Surviving The New World (Book Six in the Surviving The Walking Dead Series)

Law & Order

"The council calls Daryl to speak." Michonne spoke. One of the chairs behind me squeaked and heavy footsteps echoed through the room; I looked up at him without emotion as he passed and took a seat in the adjacent chair, wondering when he even came into the room. "Daryl, can you please describe your marriage to Michaela?"

"It ain't the best, but it ain't the worst."

"Can you elaborate?"

"We've had our arguments, but we always seem to be alright in the end."

"You were the first one to see Patrick, is that correct?" Ezekiel asked.

"As far as I know."

"Can you describe what you saw?"

"He was dead, but not dead."

"He had turned?"

"Yeah."

"Anything else?"

"He was in pieces and strung from the ceilin'."

"Any important details about the corpse?"

"It seemed like a lot less than what should've been there."

"What do you mean? Like he was missing pieces of him?" Daryl nodded.

"And how did Michaela act when she showed you the body?"

"Calm."

"That'll be all." Michonne sighed. "Please, take your seat."

"Ain't I supposed to ask questions?" I asked. Michonne looked over at me and reluctantly nodded. "Daryl, what else did ya see strung from the ceilin'?"

"A folder." Daryl answered.

"What was in that folder?"

"I dunno, I didn't look."

"We took the folder as evidence." Rick informed and handed Daryl the folder.

"Please read the folder out loud." I ordered. Daryl opened the bloodstained folder and began to read.

"Hicks, Patrick R. DOB: March 9th 1982. Richmond, Virginia. Offense..." Daryl fell silent for a moment.

"Daryl, please continue."

"Offense: posession of child pornography, child molestation, sexual assault, and possession of schedule 1 drugs—"

"Which was?"

"Rohypnol."

"Was he ever sentenced?"

"No...it says it was pendin'."

"Now, it took me forever to glue the pieces back together, but I managed. If you'd wish to see the photo in the back of the folder, go ahead and look."

"I'd rather not." Rick stood up and took the folder from Daryl and opened it to the back of the folder. His face contorted with disgust before passing it down the line. Everyone had to look, and everyone turned away.

"Anyone wanna tell Daryl what the photo was?" The room was silent. "No? Okay then." I turned to Daryl. "It was Elijah, your nephew. MJ let him babysit 'em before he was old enough to help clean the Sanctuary, well before I showed up. I'll let your imagination guess what the photo consisted of. Now, if it'd please the council, I'd like to have this folder and all its contents marked as exibit one and marked into evidence." The room fell silent. "I didn't get to watch movies a lot as a child, but my mom's husband watched a lot of it; Law & Order bein' one of his favorite."

"Evidence is admitted." Michonne nodded. "If you have no further questions, we will call our next witness."

"Nope, I think that covered it."