Deadland

Chapter 31- Mother

Daryl, T, Carol, Damien, Rick, and I are all out of the prison, bringing the cars in. It's hot and humid, the temperature is almost agonizing.

As Carol backs the truck in, Rick says, "Okay. Let's get the other car in. We'll park 'em in the west entry of the yard."

"Good, our vehicles bein' parked out there look like a giant 'vacancy' sign." Daryl says.

Rick chooses not to respond, "After that we need to load up these corpses so we can burn 'em." "Gonna be a long day." T-Dog groans. "Super excited." I mumble.

"Where's Glenn and Maggie? We could use some help." Carol asks, approaching our small group. Daryl points to a guard tower, "Up in the guard tower."

All of us look in the direction of Daryl's finger. "Guard tower?" Rick asks. "They were just up there last night." "Glenn! Maggie!" Daryl calls.

It's silent for a moment before the door of the top of the guard tower creaks open. Glenn steps out awkwardly without a shirt and buttoning his pants. "Hey! What's up guys?" He asks, incredibly awkwardly.

Everybody chuckles, for once I can actually smile at Glenn and Maggie. Maybe I am getting over him...or maybe I'm getting over the fact that they're together.

"You comin'?" Daryl asks. Damien and I have to look away to hide our laughter. "What?" Glenn calls down. Everybody laughs at Glenn's response.

"You comin'?" Daryl repeats. Glenn doesn't respond, he just looks at Maggie.

"Come on, we could use a hand." Daryl says, turning and walking away.

"So could she." I mumble. Damien laughs but thankfully nobody else heard it.

"Yeah, we'll be right down!" Glenn says, walking back into the top of the guard tower.

We all begin walking back to the gate, giggling.

T-Dog stops and turns, "Hey Rick." He alerts.

All of us turn and our smiles immediately drop. Handlebar man and Oscar are walking up to the fence to the right of us, watching us.

"Come with me." Rick says, walking up to the fence. All of us follow closely behind him, Damien with his one true love- his bat.

"One day." I mumble. "Just one day of peace."

As we approach the two prisoners and they walk out of the fences, Rick speaks up. "That's close enough." He orders. Both of the men slow to a stop.

Handlebar man begins to talk. "We had an agreement, we know that. We made a deal. But you gotta understand...we can't live in that place another minute." Glenn and Maggie exit the Guard tower, walking behind the two men.

"You follow me? All those bodies- people we knew. Blood, brains everywhere. There's ghosts."

"Why don't you move the bodies out?" Daryl grunts. "You should be burnin' them." T-Dog adds. "We tried. We did." Handlebar man whimpers. "The fence is down on the far side of the prison. Every time we drag a body out, those things just line up. Droppin' the body and just runnin' back inside." Oscar responds.

"Look," Handlebar man begins to walk towards us. "We had nothin' to do with Thomas and Andrew. Nothin'! You tryin' to prove a point? You proved it, bro. We'll do whatever it takes to be part of your group. Just please, please... don't make us live in that place."

"Our deal is non-negotiable." Rick says quickly.

Damn, sassy mother fucker. Love it.

"You either live in your cell block, or you leave." Handlebar man sighs at Ricks words.