"So how do we do this? Just take a vote?" Glenn asked.

It seems to be the most democratic way of deciding. Though I don't see why we're even bothering with all of this. We kill the kid, all of our problems end. Nothing more needs to be said.

"Does it have to be annonymous?" Andrea asked.

I rolled my eyes and I saw Daryl smirk at me from across the room. He's amused by my dislike of Andrea.

But her sister did sleep with my brother and then died breaking his heart. What a bitch. Like she couldn't have survived a few more weeks so Ryan would get over her?

"How about majority rules?" Lori suggested.

Well duh. That's what voting is about. The bigger number of votes wins. You don't have to have a fancy degree in math to know that. Sometimes I wonder how any of them are still alive.

"Let's just see where everyone stands then we can talk through the options." Rick said.

Here we go again with the morality act. The kid is a problem. We get rid of the problem and continue our lives as if nothing happened. That's not too hard. We can survive without a bit of our humanity.

"The way I see it, there's only one way to go forward." Shane retorted.

I glanced at him and he looked back at me. It's difficult to believe we're in agreement over anything. We haven't spoken in a while which made my life so much better.

Though I suppose he was busy with processing the fact that Lori is pregnant.

"Killing him? Right? Why even bother to take a vote? It's clear which way the wind's blowing." Dale grumbled.

A hint of bitterness was shown in his voice. Look, I like the guy but that heart of his will get him killed. We can't be good guys all the time. If we want to live, we have to make difficult choices.

"Great. Let's kill the guy and wrap this up then." I said.

That got a few eye rolls from the group but I didn't care. It's the best way to go forward and everyone knows it. Their guilt is the only thing keeping them from making that call.

"If people believe we should spare him, I wanna know." Rick said.

A huff left my lips at his statement. If he continues being this moral, our conversations at Sunday lunches won't be any fun. And I won't be able to make my mass murder jokes.

"I can tell you it's a small group. Maybe just me and Glenn." Dale stated.

Glenn slowly looked up at Dale. His eyes were filled with guilt and hesitation. He swallowed a lump in his throat not knowing how to tell Dale what I already knew. He wasn't on his side

"Look, I-I think you're pretty much right about everything all the time but this-"

A look of disbelief crossed Dale's face. He wasn't expecting Glenn to be the one to back down from this fight. They're both alike so I guess he hoped they would be on the same side.

"They've got you scared." Dale protested.

It's called being smart. This guy presents a threat that we should eliminate, not debate about. I'm not going to put my family at risk because of Dale's efforts to cling on to a world that's gone.

"He's not one of us and we've-we've lost too many people already." Glenn said.

Dale looked around before his eyes landed on Maggie. A sign of hope for him of sorts. If she agrees to save Randall, then so will Glenn. She's got him wrapped around her finger.

"How about you? Do you agree with this?" Dale asked her.

Her eyes softened at the desperation in his voice. Dale was the man that everyone liked but that wouldn't help him in this situation. We won't risk our lives for a guy who we don't even know.

"Couldn't we continue keeping him a prisoner?" Maggie inquired.

"He'll just be another mouth to feed." Daryl commented.

"It may be a lean winter." Hershel said.

"We could ration better." Lori replied.

Oh great. Lori is on Randall's side which means Rick is more likely to spare him. The effect that she has on him is incomprehensible to me. Does love really blind someone so much that they can't make rational decisions?

"He could be an asset. Give him a chance to prove himself." Dale insisted.

"Put him to work?" Glenn asked.

His voice was uncertain and I knew why. He didn't think it would work. What could he even do? Milk cows, feed chickens and plant seeds? He was of no value in this group, only a burden.

"We're not letting him walk around." Rick retorted.

"We could put an escort on him." Maggie suggested.

"That doesn't mean he won't hurt whoever he wants if given the chance. It's a risk no matter how you look at it." I protested.

Guys like Randall want freedom and they'll do anything they can to get it. Even if it means killing everyone in their path. Now, he may not be a killer yet but that doesn't mean he won't become one if given the opportunity.

"Who wants to volunteer for that duty, anyway?" Shane mocked.

"I will." Dale said.

He was as defiant as always when it came to keeping Randall alive. Hasn't he realized there is no other option? His death is the only way to fix this situation.

"I don't think any of us should be walking around with this guy." Rick said.

Lori commented on how she wouldn't feel safe unless Randall was tied up. The group argued back and forth about it. Andrea claimed that we couldn't sentence him to hard labor and Shane added that Randall could bring his gang to the farm and kill us all.

"So the answer is to kill him to prevent a crime he may never even attempt? If we do this, we're saying there's no hope. Rule of laws is dead. There is no civilization." Dale explained.

I rolled my eyes before leaning against the doorway. The conversation around me faded away as I focused on my heartbeat. It beat steadily, not flinching once. It used to scare me how calm I could be when discussing murder. Not anymore.

This group was anything but calm. They can argue about humanity and immorality all they want. It won't change what needs to be done. Sometimes I wonder what I would do in a situation like this if I didn't have my siblings to think about.

Would I have sided with killing Randall or would I have tried to help him? It should've been a difficult question, but my answer was simple. Yes, I'd still want him dead even if he wasn't endangering my siblings.

"This is a young man's life! And it is worth more than a five minute conversation. Is this what it has come to? We kill someone cause we can't decide what else to do with him? You saved him! And now look at us, he's been tortured, he's gonna be executed... How are we any better than those people we are so afraid of?" Dale wondered.

His voice brought me back to reality as I looked at him. Despite our disagreement in this situation, I do admire Dale. He always seemed so sure of the right thing and he never let you manipulate him into thinking otherwise.

"We all know what needs to be done." Shane commented.

"No, Dale is right. We can't leave any stone unturned here-" Rick said.

"So what's the other solution? We haven't come up with a single viable option yet. I wish we could." Andrea said.

More arguing and no solution. This is why I didn't like larger groups. You can never get anything done. Sure, you have protection and company, but too many opinions lead to nothing getting done.

Dale insisted on finding a solution when Carol spoke up. She said that she didn't ask to be part of this, none of us were, and that they should make the decision. Dale disagreed claiming that not speaking out was the same as killing him.

Dale held another speech making Andrea and Ryan side with him. A huff left my lips at Ryan's choice, but I couldn't blame him. This kind of world wasn't one he wanted to live in.

"Are you all gonna watch too? Nah, you're gonna go hide your heads in your tents and try to forget we're slaughtering a human being. I won't be a party to it."

------

I walked next to Rick, Shane, Daryl and Randall. Daryl held Randall who was tied up and being guided to his death. After Dale stormed off, the decision was made to end the kid's life.

Upon entering the barn, Randall started panicking. Not that I blamed him. We are going to kill him. Painlessly though, so he should be thanking us considering there's worse ways to go.

"Wait, wait, wait." Randall said.

I rolled my eyes as he fought against Daryl's grip. But he was too weak to fight off a fly, let alone Daryl. Perhaps he isn't as dangerous as we thought. But with a weapon, anyone is deadly.

"Put him there." Rick instructed.

Randall winced as he was put in the middle of the barn. I leaned against the wood and took a deep breath. I'll finally sleep in peace. Well, something close to that.

Shane grabbed Randall and started putting a rag over his eyes. That seems humane. At least he doesn't have to watch a bullet fly to his head. Even if he knows it's coming.

"This will all be over soon." Shane told him.

Daryl glanced at me not feeling comfortable with me being in the barn. It's not as if I hadn't seen him kill people before.

But then again, they weren't really people. I guess he'll have to learn that death isn't something I shy away from.

"What? What's going to be over soon?" Randall asked.

But then realization crossed his face and it twisted into fear. His franatic pleadings filled the air. He's a coward, too. But at least we won't have to deal with him anymore.

"No, no! No, oh, oh. No!" He called out.

His voice was filled with fear. Rick loaded his gun as Randall started sobbing. Death doesn't sound pleasant to him. I waited patiently for Rick to kill him. A part of me didn't think he'd agree to it.

"Would you like to stand or kneel?" Rick inquired.

But that only caused Randall to start crying even harder. He was getting on my nerves.

I've been beaten every single day of my childhood yet you'd rarely see me let out a grunt of pain. His weakness bothered me more than I'd like to admit.

"No, please." Randall begged.

Daryl forced him to kneel as I bit my lip. I was a completely different person than he was. Yet all his cries did was remind me of my life. More specifically my siblings.

Would they beg for mercy if put at their knees? I blocked away the thought not wanting to get soft. Randall has to die in order for my siblings to live. There is no other way.

"Do you have any final words?" Rick asked.

Randall was full on sobbing now. He wasn't even trying to hide it. It was as if we threatened his loved ones. God, he's pathetic. We'll be doing this world a favor. Let's just get it over with.

"No. Please, no. Don't." Randall sobbed.

Rick pointed the gun at Randall's head turning off the safety. Only one pull of the trigger and all of our worries will be gone. No more debates. Just peace. Perhaps we can all rest after this is over.

It was then that I noticed the hesitation in Rick's eyes. His jaw clenched but his gun remained pointed at Randall's head. He was going to pull the trigger despite his entire being telling him not to.

"Do it, dad. Do it." I heard a voice say.

I turned around to see Carl standing in the doorway watching the whole thing. He was determined for Rick to kill Randall. I was happy that I saw no sign of Abby with him.

Shane went to Carl with an angered look on his face. But it was more angry than surprised. Carl looked up to him. That's probably the reason why he ended up like this, telling his dad to kill a person.

"Are you kidding me? What did I say to you?" Shane mumbled.

He dragged Carl out by the arm as I looked back at Rick. The hesitation was even stronger now. And I knew what he was going to do. It was so predictable of him.

His hand trembled before he lowered the gun. I noticed the way his jaw clenched. He was angry. But I think he was more angry with himself than Carl.

"Take him away. Take him away." Rick mumbled.

Daryl did as he was told and I inhaled sharply. I wanted to protest but I saw the look on Rick's face. This was a difficult decision for him to make. Just like deciding to kill him was.

I approached him as Shane marched off with anger blazing in his eyes. Rick looked at me and my eyes softened. I prefer him with humanity. Though I'll never admit it out loud.

"Letting him live doesn't make you weak, Rick. It makes you the kind of leader everyone looks up to, that even I look up to." I said.

I told him what he needed to hear before giving his shoulder a squeeze before leaving the barn.

----

A scream pierced the air as I froze and got up. Rick and I shared a worried look. That's when I started running towards the sound. Because I recognized the voice. It was Dale.

All I had was a knife but I was more than capable to use it. My feet carried me quickly through the grass as I tried to locate Dale's position in the dark.

"Dale!" I heard shouts for him.

His screams got louder and I saw him with a walker on top of him. Panic went through me as Daryl threw himself on the walker moving him away from Dale.

He went to Dale's side and raised his hands in the air. I could see their position more clearly now. But the blood was what terrified me.

"Help! Over here!" Daryl shouted.

I reached Daryl and saw Dale laying on the ground. His stomach was pulled apart with his insides on display. It looked like his stomach was torn apart. It probably was.

The others reached us as I stepped back. I couldn't watch. Dale was a soft fool but I liked him. He didn't deserve this. Rick crouched down in front of him.

"Get Hershel." He ordered.

Andrea kneeled in front of Dale with a look of disbelief on her face. She and him were very close. Father-daughter relationship kind of thing. She's going to be devastated, isn't she?

"Hang on, Dale. Hang on." Andrea told him.

Dale's face was an image of pain and terror. I put my hand over my mouth as I tried to remain calm. A shaky breath left my lips as I looked away. Not even I could pretend to be indifferent.

"Hershel! We need Hershel!" Rick yelled.

It was then that the rest of the group came to Dale's side. If anyone can help him, then it's Hershel. He might be a veterinarian but he saved my life. So why not Dale?

But before I even asked that, I knew the answer. Because Dale's injuries couldn't be fixed. His stomach was ripped open with his organs literally sticking out.

"What happened?" Hershel asked.

His eyes landed on Dale and all hope drained from my face. He didn't have to say anything. Dale is a goner. His facial expression told me more than enough.

"What can we do? Can we move him?" Rick asked.

Daryl came to my side and grabbed my hand. I looked at him before wrapping my arms around his waist. He hugged back and turned me away from the sight. No tears left my eyes but I couldn't watch.

"He won't make the trip." Hershel said.

I closed my eyes knowing that would be his answer. A lump formed in my throat and I pushed it down. Dale and I weren't close. But hell, it stung that we were going to lose him.

"You have to do the operation here. Glenn, get back to the house." Rick ordered.

"Rick." Hershel said.

He shook his head in disagreement as I pulled away from Daryl. But I intertwined our fingers for comfort. Rick's face twisted in pain and anger at the knowledge that Dale was going to die.

"No!" He exclaimed.

Sobbing filled the air and I squeezed Daryl's hand tighter. I inhaled sharply as I glanced at Dale's face. He was still alive and conscious. After seeing him, I couldn't look away again.

"He's suffering. Do something." Andrea begged.

Rick held a gun to Dale's head. But I saw the tears sliding down his face. He has suffered too much to have to do this. Apparently, Daryl felt the same way. He took the gun from him and crouched down in front of Dale.

"Sorry, brother." He said.

He then pulled the trigger and ended Dale's suffering.