[Rough Draft] Keres : The Walking Dead

The Truth, The Whole Truth

Lori runs and brings Rick into a hug while Shane just ignores them and starts walking over to the barn with Randall.

"Okay, here's what gonna happen. Randall is going to stay in the barn until I can figure out how to settle this. The place we went to was overrun by walkers." Rick explains.

I know better than to assume that's why they are all beaten up. Something happened, and it wasn't because of the walkers.

Shane and Rick bring Randall back to the barn and I follow after them. Once I catch up to them I take Shane aside to talk to him, leaving Rick alone to deal with Randall.

"We need to talk!" I say as I pull Shane aside and we walk out in the field out of earshot of everyone.

"Keres, I don't know if you've noticed but I'm kind of busy at the moment." Shane tries to excuse himself but I grab his shirt before he is able to leave.

"Fine...what's so pressing that you need to take me away from my duties?" Shane complains.

"What the hell happened out there?" I ask in a serious tone.

"Like Rick said, the place was overrun..." Shane tries to bluff.

"You don't get to lie to me. NOT YOU! I wanna know what really happened out there right now! Because you two look like you were punching the crap out of each other!" I yell and Shane looks down at the ground trying to appear ashamed.

"No, that ain't gonna work on me, not this time!" I fume knowing exactly what he's trying to do.

"What do you want me to say? That we got into a heated argument? Or the truth, that he doesn't know how to keep everyone safe! I was going to kill the little bastard, but Rick tackled me to the ground. I was trying to protect everyone. That kid said that he went to school with Maggie! Meaning he knows where she lives! So, no matter where we put him, he can still find his way back to the farm with his group!" Shane exclaims. "And since when did you start caring about strangers?" Shane ask about Randall.

"I don't care about what happens to Randall, Shane! I care what happens to you. You are going down a slippery slope my friend. First Otis, now Randall, who's next? Rick? Because that's sure as hell the way things are looking!" I bark.

"Dale talked to you didn't he...that mother-." Shane starts.

"He did, but he only confirmed what I already knew. Did you think I didn't notice how you looked at Rick when he was around Lori? When she announced that she was pregnant. Or when you tried give all of your attention to me so you wouldn't have to think about how you felt about Lori. Or even that you distracted yourself with Andrea?" I ask and he looks down at the grass knowing that I'm right.

"Yeah Shane, I know you! After what happened with dad, you worked your ass off so you didn't have to deal with the heartbreak of losing him. You avoided visiting me for the first year I was in prison, which by the way I never once blamed you for. But this has to end now! If you need to apologize to Lori for what went on at the CDC then go and do it! You can't keep on doing this to yourself!" Pleading I take his hands making him look at me.

"Yeah? Well I guess I learned it from the best." He huffs and storms off leaving me there looking into the open field.

My hands fall at my side. My thoughts are spinning in a thousand different directions. Time seems to slow down in that moment. Everything starts to get drowned out by the my thoughts.

The trees rustling in the wind come to a hush, the birds' melodies drowned out by the loud beating of my heart. The insects seem to stop in their tracks as if their very lives depend on it. Everything around me becomes still, so much so that it's as if my breath makes a ripple in the air.