Chapter 29 Randal"s Fate

Over the next few days, Sarah had grown quite attached to John, Maggie, and Amy. She also became more comfortable around the other members of the group and would play with the kids. She had stopped shaking, and she didn't fear people anymore, which was good as John was worried, she would have some mental scars.

During this time, the group had been discussing what to do with Randal. Daryl had tortured him and found out about his group. The group John had killed, where he had found Sarah. Rick and Shane had decided to kill Randal, but Dale got in between them. Talking about morals and values, he said that if the group does this, how are they any better than him.

Dale managed to convince Rick to think about not killing Randal. Saying, "How do you think your son will turn out if you do this in front of him?"

There had been a close call with Carl two days ago, Carl had snuck into the barn when Shane was busy talking to Andrea. Randal had tried to convince Carl to let him go, but luckily Shane heard them talking in the bar and dragged Carl out. He almost shot Randal in the face in front of Carl, but Andrea had stopped him.

Dale had walked around camp trying to convince everyone to spare Randal. He managed to convince some people not to but not many. The kids were not able to vote on this matter.

Unfortunately, Beth had managed to slit her wrist open with a sharp piece of glass yesterday. She had done so when people were distracted, and Andrea had even helped her by leaving her alone. Both Maggie and Amy were furious with her, John felt like spanking her ass until it was raw. Needless to say, Andrea was banned from entering the house from now on.

Beth had immediately regretted her decision and John could remember when he broke down the door. She was standing there with blood coming out of her wrists and she was crying loudly looking at them. Maggie went to comfort her along with Amy, John had stroked her hair and run downstairs to get Patricia, bringing her back up to stitch Beth's wrist.

The season was changing from fall into winter and the nights were getting colder, each morning there would be frost on the ground. This was a problem, and the group was going to ask Hershel if they could stay in the house. Rick went to talk with Hershel to ask him, he was outside in the field with Jimmy, it seems a dozen cattle had broken down a large part of the fence and had run off.

Over the last few days, John would leave the farm early in the morning and go to the town. Searching around for winter clothes that fit the children. He would have Amy watch her, and John had to say that Amy was perfect mother material. She would care for Sarah, like a pro. When John asked her about it, she said that she was in college, in order to teach kids in elementary school. She said she loved kids.

Today the group was finally going to have a vote, in order to decide Randal's fate. The sun was setting when the group convened in the living room. The kids were all in another room with Jimmy. They started to discuss, Dale saying, "Are we just going to kill him? It's clear which way the wind is blowing."

Rick saying, "If people believe we should spare him I want to know."

Dale says, "Well I can tell you it's a small group, maybe just me and Glen."

Glen looks at Dale and says, "Look I. I think your pretty much right about everything, all the time, but this--"

Glen is cut off by Dale saying, "They've got you scared."

Glen replying, "He is not one of us, and we have lost too many people already." Dale then looks to Maggie, asking for her opinion.

She says, "Couldn't we just keep him locked up?", John looks at her and knows she is having a hard time.

John says, "It's a waste of resources and manpower. Plus, it will be very taxing on the group's minds, having to stay vigilant because of a potential threat on the farm."

Daryl and Merle nodding, before saying, "Just another mouth to feed."

Lori says, "We could ration the food better"

Dale piggybacking off her, saying, "He could be an asset. Give him a chance to prove himself."

Glen says, "What put him to work"

Rick quickly responding, "We are not letting him walk around!"

T-dog saying, "We could put an escort on him."

Shane saying, "Who want to volunteer for that? Hmm."

Dale says, "I will!", but Rick quickly disagrees.

Rick says, "I don't think it is a good idea for us to be walking around with this guy".

Lori agreeing with Rick, saying, "He's right, I wouldn't feel safe unless he was tied up." Amy nodding at her words, but she was unafraid as she knew John would protect her from anything. He was a beast when it came to combat, she thought with a blush, 'He's also a beast somewhere else as well'.

Andrea says, "We can't put heavy chains around his extremities and force him to hard labor."

John thought, 'We are standing here deciding whether to kill this guy or not, and you are talking about how making him a slave is cruel."

Shane then says, "Look, say we let him join us, right? Maybe he's helpful, maybe he's nice. We let our guard down and maybe he runs off, brings back his 30 men."

Dale then questions, "So the answer is to kill him. To prevent a crime that he may never even attempt".

John says, "The consequences of that situation would be too dire. The world has changed, people out there, have become cruel and cold hearted.", Rick nodding.

Dale then says, "If we do this, the rule of law is dead. There is no civilization"

Shane saying, "Oh my God", while rubbing his head and sighing.

Hershel speaks for the first time, "Could you drive him further out? Lead him like you had planned?"

Lori saying, "You barely came back last time. What if you can't make it back this time? There are walkers, you could break down. Y-you could get lost."

Merle says, "Or ambushed"

Glen agreeing, "They're right. We shouldn't put our people in danger."

Patricia says, "If you go through with this, how would you do it? Would he suffer?"

Shane says, "We could hang him, right? Just snap his neck."

Rick saying, "I have thought about that. Shooting may be more humane."

T-dog asks, "And what about the body? Do we bury him?"

Dale interrupts him from saying more, "Woah, woah, woah. Hold on, hold on. You're talking about this like it's already decided."

Daryl says, "You've been talking all day, going around in circles. You just want to go around in circles again?"

Dale gets upset and says loudly, "This is a young man's life, and it is worth more than a five-minute conversation! Is this what it's come to? We kill someone, because we can't decide what else to do with him? You saved him and now look at us. He's been tortured. He's going to be executed.... How are we any better than any of those people that we are so afraid of?"

Hearing this last sentence, everyone goes silent and doesn't say anything. John was the first to speak up, "We aren't more important or better than them. It's just that he is the one locked up and we aren't".

Dale was shocked to hear this, but the rest of the group seemed to agree with John, after all, he had never done anything that had hurt the group.

Shane then says, "We all know what needs to be done."

Rick disagrees, "No, Dale is right. We can't leave any stone unturned here. We have a responsibility--"

He was cut off by Andrea asking, "So what's the other solution?"

Lori budding in, "Let Rick finish"

Andrea says, "We haven't come up with a single viable option yet. I wish we could."

Dale shouting, "So let's work on it!"

Carol then speaks for the first time, "Stop it! I', sick of everybody arguing and fighting. I didn't ask for this. You can't ask us to decide something like this. Please decide... Either of you, both of you. But leave me out."

Dale then says, "Not speaking out or killing him yourself...There's no difference."

Rick says, "Alright, that's enough. Before we make a final decision, anyone who wants the floor has the chance now". Hearing this no one makes any noise or move to the middle of the room to speak their mind.

Dale looks around for a second before making a speech, ending it along the lines of, "I don't want to live in this new world. It harsh. Survival of the fittest and I don't believe any of you do either. Please. Let's just do what's right". He then asks if anyone is going to stand with him, but everyone is silent, and they just stare at him.

John felt some pity for the man, knowing that this world wasn't for people like him who had deeply ingrained morals. Dale was like the superman of this world, with his moral quality. John stood up and pat the man's shoulder. He then sat back down.

Andrea hearing Dale thought for a while and seeing him on the verge of tears, says, "He's right. We should find another way."

Rick hearing her says, "Anybody else?"

Nobody else stood up for Dale, Dale says with tears in his eyes, threatening to spill out, "Are y'all going to watch too? No, you will go and hide in your tents and try to forget the fact that you are slaughtering a human being. Woah. I won't be a party to it!"

Dale then walks out of the house, stopping next to Daryl for a second before saying, "You were right this group is broken."

The group then split up. Later that night when it was dark. Rick, John, Shane, and Daryl dragged Randal out of the shed and to the barn, where the walkers once resided. Shane then made him kneel on the ground after blindfolding him. Randal then started to beg them, and Rick wasn't going to listen and pulled back the hammer, ready to shoot, but then Carl said, "Do it! Kill him!"

Carl had snuck out and followed them to the barn, he was standing on the loft of the barn, where some hay had been stored. Rick hearing his son say this was completely shocked and this caused him to not go through with the execution. Shane looked pissed at this result.

Rick then called off the execution and had Daryl take Randal back to the shed and lock him up. Rick then brought Carl back to camp, while John went inside to Maggie's room. He saw Amy and Maggie sitting on the bed, holding little Sarah, as they played a game. John sat down and played with them for a while, then Sarah said, "Sleepy. Daddy. Hold me." John was shocked hearing this, but he held her, and she quickly slept in his arms. His women smiling at him, touched by this beautiful moment.

They then all lay down on the bed and slept. In the middle of the night, John heard Sarah crying softly, so he picked her up and rocked her to sleep as he looked out the window. He saw Dale out in the field walking.

He was curious, so he put Sarah back in bed as soon as she fell asleep and then quietly snuck out of the room, down the stair and out of the house. He then jogged over to Dale who was walking, he came beside him, greeting him.

They then walked in silence, after walking a while longer, they heard the moaning of a cow, walking over, curiosity written on their faces, they saw a cow laying down on the ground with its stomach ripped open.

Dale was shocked and gasped, but John just started to look around and heard some shuffling behind them. John then spun around as he pulled his blade out. Holding it in a reverse grip, he slashed at the walker behind them, slicing its head in half. The blade passing through easily and the blade didn't even have blood on it as it was so sharp.

Dale quite shocked and fearful of what might have happened if John hadn't been with him. He thanked John for saving him, they then walked back to camp. Dale heading into his RV to sleep and John heading to the house after he checked around the camp making sure there were no more walkers. Sneaking into the house John ate an orange he took from Eden, then he went upstairs quietly and slept in Maggie's bed. His long arms holding both women and the little girl, with his body pressed against Amy, Sarah snuggled up in the middle and Maggie on the far side.