That evening Rick finally confronted Hershel.
"Walkers are in your barn."
Hershel nodded calmly.
"They're sick people."
Rick shook his head.
"They're dead."
The argument quickly spread through the group.
Shane lost his patience first.
"This is insane."
Hershel refused to change his mind.
"They are my family."
Ghost stood silently near the fence during the entire discussion.
Beth approached him again quietly.
"You think my father is wrong."
Ghost didn't answer immediately.
Then he spoke.
"They're dangerous."
Beth looked toward the barn.
"I know."
For a moment neither of them spoke.
Then Beth asked softly.
"Why do you stay with our group?"
Ghost looked toward the farmhouse where Carl laughed with Glenn.
Then toward Rick speaking with Lori.
Finally toward Beth.
"Because this place still has something worth protecting."
Beth felt her heart beat faster.
She didn't know exactly why.
But she was beginning to understand something.
The masked soldier everyone feared…
Was protecting them all.