Deadland

Chapter 121- Kaboom

"The skins could march straight to Alexandria for all we know." Earl says.

"Yeah, we're right in their way." Daryl rasps. 

"Maybe she goes around us." Earl counters. 

"She doesn't need to go around you. She'll just run through you." Lydia says. 

"I'm not running again." Jerry chimes in. "Hell, no." 

"Lydia's right, we can rebuild anywhere." Dianne says. 

"No, we can't." Earl sighs, "How many scouting missions you been on, son?" He asks, looking at Aaron. "Hundreds? Have you ever seen a place like Hilltop?" 

"No." Aaron replies. 

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

"Neither do I." Aaron agrees. "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." Earl presses. "Can you think of a better way to go?"

I feel like I should clap.

"Yeah," Aaron chuckles sarcastically. "We go with my daughter's life intact. And Judith's and Beatrice's and Ezra's and Adam's. You want me to keep going?" I sigh and nod, I'd rather lose Hilltop than Beatrice. 

"All right, let's get the kids out first." Daryl suggests. "Everybody, pack up. We're going to Oceanside. Grab weapons, food, whatever you can. We'll regroup there."  With that, everyone steps out of the room. 

When I see Beatrice outside the room, she's sitting on a sofa, reading a book about a farmer while a few people of the group greet her. She replies with a cheerful "Hi!" or "Hey!" with a bright, shining smile. 

My eyes seem to not want to move away from her like they're locked onto her. She doesn't see me, she doesn't even look up from her book, she just stays in a ball reading. I can't help but wonder what Damien and Cato teach her. Did they teach her anything? 

As I'm just standing in the doorway, Beatrice finally looks up and sees me. She smiles a close-mouthed, happy smile and wiggles out of her knee-to-chest fall form. "Hey, Bug-a-boo." I greet her, walking over to her and sitting in the chair next to her. "Did you hear anything from in there?" 

She shakes her head, "No." 

"Well, we're gonna send the kids to Oceanside, alright? Alpha's horde is comin' and it's way too dangerous for any of us to be here. The adults will be right behind y'all." 

Her eyebrows knit together like they both have a magnet on the base pulling them together. "I wanna stay with you." 

I nod, "I know you do, Bug. But this is way more serious than you think it is." 

"Adri, we've been separated so many times. I'm sick of it." She whines, closing her book and crossing her arms. 

I hide my smile at her exaggerated angry eyes and angry frown. "We're not being separated. We will be right behind you. I promise." 

"Bug, you go with the kid carriage, and Adrian promises to teach you to fish," Alyssa says from the doorway of an extra infirmary room. I can hear how dull her voice is. Her eyes are puffy and red and her lips are chapped to hell. 

I shoot an angry glare at her from across the room. I fucking hate fishing. 

"Yeah, hell no," I say, scoffing. "But, I will teach you how to make a bug trap. I'll give you a container and let you keep a roach like you've always wanted."