I went and stood beside Dad leaning onto him slightly so he knew I was there. "Here in Hilltop, the punishment fits the crime. I don't want to have to do this. Do you have any final words?" Maggie asked Gregory. I looked up at him and the rope wrapped around his neck, "what your doing is wrong, killing me in the dead of night. You should be ashamed." Maggie shrugged, "I'm not ashamed."
Gregory looked down, "for the love of god stop this." Daryl whipped the horse so it ran forward causing Gregory to fall. I turned around as I heard footsteps seeing two children behind me. "MAGGIE STOP THIS." I screamed running forward. Dad grabbed me holding me back. "THERE ARE CHILDREN OUT."
It was too late Gregory's neck had snapped, I watched as a woman from the community ran towards them. "Get the children to bed." Maggie whispered. "This isn't the start of anything, I don't want to go through it again."
Gregory continued to swing back and forth and I turned away from him looking up at Dad. "I can't believe children just watched that." He grabbed my arm, "let's go, get out of here."
-----
Another month went by, and the bridge had been put into motion. I spent almost all my time there, Dad and I had a tent set up, he went back and forth but I rarely left. It gave me time to focus on something big and meaningful rather then focusing on everything I've lost.
I slowly sat up smiling as Dad handed me a cup filled with some sort of soup. "You ready." I groaned grabbing a new outfit, "I would like at least five more minutes of sleep." Dad nodded, "I've felt the same way since you were born. You've got five minutes to eat, and get out there or I'll drag you out myself." I rolled my eyes, "good morning to you too."
I hesitantly got dressed and pulled myself out of the tent walking over to the bridge. "You with us today?" Daryl asked standing beside Aaron. I nodded bending down to help move a board into place. Daryl passed me the hammer while the two of them left to grab more wood. We worked on our section Daryl pointed at Henry, "let's take a break, until water boy gets here." I sat down watching as a saviour pulled the hug from Henry's hands. Henry used his stick knocking him on his ass and ripped it back.
I jumped up to go help him but Daryl pushed me back down running over there instead. He grabbed the man by his shoulders pushing him back down. "Kids just doing his job. Get back to work." The saviour turned around and went to punch Daryl but missed, I watched as Daryl swing hitting the man square in the face. The two of them fell to the ground fighting and I watched as others steppped in grabbing each other.
Dad came rushing forward, "BREAK IT UP RIGHT NOW. I SAID ENOUGH. ENOUGH. Get back to work all of you." I sighed turning around getting back to my position hammering in the nails.
"Our groups going to the lumber yard," Daryl grunted walking up to me and Aaron. I set my tools down following them into a clearing in the forest. Two saviours walked up to Aaron and I, "we have ropes around these logs you two just need to stand under them and push as we pull." I nodded walking over to the log as the saviours climbed up the pile. "Ready?" One called. I nodded, "tell us when." The man gave a slight pull, "NOW."
As they pulled up, Aaron and I pushed upward on the lug holding it steady as they gathered enough strength to keep pulling. "Walker." I heard someone from above us yell. Daryl, ran forward killing it and I froze when I saw an entire herd heading towards us. "Fall out." Daryl ordered. "NO." I screamed as the saviours above us simply let go of the log and it came barrelling down. Aaron lunged forward pushing us both out of the way, but when I heard his scream I looked back to see the log had fallen and crushed his arm.
"GET OVER HERE." I screamed at the two saviours. Daryl ran in front of us killing any walkers that got close and I pushed the log off with the rest of our team.
We bent down grabbing Aaron and I felt a slimy hand grip onto my shoulder. I turned to stab it but before I could an arrow flew into its head. Dad, and a team from the bridge came running in, and I gently set Aaron down pulling my knife from my pocket. "Leah, are you hurt? Go back to camp we got this." I shook my head, "I'm fine."
Dad held up his gun shooting at the ropes holding the log pile together. I watched as the rope broke and logs went tumbling down at the walkers clearing the herd.
I looked beside me as a younger saviour one I remembered from Hilltop grabbed my arm. "You're bleeding." I touched my finger to my face, "I fell when those idiots dropped the log. I'm fine." He took a cloth from his pocket holding it up to my face. "I'll take you to the infirmary, looks like you could use stitches."