Beth let out a deep breath as she ran a hand through her hair with one hand and her then tracing her finger over the map looking for a new route to have her run team take for more supplies; they needed cloth for cloth diapers and to make baby clothes. There were two new babies in the community along side a few who had been born outside their walls but joined when their families were welcomed with open arms. Beth had worked long and hard to get things the way she had wanted them, taking queues from her father’s memory as well as Rick in the manner of making decisions; right and wrong – Beth had grown. There was definitely no way she was the same girl she was at Grady Memorial; it took a long time for her to realize what she needed to do, wandering around aimlessly she felt hopeless – like the world had turned against her.
“Beth, we’ve got a problem,” Travis said as he walked in to the room slowly causing her to look up at him she took everything he said seriously even if he had been over reacting – he looked pensive and unreadable; which was his usual expression but his body language was saying something different.
“What is it?” she asked as she stood straight and grabbed to clip her gun back to the edge of her pants then walking around the table her arms crossed over her chest.
“There is a large group outside, bout thirteen people – heavily armed,” he notified her, his tone was authoritative as if he was there on business – it was then she realized that the way he was reacting was due to a possible threat.
So far they hadn’t had any casualties due to another group attacking them or them having to take out a problematic group. After Beth had explained to the ones she trusted most about what had happened with her father, and the Governor as well as about the people at Grady Memorial – she knew that they would stand by her decision; all threats have to be neutralized. There was no room in the world for people who weren’t going to bring the world into a better order.
Beth didn’t like it, punishing people for their crimes wasn’t easy – that had only happened twice in the time they had created the place; it wasn’t common that people would disrespect the rules of the community but she knew she had to uphold her word or else they wouldn’t take her seriously. The first time a man was flogged twenty times; the was for stealing medicine, and the last time a man was killed for hitting and raping his wife.
The world had been steeped in darkness for so long, it was like a black tea – but if they added more water; then maybe they could dilute the darkness that they had been shrouded with and bring more light into the world. “Alright, well guess we should go out there and talk to'em – is Christina at the gate?” she asked as she nodded to the door and walked out of the small shelter they had built.
“Yeah she’s up there and in the lookout waiting for us to come to the gate,” he said to her ask he walked beside her, “We’re not sure if they’re safe, they seem to have been out there a while – they had a kid with them; real young, maybe closer to two years old,”
Beth felt her heart ache at the thought of Judith – she’d have been around that age, but she was positive she was dead – when the prison fell she had went to find her; but she couldn’t so she assumed someone else had found her but maybe she’d been wrong – maybe Daryl was right; she was never gonna see Maggie again. While she knew he said that out of anger, and due to not being sure how to express himself there was a nagging feeling inside of her that told her he may have been right.
“OPEN the gate,” she said to Travis and he walked over pulling the bar open then pulled it open, she kept her hand on her gun as she walked towards it and looked at the people standing in front of her. It was then that her heart slammed in her chest – she felt as if she had been punched in the stomach; like her entire world had come falling in front of her.
“Beth?”Maggie choked as she stood there in shock unable to move.
Letting out a breath, “Welcome to Perseverance,” she said to them her eyes burning with tears that had yet to be shed, “Come on in,” she said to them and Rick grabbed her arm.
“I’d let go of her asshole if you know whats good for you,” Christina said looking down the scope of her rifle.
Beth held her hand up to Christina who looked at her confused, “Rick, now ain’t the time for this – I’ll explain once we get you inside; it’s getting’ dark,” motioning for them to follow her she pushed a hand through her hair. There was so much she wanted to say, and do but she had to keep her emotions in check; she was a leader and she had people who depended on them, she couldn’t let them down – there was too much weighing on her for her to let her emotions get the best of her.
