𝙵𝙻𝙴𝚂𝙷 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙱𝙾𝙽𝙴 | 𝚃. 𝙾𝚃𝚃𝙾 𐂃

- James -

-

Sleep didn't come for James, but he told Cristine to rest for a bit while he looked after things. He didn't want to burden his daughter with what was his business and responsibilities. Wiping his red hands with water from the bowl, James splashed some on his neck before wiping it dry. The light in his usual lively eyes dim from the cold severity that shrouded his being. Deciding to get some fresh air, James walked out the cabin door and blinked in surprise at the company.

Jeremiah and Vernon.

Pulling the door behind him closed, the wood underneath his shoes creaked as James stalked toward the two men. It was the crack of dawn, but from the severity of their expression, neither men ha slept it seemed.

"Jeremiah told me," Vernon said in a heavy tune as he briefly flickered his eyes to the single entrance that led to the tormenting world James had made his own. He saw the faint splatters of blood on his friends neck, face and travelled his gaze to slightly bruised knuckle and it didn't leave much to the imagination as to what had occurred.

"Did he talk?" Jeremiah asked, brown eyes peeled for any inkling that James was able to uncover intel that was worth them having an advantage. In the meantime, he fished out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from his pockets, sharing them with what was probably the last three standing Founding Fathers.

"He screamed," James answered callously and took a deep breath from the unhealthy stick. He stared faraway, into the pinkish hue between the dark blue that signaled the sun was coming up and would be ablaze in a few hours. "He cursed. He laughed. And he cried. Walker's men are strong and disciplined, I'll give him that."

An uncomfortable look crossed Vernon's features when he heard that dreadful name after forty plus years. His gut sank and he chewed on his lips after lowering his cigarette. "He's probably the reason why Phil hasn't called in."

"Phil's dead." James his answer was so convincing it flabbergasted the two men.

"Did he say that?" Jeremiah nodded at the cabin with their prisoner.

A cynical smirk stretched on James his thin lips. "He didn't have to. Us sending out a search party was most likely part of Walker's plan. That's what I would do if I was in his place. Good way to win a few extra supplies. Some extra weapons and a vehicle or two."

"My boy," Vernon muttered distraught thinking of Mike. The color drained from his face at the thought of ever seeing his only son again. There is a tight feel in his chest, builds up in his nerves and synapses and Vernon understood the fear was gaining on him. His breath was shallow and he found a way to release the tension. The more apprehensive he became, the clearer it became that the safety of himself and his family was slowly crumbling.

"We don't know damn thing." Jeremiah tried to sound more hopeful when he noted that Vernon looked as if he was about to pass out. James his crazy and baseless talk were clearly putting them on edge and Jeremiah couldn't have that. "That asshole in there didn't share any valuable information either, so let's not come to any conclusions-"

"They didn't call in Jeremiah!" Vernon spat and his anger and anxiety flared. "They'll come for us next and pick us apart one by one, all because of what the five of us did. Hell, Phil is gone, Russel shot himself to be with Martha two days ago! It's just a matter of time before Walker brings his bunch of savages down on us and scalps us all."

"You need to calm down Vern," James flicked the ash from the end of his stick. "We're safe if we stay on the Ranch."

"Safe!? They breached our safety perimeters. They left behind skulls with bullet holes inside them so we know that its Walker and that he's coming for us. The others have a right to know-"

"You're out of line Vern-" Jeremiah cut in.

"-like hell Jeremiah! Violence begets violence and now we're being punished for it."

"You'll leave at the first sign of trouble? Leave at simple speculation." Jeremiah couldn't believe his ears.

"I have a family to think about." Vernon glared at Jeremiah with a half made up mind. He would give it a few days and wait for his son Mike, but all of this changed everything. The Ranch wasn't safe anymore.

"We all do." James stepped in between his friends with and reached for Vernon's shoulder and squeezed it. "But leaving now, risking Kathy and Gretchen's safety isn't the answer. They can't fight and have never killed. We're Founding Fathers and like it or not, but people look up to us. The three of us need to be a united front Vernon."

"That's easy for you to say, your child isn't out in the wild," Vernon hissed and wanted to jerk his body to throw off the hand clamped around his shoulder, but was unable.

"Vernon please." James pressed his fingers into his friends skin and didn't relax his grip. Not even when Vernon's face twitched in clear discomfort. "There is no place better than here. Now, go back to your RV. Lay down next to your wife and think about her and Gretchen. Think about all the possible ways they can die outside." Vernon held his breath in alternating his gaze between the fixed gaze and his mouth to register the words that spilled from James his lips. "Think about how much higher the stakes are. Starvation. Dehydration. Eaten live. Pillaged. Raped. Tortured." His stare made the top of Vernon's head tingle. It felt as if he looked at the man who could so easily step away from all his emotions. Like when James first came back from the war. Like when James helped bury corpses underneath the old adobe house where Russel's house was now burned down. "Then think of all the possible ways they can live safely behind our walls. Protected by a militia. Well-fed and away from the living and dead monsters outside." The cold expression faltered, but there was this standoffish and odd ambience surrounding James. Vernon couldn't really explain it, but inside his friend's gaze lurked an intent that made his heart pound. 

Switched the previous chapter and this one.