Chapter eighty six
"I don't think these are walkers."
Making it to hilltop, they headed up the road, Scarlett found it strange seeing a field and donkeys but nobody was out there, as Siddiq road behind her, DJ was driving the wagon with the others, as they headed up to the gate, they stopped in front of it, Diane who was the guard on the wall looked down at them "state your business." she said "we're here for our own. Two of your guards met us on the road and told us you have Rosita and that she's injured." Scarlett shared "and the others?" Diane asked "they're good people looking for a home. I told them hilltop would consider taking them in." Scarlett shared.
As Diane leaned against the wall, Scarlett held her axe up and threw it down and as she did, the others began doing the same with their weapons "your gun." Diane told her "I am not throwing it down. It's my husbands and I don't go anywhere without it." Scarlett shared, and as she did, the gate then opened, as they all got off and began walking inside, Tara was standing there "where's Jesus?" Scarlett asked her "out with a search party looking for Eugene." Tara shared "Eugene's missing? Since when?" Scarlett asked "I don't know. Thought you'd know. He went out with Rosita, but he wasn't with her when we found her." Tara shared.
"Damn it." Scarlett said, underneath her breath, Siddiq stepped toward's Enid and Alden "how is she?" she asked "she was unconscious when she got here, but she'll be fine. it's dehydration and heat exhaustion, mainly. She should be wake up soon." Enid shared "wait a minute. If she was unconscious how do you know Eugene was with her?" Scarlett asked "Aaron told us." Tara told her, as Scarlett huffed "great he's here too." she shared "no, he's with Jesus and Daryl. Daryl came down from his mountain with Carol and Henry. It's like the old gangs back together." Tara shared "do you know what direction they went?" Scarlett asked.
"You can pick up their trail but you'e not gonna catch them before nightfall." Alden shared "I'll be fine." Scarlett told him "it's Daryl. Probably on their way back already." Tara shared, as a group of people came by carrying their weapons "you can have your weapons back when you leave tomorrow." Tara told them, looking at the gun in Scarlett's holster, she then look to those behind her "as for the rest of you, you're gonna have to wait till Jesus gets back. And if you're gonna wanna stay stay I'm gonna have to talk to him. And you're gonna have to earn you're keep." she shared, as Connie stepped forward "she says, thank you. We all do." Kelly told her "okay." Tara said, as she turned walking off with Enid and Alden, DJ and the others began walking off.
Siddiq looked at Scarlett "it's good we're here." he told her "no it's not." Scarlett told him, walking off, Siddiq followed her "Scarlett.." he told her, as Scarlett turned to him "what else do I not know?" she asked him "I didn't know anything about Eugene and Rosita.." Siddiq shared "god! How am I supposed to believe you when while I've been trying to keep my family alive that you and Aaron have been working a backchannel.." Scarlett shared "hilltop is not a backchannel, Scarlett. We're talking about our friends here." Siddiq told her "these people aren't my friends!" Scarlett voiced.
And as she did, Carol walked up to them "hi, Carol." Siddiq told her "Saddiq." Carol said, hugging him, she looked to Scarlett and as she did, Scarlett looked down, as Kumiko, Magna and Connie walked up "who are your friends?" Carol asked "we're not friends. I'm Magna. This is Kumiko and Connie." Magna shared, as Carol signed to Connie, Connie signed back "I'm sorry that's all I know." Carol shared, chuckling "it's nice to meet you too." Kumiko shared "come on, let's figure out where they're putting us up." Saddiq shared, as he walked off with Magna, Kumiko and Connie "Scarlett? How are the kids?" Carol asked "they're fine." Scarlett told her, not looking at her "why are you here..not that..you shouldn't be I just.." she shared, wanting to not talk about her.
"I'm dropping off Henry. He's gonna be apprenticing with a blacksmith." Carol shared "that's good." Scarlett told her "he's a good kid. He's got a big heart. See's his home falling apart he wants to help out." Carol shared "I got your, um, your letter." Scarlett shared, lifting her head up but she still wouldn't look at her "you can still help. We really need this fair. If alexandria could just send a delegation.." Carol shared, as Scarlett turned to her "no, Carol!" she voiced "I know what you went through. And I get why this is hard for you. But we've all lost something. You and me we both lost children. And we kept going. For each other. We've always been a family." Carol shared.
"But we're not. Not anymore. Your at the kingdom. Everybody here hates me. Daryl's out in the woods which is what he wanted to be out there. And then it's just me and my kids. And I don't..I can't sleep. Then Judith brought these..these people back and I..I couldn't have them there and I knew when Judith kept talking about them that if I didn't bring them her myself then she would go after them and the twins would go after her and then.." Scarlett shared, shaking her "you say you know what I went through but you don't. What I lost isn't the same as the rest of you, you saw what I was like when I lost them before. The only reason I haven't completely fallen apart is because I have four kids. I keep going for them and them only. Nobody else matters anymore." she shared, stepping around her and walking off.
Having gone to find Rosita, Scarlett was sitting by her bedside with Saddiq "I'm..I'm sorry we kept so much from you. But you know that I'm on your side." Saddia shared "I told you to stop apologizing it doesn't mean anything. People here hate me. And I know what they want me to amend but I won't. Me and Rick made a choice. And thanks to it he's now.." Scarlett shared "Scarlett.." Rosita said, as Scarlett looked to her "I'm here. I'm here." she told her, running her hand through her hair "where am I?" Rosita asked her "Aaron and Jesus found you they took you to hilltop." Scarlett shared.
"How long have I been here?" Rosita asked "relax. It's just been over a day. You're okay." Scarlett shared, as Rosita shook her head "no. Eugene..he's still out there." Rosita shared, going to get up, Scarlett stopped her "we know. Daryl's out there with Jesus and Aaron looking for him." she shared, as Rosita's face fell "they're already out there?" she asked "wait..why? Why would you say it like that? What happened?" Scarlett asked her "we have to help them." Rosita told her "okay." Scarlett told her, taking her IV out of her "Scarlett!" Saddiq voiced "I know where he is. I'm gonna take you to him." Rosita shared, as Scarlett helped her out of the bed.
"The both of you stop, okay? Whatever's going on, they can handle it." Saddiq shared "no, they can't. They have no idea what they're dealing with." Rosita shared "then tell me!" Scarlett voiced, as Rosita looked into her eyes.
Having left, Scarlett had gone out herself to go find them, it was not only dark out but foggy and thundering, as she saw Eugene behind the fence up ahead she ran up to it "Eugene. Eugene." she whispered, Eugene turned to her "Scarlett, honest to god, am I happy to see you." he told her, as Scarlett grabbed onto the gate, she tried to pull it open 'the gate's obstructed by topsoil erosion. We can't get out." Eugene shared "I pull, you push." Scarlett told him, as Eugene came over doing so, Scarlett pulled, it still wouldn't move, as Magna ran up on her right "what the hell are you doing here?" Scarlett asked her.
"Earning our keep." Magna told her, as Kumiko was to her left she went down and began digging the dirt out so did Magna, as Scarlett pulled, the gate opened halfway, as they continued trying, they soon got it open, as Aaron helped Eugene through it, Jesus was fighting the walkers "Jesus, come on!" Aaron called out, as Jesus walked toward's them, there were two walkers, as he killed one of them with his sword, he went to do the same with the other but it dodged his swing and and stabbed him in the back.
And as it did, Scarlett's eyes went wide, as she pulled out her gun and aimed it at the walkers head, he threw Jesus to the ground and stood there as she pulled the trigger, thunder boomed at the same time, as the bullet hit the walker in the head, it fell to the ground, as Scarlett ran in, she pulled out her axe, swinging it and killing one of the walkers, Aaron followed behind her killing one along with Kumiko and Magna, where Daryl had came around the corner and shot one of them with his crossbow.
And once the one's around them were dead, Aaron went over to Jesus and fell down on his knees next to him while Scarlett crouched down to the one she shot, he looked to be bleeding like a person would as she rolled them over, the back of their head had blood all over it and it looked to be stitched together "I..I don't think these are walkers." she shared, her voice coming out shaky, Daryl walked up and crouched down to her, he saw all the blood on her hands, and the stitch that was down the back of the scalp, as he brought his knife up and began cutting through it.
Aaron watched, as Daryl was able to pull the walker face off like a mask, Scarlett flipped the thing over and saw that it was just a person, thunder crashed "you're trapped." a man whispered, as Scarlett looked around them, Daryl put his arm in front of her, as he looked around "circle round." the man whispered, as dog started barking, Daryl let go of the mask, and grabbed Scarlett's hand as the stood up, he kept her close to him "don't let them slip by." a man whispered "keep them together." a woman whispered, as they all stood back to back.