Future Ghosts • TWD

152. A War We Will Lose.

"You heard them out there. We have to go. Even if you took out half the herd in that cave, she's got thousands left," Lydia said, her voice tense and worried. It was frustrating to her because no one else seemed to understand just how much danger they would be in if Alpha brought the herd. No one seemed to get just how serious this was. "You can't stay here," Lydia said, shaking her head.

"The skins could march straight to Alexandria for all we know," Earl said from the couch. With her arms crossed, Rosie tossed her head back, rolling her eyes and taking a deep breath to try and control her frustration.

"Yeah, we're right in their way," Daryl said, leaning against the back of the couch.

"Maybe she goes around us," Earl suggested.

"Why the hell would she go around us if she could just go right through us?" Rosie asked, an annoyed expression on her face.

"I'm not running again. Hell no," Jerry said. Out of all the people Rosie expected to want to stay and fight, it was not Jerry. He saw the herd. He almost got bit in that cave. He knew how dangerous it was, but he still wanted to stay.

"Lydia's right. We can rebuild anywhere," Dianna agreed with Lydia.

"Come on. We can't," Earl chuckled, as if it was completely unbelievable that they'd be better off somewhere else. The way Rosie saw it, they could stay and be dead or they could leave and be alive. It wasn't that difficult of a choice to make, in her opinion. Earl looked to Aaron. "How many scouting missions you been on, son? Hundreds? Have you ever seen a place like Hilltop?"

"No," Aaron answered.

"Oh, my God," Rosie muttered. "There aren't other places like Hilltop because we made Hilltop. We could make it again anywhere else. Lydia knows what the hell she's talking about better than any of us do, so we should listen to her. She says we have to go, so we have to go. If we stay and fight, we will lose."

"We have a few dozen able-bodied fighters here. Maybe. You like those odds? 'Cause I don't," Yumiko added, agreeing with Rosie.

"Neither do I," Aaron said. Rosie was glad that they were finally listening, but of course, they would listen to Aaron and Yumiko over Lydia, just because Lydia had a shitty mom. It made Rosie's blood boil. "Now, we don't have to die here."

"We're going to have to fight. And if we die, we die fighting for a place that means something. Can you think of a better way to go?" Earl asked. He just wasn't getting it. They weren't going to win. It was a little over twenty people up against thousands of walkers with a few Whisperers sprinkled in. It wasn't a fair fight and they would lose. They would lose and Earl would die and Adam would have to grow up without his father.

"Yeah. We go with my daughter's life intact. And Judith's and Ezra's and Adam's. You want me to keep going?" Aaron asked.

"Alright, let's get the kids out first. Everybody, pack up. We're goin' to Oceanside. Grab weapons, food, whatever you can. We'll regroup there," Daryl decided. Everyone began to leave the room with the new decision.

•

The group packed the kids and the food into wagons and began making their way to Oceanside. Rosie sat beside Lydia on the wagon as Daryl led the way on his bike. They didn't get far before Daryl suddenly slowed his motorcycle down to stop. The road was blocked by a knocked-over tree. There was a snarling sound coming from above them, on either side. Rosie knew that sound. She heard it by that bridge, the day before Negan killed Glenn and Abraham. She squeezed her eyes shut, letting her chin fall to her chest.

"Rose," Daryl called out.

"Yeah?" Rosie replied.

"Keep your eyes shut," Daryl told her.