THE REASON

chapter four : a church
[ season five – episode two ]

   ALL KLOE COULD feel was exhaustion. The whole night after she spoke with her younger sister, announcing the death of her mother, she lay wide awake most of the night while others slept.

She decided to take watch, just in case a dick like Gareth decided to ignore her threat and follow them anyway. She was leaned up against a tree most of the night, staring down at her hands as she fiddled with her knife.

She was glad she did decide to take watch though. While staring into space, she had heard rustling in the trees, and she instantly got goosebumps — as if she was being watched.

Once everyone woke up the next morning, she immediately told everyone, and Daryl was quick to add that he had the same feeling. She felt her stomach turn — perhaps the threat wasn't enough.

Daryl, noticing the uneasiness in Kloe's stance, offered to go check for tracks — along with getting some fish for the group to eat.

Currently, the whole group, minus the Dixon man, stuck close together as they made their way through the woods. The birds chirping somewhat calmed Kloe, but it wasn't enough.

Brianna hadn't spoken to anyone, and Kloe couldn't blame her. Brianna kept her distance away from the group, but was still close. Everyone could see that the teen had bright puffy red eyes from crying for most of the night.

Dead leaves crinkled as someone made an appearance, making everyone at the front of the group raise their guns. Kloe squinted her eyes, her heart beating fast.

Only until Daryl Dixon emerged into the open, making everyone lower their weapons. The man stared at them before lifting both of his hands, a line of dead fish in his left hand. "We surrender."

Both Rick Grimes and Kloe Rhee shared a glance before stepping forward, Daryl joining their side. "Find anything?" Kloe wondered in a low tone.

"No tracks. No nothin'," Daryl answered. Kloe then quietly exhaled, starting to think that perhaps she was just paranoid. But then how would Daryl have the exact feeling? It was overwhelming.

"So whatever you both heard last night—" Rick began, but was cut short by the Dixon man.

"It's more what I felt," Daryl familiarized.

"Yeah... I felt it too. I only heard something small, could've been an animal. But it felt like something — or someone — was watching us," Kloe explained.

The three shared a look for a moment, before Rick singly nodded his head. The two archers returned the nod. While Daryl kept walking, Rick stopped to turn to the group and Kloe walked back over to her husband and brother.

As Rick whistled and whispered loudly to the group to 'keep close', Glenn reached out for Kloe's wrist and pulled her toward him. No matter what, he didn't want to lose her again — even if she was only a few meters away from him, he still wanted her close to him.

Isabelle kept checking over at her closest friend, Brianna, with worried eyes. Right after Kloe had spoken with the girl the evening before, she made sure she told everyone else too.

The Marshel girl knew that Brianna was grieving, but it felt weird not being able to share some jokes with her. Isabelle pushed herself forward and stood by Kloe's side.

"When do you think she'll be okay again?" Isabelle questioned, frowning to herself as she looked up at Kloe. "Will she ever be the same again?"

The Rhee woman stayed silent for a moment, feeling her heart clench as she stared into the air in front of her. In fact, after Isabelle's first question, her ears started to ring, and she could hear her heart beating.

Isabelle waited for an answer, but got nothing in return. She shifted her eyes over to the man beside Kloe, who frowned with concern at his wife.

"Kloe?" Isabelle tried to catch the woman's attention. "Earth to Kloe." She waved her hand in front of Kloe's face, to which she flinched and shot her eyes over to the shorter girl.

"Huh?" was all she could say, completely forgetting what Isabelle had asked.

Once more, Glenn and Isabelle shared another glance. Isabelle slowly shook her head, "Nothing... Are you okay?"

"What? Yeah, of course. I'm fine," she dismissed, plastering on a small smile. Kloe knew damn well that she wasn't fine. However, she couldn't find herself saying anything just yet.

There were only a few things plaguing her mind at that moment.

Stabbing Vickie in the head after she 'fell asleep'. Torturing Gareth. And killing someone with intention.

She regretted most of them, and blamed herself. There was a side of her that kept telling her that it wasn't her fault for anything, but the side that was relatively larger than the other kept telling her it was, and that made her unfocused at any given time.

Out of nowhere, a man in the distance cried out for help. Everyone stopped dead in their tracks as Rick signaled them to. "Somebody help me! Help!"

Both Carl and Isabelle rushed forward, but were stopped when Jayce extended out his arm in front of the young woman, while Rick grasped onto his son's arm.

Carl whipped his head over his shoulder to face his father. "Dad, come on." he whisper-shouted. Kloe gulped, wanting nothing more than to save whoever was in trouble. Although, what if it was a trap? "Come on. Come on!"

"Fuck it," Reina said, rushing forward toward the man who was now screaming for help. "We're coming, my dude!"

Watching Reina run made the rest of them do the same. If one goes, they all go. Kloe unwrapped her bow's string from around her shoulder and clasped onto an arrow.

"Somebody please! Help! Anybody!"

As soon as everyone in the group reached the man that was crying out for desperate help, a man in a black suit came into sight. He was on a rather large rock, where around seven or eight walkers were surrounding, reaching up for his legs.

Carl was the first to shoot down one of the walkers, the bullet getting it straight through the skull. The Salazar woman was next, slashing her knife into the walker's face — through its eye to be exact.

Rick set a firm hold on one of the walker's frail hair, pulling its head back before smashing its face against the rock a few times. Kloe stood off to the side as Carol, Michonne and Daryl took out a walker each.

She pulled back her bow string tightly as she stared ahead at the last walker. She clicked her tongue, catching the lone walker's attention as it turned to face her.

Releasing the arrow, the walker fell backward as the arrow set perfectly in between its eyes.

"Is that all of them?" Jayce wondered, scanning the area around them before fully looking at the man they had just saved.

"We're clear," Rick confirmed. "Keep watch."

"Do you recognize him?" Zayn whispered close to Kloe's ear, who was presently keeping her eye on the man.

After a moment or two, Kloe ripped her eyes off the man — who she soon noticed was wearing a priest's suit — and turned to her brother. "No."

"Come on down," Rick told the man, who seemed frightened but thankful. The man hesitated for a moment as he fearfully glanced over the deceased walkers beneath him.

He then hopped down, everyone keeping their eyes on him. He avoided looking at the walkers, and also the blood splatters on the rock behind him. He blinked, trying to suppress the bile rising in his throat.

"Are you alright?" Isabelle inquired, furrowing her brows as she watched the look on the man's face. He then raised his finger, excusing himself as he turned off to the side and vomited.

Kloe pursed her lips and scrunched up her face as she took a few steps back, not wanting to get any puke on her.

Once he was done, he glimpsed back up at the group and apologized. He then straightened his back, sniffed, then looked at the Marshel girl. "Yes. Thank you." He straightened his suit before shifting his eyes over to Rick. "I'm Gabriel."

"Do you have any weapons on you?" Rick asked Gabriel, gesturing to his body.

Gabriel chuckled, glancing over his shoulder at Michonne, who merely stood beside the Rhee woman. He noticed that neither had any amusement in their faces and slowly looked back at Rick.

"Do I look like I have any weapons?"

"We don't give two short and curlies what it looks like," Abraham Ford spoke up, lifting his chin as he kept his gun held tightly in his grip.

"I have no weapons of any kind," Gabriel answered honestly, growing intimidated by the frightening group. "The word of God is the only protection I need."

Kloe only blinked, raising her brows before sharing a brief look with her brother. Daryl, who had the same look as the siblings, said, "Sure didn't look like it."

The edges of Gabriel's lips turned upward. "I called for help. Help came." He drifted his eyes over the group, who still showed no sign of amusement — not even a small smile.

Gabriel's chest tightened as he watched the group for a moment. They definitely all terrified him — but he was still grateful for saving him. "Do you have... have any food? Whatever I... I had left, it just hit the ground."

Carl stepped forward, extending out his hand with nuts in his palm. "We have some pecans," he offered, to which Gabriel carefully took them and thanked him.

The sound of a baby cooing caught Gabriel's attention, making him look over at Tyreese. He then smiled, "That's a beautiful child." Once again, no one looked happy. No one spoke. The group could never trust anyone ever again after what they had just gone through. "Do you have a camp?"

"No," Rick replied instantly. "Do you?" He took a small step forward, making Gabriel gulp nervously.

The man parted his lips to speak. "I have a church," he shrugged.

Rick frowned and began shaking his head. "Hold your hands above your head," he gestured, not playing any games. Gabriel, feeling threatened, obliged and raised his hands.

The Grimes man searched Gabriel, investigating his pockets and belt. "How many walkers have you killed?" Rick began asking the three questions. Reina raised a single brow, her head subconsciously turning over to Kloe. The woman sent the younger woman a small nod before looking back over at Gabriel.

The man getting searched exhaled shakily. "Not any, actually," he tried to laugh, but was turned around by Rick pushing his shoulder.

"Turn around." Rick patted the man more. "How many people have you killed?"

Gabriel shared a look at Rick, his eyes widening in slight surprise. "None."

Rick stood back up after checking the man's ankles. "Why?"

"Because the lord abhors violence."

"Well, we're all fucked then," Kloe sighed, finally stepping forward and pulling the arrow out of the walker's face, sliding it back into her quiver.

"What've you done," Rick asked the man, squinting his eyes — extremely unconvinced. "We've all done something."

"I'm a sinner," Gabriel answered. "I sin almost everyday. But those sins, I confess them to God, not strangers."

Kloe let her head flop forward, sealing her eyes shut for a moment. She rubbed the back of her neck before looking back up again, staring at the man. If he sinned everyday, didn't that mean he did something bad everyday.

Hell, they all did that. But if he didn't even want to tell the group what he does, then that made them slightly more suspicious of the man.

Michonne wanted to break the strong tension between the two men as her eyes danced between them. "You said you had a church?"

Gabriel's head shot over to the Hawthorne woman, and his face lightened up as he nodded instantly. He didn't hesitate to motion them all to follow him, meaning it was close by.

Rick made sure he was close to Gabriel and that the safety was off his gun, ready to pull the trigger if he had to.

Kloe stood beside Daryl, her bow string continuously being tugged by her index and middle finger — the arrow being in between them.

"Hey, Gabriel, was it?" Kloe spoke up, catching the man's attention. He nodded. "Were you perhaps watching us at all last night?"

"I keep to myself," Gabriel responded candidly, turning back to face the front as he maintained on leading them to the church. "Nowadays, people are just as dangerous as the dead, don't you think?"

"No," Daryl chimed in. "People are worse."

"Agreed," Kloe added, nodding her head.

"Well, I wasn't watching you," Gabriel said. "I haven't been beyond the stream near my church more than a few times since it all started. That was the furthest I've gone before today." He shared another look with Rick, Daryl and Kloe before turning back to the front. "Or maybe I'm lying. Maybe I'm lying about everything and there's no church ahead at all. Maybe I'm leading you into a trap so I can steal all your squirrels."

Kloe promptly came to a stop, narrowing her eyes ahead at the man. Rick copied her actions, tilting his head to the side as he tightened his grip on his gun. Kloe was not in the mood for jokes, that was a fact. And no one else was either.

The woman held her breath for a moment, holding it in her lungs as she waited for Gabriel to tell them that he was only joking or anything along those lines to prove that he was innocent.

"Members of my flock had often told me that my sense of humor leaves much to be desired," Gabriel stated, anxiously watching the intimidating eyes Rick and Kloe sent him.

"Yeah, it does," Daryl nodded, playing along before gesturing his head back in front of them.

Gabriel distinctively nodded in return before spinning back around, being met with a bunch of leaves. He swatted them away before taking the lead again.

...

Gabriel's church was just how Kloe had imagined when they all stopped in front of it. It was made out of whitewood and had a bell tower in the center. Kloe stared up at it, lost in her thoughts as she tried to think of every situation that could possibly occur.

As Gabriel reached the two large wooden doors for an entrance, Kloe's eyes set on the sign which said ST. SARAH'S CHURCH.

But before Gabriel could pull out his keys for the doors, Rick was quick to stop him. "Hold up." The man that owned the church turned around and faced Rick. "We wanna have a look around first. Don't want our squirrels getting snatched."

Gabriel looked down at the man's hand for a split second, then turned back up to look Rick in the eyes. He hesitantly dropped the keys in his palm, to which Rick closed his hand and held onto the keys tightly.

The door formed a large creak as he opened it, already bringing his gun up high as he warily rushed inside the dark building. Michonne and Daryl were on his heels, joining his side.

Kloe twisted her head to the side, her eyes setting on Glenn, who was already looking at her. She sent her husband an assuring nod before facing back ahead, watching as Carol stepped inside.

She followed the woman, the arrow in her bow rest aiming directly where she wanted it to. If she was to fire the small stick with a sharp metal end, it would go where she intended it to go.

Her ears focused on the footsteps behind her, and without even turning to look, she could tell that Glenn was sticking close behind her in case something went wrong.

The inside was just how Kloe imagined; the pews, the small cross, the altar, and the colored paned window which sent pretty sun rays in different colors in the air — illuminating on the walls.

Once Rick sent them all a nod, mentally signaling that they were in the clear, Daryl looked over at the married couple. The Dixon man motioned his head over to a certain door that was on the opposite side of the room.

Again, Glenn and Kloe shared a look with each other for a short moment. They both carefully stumbled over to it. Kloe positioned herself in front of the door, her bow string pulled back even tighter than before.

Glenn wrapped his fingers around the door knob, silently twisting it. The door clicked open and creaked as he lightly pushed it open. He took a few steps back as Kloe steadily walked through — Michonne on her heels.

In the small room, there was a small table with planning papers covering it completely that Kloe couldn't even tell what kind of wood the table was made out of.

In the corner of the room was a single bed with messed sheets. A small room that Michonne and Glenn opened appeared to be a toilet, just like the sign said on the door.

Kloe lowered her bow as she set her eyes on a wall with numerous pictures that kids had drawn, surrounding a framed quote in the center.

Glenn peered over his own shoulder, his eyes landing on Kloe. He walked over to her, interested in what she was looking at. He skimmed his eyes across the wall, then set on the same quote Kloe was currently reading.

And let us not
grow weary of doing good.
For in due season we will reap
if we do not give up.

Kloe pursed her lips tightly as she blinked stoically. Glenn looked back over at his wife as he set his hand on her shoulder. She shifted her brown eyes over to him and gifted him a small smile, to which he returned

Before either of them could say anything, Rick let out a small whistle — hoping to catch any sign of the infected in the building.

Simultaneously, Glenn, Kloe and Michonne all exited the small room, which they ended up presuming that Gabriel had been staying there for a few years. The moment they stepped out, Rick motioned his head back to the front door.

As they followed Rick out, Glenn set his hand on his wife's shoulder. She lifted her gaze to his and searched them. Her heart soon fell when she could see through his love-filled eyes that he was worried about her.

She softened her own eyes, and squeezed his hand with reassurance.

Her, Glenn and Rick all trod outside where everyone else was waiting. The Grimes man dropped the keys to the church in the owner's hands. "I spent months here without stepping out the front door. If you found someone inside..." he paused, finding his next words as the others that were searching left the building, "well, it would have been surprising."

Carl Grimes, who had a very drowsy Judith in his arms, stepped forward and flashed Gabriel a smile. "Thanks for this."

The red head of the group then spoke up. "We found a short bus out back. It don't run, but I bet we could fix that in less than a day or two," he informed, quickly glancing at Gabriel who was entering his church. "Father here says he doesn't want it. Looks like we've found ourselves some transport."

Kloe couldn't help but tense up ever so slightly at the word 'bus'. Everytime she thought of a bus, she just imagined the prison bus and how selfish and reckless she acted that day.

Rick didn't reply to Abraham and instead rubbed his hand over his baby daughter's fine blonde hair.

"You understand what's at stake here, right?"

"Yes, I do," Rick stated, barely above a whisper.

"Now that we can take a breath—" Michonne started, but was bluntly interrupted by the Ford man, who had no plans on staying put. The only thing he wanted was to get his smart friend to D.C.

"We take a breath, we slow down, shit inevitably goes down."

"Even if we go on now, we still need some crap to live," Kloe spoke up, standing beside Michonne. "We'll slow down if we have a strong need for hunger and thirst."

"That's right," Rick said, siding with the two women. "Water, food, ammunition." And with that, he walked up the steps and went inside the church.

"Short bus ain't goin' nowhere," Daryl said, standing beside the entrance as some of the others followed their leader. No matter how many times they told themselves that they didn't have a leader, none of them would've known what to do right if they didn't have the man. "Bring you back some baked beans."

Kloe swallowed thickly as she stayed put in her spot, somewhat shrugging at the red headed man. He squinted his eyes, taking a deep breath as he kept his eyes trained on Daryl Dixon.

Glenn chose to stop beside Abraham and made sure he was looking directly at the man's face. "One way or another, we're doing what Rick does. We're not splitting up again."

The Rhee man faced forward and followed the other members of the group inside, but stopped once he reached the doors. He twisted his head around, his eyes meeting his wife's.

He sent her a look in his eyes that she instantly read like a cover of a book. He didn't want to leave her all alone. Not that she wasn't alone — she would be with Isabelle outside. But he didn't want her to leave his side.

She sent him a single nod before looking back at the Ford man. "What he said."

As she stepped up the small staircase, Tara was close behind her and shared a glance with Abraham. "What she said," she added.

Sasha and Bob then strided forward. "We want to roll with you, but... what they said."

And lastly, being the only one left outside that wasn't part of Abraham's group, Isabelle raised her brows as the red headed man searched her young eyes. "I'm not being the odd one out. Sorry... what they all said."

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words: 3718
18th april 2023
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FIRST OF ALL, i am so excruciatingly sorry for not updating at all this month. i've been so busy n been occupied w other things that i completely forgot this book existed icl LMFAO

but from not onwards i pinky swear i'll update more often!