Would It Matter // Rick Grimes

Chapter 37

I was awake and sitting on the pew watching Carl play with both Emma and Judith. Bob was still missing. And so was Daryl and Carol. We then heard a groan. Glenn ran to the window and saw something.

"Guys." Glenn said.

We went outside and saw Bob missing half of his leg. We brought him inside and laid him down on the couch in Gabriel's office.

"I was in the graveyard and someone knocked me out. I woke up at this place that looked like a school. It was that guy, Gareth and five others. They were eating my leg right in front of me. Like it was nothing. All proud like they had it all figured out." Bob told us.

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

"Gareth said they drove off." Bob said, wincing in pain.

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

"Save it for someone else." Bob said.

"No." Sasha said, before he showed her a bite mark on his shoulder.

"It happened at the food bank." He said.

We let him rest and Rick walked up to Gabriel.

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

"It's an elementary school. It's close by." Gabriel said.

"How close?" Rick asked. "How close Gabriel?" He asked again.

"It's just a 10-minute walk through the woods from here. Due south of the graveyard." Gabriel said.

"That means this Gareth guy is close to where we are." I said.

Judith and Emma started to cry and I was bouncing Emma up and down to calm her down while Carl was trying to calm Judith down.

"It's okay sweetheart. Mommy and daddy is right here." I said.

I handed Emma to Rick and put a hand Bobs forehead.

"Does he have a fever?" Rick asked.

"He's warm." I said.

"Jim lasted almost two days before we left him." I said.

They left the room but I stayed with Bob. Tears were building in my eyes at the thought of Bob dying.

"Don't cry Sydney." Bob said.

"How can I not cry? You're dying. I didn't know you that long but you're like family to me." I said, a tear falling from my eye.

"I'm not really leaving. I'll be with you all when I go. I'll be in your hearts." He said.

"I wish I got to know more about you Bob. In the short time, Emma already loves you. She considers you family. I do too like I already said." I said.

"I love Emma too. She's a sweet little thing and she'll grow up to be just like her mother and father. Strong, loyal. I wish I was able to get a child before I die but that's not going to happen. But I treated Emma like she was my own." He said.

"Yes you did. She'll never forget you Bob, I hope you know that." I said.

"I know." He said.

It was now dark and a group left to go hunt down Gareth and his men. Me, Emma, Judith, Bob, Tyreese, Carl, Eugene and Gabriel was in the office with the door shut. A few minutes later, we heard the doors to the church open.

"Well, I guess you know we're here. And we know you're here. And we're armed. We know who's here." A man said. "There's Bob, unless you put him out of his misery. And Eugene. Martins good friend Tyreese. Sydney. Carl. Little Emma. Judith. Rick and the rest walked out with a lot of your guns." He said.

It was silent for a little bit before he spoke again.

"Listen, we don't know where you all are but this isn't a big place. So let's just stop this now before things get more painful than they need to be. Look, you're behind one of these two doors and we got enough firepower to take down both. How about the priest? Father, you help us wrap this up, we'll let you walk away from this. Just open the door and you can go. "You can take the babies with you. What do you say?" He said.

None of us spoke or moved and I came to the conclusion that the man who's talking is Gareth. Judith and Emma then began to cry a little. Me and Carl quieted them down but it still gave our position away.

"I'm starting to like these girls. It's your last chance right now to tell us you're coming out." He said. "Are we done? We'll hit the hinges." He said.

"Put your guns down on the floor." I heard Rick say.

"Rick, we'll shoot right into that office. So you lower your gun—" Gareth said, before I heard him yell in pain.

"Put your guns on the ground and kneel." Rick said.

"Do what he says!" Gareth exclaimed.

There was more talking until we heard more screams, meaning they're getting killed. The door then opened and Rick stood at the door. I walked towards him and he hugged me and Emma. He then hugged Judith and Carl.