𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 | 𝘙𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴

Stomping Grounds

- Cass's POV -

The door to the church bangs open, aggressively jolting what was just a painfully quiet room. I jump to my feet, whirling around to watch as Sasha, Rick, and Tyreese walk in, bringing in a gust of the cool night air with them into the stuffy church. Desperately searching their expressions, I meet Rick's gaze, questioning him silently.

With disappointment written across his face, Rick shakes his head, sending a wave of defeat crashing over me.

Bob, Carol, and Daryl are all still missing.

Feeling an overwhelming sense of concern, I sigh heavily, dragging my hand down my face. Why is it that every time we take a second to enjoy something, it gets ruined?

When will we get a break?

Sasha strides towards the end of the church and my heart tightens with worry as her footsteps pound against the creaky hardwood floors. I can't imagine what she's going through- if Rick were missing I would be an inconsolable wreck. And he's not even mine to be worried about.

Sasha approaches the back of the church, coming to a stop beside the front pew, staring at Gabriel as he messes with some silverware.

"What are you doing?" Sasha questions Gabriel shortly, making him freeze, looking up at the expectant woman in front of him. The tension is growing steadily between them as Gabriel stares back at Sasha wordlessly.

"What. Are you doing?" Sahsa repeats herself, stepping toward Gabriel intimidatingly, her hand resting on her sniper rifle strapped across her chest. The feeble priest just blinks at her in shock, holding a silver spoon close to his chest as he watches her with wide eyes.

"This is all connected. You show up, we're being watched, and now three of us are gone." Sasha accuses darkly, her bottom lip trembling with anger as she glares the priest down.

I push off from the pew I was sitting on, edging closer to the altercation with uneasiness. I don't know if Sasha is thinking clearly right now with Bob missing.

Gabriel simply blinks back at Sasha in bewilderment. "I...I-" He stutters lamely, nervously looking at the rest of us watching him silently, meeting my gaze for a millisecond. "I don't... I don't have anything to do with this." The priest defends himself softly, searching the silent room for answers that we don't have for him.

Sasha abruptly rips out her knife from her belt, making Gabriel flinch backward, his arms immediately thrown up in surrender.

"Don't!" Rosita calls out as my stomach throttles, the rest of the group rushing forward to stop her.

"Sasha put it away!" Tyresse orders, but Sasha ignores him, stepping forward again intimidatingly toward Gabriel, raising the reflective blade up toward his face.

"Who's out there? Where are our people?"

"I-I don't have anything to-"

"Where are our people?!" Sasha shouts, her voice reverberating around the room, laced heavily with hatred, hurt, and fear, making my breath catch in my throat.

"Please, I don't have anything to do with this. I-" Gabriel stutters to a stop, sweat gleaming across the span of his forehead. Sasha falters backward, blinking past tears, and shaking her head in disbelief. Her knife-wielding hand drops as she turns and walks away.

I step out from the aisle, reaching out for her arm as she passes, but she gently dodges out of the way, her face crumpling with emotion. Sighing with defeat, I glance back to where Gabriel stands as Rick speaks up.