The Creator and the Redneck (TWD Story)

Chapter 51: Who is to blame? What to Do?

No One's Point of View

"Hey, come let Hershel take a look at ya ribs." Daryl's voice suddenly said.

Alita turned towards the door of her cell to find Ash and Daryl against the door frame and she nodded, knowing it wouldn't hurt to have Hershel look at it.

She followed the two out of the cell spotting Hershel leaning on the stairs talking to Rick. Noticing the threes presence Rick and Hershel looked over to Alita, Daryl, and Ash.

"Everything alright?" Rick asked noticing the slight unsure look on Alita's face, she knew Hershel wouldn't mind, but she still felt bad for asking.

"Yeah, was just gonna ask if Hershel could take a look at Alita." Daryl answered for her, looking over at Hershel who nodded, grabbing his crutch as he stood up. Rick was eyeing Alita with worry, as Ash sat near her.

"What do you want me to look at Wolfie?" Hershel asked, smiling and looking over at Alita knowing that is what Shawn called her.

She smiled a bit and sighed looking at the father figure she had as she lifted her shirt, exposing the deep purple and blue bruises covering the entire left side of her rib cage. It seemed to heal much slower than all of the other things she had.

The two men both looked at the bruises with pained expressions and Alita didn't even need to look at Daryl and Ash to know what their expressions were.

"How did you managed this Alita?" Hershel questioned in complete shock as Ash patted Alita's back a little bit, knowing his friend.

"You don't wanna know. I'm fine though as long as nobody wants me to bend down and pick something up, because that won't be happening." Alita joked, scoring a soft chuckle from the people around her before Hershel gently touched her ribs, trying to see if anything was broken.

Alita winced slightly as he pressed against one of the bruises and Daryl grabbed her hand, and Ash patted her shoulder once again, not knowing what else to do as they watched Hershel examine the bruises.

"Well, I don't think any ribs are broken. But some of the bones are definitely bruised, if not cracked. I'd say for you to rest for a few weeks, but I know that probably won't happen. Well... Other than you being half werewolf it should near half that time." Hershel finally said after a few minutes and Alita laughed softly as Ash and Daryl nodded slightly.

"Not when the Governor is out there." Alita replied pulling her shirt back down and Hershel nodded, knowing it was pointless to argue with her about it.

A few minutes later, Alita and Daryl walked up the stairs over to Beth and Carol who were putting Little ***-kicker to bed, who was now named Judith apparently.

While Ash was talking with Beth for a bit, I think she likes this place. Daryl and Carol informed Alita on everything she missed, like how Daryl found Carol deep inside the prison and how Oscar and Axel were killed by the Governor's men.

"What's the plan Rick? We all know the Governor will be coming back, we can't stay here." Hershel suddenly questioned catching everyone's attention as Alita and Daryl leant over the rails looking down at Rick and the others in the cell block.

"We're not leaving." Rick stated, looking around at everyone, but Alita could see a few people disagreed with the leader.

"What if there's another sniper? A wood pallet won't stop one of those rounds." Maggie replied looking over at Rick and Alita had to admit she did have a fair point.

A shot from a 50 calibre sniper would pierce through a wooden pallet like butter, but she didn't want to run. Running meant giving up everything that had done to take this prison.

All the people they had lost to get to where they were right now, would mean nothing if they ran away.

"Rick says we're not running, we're not running." Glenn said and Alita nodded in agreement.

"No better to live like rats right." Merle's voice suddenly shouted.

The group looked over towards the door between the cell block and the large room where Merle was currently locked in, to find him leaning against the railings of the door staring at everyone.

"You got a better idea?" Rick questioned turning around to Merle as Alita silently prayed he would shut up, knowing whatever he had to say wouldn't be good.

"Yeah, we should have the slid out of here last night and lived to fight another say. But we lost that window, didn't we? I'm sure he's got scouts on every road out of this place by now." Merle informed and it was clear he was enjoying this.

"We ain't scared of that prick." Daryl stated taking a few steps in Merle's direction as he looked down at his older brother from where he was standing with Alita, while Ash nodded at Daryl's statement.

"Y'all should be. That truck through the fence thing, that's just him ringing the door bell. We might have some thick walls to hide behind, but he's got the guns and the numbers. And if he takes the high ground around this place, shoot, he could just starve us out if he wanted to." Merle replied, looking up at Alita and Daryl as he rested his forearms against the door railings.

"Let's put him in the other cell blocks." Maggie muttered turning away from Merle in annoyance and Alita understood her hatred for the older Dixon after what he did to Glenn.

"No. He's got a point." Ash replied, glancing over at Alita and Daryl as they nodded backing him up before Daryl looked at Merle.

"This is all you. You started this." Maggie shouted, glancing back at Merle, but Alita shook her head.

"No, this is the Governor." Alita stated sternly glancing down at Maggie before looking back at Merle.

"What difference whose fault it is? What do we do?" Beth questioned walking down the steps towards Rick and Hershel.

"I said we should leave. Now Axel's dead. We can't just sit here." Hershel stated, a hint of frustration in his voice as he stared at Rick, who seemed at a loss on what to do.

Alita watched Rick for a few seconds, trying to figure out what the man was thinking before he began walking away.

"Get back here!" Hershel suddenly shouted angrily towards Rick.

"You're slipping, Rick. We've all seen it. We understand why. But now is not the time. You once said this isn't a democracy anymore, now you have to own up to that. I put my family, Alita, and Ash's lives in your hands. So get your head clear and do something." Hershel stated firmly and everyone went silent as all of them stared at the two men before Rick nodded and left the room.

Nobody moved or said anything for a few minutes until Carl walked out after his father and everyone slowly went back to what they were doing before the argument.