BLACK

Episode 15: Shattered & Broken

Yay part 15! Ok so here's the deal. Up to this point I've been following the series (TWD) word for word basically, minus a few Aj parts obviously. That will continue for a few more episodes and then it's going off the tracks. I'm gonna start writing my own complete storyline. I've hinted throughout the series so far what my storyline is going to be, but I just wanted to let you know that BLACK wont be following TWD word for word that much anymore (AND I'M SO EXCITED FOR THAT).

Anyways, lemme know what you think about this chapter. It's pretty packed with stuff and new info. The video on the side is of the ending of this chapter. I just thought I'd show you the actual video of it b/c Andrew Lincoln is one of the greatest actors I've ever seen XD Plus who doesnt love watching Rick be a badass. WATCH THE VIDEO AFTER YOU READ.

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Carol was sobbing. With every cry that racked her body, a pang of sadness echoed in you. The sound of a mother losing her only child was heartbreaking. You stepped away from Castiel, toward Carol who was still in Daryl's arms splayed across the ground. He slowly helped her up.
"Don't look. Don't look." His rough voice called out. Carol pried her way out of his arms and ran in the direction of camp. You and everyone else watched her run until she was out of sight. Now the only sound was of Beth's cries.
You glanced back to watch poor Beth pull away from Jimmy's arms. She stumbled forward to the mess of bodies. Rick stepped into her path and tried to stop her, "Shh Shh. Wait, wait."
Beth brushed his arms aside and kept stumbling forward. You hadn't considered yourself close to Beth considering you didn't spend much time with her as you did the others, but something called out to you. Seeing her this vulnerable reminded you of someone. A little girl who had lost her family. A little girl who cried herself to sleep at night. A little girl with [hair color] locks and sad [eye color] eyes.
You walked toward Beth as she fell to her knees beside two walkers. She grabbed the top one and pushed it off the woman walker below it.
"Beth." You murmured and kneeled beside her. She didn't push you away thankfully. It was most likely due to the fact that her mind was solely preoccupied with staring at the walker.
"Mom..." Beth sobbed as she brushed away the ratty hair from the disfigured, rotting face. You glanced down to see the walker's lip twitch. Adrenaline dumped into your system and as the walker's arms shot up to grab Beth, you threw your own arm out to push the young girl back.
Beth let out a shrill scream that cut through the air as she fell on her back. The walker's hand grabbed a handful of your hair instead of Beth's shoulders. The mangled hand knotted in your hair as your face was pulled toward its chomping teeth.
"Aimee!"
"Beth! Get her out of here!" You yelled as you struggled to pull yourself back. There was movement all around you as your group jumped into action. Shane pulled Beth further back as Rick wrapped his arms around your body.
The walker lifted its head off the ground to try and eat your face, but Glenn grabbed the walker's arms and held it to the ground. There was another hand at your head trying to untangle the hand from your hair. After a few more minutes of struggling the hand was ripped free, but it took a chunk of your hair with it. You let out a cry of pain as you fell onto the ground against Rick who had been trying to pull you back.
T-Dog tried to stomp on the walker's head as Glenn continued to hold it down. Andrea rushed over to the barn and grabbed a sickle.
"Daryl!" She threw it to the redneck who, after catching it, swung the blade. It went through the skull leaving the monster motionless.
Things were calm again as you tried to catch your breath. Rick had one of his arms wrapped tightly around your waist as he caught his breath as well. Castiel knelt beside you with his hand on your shoulder so you assumed he had been the one trying to get the hand out of your hair. Beth was crying into Hershel's chest.
"Check her." Daryl said with a tight voice, "Aj, did it scratch you?"
All eyes turned to you. The adrenaline had left your system and left you out of breath and in a daze. You lifted your hand to your head and when you brought it back blood dripped from your fingers.
"It's not- I wasn't scratched." You shook your head, "It ripped out my hair."
There was a simultaneous breath of relief released. After a few moments of nothing people began to move again. Rick pulled you up carefully.
"Thanks guys." You breathed. Your eyes darted over to Beth to see she was uninjured. Maggie caught your eye and crossed the space to pull you into a hug. It startled you, but it had been a brief hug that ended with a grateful smile.
"You don't seem too shaken up." Andrea commented as Maggie went back to Beth.
You shrugged, "I'm...not. Thanks for helping me though."
She didn't reply and you watched as Hershel, Patricia, and Maggie tried to persuade Beth to go inside. As they led her away, tucked in between Patricia and Hershel, you noticed Patricia's knees were shaking. You jogged over.
"Let me help." You murmured and took Patricia's place. She gave you a thankful smile as you helped Beth toward the house. Glenn hovered around the three of you beside Maggie.
You got a few feet from the house when you heard loud footsteps. You glanced back to see Shane storming toward the small group with Rick close behind.
"Shane!" Rick tried to stop him but he kept speeding forward.
"We were out there. We were out there combing the woods looking for her and she was in there the whole time." Shane snapped and pointed at Hershel, "You knew!"
"Leave us alone!" Maggie glared at him. Rick grabbed Shane's arm but he ripped away from Rick's grip.
"Get your hand off me." Shane spat, "You knew and you kept it from us."
"I didn't know." Hershel said turning around. Patricia and Maggie took Beth up the house stairs and toward the front door, but they hesitated there. You and Glenn stood off to the side as Shane glared down the older gentleman.
"That's bullshit! I think y'all knew!" Shane accused the entire Greene family.
Maggie stepped away from the door but stayed on the porch, "We didn't know!"
"Then why was she there??"
"Your-" Hershel shook his head. It was obvious he was still shaken from what happened moments ago, "Otis found these people and put them in the barn. Maybe he found her and put her in there before he was killed."
It was an answer that made sense. It was still a depressing answer, but it explained the situation well. Shane scoffed, "You expect me to believe that-- what do I look like--"
Rick pushed forward and held his arm out, "Shane, hey hey hey."
"Do I look like an idiot to you??" Shane barked as Rick held him back. You bit back the urge to say yes.
"I don't care what you believe!" Hershel bellowed. It was the loudest you had heard him. Rick stepped between them with his arms up.
"Everybody just calm down."
"Get him off my land!" Hershel yelled again.
"Let me tell you something." Shane went to grab Hershel's shirt. Maggie rushed forward and slapped Shane against the face startling everyone.
"Don't touch him!" Maggie yelled as Glenn shot forward and put a hand on Shane's chest. It was evident that Glenn was nervous about Shane trying to hurt Maggie, but Shane just stared at her at a loss for words, "Haven't you done enough?"
Maggie stormed inside with Beth and Patricia. Hershel lingered for a moment, "I mean it, off my land."
Without another word he turned and went inside. It was painfully silent as Glenn glanced at everyone before following them inside. The door shut and you crossed your arms and gave Shane a stern glare.
"You got something to say?" Shane asked you with a bitter tone.
You clenched your jaw for a moment as Rick and Shane stared at you. Finally, you nodded, "I like you, Shane, but what just happened shouldn't have happened. I think you're a good guy at heart, but you're going down a dangerous road."
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Shane snapped.
You stepped toward him with a glare, "It means you're changing and it isn't for the better."
Shane shook his head and tore his gaze away. You gave Rick a softer look before leaving the two of them. You were worried for Shane.
The two men watched you leave before Rick turned his attention to Shane. He threw his hand up, " Aimee is right. What are you doing?" Shane ignored him so Rick asked again, "What are you doing?"
"Daryl almost died looking for her, Rick. Anyone of us could have. I'm gonna tell you right now, that son of a bitch", Shane pointed inside, "He knew."
Rick shook his head, "He didn't know. He's not like that. He opened his home to us!"
"Put us all in danger, man! He kept a barn full of walkers!"
Rick scoffed and stepped forward, "So you start an insurrection, hand out the guns, and massacre his family?!"
"His family's dead, Rick." Shane replied.
"Well, he doesn't believe that." Rick spat, "He thinks you just murdered them in cold blood."
"No, man, I don't care what he thinks."
Rick sighed, "I was handling it, brother. I was handling it and you just-"
"You had us out in the woods looking for a little girl that every single one of us already knew was dead!" Shane yelled, "That's what you did. Rick, you're just as delusional as that guy!"
Shane turned and walked away leaving Rick to stew in his own thoughts. Rick let out a sigh as his eyes landed on the now empty barn.