After everyone had gathered I sighed, "we can't let this place go." I then looked back at Eugene and the group he was with. "Leah, this place. It's exactly like the world was before." I scoffed, "if it was exactly how it was before Carl and Dad would be here, so would my mom. This is the place they built. How the hell can we just leave." The one in charge looked at me, "it looks like this place has fallen upon hard times. We can help you." I bit my lip throwing my hands up, "you don't understand what we've been through." Eugene stepped forward, "they don't, but I do. This is a place you want Judith and RJ growing up." I moved my eyes to where the two of them sat, and then sighed, "what's the catch? You're only gonna take half of us, kill the other half, or maybe you're all just secret cannibals trying to eat us, that's nothing we haven't been through before. Take yourselves and your stupid little community right back to where you came from." Daryl shook his head, "Leah cmon." I turned to him, "how can you expect me to just be okay with this." He held up his hand, "give us a minute." Maggie shook her head, "we're not going." I laughed, "you can do us all a favour and shut the fuck up. Even better get out of my sight." Daryl grabbed my arm, "enough, let's go." He signalled everyone else to wait a minute, while we went behind a house.
"What the hells the matter with you." I pushed my back against the wall, "how are you even asking me that? You're supposed to understand." He sighed, "Leah I'm sorry about Carver and I know you're losing too much too fast.." I cut him off, "so because I get everything taken away, I need to think about everyone else, if you want to go, then fine, if you think it's best Judith and RJ then fine. I don't care anymore. I'm done." I started to leave but then I spun around, "tell Maggie the next time she speaks to me a bullet goes through her fucking head." He stormed forward, "what are you going on about. You don't get to stop caring now." I glared at him, "you stopped for five years, when is it my fucking turn."
——
Despite my anger most of us did end up going to the common wealth, I ended up deciding Judith and RJ did deserve a better place.
I followed one of the guards up to our new apartment holding Judith and RJs hands. The common wealth was as annoyingly established as they all said it was. A governor and everything. There wasn't a bed here just a small cushion, and a one bedroom square with a small bathroom. Daryl turned to me, "home sweet home." I shook my head at the guard, "what the hell is this? We have kids with us." He shrugged, "you need money to move up in the world. You'll start working soon." I slammed the door shut behind him staring in disgust at this place. It was freezing, and looked as if it hadn't been cleaned in years. The neighbours were clearly partiers, the music was bouncing through the walls. I took my jacket off telling RJ to lay down and then pulled a piece of wood from the floor shoving it under our door. Judith looked at me, "is this our new home?" I shook my head, "not for long."
When night had fallen Judith and RJ shared the cushion as a bed and I laid down on the floor in a corner. "Night Leah," Daryl whispered patting my back. I sighed, "night."
——
We had been here close to a month, Judith and RJ had become comfortable, I hadn't. I could barely talk to anyone here without wanting to punch someone in the face. I was still in training as a guard, I worked opposite shifts from Daryl and Rosita so that someone could always be home for Judith and RJ. I usually worked later and together Daryl and I pooled enough money to buy our own place, much nicer than the one we were in now. Things at the common wealth were good enough, but I wasn't, not mentally at least.
I had just finished a shift and was on my way home when my eyes drifted to a figure that walked out infront of me. "Eugene?" I whispered. He turned to me holding an entire bottle of vodka. "Good evening Leah." I reached my hand out for the bottle, "I need that more than you do." He nodded handing it over, "I suppose you do." I pressed it to my lips, "don't tell anyone you gave this to me." He nodded, "you got it."