Captive | The Walking Dead |

67

Hilltop was peaceful.

Isabella loved the style of it. It was very farm-like around the place. They had small gardens, some outdoor ovens and horses.

There was a massive colonial style home in the middle, and trailers scattered to the right of it.

"I'll be in the medical trailer if you need me," Harlan said as he broke from the group.

The group spread out a bit, but not the point that they'd be separated if a fight broke out. Jesus explained the Hilltop's history as they walked to the oversized home.

Isabella couldn't believe families would live in homes like that before, sometimes even bigger ones.

She learned the house was called the Barrington house, and he led them inside it.

"Good gracious ignatius," Abraham murmured as they took in the massive house from the inside.

"Rich pricks," Isabella nodded from beside him. "Do people live here?" She then asked Jesus.

"Both here and in the trailers," he nodded. "We plan to build, there's babies being born."

Two white double doors then opened and an old man stepped out.

Isabella immediately got a bad vibe from him. She didn't get any negative vibes from Jesus, which was why she didn't shoot him given the chance but something about this man was off.

"Jesus, you're back- with guests," he greeted.

"Everyone this is Gregory, he keeps the trains running on time around here," Jesus explained.

"I'm the boss," Gregory nodded.

"Well I'm Rick, this is Isabella. We have a community-"

"Why don't y'all get cleaned up? Hmm?" Gregory said, cutting them off.

"We're fine," Rick said, frustrated; and so was Isabella.

"Jesus will show you where you can get washed up, it's hard to keep this place clean," Gregory said getting close to Rick.

"Yeah. Sure."

Isabella wondered where Gregory found the audacity to dismiss them like that.

"Follow me," Jesus sighed.

Isabella walked next to Maggie.

"Y'all clean up first, you two will talk to him," Rick said.

"Why us?" Isabella asked.

"I shouldn't, and you two need to start doing these things," he said. "If our dynamic duo team can't convince him, nobody can."

The girls quickly washed their hair and brushed it out. Isabella pulled her hair into a half up, half down updo.

"You ready?" Rick asked as he followed her and Maggie to Gregory's office.

"Not really, this guy's a dick but I'll do my best in playing nice," Isabella said.

"I don't like him either, but they have food. And might have lab equipment, it'd be best to stay on their good side," Rick said and Isabella nodded.

She and Maggie then gently knocked and Gregory welcomed them in.

"Natalie and Gabriella right?" He asked.

"Maggie and Isabella," Maggie corrected him.

"It was close though," Gregory said.

"Not really," Isabella said.

"She calls it like it is, I like it," he said and the two women went deeper in the office, looking over the room.