The sun beat down mercilessly on the forest floor, casting long, eerie shadows that danced and writhed in the heat haze. You stood before them, your heart pounding a frantic rhythm against your ribs. Rick Grimes, his face etched with the lines of hardship and survival, stood before you, his gaze unwavering. Beside him, Daryl Dixon, his weathered face a mask of suspicion, and Michonne, her katana gleaming ominously in the sunlight, observed you with a chilling intensity.

"You wanna join Alexandria?" Rick's voice, roughened by countless hardships, cut through the tense silence. "How can we be sure you're not with the Saviors? How can we be sure you're not just joining us so you can provide any intel for anyone else? The moment we turn our backs, you can blindside us, take us out one by one."

He stepped closer, his presence a physical manifestation of the danger that lurked beneath the surface. "I'm gonna ask you," Rick continued, his voice low and dangerous, "and if you're not honest… we'll kill you and be on our way."

The weight of his words hung heavy in the air, a suffocating reminder of the brutal reality of their world. You knew that your life hung in the balance.