Unprecedented Disposition [TWD]

II

"What are they gonna' do with us?" Chloé whispers timidly.

"I-" I hesitate. I have no idea what kind of people their group is.

The southern man certainly did not roll out the 'welcome mat', nor did the man who pressed the gun barrel to my temple just minutes earlier.

"I don't know. We'll be okay, Chloé."

She merely nods in response.
I look around, noticing the strangers crowded near an RV, arguing.

"Now, they were practically spying on us. How am I supposed to trust them? Around Lori, around Carl?-"

"Shane, they're my family. I can protect them just fine.-"

"You have to be more tolerant! Maybe they're good people?"

"They're a danger. A threat. I say we kick em' to the curb and take their weapons."

"Did y'all just f'rget bout' my brother? The one ya left on the roof?"

"Everybody stop fighting!"

Several voices hiss inaudible things at each other from there. I try to ignore it, eager to get out of the camp. I would grab my sisters hand and split right there, if our wrists weren't knotted with rope and our weaponry hadn't been confiscated.

A frail woman with short gray hair sits on the log across from us, staring into the dirt - almost anxiously. She hasn't said a word.

Probably just doesn't want to participate in the argumentative debate.

"I'm sorry about this." She speaks timidly, startling me with the sudden conversation.

I merely glance at her. We make eye contact for a split second, and she turns away immediately.

"Then why don't you give us our weapons back and let us leave?" I speak coldly, narrowing my eyes at her. She eyes the dirt, shame cleary evident.

Then, I'm ripped to my feet.

"Stand up," A dark-haired man commands.

"Don't touch me!" I hiss, ripping my arm away from his grasp.

He is taken back by my outburst, but he shakes it off quickly.

I glare at him as intimidatingly as possible, but it doesn't seem to phase him. I quickly glance over to see my sister standing beside me. The man glares back at me coldly, matching my facial expression.

"Stay at this camp. We're-" He sighs, almost as if he's unsure of his own words. "We'll be confiscating your weapons, watching them for a little while. At least until we don't see a threat, and then we'll send you on your way," He offers insincerely.

"How am I supposed to trust you?" I retort snappily.

"You don't have a choice."

I notice a table a short distance behind him. Around the table sat multiple children. A dark-haired woman instructs them as a group, both the children and woman grasping pencils and paper.

Learning.

A small smile forms at the corner of my lips for a split second. I realize how long it had been since I had interacted with a child. Plus, I had been sure that the idea of civilization had completely vanished. The sight of children acquiring an education gives me a warm feeling, almost like there is still hope.

I wipe the grin off my face, still staring at the children.

Suddenly, I hear fierce groans. I glance at my sister. She looks down at her stomach, eyes wide.