A bell sounded from the home informing the survivors that dinner was ready and being served. "Mom! Dad! Dinner time! Dinner time!!" Duck exclaims with excitement, he was eager to get some food into his belly after struggling for so long. Clement stood up and held his hand out for Naya, she happily accepted it and let him pull her out of the barn and towards the house ready to eat. Clement knew that Naya had been hungry and he just wanted her to get some food to ease her stomach pains caused by not eating properly.

Naya smiled as Duck ran ahead of them, Katjaa doing her best to keep up with the energetic child. "What do you think we'll be eating?" Clement asked Naya as they walked in step, Clem still holding her hand in his own. "Who knows. It's a farm, so the choices are almost endless," Naya replied making Clement laugh. Of course he knew the choices had an end of its list but he knew the excitement his best friend had to finally eat. The group finally reach the house and head inside, the kids instructed to wash their hands in the bathroom by Brenda before sitting down at the table.

"Everybody sit down and I'll go get the meal," Brenda told everyone as Clement pulled Naya to sit with him, she giggled as Hayden walked over and sat down next to his daughter. "Ooh, this is a delight!" Brenda exclaimed as her two boys sat down at the table, Danny's eyes trailing over the group before landing on Naya who was talking to Clement about the cow. Clement noticed the way Danny looked at Naya, it made him uneasy which meant it would be uncomfortable for her, he pulled her closer to him and moved to block Naya from Danny's eye sight; the man glaring at the action until Andy kicked his leg under the table sending him a warning look.

"I could eat a horse," Kenny said as he sat on the right side of Duck, Katjaa sat on the left side of their son. Lily and Larry were sitting opposite each other, Larry closest to where Brenda would be sitting at the head of the table. Lee walked in and stopped in the doorway looking at everyone as they talked with each other and for a moment, it was like their was no apocalypse and they were just enjoying a nice dinner as neighbours and friends. "Where's Mark?" Lee asked Brenda upon noticing he wasn't present. "Now don't you worry about him. I've already brought some food up. You just let him rest," Brenda assured Lee.

"Mind if I wash my hands first?" Lee asked Brenda, he was sceptical of the woman but knew better than to push for further answers. "Bathroom's right outside in the hall. And be sure to get under your nails, you've been muckin' around in the dirt all day," Brenda informed Lee who nodded before leaving the room. However, he made his way up the stairs instead to search for Mark just to ensure the man was indeed alright. But the sight he would find upstairs was not a pleasant one, the groaning in pain version of Mark without legs from his knees below was not what Lee had been expecting and he put the pieces together quickly.

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Brenda placed the plates down on the table, the kids before the adults and Naya was practically salivating at the sight of the steaming meat, vegetables and potato mash in front of her. "Lee, did you fall in!? Dinner's on the table an' everyone's havin' at it!" Brenda called out to Lee. "Barbecue, wow!" Duck cheered happily. As Naya and Clement moved to have their first bite, Lee stumbled into the room quickly, "STOP! KIDS, NO!" Naya and Clement both stopped instantly, Naya reaching forward and pulling Duck's fork from his hand and dropping it on the plate before he could eat it having assumed the worst already.

"Lee, Jesus, man! Did you find something?" Kenny asked him, a knowing look in his eyes as Hayden pushed the plates away from himself and the two kids by his side. "Sit your ass down, Lee. This lady has made you a meal," Larry snapped out before Lee could answer Kenny's question. "Yeah, Lee, what's gotten into you?" Lily asked the man, she saw the look of horror. "This woman, right here, is fucking insane!" Lee growled out pointing at Brenda, "Along with her damn family! I found Mark upstairs with his damn legs missing!!" Hayden instantly turned his glare to Brenda and her boys.

"Cannibalism? That's what you have defaulted too?" Hayden asked them causing the room to fall silent, Larry dropped his fork in horror while Lily felt like she was going to be sick. "Tell me this isn't what they are saying," Larry asked Brenda as he looked at her. "It's true," Brenda admitted to them, she was looking down at the table. "Everything coulda turned out okay for you folks," Danny muttered harshly as he continued eating unaffected by the knowledge that it was a man's leg. "He would've died anyway. We gotta think about livin'!!" Andy snapped out at the group of survivors.

"Settle down, honey," Brenda told her eldest son before looking at the others, "Growin' up rural Georgia, you're taught not to waste. It's how I was raised and how I raised my boys. Now, you got monsters roamin' around that do nothin' but eat people. And for what? To continue to rot 'til they eat some more. We think we could put that meat to better use." Naya whimpered as she leaned into Clement, the boy rested his arm around her shoulders to comfort her. "I think I'm gonna puke," Lily mutters as she pushed her plate away completely. "Andy is right; we go after folks who were gonna die anyways, one way or another," Brenda told them.

"Like y'all," Danny said as his gaze landed on Naya, the blonde lowered her eyes while Hayden noticed the man's look and moved to stand up only for Andy to hit him over the head with his gun knocking him out. Danny turned and pulled his gun on Lee to prevent him from moving any further, Kenny kept Duck and Katjaa close while Clement kept a protective hold on his best friend who was whimpering at the sight of her father knocked out on the ground. "Nobody's going anywhere," Andy told the group. "We got lots of use for y'all right here," Danny added as he smirked, his eyes barely leaving Naya; the group knew his intentions with a single gaze.

"Put your guns down, we're walking out of here!" Lily shouts as Larry stammers, he didn't know what to say. "Don't come near my family! Or the kids!" Kenny growled, he wished Naya and Clement sat with him so he could protect them too. "Everyone, everything will be okay," Lee tried to keep everyone calm, one wrong move and the St Johns could hurt someone. "Lee!" Clement and Naya cried out. Lee felt helpless as he looked towards the two, Naya suddenly yelped as Andy pulled her away from Clement and held her close to him knowing he could keep the others in line with her held hostage. "Leave her alone!!" Clement screamed at Andy, jumping up to help her only for Andy to shove him aside.

"Clem!" Naya cried as the boy hit the ground, Lee glared at Andy with a deadly stare. "I'll kill you!!" Lee growled at Andy, he moved to charge him only for Danny to point his gun directly at Lee's neck stopping him in his tracks. Suddenly, there was a noise and everyone looked towards the door into the hallway. "Pllleeeease.... someone...!" Mark's voice echoed through the home as he dragged himself into view for everyone to see him and his missing legs. Everyone gasped in horror while Lee looked towards Clement and Naya, he watched as Clement slowly moved to stand up, his eyes watching Naya rather than Mark. "Kids!!" Lee shouted before Danny used the butt of the gun to knock him out.

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When Lee woke from being knocked unconscious, he blinked his eyes open hearing the sound of muffled shouts echoing within the small space along with the sound of someone being sick. "Open the damn door!" Larry's voice echoed as he pounded his fists on the door, "You can't keep us in here!" Lee sat up slightly and looked around to see Hayden, Kenny, Larry, Lily and Clement in the room but not Katjaa, Duck or Naya. "I WILL TEAR YOU FUCKERS APART--" Larry shouted. "Will you stop that banging! We've gotta find another way out of here!" Kenny shouts at Larry. "You sick fucking bastards!" Larry shouts ignoring Kenny completely.

Clement looked over to see Lee was awake, he ran over to Lee with wide eyes filled with fear, worry and anger. "Lee! It-it was a person! They tried to make us eat a person!" Clement exclaims fearfully. "But you didn't do it..." Lee replied calmly. "No..." Clement said with a small smile before his tightened his fists, "They took Naya, Lee!" Lee looked over at Hayden who kicked over some empty boxes before leaning back against the wall, his hands in his hair hoping and praying that his little girl was okay. "The rest of us did, dammit!! If you hadn't dragged your feet--" Larry started to shout until Lily shouted over him, "C'mon, Dad. Now's not the time!"

Ignoring Larry's whining, Lee turned his head to Clement, "They didn't hurt you, did they?" Clement shook his head, "Besides the shove from Andy. But I'm okay, I'm just worried about Naya." Kenny turned to Lee, "Lee, those psychos have my family and we're stuck in a damn meat locker. We've gotta get out of here!" Hayden walked over to Larry and shoved him away from the door feeling irritated, "Slamming your fists and shouting till your throat bleeds ain't doing shit, Larry. So stop before your heart gives out!" They looked over at Hayden who seemed almost defeated, "My little girl is in the hands of man wanting a bride, we need to work out a plan to get out!"

Lee got up and started looking around, Hayden and Kenny moved to help him do so while Clement leaned against the wall, he was fiddling with a blue ribbon that Naya usually wore in her hair; he wanted his best friend back by his side and he hoped she and Duck were okay. "I'll break the damn door down!!" Larry continued however, he seemed to be out of breath which alerted Lily greatly. "Dad! You can't get--" Lily was cut off by Larry clutching his chest in pain, crying out as he falls to the floor startling everyone. "DAD!" Lily screamed out, she dropped down next to him as his heart stopped beating. "Oh God, he's stopped breathing. I think he's had a heart attack!" Lily told the others frantically.

"Shit! Is he dead?" Kenny asked, he did not want to be trapped in a small space with a man as big as Larry upon him turning into a Walker. "He's not dead. Somebody help me!" Lily shouted back at him but Hayden had doubts, even if the man was to survive, they didn't have the medical means to keep him alive should he need it; especially if there was a blood clot in his heart that only resulted in another heart attack. "Fuuuuuck... if he's dead..." Kenny trailed off when Lily shouted, "HE'S NOT DEAD!!" Clement whimpered as he backed into the corner away from the scene, he wanted this to be over.

Kenny turned to Lee and said, "You know what has to happen, Lee, Hayden. You saw what happened to that poor bastard back at the motel. How fast he turned." Hayden agreed with Kenny, whether or not they could save Larry, it was better to just mercy kill him now rather than later. "What are you saying?" Lily asked him. "Lily, I'm sorry. I truly, truly am. But in a few minutes, we're gonna be stuck in a locked room with a six foot four, three hundred pound, seriously pissed off dead guy!" Kenny expressed to her, she glared back at him. "Fuck you! We can bring him back! LEE!" Lily shouted without noticing Hayden picking up the salt lick, he locked eyes with Clement and motioned for him to look away.

Clement was hesitant but he knew it was for the best, they couldn't save Naya if Larry ate them. Kenny noticed what Hayden had grabbed, he looked at Lee who frowned for a moment before sighing. "We'll mourn him later. But right now, we have to keep him from comin' back," Kenny spoke up as Clement turned away from the sight. "I'm so sorry, Lily," Lee spoke as he and Kenny pulled her away from Larry in time for Hayden to drop the salt lick on Larry's head crushing it. "NO!" Lily cried out as the two men let go of her, she scurried over to her father and wept into his chest. Lee turned to Clement to check on him while Hayden got to work on finding their way out.

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Rosemary Speaks

Will Naya be okay?

Many changes were made for the sake of originality, so I hope you don't mind that.

Thoughts, Suggestions or Questions?

See you in the next chapter!