Gabriel's church until we saw it. We walked to the door and Gabriel was about to open the doors until Rick stopped him.

"Hold up. Can we take a look around first?" Rick asked. "We just want to hold onto our squirrels." He said.

Rick, Daryl and Glenn then started looked around in the church while the rest of us stayed outside. Gabriel kept his eyes on me and never took them off. They finished looking around and came back outside.

"I spent months here without stepping out of the front door. If you found someone inside, that'll be surprising." Gabriel said.

"Thanks for this." Carl said.

"There's a short bus around back. Doesn't run but we could fix that in a day or two. Father here says he doesn't want it. Looks like we found ourselves some transport." Abraham said, before looking at Rick. "You know what's at stake here, right?" He asked.

"Yeah I do." Rick said.

"Now that we can take a breath—" Michonne said, before getting interrupted.

"We take a breath, we slow down. Shit inevitably goes down." Abraham said.

"We need supplies no matter what we do next." Michonne said.

"That's right. We need water, food, ammunition." Rick said.

"That short bus isn't going anywhere." Daryl said.

I followed Rick into the church and sat down at a pew with Emma in my lap. She was watching her dad and when he turned around, he smiled at her. He walked over and crouched down in front of us.

"Hi sweetheart." He said, when she grabbed his finger.

"Dada." She said, moving her arm around still holding onto his finger.

It was now dark and Rick came back with Gabriel and the others from going to the place Gabriel said was overrun. We were sitting on the floor eating like it's a feast and Rick had Judith in his lap and Emma was with Carl.

"Give me ahh." Rick said, opening his mouth.

Judith then fed him which put a smile on my face. We finished eating and laid down to get some sleep. I was laying next to Rick and we both soon fell asleep.