Aftermath

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Beth listened carefully and took in all that Rebecca said. And she was right.

Sure, the girl did what she had to do, but what's to stop her from doing it again? Beth thought.

Upon seeing the child hug Rebecca's leg, Beth completely put her weapon away. She turned and watched Darrin chase after Cassidy and Michael and didn't go after him. Things were different now. Decades ago, the idea of cannibalism was just some sort of mental affliction that was solved by throwing people into asylums or giving them the death penalty. Present day life contained desperate people who turned into beasts in an attempt to survive. Kill or be killed. Eat or be eaten. The world had virtually ended and everything had changed, but one thing that hadn't was the attitude toward cannibalism. It was still wrong. And it was still meant to be punishable.

The girl had to be punished. Beth understood that now, especially after the reveal of the child at Rebecca's side.

Beth released a heavy sigh.

"I thought you were all just slavedrivers. I didn't realize you were an actual community with kids running around free. My sister and I apologize. Is there any way we can make up for the way we meddled in your affairs? We don't mind getting our hands dirty if that's what you need," Beth said to Rebecca, feeling like an idiot for being as blind as she'd been.
 
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Jeremiah holstered his weapon and nodded at the women. "Scuse me, but ah got work ta be done." Jeremiah walked away and headed towards the sheriff's office. The building was unlocked so he walked right on in and sat down at his desk. For a moment he was still before he slammed his fist down on the table seething with rage. "How dare they. Those fuckin' whores! They would dare to attack our town, our settlement, and defend that bitch 'gainst Rebecca and they got away with it? Goddamn them." Jeremiah was clenching his teeth so hard it felt as if his jaw might snap.

"J-Jeremiah?" A young man, about 19 in age walked into Jeremiah's office and dtood in the doorway. "Pardon me, but if you ain't too busy, we just arrested three gentlemen fer shopliftin' thought you might wanna give em a talkin' to?"

Jeremiah laughed, the anger still present on his face. Jeremiah grabbed three small knives and walked over to the cell. "Now, y'all listen here. Ya have un of two options ta choose from. Ah can either kill all three of you bastards right now, er you can kill each udder and the last one left can walk on outta here." Jeremiah tossed the knives in the cell and watched as they jumped for the knives, eager to kill their friends.

Jeremiah laughed a sick and twisted laugh as a splatter of blood splashed across his face. It wasn't long before two of the prisoners were dead. "You what's yer name?"

The prisoner stood, shakily to his feet. "It's Paul, sir. Now can you please let me go. Please."

Jeremiah pulled his revolver out of his holster and aimed it at the boy's head. "Ah'm afraid ah lied."

Jeremiah pulled the trigger.
 
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"I guess you did not hear me, There was many options for feeding yourself. .But instead you feed on humans, Dead corps. .How will they rest in peace when being placed in your stomach? Perhaps you should think before you act. And I feel sorry for your loss but still that gives you no right in doing what is wrong. May your parents rest in peace but your Brother will have to stay but you will have to go since you are just. . .Someone who has issues. I want this place to be problem free and I just believe it won't be possible with you around."

Rebecca stated firmly towards the Cannibal and looked at the little one before crouching down and slowly and silently extended her hands towards the little one with a welcoming smile.

"I will not kill you but you are to leave at once. Without your little one since he would be welcomed here, Give him the nutrition and the proper care he needs. But being with you would just set a bad example in his little mind. .And I don't want that."

She sighed while placing her attention upon the Cannibal girl wondering what her thoughts would be about this then she heard one of the twins speak towards her apologizing for not understanding before and offered to be of some help around here. Her head turned towards the girl who spoke and thoughts before replying.

"The children need some education around here, Care to be a teacher towards these kids we have a few materials such as text books and pencils. . If you would like we would give you a home here if you take the offer of becoming a respectful teacher."

She was to make sure these children had the best of role-models since things have changed and this world has gone to hell. She adored children since they bring happiness when they are happy and it fills this community with Hope and Faith. She wanted to keep this place the best it could be. She sighed when looking back at the little boy wondering if he would accept her but after the little scene she pulled with his sister she thought it might never happen.
 
Brit clenched her jaw to keep herself from going after the slavedriver, her hands twitching on her sword. Her attention was caught by Rebecca and she listened, her expression solemn. She was right. There were other options for food, it's how she and her sister survived this long. Eating dead humans was the easy way out...

She returned her sword to the sheath strapped to her back and raised her hands in surrender. She saw the other man leave, watched carefully until the little girl caught her eye. Her expression softened greatly. That was a weakness her and Beth shared: children. It's a reason that caused the twins to interfere in this community's affairs in the first place. Children were hope, hope for a better future.

She glanced back, watching the preteen they tried to defend explain her backstory and it clenched at her heart strings. She felt sorry for the young girl, alone in this kind of world and having to protect her brother. She was just thirteen... She remembers being that age, how peaceful it had been then. But now she knew how to take care of herself, her sister as well. She was already an adult before the epidemic happened...

She watched the girl place her brother on the ground and had to keep herself from going to him, her motherly instincts rising.

She heard Rebecca's proposal. Beth, a teacher? She would pay to see that. She audibley snorted out a laugh at the thought and covered her mouth when she realized how loud that was. "Sorry. Was it just a teacher you needed?"
 
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Rebecca sighed before getting back up to her full height and raked her hair with her right hand while the left was stuffed into the pocket of her coat. She looked over to Jeremiah who has left with a bit of a silent exit and simply gave of shrug of her shoulders knowing he would be fine but after a few moments he left a loud boom surrounded the area realizing he has finished Business. Her attention was turned back on the twins as the one who seemed to be quiet for quite some time snorted a laugh when her proposal towards the other was finished. She smirked and shook her head once again before speaking as fragments of her black hair crossed her eyes.

"We also need another Hunter since we are going a little short due to run ins with bears up in the mountains and forest. We only have three as of this moment, Two men and one woman. But we desperately need a professional doctor. .Some of us have skills but not professional skills when it comes to medical business."

She admitted before turning her head left to stare at the little children running around in circles and socializing with one another she couldn't help but smile when she turned away and looked back at the twins. Then a voice calling out to her captured her attention.

"Rebecca! I need to speak with you for a moment!" A old looking woman shouted with all her might while waving her hand around in the air to indicate it was her who was speaking.

Rebecca sighed and opened her mouth before speaking towards the twins.

"Excuse me for a moment, This will probably take a few minutes. .In the mean time make yourselves at home and play with the children or take a look around. ."

She then walked towards the woman who called her and stopped in front of her after a short walk to her and listened closely as the woman spoke to her of a problem she has been having. This woman looked as if she was fifty sevens years old with bleached blond hair and blue sparkling eyes her height was at least five foot seven considering that she was a little shorter then Rebecca and had pale skin.

"Rebecca, I believe something terrible is happening. .I think someone here doesn't belong here. ."

The woman said in a hushed voice while staring into Rebecca's puzzled expression, She must have felt something was wrong or something was odd. She wanted to note Rebecca of this issue before something terrible happens. So it seemed as if it was her job to tell Rebecca to keep an eye out for anything suspicious.

"I see, I shall do a background check upon the people as soon as possible and Jeremiah and I will eventually find a solution towards this issue. But for now just relax and make the best of this place."

Rebecca said before silently turning her back on the woman who walked off towards the children with a warm smile. Rebecca approached the twins again before stopping at least five feet away the same exact place she was standing before and sighed silently.

"Anyway, What do you say? Care to be apart of our welcoming family?. ."
 
Beth felt a rush of relief when Rebecca mentioned they needed more than just a teacher. She loved kids, but she didn't think she'd be able to teach the children anything but how to protect and defend themselves. She knew how to fight, but that wasn't all.

"Before the epidemic, I was in the military as a medic. I helped people in combat zones. I can only assume that's a skill you need," Beth said with a light-hearted smile.
 
Brit stature relaxed as well, assured that they weren't going to be killed at this moment. She stepped closer to Beth, standing beside her, facing Rebecca.

"And I know how to hunt, though I was a chef before the epidemic. Maybe part-timing as a teacher? I've volunteered to teach children a few simple recipes." Her head slightly tilted to the other woman in question and suggestion, her own smile matching Beth's.
 
Cassidy froze. She had to leave Michael? No, it was good for him to stay. She just needed to stay strong. She walked back to her supplies, and slowly picked up her pack and knife. Her stomach twisted at the thought of never seeing her brother again. Tears rolled down her cheeks. She didn't want to leave him. He was her brother. She wouldn't. He was the most precious thing to her, besides her mother's locket. Michael began to cry as she turned around. No. She was going to stay with him.

"I can't leave Michael. He's my little brother. I would rather take him with me, knowing the dangers, than leave him here. He's the last bit of evidence I have of my parents. He's my family." she walked up to him. She picked him up, wrapped her arms around him, and held him tight. His crying stopped. In it's place was gibberish. "If I'm allowed, I'd like to stay here. I'll stay away from everyone, I'll do the worst jobs. Just.. let me stay with him. I'd rather kill myself than leave him."
 
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"Then kill yerself." Jeremiah had returned to the city's front gayes and he stared down at the girl. "Yer nothing more than a rabid animal now. Eatin' flesh. You don't even deserve ta call yerself a human. You are trash. Do ya have any idea how sick that is? Ta eat another goddamn human. Shit. A cannibal took my eye. Yer all the same. Monsters. If no one else'll kill ya, then ah don't mind being tha bad guy. Ah'll kill ya myself." Jeremiah raised his gun to the girl's head.
 
Beth nodded as Brit explained her own skills to Rebecca. Her focus then shifted to Jeremiah and the girl.

There was no stopping it at all. He was right. It was sick. When a weapon was aimed at the girl this time around, Beth just watched and didn't try to protect her. There was a system in place for people like her and whether her story was right or not, she could have gotten food in other ways. Yeah, this place was a wasteland, but there were still animals everywhere. Going against the decisions of this community would do nothing but get her and Brit killed. There was no reason to anyway. Beth agreed with them. The girl deserved punishment for what she did, regardless of the reasons.

Beth hoped to become a valued member of this community in the future. With her medical training and combat experience, she'd no doubt be an asset. Who knows? Maybe the twins would finally be able to sleep without having to take guarding shifts for each other.
 
Her attention was caught as the man from before returned and threatened the girl. Her expression saddened, eyes pained as she couldn't get over the fact that this was a thirteen-year-old girl he was threatening. Brit badly wanted to save her, try to fix her, and even coddle her but she knew that things wouldn't turn out well for herself and her twin should they try to protect the girl again.

She turned her head away, her soft heart incapable of handling the death of a young girl. She wasn't like her sister who went into the military. Sure they were both trained by their father to defend themselves. But she didn't experience battles and death until recently. She was soft- hearted. She nurtured and cared. And she couldn't help it. Her sanity won't be able to last if she can't harden her heart.

She clenched her fists and her eyelids closed, reasoning with herself. The girl is a cannibal. She ate humans. It's not right. It's not human to eat another human.
 
Rebecca was a bit excited to have some new recruits who are willing to put their skills to use when hearing the twins explain their stengths and weakenesses she began to think on where they should be positioned within this community. Beth could probably take the role as medical doctor and serve for the wounded and ill and perhaps Brit could fill in the opened spot for Hunting. Her right hand dropped back to her side as she examined the twins wondering if they will be worthy enough for the jobs she was about to place on them. Beth claimed to have been working in the military and Brit claimed to be a Chief before all this chaos happened in the world. Her eyes shifted from one to the other before she tucked her right hand into her coat pocket and spoke softly towards them.

"Well, What ever Job you see fit with your strengths then I suggest you take it. ."

She then gave a shrug of her shoulders as if she was encouraging them to make their own decisions and path towards success within this settlement. She would be more and glad to have them apart of her family. But then her gaze came upon Cassidy who seemed to have not agreed with her idea. The small one cried and Cassidy began to talk making it all about her. She sighed and shook her head in disappointment since she thought that she has went over this issue, She needed to stop thinking about herself and think about the best for everyone else. She then smirked when thinking up of an idea so brutal that she just had to smile. She spoke.

"Humph, If you wish to become apart of this family then you must prove to me that you are some use towards US and not yourself. And by doing so you must fight with me. .But if you wish to refuse and run off in the wilderness then it is the worlds problem meaning anything can happen to you. .Or you could hand over the young one and leave. .Which I find to be a better option. ."

She smiled knowing she would have this girl cornered since in either option she would have to suffer more for her own brutal mistakes. And once she was finished Jeremiah came back to only threaten the Cannibal she approached Jeremiah before pulling her right hand out of her pocket and reached it to his shoulder before resting it upon his shoulder and smirked.

"Or you could have him kill you now and have your Brother suffer. . .So I suggest you pick wisely. Because this man is impatient when he has a gun which he should put away since children are around. ."

She hinted towards Jeremiah while the children blankly stared at the group with shocked faces. She smiled innocently at the children before removing her hand from the Sheriff's shoulder and crouched down opening up her arms as the kids came running in her direction with smiles upon their faces and hugged her tight while laughing and giggling before pushing her down on her back and climbed all over her as she laughed and smiled.
 
Beth looked over to Brit, who faced away from Cassidy since she was about to be killed. She wrapped her arm around her twin's shoulder and and led her away from the gate and deeper into the settlement. As they walked, Beth spoke to Brit.

"Who knows--maybe this will be the home we've needed since mom and dad died. The structure of it alone will benefit us. We need this. We might not agree wholeheartedly with how they punish the cannibals, but in the end, their actions do more good then harm. I know she's just a kid, but by killing her, they're potentially saving lives. We'll be okay here. I'm sure of it," Beth said, smiling at her sister.
 
Darrin stopped. He was a few meters behind her. They were thinking of letting her go? Darrin readied is sword. It was better if she was dead. However he needed consent from Rebecca. He gave her a nod, telling her that if she wished to kill the girl he would gladly kill her. For Benedict and the settlement.
 
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Brit sniffled softly, clenched her teeth, and pursed her lips to keep them from trembling. She was such a wimp. She needed to not cry, to not show weakness around these people.

She drew closer to her sister, walking away from the death that is sure to come.

She nodded in hopeful agreement to her sister's first statement. A home would be nice. "I know, Beth... I keep telling myself that...but it's just hard to see passed the fact that she's just a young girl. Remember when we were that old?"
 
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Jeremiah looked at Rebecca and sighed. "Yer call ah guess. If tha girl wants ta fight ya then so be it. But if not ah'm killin' her now."
 
Cassidy nodded. "I want to fight with you. If it means I'll still have a chance to be with my brother in the end."
 
Rebecca slowly raised to her feet as the kids climbed off of her one by one. Once she was standing she looked at the three that were still remaining near the gates for it seemed as if the Twins took a little tour around the settlement. She smirked when hearing Jeremiah speak and noticed he was really looking forward in doing the honors as well as the other who was the brother of Benedict. Her eyes traveled from one person to the other before she sounded off her voice after hearing what the girl had to say, She wanted to fight with her so she could have a chance in staying alive. But the chances are one in a million.

She grinned wickedly before looking over to Jeremiah and spoke towards him.

"Prepare a grave Jeremiah. .And Darrin go and pick some flowers. . .Me and this girl have business to take care of. ."

And with that she turned her back on all of them and walked forward towards the gates before having them open to her command she was not going to do business here since children would be around so she might as well settle it in the forest.
 
Beth consoled her twin, rubbing the back of her shoulder to calm her.

"Yeah, I remember when we were that old. But when we were that young, we didn't eat humans. Granted, we didn't have to fend for ourselves, but if we did, there are deer and bears and even dogs if we couldn't find anything else. I can't imagine killing and consuming a person. I'd rather starve to death," Beth said to Brit.

Beth turned her head as Rebecca decided to go through with fighting the girl. She turned her head back to Brit.

"Besides, she had the chance to live. She could have left this place, but she'd rather fight and die than try to make it out there. She made her bed. Now she has to die in it."
 
Brit slowly calmed down from her sister's words and comforting touches. The memories of the past also helped a bit.

She nodded in agreement to Beth's statement about starving first than eating another person.

"It's lie. She made her bed and now she has to lie in it..." She corrected her twin.
 
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