This picks up shortly after Seven Months. This is an Alternate Universe where there are mutations, things like the twins being able to camouflage themselves or Andrea being immune to a walkers bite and so on. Everyone is infected and they have no idea what is in store for them next.
Seed
We lost a lot of lives at the farm, Otis, Sophia, Jimmy, Patricia, Andrea, and…Shane. I'm not proud of killing him, but I did what I had to, he left me no choice. If you've read our stories so far, then you know the truth. Since the farm fell to the walkers we've been going around in circles, just trying to survive the winter, make it day to day, we held up in a storage unit for a time. We got separated from Daryl for a while, thankfully he got back to us safe and sound with a girl in tow. Harleen didn't make it, but Glenn's babies did, he had twins. Now, I will start this part of our story and let you know what happened since you last heard from us over a week ago.
My name is Rick Grimes, ever since I found out about all of Lori's relations with Shane, I've been having a hard time forgiving her. The last few weeks it's been even harder, with the pregnancy and now Glenn having given birth to the twins and seeing his relationship with Daryl blossom and grow has made me a bit jealous that my relationship with Lori has plummeted so far down.
I woke up to all this, the walkers, the lack of civilization and it's changing me, at this point I started to lose myself. Who I was, who I wanted to be, going from one extreme to another and not sure what was real and what wasn't. It started at this point when we found ourselves with a possible refuge, in a walker infested prison. But some people complicated things, just when I thought we might be safe, something comes around a corner and reminds us that nowhere is safe for long.
We walked up to a house, one of the last in this neighborhood, I took the lead, kicking in the scratched and dirty double front doors shooting the first walker I saw in the head, as T-Dog came in behind me wielding a firer poker he picked up at a house a few blocks back. He thrust the tip into the second walkers forehead pulling it out as the guy collapsed, Daryl and Carl followed after us.
Daryl had Henlee in her baby carrier on his back with his bow outstretched, Carl behind him with his gun and the silencer we found in that storage unit we had stayed in during the winter.
Carl moved ahead then, he stopped and waited for me, I pulled out my flashlight moving into the pantry I saw there, as Carl checked the kitchen. I headed deeper inside the pantry, there were shelves mostly bear with only blankets and non-essentials, what we were searching for was food.
There was a door at the other end with a lock on it, I shined my torch as I cautiously walked towards it my gun outstretched. I moved my hand with the flashlight for the knob, grabbed it with my index and middle finger then pulled it open quickly before pointing my light and gun out, Daryl was on the other side pointing his bow at me. We relaxed just a bit.
Daryl lowered his bow and smirked, I breathed a sigh of a relief. I turned and went into the kitchen as Carl came back from checking the rest of the house, he started looking through the cupboards as Glenn walked in threw the back door, he had M.J. strapped to his chest, a shovel in hand and Maggie behind him.
I walked back to the front door as Daryl and T-Dog were coming downstairs. Daryl had found an owl and was plucking out the feathers as he headed towards the living room. Glenn and Maggie picked up one of the bodies as Carol, Beth, Lori and Hershel were coming up the porch with the rest of our stuff.
Glenn and Maggie placed the body with the others as everyone started to gather in the living room. Once everyone was inside, I moved to close the doors, I saw Daryl sitting on a chair as he continued to de-feather the bird he killed.
There wasn't much to sit on, as Carol, Lori and Beth were on the floor starting to make pallets, Hershel was on a bench by a piano, Glenn sat on a chair between Maggie and Daryl, he'd grabbed a Band-Aid from our pack and was helping to put it on a cut on Maggie's hand. Henlee and M.J were starting to fuse.
I was looking out the window as T-Dog walked around behind the women, Carl joined the three on the floor. He placed a couple of cans of dog food on the floor, then grabbed the can opener from one of our bags to start opening them. I turned to him and saw what he was doing.
Glenn was hushing M.J. as Daryl continued to pluck the bird not really paying attention to the room. Maggie was watching though, now that she had won Daryl's trust, which had taken several months to do, but now when Daryl's not around, Maggie watches out for Glenn and the twins.
Carl had the can open and was just putting a spoon in to get some out when I took the can off the floor and looked at it. I threw it in the fireplace, which got Daryl's attention.
I looked at all of them as they looked at each other and me, then nothing. Everything was quite, all I could think is with the twins and another baby on the way we needed to find something better than going from house to house.
T-Dog was at one of the windows. He made a noise to get our attention, I looked out and saw a herd coming, it was time to go.
Daryl led the way out the back, Glenn followed after as he re-adjusted M.J. to his chest, before taking his shovel from Maggie. T-Dog, Lori, Carol and Beth had grabbed our bags and blankets before following the other three. Hershel was right in front of me as I brought up the rear.
We got to our vehicles; the Cherokee had the two car seats that Glenn rides in with Hershel and Maggie.
I saw Glenn open the back as he put the shovel and Maggie placed blankets in it. Daryl had the back door open and placed his crossbow down as he pulled Henlee around and placed her in her car seat. Then closed the door, gave Glenn a quick kiss before throwing his bow on his back as he headed for his bike.
Maggie saw an axe and grabbed it just as the herd was catching up. Glenn was placing M.J. in his car seat as Hershel and Maggie closed the back of the Cherokee. As my family and Beth got into the van, T-Dog and Carol got into a truck we had found last week, since the twin's birth we needed the extra vehicle. Maggie started up the Cherokee, I started up the van, T-Dog the truck and Daryl took the lead on his bike as we drove off just before the herd reached us.
We got out of the neighborhood and onto an empty backroad, I saw Daryl's head tilt to the left, it was a tell that something caught his attention. Probably his hearing, he pulled off to the side and parked the rest did the same. We started to get out as Daryl went to the Cherokee behind us. Maggie and Hershel got out, I heard the twins crying so I knew what got Daryl's attention.
I walked to the front of the cars, as Glenn and Daryl got the twins and joined us. Glenn had M.J. under a blanket at his chest, so I knew he was nursing. M.J. was still a little small, Hershel said that was normal for a pre mature baby, apparently they both were, but Henlee got more nutrition in the whom, then M.J. had which was why he was smaller, Hershel explained that was common with twins. But as far as Hershel could tell M.J. was still healthy, and that's all that mattered.
Daryl was rocking Henlee in his arms calming her while she waited for her brother to finish. Carl ran up to me as Maggie, Hershel and Carol started to spread out the map on the hood of the van.
"15, you're on point." I told Carl, who nodded and kept watch for us.
I walked to the others as T-Dog spoke as he looked at the map. "We have nowhere left to go."
"When this herd meets up with this one, we'll be cut off." Maggie said, we've had a run of bad luck the last two weeks, running into one herd, having to double back only to run into another. "We'll never make it south." Maggie was right.
Daryl joined us, now with M.J. in his arm as Glenn started nursing Henlee, Daryl had the baby on his shoulder tapping his back softly trying to get him to burp. Next to him was T-Dog, then me, Maggie, Hershel and then Glenn on the other said with the passenger door open sitting as he listened to the conversation.
"What would you say? That was about 150 head?" Daryl asked.
"That was last week. Could be twice that by now." Glenn said as he looked over through the windshield at us from where he was sitting.
I saw Beth watching our backs with the axe Maggie had gotten, it was good that the kids were keeping an eye out, it meant we could concentrate on a plan.
"This river could have delayed them." Hershel suggested as he pointed to the map, what wasn't covered in red that we had marked off as we had explored, including a respectful note of where we lost Harleen. "If we move fast, we might have a shot to tear right through there."
"Yeah, but if this group joins with that one, they could spill out this way." T-Dog suggested as Carol joined us near Glenn rubbing his shoulders.
"So we're blocked." Maggie said again.
Finally I joined the conversation. "Only thing to do is double back to 27 and swing towards Greenville."
Glenn got finished, he handed Henlee to Carol who started to burp her, M.J. burped which caused a small smile from his parents. Henlee burped then to, Glenn stood closing the door. T-Dog got us back onto the topic of conversation as we had been distracted by the twins.
"We picked through that already. It's like we spent the winter going in circles." Unfortunately T-Dog was correct, we have been going in circles.
"Yeah, I know. I know." I said facing him. I turned to the group. "At Newnan we'll push west. Haven't been through there yet, we can't keep going house to house. We need to find someplace to hole up for a few weeks." I looked at Lori who was still in the passenger seat of the van, resting, with the twins and another baby on the way we couldn't keep going like we have been.
"All right, is it cool if we get to the creek before we head out? Won't take long. We need to fill up on water, we can boil it later." T-Dog said to the group, as Maggie rolled up the map and the others went their own way, Glenn taking Henlee back and joining his husband while Maggie checked on her sister, and Carol checked on Lori as Hershel walked over next to me.
"Knock yourself out." I told T-Dog, and then turned to Hershel.
"She can't take much more of this moving about." Hershel was looking at my wife, he was right, she was exhausted. Glenn had more emotional support from Daryl during his pregnancy, then she's had from me these past several months.
"What else can we do? Let her give birth on the run like Glenn?" It was bad enough that Glenn had to, but Lori as well, Hershel had been teaching Carol how to help him with birthing a child, including C-Section, before we had known that Glenn could give birth naturally, but it was still dangerous. I just wanted her to be safe, it was the least I could do for her if I couldn't show her the love she deserved.
"Do you see a way around that?" Hershel put his hand on my shoulder. After Maggie had relieved Beth Daryl had handed her M.J. to look after with Glenn. He was next to his bike which was close to where I was currently standing, he started reloading his crossbow.
"Hey, while the others wash their panties, let's go hunt." Daryl suggested, it sounded great. It seemed to be the one thing that hasn't failed us yet. "That owl didn't exactly hit the spot." Daryl slung his crossbow up and over his back, and then we headed into the woods surrounding the backroad we were parked at.
We found a railroad track and started to walk it, I was right behind Daryl who of course was the better hunter and tracker having been doing it his whole life. Soon we came into a clearing and stopped to look at this prison yard filled with walkers.
"That's a shame." Daryl commented.
Yeah it was, all that space, fenced in area filled with walkers. But if we cleared it out, we could make it ours, guard towers, fencing, and cells to keep us safe. What once kept people in, will now be the tool to keeping the walkers out. It would become our safe haven….For a time.
"Let's get back." I said, Daryl agreed, we went back to our people. T-Dog and the others had already returned from gathering water and washing our clothes.
"Ya'll, are never going to believe what we just found." Daryl said, he walked over to Glenn and kissed him.
"What?" Glenn asked when they parted smiling.
"A prison, grab your stuff, we're going." I told them all, they looked at us confused, then moved to grab their weapons, while Glenn and Daryl got M.J. and Henlee's baby carriers. I grabbed the bolt cutters, as Daryl put Henlee on Glenn's back before securing M.J to his own chest. We started towards the prison once they were all prepared.
I used the bolt cutters to make a hole in the fence for us to get in, I didn't want to risk using my strength on it and create a whole would couldn't close up. Glenn used his shovel to stab a walker in the stomach as it was coming towards us, then Maggie hit it with a hammer in the head while the rest were in formation watching each other's back and keeping a look out for walkers on all sides.
"Watch the back side." T-Dog told 'em.
"Got it." Lori said.
I waved them over as I grabbed one side of the hole I just made and pulled it open, careful on how hard I pulled. They all went through except for me and T-Dog, more walkers were coming. I looked at him. "Hurry." He didn't move. "Hurry!" I said more forcefully, he moved, he was carrying one of our supply bags in one hand, and a crow bar in the other.
Glenn and Daryl were holding the links open on the other side, as I followed T-Dog. We had some red wire, which Glenn hooked to the finish, while Daryl pulled the links closed, Glenn wired it together so that the walkers out there couldn't follow us through.
The walkers on the inside headed to the other fence that separated us from the prison yard, this walk area was keeping us safe, as we waited for Glenn to finish. Henlee and M.J. were making some noise which was attracting the walkers to our location faster.
Daryl took lead then while Glenn finished hooking the wire to the fence, we all followed him, me, Carol, Beth, Lori, T-Dog, Hershel, Maggie, Carl and Glenn brought up the rear as we went at a jogging pace.
We got to a gate, Daryl opened it, readied his cross bow and went through, we followed. We stopped at a large gate that was between two guard towers. "It's perfect." I said, then looked at another guard tower near a second gate inside that separated the outer yard from the inner one that was closer to the cell block, which was currently open.
"If we can shut that gate, prevent more from filling the yard, we can pick off these walkers." I informed them, the walkers were gathering around the fence trying to get at us. "We'll take the field by tonight."
"So, how do we shut the gate?" Hershel asked.
"I'll do it, you guys cover me." Glenn said, he's the fastest one here, and he's only gotten faster as he lost the baby weight, getting down to his regular size, with a small pudge and the stretch marks to show he was ever pregnant.
Daryl looked at him and both Daryl and Maggie spoke at the same time. "No."
"It's a suicide run." Maggie added.
"Not with Henlee on my back, we know now that she'll help with her mutation. Besides I'm the fastest."
"No, you, Maggie, and Beth draw as many as you can over there." I said pointing to the other end of the fence. "Pop 'em through the fence." I turned to Daryl. "Daryl, go back to the other tower. Carol, you've become a pretty good shot. Take your time, we don't have a lot of ammo to waste." I instructed. "Hershel, you and Carl take this tower. I'll run for the gate." Everyone got started on their assignments.
I had known that Daryl would never have let Glenn go to that gate without a fight, and I completely understood, that's why I made sure he was inside where it was safe, where they were all pretty much safe. I'd rather sacrifice myself, then any of my people.
Glenn pulled out two latch hooks from the duffle T-Dog brought, they were connected with a gold chain, he handed them to me so I could use them on the gate once I got it closed.
Beth, Maggie, T-Dog and Glenn started making a lot of noise along the fence we had passed moments ago, Henlee started making more noise which helped as well, though I hoped she didn't start crying, it's become pretty obvious that her and M.J.'s cries confuse and divert the walkers somehow.
As the walkers got to the fence, they used their weapons, a pipe, crow bar, sickle or whatever else they could find to pick the walkers off one by one. I watched them for a minute, then moved to the large gates, Lori grabbed them as she looked at me a clear 'be careful' in her eyes before she pulled open the gate.
There was an over turned bus right in front of me as I walked in, Lori closed the gate behind me. I aimed my gun and went around the bus, I got to a gravel road that headed to the open gate, I shot one of the walkers that turned towards me.
I got to a dirt road that headed to the open gate, I shot the walkers closest to me as I ran up towards it, the others picking the walkers off at the fence line they had created.
Daryl and Carol on the guard tower, one of Daryl's arrows flew threw a walkers forehead that was right in front of me. I looked at him and nodded before continuing on.
Carl and Hershel shooting from the other guard tower, taking out the walkers in the field that were straggling behind the rest.
Suddenly dirt shot up in front of me, I stopped and looked at Carol who had fired. I heard a drowned out sorry from her as I went on, she was getting better, but wasn't perfect…yet.
I was getting closer, I shot another walker before I reached the gate, I dropped my gun as I grabbed the fence just as one of the undead inmates was starting to grab at me, I kicked him back using my strength to propel him into another walker both falling to the ground, then I pulled the gate closed. Using the hooks Glenn had given me to secure it as several more walkers started pushing and banging on the gate, thanks to my mutated strength they didn't stand a chance of getting it open before I secured it.
I turned and grabbed my pistol off the ground and shot at the walkers that were headed for me, the ones at the fence had turned no longer paying attention to the ones they couldn't get at for the food source that was in their own yard.
There was a guard tower next to me, I pulled open the door, shot the walker there and closed it behind me, keeping the herd from getting at me. I got to the top, grabbed my riffle and then with our fire power we picked the rest of the walkers off one by one.
I pleased with myself as I reloaded another round, it had worked, this place was gonna be ours and I knew I was never going to let it go. Walkers dropped left and right, it was great, I killed the last one and then looked at my people, we were home.
We all came out of the guard towers as Lori opened the gate for them. I headed out as I heard Carol, she sounded so happy and relieved. I could hear the twins they too seemed quite happy.
"We haven't had this much space since we left the farm." Carol exclaimed as she looked at the others, I was looking at the gate I had just closed off.
I turned as I heard T-Dog laugh, he put his arms in the air and shouted. "Whoo!"
But the day wasn't over yet, there were things to do. I joined the rest a few minutes later. "Alright, settle down, it's time to get organized. Daryl, Hershel and Maggie go with T-Dog to get the vehicles, and find the road to get them here, Carl, Carol, and Glenn will help me clear some of these bodies to make camp, Lori will look after the twins, and Beth find some fire wood." I instructed, Glenn and Daryl unstrapped the twins and passed them over to Lori who has gotten pretty good at watching over them the last couple of weeks they've been alive, it was something she could do and with their camouflage we knew she'd be protected.
Daryl, Hershel, Maggie and T-Dog left the way we had come to collect the vehicles along with our stuff from the highway. Beth went out to just where I could see her from the yard gathering wood, as we started moving some bodies into a pile to burn tomorrow, tonight we just needed to make camp and celebrate the fact that we have a place to call home now.
It didn't take long to get everything done, or for the others to return, they parked the Cherokee and Van at the first gate, then Daryl's bike and the truck in front of them. They got back in the yard and closed the gate. I walked over to the bus that was tipped over and using my strength pushed it closer to the gate and straighter then angled making it a good look out post.
We got a fire started just as the sun was dying down, the babies started crying then, the last four or five nights now they have been crying up a storm once the sun goes down. Maggie and Glenn were rocking them and trying to quite them down while Daryl was keeping watch, but I could tell that he wanted to be near his kids, but he was the perfect watchman for us and tonight with so much good that's happened everyone was on edge, not wanting to think about tomorrow.
I was at the fence, with my riffle, I was watching the walkers on the other side, I'd done a pass a few times now. Looking for any compromising places, but there wasn't any. I turned towards the group as I heard Beth's voice.
She was singing. "Of all the money, e'er I had. I spent it in good company, and all the harm e'er I've ever done. Alas it was to none but me." I headed down the slope towards them listening, Henlee had calmed while M.J. was against Glenn nursing. "And all I've done for want of wit, to memory now I can't recall." I saw Daryl along with Carol getting off the over turned bus and heading to camp. "So fill to me the parting glass. Good night and joy be with you all."
Beth stopped as she looked at her sister, and then with Maggie they both continued. "Oh, all the comrades that e'er I had. We're sorry for my going away, and all the sweethearts that e'er I had." Carl was on his stomach a bowl in front of him with food in it still, he turned as I stood next to him and passed it over to me just as I crouched down to sit, I took it. "Would wish me one more day to stay…"
I looked at Lori and held the bowl out to her. "I had some." I didn't move and she relented, reaching out to take some of the meat that had been cooked.
The girls continued singing. "But since it falls unto my lot, that I should rise and you should not. I'll gently rise, and I'll softly call." Daryl sat between Glenn and Carl, M.J was just finishing, he passed him over to Daryl, then took Henlee from Maggie as the song filled the night air. "Good night and joy, be with you all. Good night and joy, be with you all." Glenn started feeding Henlee as M.J. was falling asleep in his father's arms.
Carol moved to sit next to Maggie. "Beautiful." Hershel told them.
"Better all turn in. I'll take watch over there." I said motioning to the over turned bus. "Got a big day tomorrow."
"What do you mean?" Glenn asked as Daryl put an arm around his shoulders, and Glenn leaned against him a little. Everyone was looking at me, T-Dog from where he was laying his head on a rolled up blanket, Hershel and Beth from across the camp fire, Lori and Carl on either side of me.
"Look, I know we're all exhausted." I leaned forward slightly. "This was a great win. But we've gotta push just a little bit more. Most of the walkers are dressed as guards and prisoners." I said looking around at my people. "Looks like this place fell pretty early. It could mean the supplies may be intact. They'd have an infirmary, a commissary."
"An armory?" Daryl asked.
I looked at him. "That would be outside the prison itself, but not too far away. Warden's offices would have info on the location." I said pointing towards the prison. I started gesturing with my hand as I continued to count off all the things we could find here. "Weapons, food, medicine. This place could be a gold mine."
"We're dangerously low on ammo." Hershel reminded me. "We'd run out before we make a dent."
"That's why we have to go in there…hand to hand." Everyone fell silent. Henlee finished eating and Glenn was rocking her as the twins were falling asleep, his head still against Daryl's shoulder.
"After all we've been through, we can handle it, I know it." I looked at Carl and smiled at him. "These assholes don't stand a chance." I looked at the rest, then stood and headed back to the fence.
Lori followed a moment after. "Psst." She said behind me, I stopped, then turned and walked over to her, I saw the others started to put out blankets and bunker down for the night.
"I appreciate everything you're doing. We all do, but it's been a death march and they're exhausted. Can we just enjoy this for a few days?" Lori asked, her voice low, though I knew Daryl could still hear us, even though he was trying not to.
"Baby will be here in a few days. No time for a picnic."
"No, it's time to get the house in order."
"What do you think I'm doing?"
"Your absolute best."
"Don't patronize me." I said going on the defensive as I walked away. I was doing this for everyone, her, the baby, the twins, Glenn and Daryl, Hershel and his family, it was my fault, mine and Lori's that he lost his farm, and now I was trying to keep them alive.
"I'm not. I'm just saying the baby is about to be here and we need to talk about-"
I stopped and turned to her. "About what?"
"Things, we've been avoiding—"
"You want to talk? Talk to Hershel. I'm doing stuff, Lori, 'things'. Isn't that enough?"
Lori sighed as she looked down.
"I'm still here." I told her.
"You're right. I'm sorry." That's all she's been saying for months and I'm just tired of hearing it, because no amount of 'sorry' will make up for what she did. I turned and walked away again, this time she didn't follow.
I got some rest that night, but for the most part it was walking the perimeter thinking on what needed to be done.
The next morning, shortly after we had a quick breakfast, it was time to open the gates and go in to clear out the rest of the yard and get inside the prison. Glenn and Daryl finished getting M.J. secure against Daryl's chest, and Henlee against Glenn's back.
Then we grabbed out weapons and got to the fence, where I had hooked the gate closed. "Ready?" I asked as I grabbed each hook with my hands, they nodded and then I unhooked one end and pushed the gate open.
T-Dog went in first using his poker to stab the walker coming towards him threw the eye. Daryl was behind him, his bow on his back, he was using a knife, though for the most part that was easy as M.J.'s mutation worked allowing Daryl to get up to the a walker and stab it as I pointed it out.
Glenn and Maggie followed us in, Hershel and Carl closed the gate behind us, hooking it once again.
Together the five us took on the walkers back to back on each side, attacking them with our machetes, and pokers, and steel pipes like what Glenn was using to slowly take out the walkers.
I stabbed some, while others I chopped bits of their heads off. "Get tight." Glenn shouted as more were coming around from the side of the prison. Hershel, Lori, Beth, Carol and Carl were along the fence making noise to draw them in close enough to take them out.
I heard some coming from the side and turned to see Daryl stab one in the eye. I saw one and swung my machete taking half a walkers face off. As it fell to the ground I moved on and Glenn used his steel pipe piercing its brain.
Everything was going good, until T-Dog moved off to grab something. "Don't break rank." I shouted at him.
"We need that." T-Dog shouted as he grabbed one of the guard's riot shields from the ground where it had been dropped, turning just as a walker came at him. He bashed the riot shield into the undead prisoner, it fell, and then Maggie ran over to it in a rage, stabbing it in the head.
"Maggie! Maggie!" Glenn and I shouted to get her to move back into rank. Over the last few months her and Glenn had gotten close, becoming best friends, while at the same time she never over stepped her bounds with him again. Daryl has finally forgiven her and trust's her enough to know she won't try anything with his husband when he's not there.
"Almost there." I tell them as we head on ward, a bridge walkway above where guards usually stand to keep an eye on the prisoners below with their guns, but now it stood empty and trashed like the rest of the yard that had chairs and trashcans and debris scattered around.
I got to the door into the prison, T-Dog right behind me poker poised above us, ready for anything as I slowly pushed the door open and headed inside.
I stopped though as I looked around and saw to the side a second gate open and dozens of walker prisons milling about, having not noticed us yet. I quickly put my back to the wall with a muttered. "Shit." Then raised my hand for the rest to do the same.
Daryl sheathed his knife and pulled his cross bow out careful of M.J. as he watched us and waited for the signal.
Across the way was a dumpster and two guards in full riot gear shambled out from behind it, the black helmets with face shields down, and pads across their chest, back, legs and arms covering them, protecting them from harm. But that was going to make them more difficult to kill unless you get right up close and personal.
Daryl moved in front of us his bow aimed when two more in riot gear came from the side, right in front of our current position.
Daryl fired but the arrow bounced right off the face-shield. T-Dog and I headed for them as Daryl backed up, then a walker came through the partially open door right next to Maggie, it was wearing a gas mask.
Maggie backed up with Glenn, who was next to Daryl just as M.J. started to cry. Maggie was going to attack the walker, but M.J.s cry wasn't his normal I'm hungry cry, and it defiantly wasn't his wet or pick me up cry. No, this one was different.
I think he could feel the fear and anxiety in the air that we were giving off, Maggie raised her arm when M.J.'s crying picked up in pitch and strength. Forcing us to cover our ears as it reached levels that were quite painful. The walker in front of them froze, I looked and saw it shaking before its head exploded in a shower of skull and brain matter all over Maggie.
Glenn and Daryl seemed to be the only ones not affected by M.J.'s crying as he then settled down and we could focus on the walkers that started moving towards us once more.
Glenn was about to be grabbed by a walker right behind him when Henlee started to cry, but instead of blowing this walkers head up, the walker turned and headed in the other direction it was odd to say the least. Glenn used his pipe and hit it in the head knocking it to the ground before stabbing it.
T-Dog and I then focused on the two walkers in front of us, T-Dog pushing one back with his riot shield as I kept hitting the one in front of me with my machete but nothing was getting through that helmet.
Daryl taking out a woman walker right behind us, hitting it with his cross bow and then stabbing it with his knife, now that M.J. had quitted, I think he fell asleep nestled against Daryl's chest.
I turned and knew I needed help. "Daryl!" I called, then side rammed the walker in the riot gear pushing it to the ground.
The prisoners on the other side of the gate against the building were heading for us we needed to close it off. I stood and sliced one's head halfway off with my machete while Daryl stabbed one with his blade behind me as I headed for the gate to get it closed off.
I kicked one back, and then together we grabbed the gate and slid it closed. Taking the small hooks from my pocket I put one on each side keeping the walkers from getting it open.
"Come on, we're good." I told Daryl before turning to Maggie and Glenn who were getting over run with three walkers, two in riot gear and another one walking out of the building with a gas mask on.
One walker was right against Maggie grabbing at her, then she lifted his face-shield and took her knife stabbing it right below the chin into its brain.
Maggie turned to T-Dog and Glenn who were just staring at her in shock and Daryl and I were coming back. "See that?" Maggie asked with a huge grin on her face.
The second walker moved to grab Glenn, when Glenn grabbed its face-shield pushing its helmet up so T-Dog could stab it under its jaw, killing it, instantly.
Daryl ran up behind the third one, grabbed its helmet pushed its head down and stabbed it in the back of the head at the base of its spine.
For the last one, gas mask, I kicked it in the legs knocking it to the ground breaking it's knee caps at that, it fell to the ground, I knelt over it, grabbed the mask pulling it off along with the flesh of his face with it, before stabbing it through the brain.
Maggie ran passed me and took care of the last riot gear walker, the one I had knocked down earlier. Now with the gate closed on that side, we could finally take a breather, as we stood around taking in our surroundings, covered in dead walker bodies.
Glenn started to run towards the gate to the others. "Stop." I told him as I looked at the catwalk above us and the guard towers, and around at our accomplishment.
"Well, it looks secure." Glenn said as he walked back.
"Not from the look of that courtyard over there." Daryl pointed out. Then to the woman he had killed a few moments ago, who was dressed in a grey dress and blouse, not as a guard or prisoner. "That's a civilian."
"So the interior could be overrun with walkers from outside the prison." T-Dog said as he looked at me.
"Well, if there are walls down what are we gonna do? We can't rebuild this whole place." Glenn said confused and worried as he walked over to Daryl, who put his hand on the small of Glenn's back, beneath the baby carrier Henlee was currently sleeping in.
"We can't risk a blind spot." I told them. "We have to push in." I headed to one of the caged walk ways of the prison, opening it and headed in following by Daryl, Maggie, Glenn and T-Dog.
Daryl sheathed his knife as we got to a red door that slides open, I prepared with my machete as Daryl grabbed the handle and eased it open, there was a cell door in front of us closing the outside off from the inside.
I slowly walked towards it, and then with my free hand pushed carefully at the door, it opened with a loud squeak. T-Dog closed the sliding door behind us, as I headed down the stairs, Daryl right behind me with his bow at the ready.
We headed down the stairs, it looked to be a commons area of sorts, with tables and chairs, the cat walks above for the guards, a glass room above for the guards to sit and watch the prisoners. I pointed with my machete one way for Daryl and Glenn to the go, the other Maggie and T-Dog.
I headed for the guard post while the others checked the room for any walkers, so far it was pretty quiet and empty. I walked past Maggie who checked a cell to find the door locked, I turned heading upstairs.
I got up there ready to attack, but the guard had shot himself through the head, leaving his decayed flesh the only thing up there with the dead monitors and lights.
I saw the prison keys hanging from his belt, I unhooked them, I looked up and saw Daryl watching me from below, I showed him the keys in my hand. He nodded, and then I turned and headed back downstairs. Daryl had become my second in command, I trusted him with my life and the lives of this group, and still do.
I met up with them and walked to the cell doors separating the common area from the cell block, I put my arm through the bars using the key on the other side to unlock the door, then I pushed it open retracting my arm.
We walked in, trash was everywhere, paper, bedding, pillows, bits of clothes strewn about, most of the cells left open, Maggie and I next to cells walking the line, Daryl in front, with Glenn and T-Dog to our right and further back from us.
Maggie and Glenn were checking out the cells, while Daryl headed up the stairs to clear the second level as I headed past the stairs with T-Dog right behind me. I tried the cell door that separated this block from the rest of the prison, but it was locked.
I turned and saw Daryl above us, another set of stairs right in front of me, so I took them quickly as I noticed Daryl was on edge, the way he held his bow close ready for anything, he shifted his son so he wouldn't get hit by his bow. As I joined him something clanged behind us, Daryl turned quickly, and headed down to the cell line, I was next to him.
We got to a closed and still locked cell that was holding a walker. We moved by that one to the second one which also held an undead prisoner. I pulled out my knife as the walkers growled and tried to grab at us, leaving this one for Daryl, I took the other and we both stabbed them in the head.
I looked at Glenn, Maggie and T-Dog below. "Glenn, go get the others." I instructed, then took my keys to open the cells, Daryl and I dragged the dead walkers out, and tossed them to the floor. T-Dog started dragging one away as I headed downstairs just as Lori and the others following Glenn showed up.
"Well, what do you think?" I asked.
"Home sweet home." Glenn commented as he moved to one of the cells with his and Daryl's bag, Henlee starting to fuss on his back, she was probably hungry or tired, maybe both it was about noon.
"For the time being." I told him.
"It's secure?" Lori asked as she looked around followed by Carol, Beth, Carl and Hershel.
"This cellblock is." I assured her.
"What about the rest of the prison?" Hershel asked as he moved forward with Carl.
"In the morning we'll find the cafeteria and infirmary."
"We sleep in the cells?" Beth asked nervously.
"I found keys on some guards. Daryl has a set, too."
"I ain't sleeping in no cage, I'll take the perch. Glenn this cell." Daryl said as he pointed to a cell right across from where Daryl planned to sleep, he wanted to keep Glenn close but not be trapped at the same time. Glenn headed upstairs to set his things down and get a pallet on the ground for the twins.
"Come on." Carol said to Lori with a smile as they headed off to find a cell of their own.
Lori walked over to me. "Thank you." She said gratefully as she grabbed my wrist, I moved away from her, as time had gone on, I wanted to be around her less and less. Knowing what she did, knowing I could never forgive her made it more and more difficult with each passing day to be near her. I will come to regret my actions in the weeks and years that follow.
Beth and Carl head for a cell, but its clear Hershel didn't want that, so Carl went to his own cell, Lori and Carol found a cell and sat down as did Maggie as far from Glenn as she could get. I headed upstairs as Daryl was putting a pillow he found on the floor and laying down after he had handed M.J. to Glenn and took off the baby carrier which was off to the side.
Daryl closed his eyes as he listened to Glenn and the twins, I could tell from the small smile that graced his lips. I headed back down the stairs, I walked along the wall, before finding a spot and sat down, I was sore and tired. I leaned my head back against the cool concrete wall, with my shotgun on my lap. As the sun went down I closed my eyes listening to the quite noises of the twins and Glenn, the girls across from me, as everyone settled down to sleep for the night.
The next day, we gathered supplies we found and what we had left laying them out on one of the metal tables in the common area. "Not bad." Daryl commented as he joined me, T-Dog and Hershel, after having checked on Glenn and the twins.
I grabbed one of the items on the table and looked at it. "Flashbangs, CS Triple-Chasers. Not sure how they'd work on walkers, but we'll take 'em." I told Hershel before setting it back on the table.
Daryl picked up one of the tactical helmets the walker guards were wearing, and fluid leaked onto the table. "I ain't wearing this shit." Daryl said setting it back down.
T-Dog was holding a soaked glove with a disgusted look. "We could boil 'em." He suggested.
"Ain't enough wood in the whole forest. No." Daryl argued. "Besides we made it this far without 'em, right?" Daryl picked up one of the night sticks and swung it like a bat as I loaded one of the guns, I had to agree with Daryl, we might be able to find some clean tactical armor in the armory.
"Hershel." Carol called a moment later, we all looked over at her, she motioned towards he cells.
"Everything all right?" I asked worried.
"Yeah, nothing to worry about." Carol assured me. She and Hershel went back, as we continued going through the grenades and weapons we gathered from the guards and what had been left on the ground.
Then it was time to get ready, I helped T-Dog put on one of the bullet proof vests we'd found, while Carl put on a cleaned tactical helmet, it slipped off, I saw him smile at Beth as she stood next to Maggie tying her bullet proof vest, who was helping Hershel with his bullet proof vest.
I walked past Daryl who loaded his bow, then moved to aid Glenn with his own bullet proof vest, they weren't going to take the twins this time, it was too big a risk in to tight a corridor. So he and Glenn were leaving M.J. and Henlee with Carol, Beth and Lori.
"You won't need that." I told Carl as I took the helmet from him. "I need you to stay put." Carl needed to protect the girls and the twins.
"You're kidding." Carl said as he put his deputy's hat back on.
"We don't know what's in there. If something goes wrong, you could be the last man standing. I need you to handle things here." I informed him.
"Sure." He agreed with a nod.
I turned just as Daryl finished getting the bullet proof vest on Glenn. Once that was done they were ready. "Great, let's go." I glanced up at Lori who was on the second level watching us, then followed the others out, as Maggie kissed Beth's check before leaving, Daryl took the lead as I took the rear. Carl closed and locked the door behind us.
Daryl used the key to unlock the cell door that separated us from the rest of the prison. He pushed the door open and we all headed in, closing the door behind us, I took the lead then with Daryl right behind me, Glenn and Maggie behind him, T-Dog and Hershel taking the rear.
With flashlights in hand we headed down the narrow corridor that held dead, decaying bodies, the only sound permeating the air was our harsh breathing and the rats scurrying along the ground.
The smell was rancid and thick, it was stuffy with the lack of ventilation in this place. Daryl closed his eyes for a moment to get his senses under a more manageable range, something he's learned over the last several months. Together we headed down the hall, looking in every cell we passed to make sure it was empty.
We spread out a bit so we weren't as bunched up, T-Dog and Hershel coming forward while Glenn and Maggie pulled back, Daryl staying on my left as we moved as one. As we passed a corner Glenn used a spray can he had found and put an arrow pointing us in the direction back, as there were more corridors branching off in different directions, we didn't want to risk getting lost.
I turned as I heard Maggie shriek, she had come out of one of the cells and bumped into Glenn making them both react, he put his hand on her arm to steady her. Daryl moved to go to him but clearly forced himself not to, not wanting to appear jealous or overly protective, which he was.
"Sorry." Glenn told her softly, then looked at Daryl probably to assure him, Daryl and I turned back to checking out the rest of the cells before we could move on.
So far everything was quiet and dead, I had my machete at the ready just in case, I was getting this bad sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, I should've listened to it. We eased ourselves around a corner, and it was empty. I pointed to one of the walls and Glenn moved spraying an arrow on it.
Daryl and I headed down the hall, T-Dog, Hershel and Maggie following, Glenn taking the rear as he finished up. All the corpses we saw had been eaten up, and left to rot, it was leaving me uneasy as we came to a T-section.
Glenn was spraying along the wall as Daryl checked one side and I checked the other. Then we headed left first as a loud thud came from that direction. It went around into another corner as that's when we saw them, the walkers, dozens of them, prisoners.
They saw us and headed towards us, we were in trouble. "Go back. Go back, move!" I said in a harsh whisper.
"Walkers!" Daryl said as he we backed up trying to get our people to turn around and get out of here, there was to many.
Hershel stumbled over a hand on the floor and fell against the corner of the hall way, T-Dog right next to him. "This way!" Daryl shouted, leading into the T-section we had just left.
Maggie and Glenn started heading down the other direction of the T-section, but it was cut off by another herd of walkers, Glenn grabbed her arm and pulled her back as we went back down the hall we had come from.
"Come on, this way!" Daryl shouted as he went down the hall way, we ran a different direction and through some double doors to a quite area, I looked through a grate in the doors and saw a few of the walkers, I crouched with the other three and asked.
"Where's Glenn and Maggie?" I could see it in Daryl's eyes he wanted to go back, he was going to voice it but Hershel spoke up first.
"We have to go back."
"But which way?" Daryl asked, which was a good question, in our hurry to get away from the walkers we've gotten ourselves totally lost. We were just going to have to go back.
We stood, I opened the metal doors we had come through to get away and headed back, Daryl headed down one hall, I was right behind him, while Hershel called down the other. "Maggie? Glenn?" With no answer he and T-Dog followed us.
Daryl stopped, just as Hershel did. "Glenn." He whispered as he headed back right behind Hershel who called for his daughter, T-Dog and I followed him, they must've heard them calling.
Just as Hershel walked next to a dead body on the ground it grabbed his leg, he fell to the ground screaming as it bit him. Daryl shot it in the head with his arrow, then pulled it out, but he hadn't reacted fast enough to keep it from biting Hershel.
I moved then to get Hershel up as Glenn and Maggie joined us, Glenn moved to help, his screams were causing attention as the walkers headed for us.
"Daryl!" I called, he moved in front as Hershel continued to scream in pain.
"Oh, God, help me!" Daryl aimed and shot one of the walkers.
"We're blocked!" T-Dog shouted as he was leading but walkers from the other end were coming at us now.
"Glenn! Get back! Get back!" I shouted as we pulled back with Hershel between us, though this was slowing us down.
"Glenn help Daryl!" I said as I grabbed Hershel's other arm pulling him around and using my superior strength to support him better so we could move quicker, all Hershel had to do was hang on.
Glenn took my gun and shot one of the walkers that were getting to close to Daryl as we all headed down the only hall we could. We got to a pair of double doors that were handcuffed, I wasn't sure what was in there, but it had to be better then what was out here.
Everyone was screaming and shouting, T-Dog and Glenn took Hershel then and I grabbed the handcuffs snapping them off, before pushing the doors open.
T-Dog and Glen laid Hershel on the ground as the rest got into the room, looked like a cafeteria, I didn't care at the moment. Daryl and Maggie closed the door behind us, Maggie then went to her dad as T-Dog ran to help Daryl keep the doors closed as the walkers were pushing to get in.
"I've got it!" T-Dog shouted, Daryl then moved to help us as Maggie got Hershel's head in her lap, Daryl pulled out an arrow as I started to take off my belt, we both knew what I had to do. He put the arrow in Hershel's mouth for him to bite on.
"Hold him down." I told them as I wrapped my belt tight around his leg cutting off the circulation to the bite mark.
"Only one way to keep you alive." I told him as I grabbed my hand axe. I didn't notice the black oozing out of the wound, and if I did, I wouldn't have known what it meant.
I raised my axe and swung it down expecting to make this deep cut in Hershel's leg right above where the walker had bit him. But all it did was make a small scratch, something was happening to Hershel's skin, it was starting to shine. I shook my head in confusion as Hershel screamed in pain but it wasn't from the axe, I raised it again and brought it down, only for the head of my axe to break.
Something was growing out of his skin starting for the wound, causing his skin to shin like glass it was slowly spreading out to cover the rest of his body, it must've been excruciating, it sort of looked like scales, a very hard substance that was protecting Hershel from being damaged.
That's when I noticed the black ooze, I had to wonder if whatever mutation has shown up, was trying to protect Hershel from the walkers bite.
Hershel passed out then, as the scales reached his chest. The black ooze finished leaving Hershel's body, it was just blood then, all we could do was patch it up.
I looked at Daryl, we were all confused by what had just happened. Daryl looked at something behind me. "Duck." He whispered, I went down and he came up his bow aimed at the grate that separated the kitchen area from the cafeteria. I looked and saw five prisoners, but unlike the walkers outside, these five looked alive.
One of the guys looking at us, had red hair a mustache and goatee, he had a pretty good hold on the grate as he said. "Holy shit." We had no idea what to expect next, but I knew it probably wasn't going to be good.