CHAPTER 10
Sasha had begun sentry duty by walking along the fence line, the Heckler & Koch MP5A2 submachine gun in her hands was set on "F" and her right index finger rested on the trigger guard. She walked a few steps, turn, and retraced her steps as she kept a modest pace and watched the fence line, but caught sight of a walker on the other side of the fence and she stopped in her tracks.
The walker wore a torn, soiled business suit; its tie was loose and hung low like he had stepped out of a dive bar, its expensive haircut was matted and dirty, and its skin was pale and pieces of it had flecked away like paint. Unlike the other walkers, this one wasn't hissing or gripping the chain link fence, instead it kept its bloodstained hands and its side, and its bloodstained mouth was shut tightly. Its yellow eyes stared at Sasha intently.
Sasha walked over to the fence.
The businessman walker didn't react as Sasha came closer, but its companions began to growl and rattle the chain link fence.
Sasha stood face to face with the businessman walker. The minutes ticked by and Sasha didn't notice the other walkers' mad behavior or the echoes of gunfire coming from within Cell Block C, she just stared into the businessman walker's yellow, unblinking eyes, and it stared back.
"Sasha!" a familiar voice shouted from behind her.
The voice hit Sasha like a jolt of static electricity. She spun around and saw Maggie—in riot armor—and Beth walking towards her; Maggie had a concerned look on her face, and Beth walked alongside her big sister, and wiped tears away from her eyes. A few moments later Sasha saw Hershel, on his crutches, hobbling behind his two daughters. Sasha ran towards the Greene's and the businessman walker watched her run away while its companions settled down.
"What were you doing?" Maggie asked as Sasha approached, "is the fence starting to give?"
"No. No. The fence is fine," Sasha promised. "Where's Tyreese? Is he all right?"
"He's okay," Maggie answered as her father hobbled to her left side. "Glenn's okay too."
Sasha wept tears of joy and she put her left arm around Maggie's neck and hugged her in spite of the riot suit. "Oh, thank God," she wept onto Maggie's shoulder.
Maggie, who just minutes before had an emotional reunion with Beth, smiled softly, put her arms around Sasha, and hugged her back.
Sasha separated from Maggie and wiped away her tears as she took a step back. The guns, did you find any of them?"
"Oh, we found a few," Maggie nodded.
"I…I should've been the one who went in the tombs with you guys," Sasha admitted. "My brother had my back from Florida to this prison, and I thanked him by sending him into the tombs."
Maggie shook her head. "No. You thought Tyreese could help us…and he did."
Sasha smiled and wiped a tear from her eye. "Thank you," she said.
"Were the walkers any trouble?" Hershel asked as he hobbled over to Maggie's left side.
"No," Sasha answered as she looked back at the courtyard's fence line. "A few walkers came out of the woods and joined the ones in the field, but they haven't been any trouble."
"They will be soon enough," Hershel said as he looked at the walkers. "They've got enough weight behind that fence they could knock it down if their dander fires up."
"We've got to put them down now," Maggie said firmly.
"Absolutely," Sasha agreed as she stared again at the businessman walker, which stared back along with the other walkers along the courtyard fence.
At Maggie's right side, Beth shivered. She remembered the barn massacre from a year ago. Shane broke the chains on the barn doors and the walkers—the family and neighbors who were bit and turned—staggered outside and were gunned down by Shane and the others.
Beth had gone into shock over the barn massacre, and when she recovered, failed to convince Maggie into a suicide pact. Encouraged by Andrea, she tried to commit suicide on her own, but she couldn't drive the shard of glass deep enough into her wrist, and her father sewed the wound up.
Since that day, Beth accepted that her mother, her brother Shawn, the other people in the barn, and all the others who ate the living were not sick, but in fact, dead.
Beth continued her gun training during the group's nomadic winter, but she never killed any walkers; that changed when Rick and Daryl found the prison, and Rick resolved to take it. Beth shot a few walkers as the group cleared the field. She couldn't remember how many; she didn't bother to count; it wasn't a game. She may have been naïve on the farm, but she had matured enough to know that. Now, Maggie was practically announcing that she'd help kill the walkers out in the field, and for Beth, who had cried over her big sister's insistence on going into the tombs, it was an announcement that she couldn't handle.
"Dad," Beth said meekly, "I don't want to shoot those walkers."
Hershel—along with Maggie and Sasha—looked at Beth.
Hershel hobbled over to Beth and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "It's all right, Beth."
"Thank you, Dad," Beth whispered.
Maggie walked over to Sasha and they both looked at the walkers on the other side of the fence. "How do you think we should handle this?" she asked.
Sasha huffed as she studied the chain-link fence. "Well, we can distract the walkers again while two of us slip through the fence—"
"Maggie, I don't want you to shoot those walkers either," Beth interrupted.
Maggie huffed irritably; she and Beth had argued over going into the tombs earlier, now it seemed they were about to argue again.
"It's all right, Beth," Hershel said reassuringly, "Maggie's just trying to help the group."
Beth shook her head. "But Rick has Glenn, and Sasha—"
"That's true," Hershel nodded, "but we need to take that field back. Daryl and Michonne have gone, and Rick needs all the help he can get right now. I'm worried too, but your sister is smart; she'll be careful."
Maggie looked at her family and then she looked at the ground as she considered her father's statement. It was true that she was always willing to contribute for the group, but she not only just survived an attack from walkers, she has also seen one of them nearly bite Glenn.
If Glenn wasn't wearing that suit...
If we panicked and got lost in the tombs like last time...
Helping Rick put down those walkers will only make Beth more upset.
Daryl and Michonne aren't back yet. Someone has to step up for the group.
"Maggie?" Beth asked meekly.
Maggie looked at Beth, and saw her little sister with her hands clasped together, patiently waiting for an answer to her plea.
"I…I don't…," Maggie stumbled.
Beth held her breath, as Maggie struggled to make her decision.
Maggie sighed and looked at Beth. "I've got to help put down those walkers."
Beth's eyes widened, her mouth dropped open, and her hands fell to her sides. The shock wore off quickly and her hands balled into fists and her eyes blazed with anger.
"Fine! Good luck with getting yourself killed this time!" Beth shouted angrily.
Beth turned around and stomped past Cell Block C, and the school bus parked across from it, and went around the corner. Hershel silently followed his young daughter, the tips of his crutches scrapping along the courtyard.
Maggie watched the two natural members of her family walk away, and felt hot tears running down her face; she wiped the tears away and next she felt Sasha's hand on her shoulder.
"I'm sorry," Sasha said. "You don't have to do this. Go talk to Beth and—"
"No," Maggie interrupted. "We've all got jobs to do."
•••
The side door to Cell Block C swung open and Tyreese and Karen stepped outside. They quickly saw Sasha and Maggie, talking to each other.
"Sasha!" Tyreese shouted as he waved his hand.
Sasha turned around, saw her big brother, and smiled brightly. A second later she ran towards him and threw her arms around his neck.
"Tyreese! Thank God!" Sasha cried as she hugged her brother.
Tyreese smiled and hugged Sasha in return. "Hi, sis," he said.
"I'm sorry, Tyreese," Sasha cried as her tears soaked into her brother's pullover shirt. "I should've gone with Maggie and Glenn."
Tyreese put his hands on Sasha's shoulders and gently eased her back. "Sis, I'm okay. Everyone's okay. Forget about it."
Sasha wiped her tears away and nodded in agreement.
"Rick and Glenn are looking the guns over. They'll be here any minute," Karen said.
"Okay. Are you a good shot, Karen?" Maggie asked.
Karen shrugged. "I'd say I'm fair. Martinez didn't curse me out as badly as he did the others."
Maggie nodded approvingly. "Think you can help us put down those walkers?"
Karen glanced at the walkers along the fence and looked at Maggie. "I think so."
Maggie touched Karen's upper arm. "Thank you," she said.
"Count me out," Tyreese said, waving his hands in refusal.
Sasha looked dumbfounded at her brother. "Tyreese, what's—"
"I've done my share for one day and I'm sitting this one out," Tyreese interrupted as he walked over to the aluminum bleachers, sat on the bottom row, and stared at the pavement.
Sasha, Maggie, and Karen exchanged worried glances and walked over to Tyreese. Sasha placed her H&K MP5A2 submachine gun on the bottom row near Tyreese, and sat down beside her brother.
"What's wrong?" Sasha asked as she put her hand on Tyreese's shoulder.
"Nothing. I'm just through killing for one day," Tyreese answered.
"We'll be killing walkers, not people," Maggie said.
"So get to it and leave me the hell alone," Tyreese said curtly.
"Tyreese, back in Woodbury we killed walkers when we had sentry duty," Karen said.
"You did; you, Sasha, Martinez, and Shumpert!" Tyreese corrected angrily. "The one time I shot a walker it took me four or five shots to kill it."
"So you're a bad shot, so what?" Sasha asked. "All you need is practice. I never held a gun until we got to Woodbury, and I think I'm—"
"Then you shoot them," Tyreese interrupted. "I'm done killing walkers today, and I'd only waste bullets if I tried to kill more. I'm done!"
Sasha watched Tyreese, but there was no hate or embarrassment in her eyes, only understanding. "All right," she said as she squeezed her brother's shoulder gently.
•••
The side door to Cell Block C opened and Rick—with the duffel bag laden with guns— stepped out into the courtyard; he quickly noticed the group at the aluminum bleachers and walked over to them.
"I've got the guns," Rick said as he raised the duffle bag for emphasis.
Maggie looked past Rick and saw that Glenn wasn't with him. "Where's Glenn?" she asked.
"Getting the ingredients for a Molotov cocktail," Rick answered as he set the duffle bag on the ground.
Maggie laughed, "Are you kidding?"
"No," Rick said. "We'll throw the Molotov cocktail over the fence and while the walkers gather around the fire, we'll slip through the fence, form a firing line, and put them down."
"Will it work?" Karen asked.
"Fire moves, it breathes, and the walkers' are attracted to that. It'll work," Rick answered.
"Uh, Rick," Tyreese said, still looking at the ground. "I'm going to have to bail on this one."
Rick looked at Maggie, Sasha, and Karen, for a clue as to Tyreese's behavior, but they just turned away. Rick then he looked at Tyreese and asked, "What?"
"Killing those walkers," Tyreese explained as he looked up at Rick. "I want no part of it. I'm done for today."
Rick nodded slowly and put his hands on his hips. "Well, I hadn't thought of asking, Tyreese, but if that's how you feel, I understand."
"No. I don't think you do," Tyreese said curtly.
Rick glared at Tyreese for a moment and looked at looked at the women again. "Any volunteers?" he asked.
"Me," Karen said as she stepped forward.
"No offense, but can you shoot?"
Karen knelt down in front of the duffel bag, and pulled out an M4A1 rifle. "I shoot just fine if they stand still."
"Count me in," Sasha said as she picked up her submachine gun and stood up.
"Me too," Maggie said as she stepped forward.
Rick looked around the courtyard and then he looked at Maggie. "Where are Hershel and Beth?" he asked.
Maggie shifted her posture nervously. "Uh… was about to tell Beth that I was going to help put down the walkers so she, uh…threw a fit and stomped off."
"Really?"
"Yeah," Maggie answered as she pointed at Cell Block C, "They're behind the cell block, Beth's probably crying on dad's shoulder right now."
Rick looked past Cell Block C for a moment and breathed deeply. "Maggie," he said as he looked at the young woman, "you should go talk to Beth."
Maggie shook her head in disbelief. "Rick, I'm a good shot. I can help you."
"I know," Rick nodded, "but your sister needs you more."
Maggie began to protest, but she stopped, looked at Cell Block C, and tears welled up in her eyes. A moment later she looked at Rick, nodded in agreement, and walked after Beth.
"All right, Sasha. Karen. Stay here," Rick ordered. "I'm going to see if I can get us some help."
•••
Hershel hobbled around the corner of Cell Block C, and found Beth, leaning against the wall, with her hands folded across her chest and staring out into space.
"Beth?" Hershel asked softly.
Beth looked at her father, with a blank expression on her face. "Aren't you surprised I'm not crying like a baby, Dad?" she asked.
"No," Hershel answered.
Beth looked straight ahead again and sighed wearily. "I…I can't cry anymore, Dad. I'm sick of it. If Maggie wants to keep risking her life, she can go right ahead. I'm not going to cry when she gets bit by one of those walkers."
Hershel hobbled over to Beth and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't say that, because you'll regret it if that did happen to your sister."
Beth looked at her father again and this time, her bluster crumbled and she faced her father, embraced him, and wept onto his shoulder. Hershel let his left crutch fall to the pavement and he wrapped his left arm around Beth, and hugged her in return.
•••
Rick walked towards Cell Block D and saw the pile of corpses outside the vestibule doorway. Two older men—carrying a dead prisoner—carefully stepped out of the cell block,
walked towards the pile, and placed the body on it with all the care their weary limbs could muster. The two men, panting, straightened their backs and wiped the sweat from their brows, when the taller man saw Rick coming towards them he patted his shorter friend on the shoulder and pointed at the group's leader.
"Hello, Rick," the tall man said cheerfully.
"Hi, Rick," the short man said in a Latino accent.
"Hello," Rick said.
Rick stopped walking and looked at the pile of corpses, all of them wearing the prison issued blue overalls, and all of them with a bullet wound in the back of the head, shot execution style. Rick thought back to the nursing home in Atlanta that the Vatos gang protected; he led the group there after the CDC exploded with the hope the gang would give them temporary shelter, but he was shocked to discover the nursing home had been overrun by walkers. Rick and the group cleared part of the building so they could sleep there for the night, but it was Daryl who pointed out that the Vatos and the residents had all been shot in the head execution style. Minutes later Rick and Shane checked the kitchen and dispensary and found it had been looted. Glenn had asked aloud who could've killed all those people, and Rick privately wondered the same thing: was it a rival gang? A mob; where they rogue police officers, or even rogue soldiers?
Now, Rick thought of who could've executed these prisoners and why: was it the guards? Was it a group of prisoners who got their hands on some guns? Did they execute these prisoners because they panicked and believed the prisoners would die and turn? Or did they execute the prisoners because they were afraid they'd escape? Whatever the reasons for the murders at the nursing home and the prison, Rick had to accept that he'd never know the truth.
"Rick?" the tall man asked.
Rick snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the man; who, aside from being thin, had receding gray hair. The Latino man had graying hair at his temples, and walking alongside his partner.
"I'm Henry Matheson," the tall man said, "this illegal son of a bitch is Juan Zavala."
"Beso mi culo, gringo," Juan grinned.
Rick grinned along with the two men. "Hello. Pleasure to meet you both."
Henry and Juan extended their right hands, and Rick shook them.
"Thank you for bringing our group here," Juan said, "we wouldn't have lasted too long on our own."
Henry nodded in agreement. "Most of the adults in our group are retirees; everyone called us a burden even before the world went to shit. Back in Woodbury, the younger generation kept up the walls and went out for supplies; all we did was catching up on our reading or play checkers or dominoes."
"It pissed John Boyd off something awful," Juan snickered.
"Don't sell yourselves short," Rick said encouragingly. "Hershel's about your age, Henry, and he's been invaluable to my group. You both must have a skill that can help all of us."
Herny and Juan glanced at each other and looked back at Rick.
"I was a construction foreman," Henry said.
"Handyman," Juan said.
"That's perfect," Rick said. "We need to rebuild those guard towers. Do you think we can do that, Henry?"
Henry looked at the four towers whose guard boxes had been blown apart by Martinez's grenade launcher during the Governor's attack. Henry considered the task, rubbed his chin and said, "Yeah. Yeah we can. We just need to find some materials and—"
"Henry! Juan! What are you two goldbricks doing out there?!" a voice boomed from inside Cell Block D.
Henry and Juan, along with Rick, turned and looked at the open doorway to Cell Block D; a moment later John Boyd marched angrily outside, but when the Vietnam veteran saw Rick he smiled and placed his hands on his hips.
"Hello, Rick. Here to help us move in?" John asked.
"Not exactly," Rick answered.
John walked down the staircase and approached Rick; along the way he glanced at Henry and Juan and said "We need you boys in the cell block; somebody tried to lift a heavy son of a bitch and his back gave out."
Henry and Juan glanced and each other and walked reluctantly towards the doorway to Cell Block D.
"Ain't this a sorry sight?" John asked aloud as he stared at the pile of corpses in the courtyard.
"I've seen worse," Rick answered flatly.
"Still, I suppose an officer of the law can't be too broken up over a bunch of convicts that got their brains blown out."
Rick stared in disbelief at John. "What the hell is wrong with you?" he asked.
John shrugged. "Nothing, I'm just trying to be friendly."
"Well, I don't like how you're going about it."
"I'm sorry," John said coldly. "What can I do to make it up to you?"
Rick thumbed over his back. "I need your help putting down those walkers in the field."
John's eyes lit up. "No shit?"
Rick nodded. "Glenn led a group into the tombs and brought back some of the guns the Governor's army dropped. I need an extra gun on the firing line, so are you interested?"
John grinned. "Is the Pope catholic?"
Rick turned around and walked towards his group at the aluminum benches. "Come on," he ordered.
•••
Maggie could hear Beth crying as she neared the edge of Cell Block C. She peaked around the corner, and saw Beth crying on their father's shoulder as he hugged her and leaned on his one leg.
"Beth?" Maggie asked quietly.
Beth opened her eyes and saw Maggie, step out from behind the Cell Block.
"Mag…Maggie?" Beth whispered in disbelief.
Maggie smiled and walked over to her family; she picked up her father's crutch, and returned it to him when he and Beth broke apart.
"You…you said you were going to put those walkers," Beth said.
A tear ran down Maggie's eye and she brushed it away. "I'm not," she replied.
Beth tilted her head in confusion. "Why?" she asked.
Maggie reached out her left hand and cupped Beth's cheek. "Because you asked me not to."
Beth smiled and she put her arms around Maggie and hugged her tightly in spite of the riot armor. "Thank you," she cried joyfully.
Maggie slipped her arms around Beth and embraced her in return.
Hershel—with his crutches underneath his arms again—hobbled over to his two daughters. "I'm glad to see you both decided to turn the other cheek."
The two sisters laughed and when they separated, Maggie shook her head in disbelief. "Please, Dad, don't turn this into a Sunday school lesson."
"I won't…if you two promise to treat each other better," Hershel bargained.
"Deal," Maggie said as she embraced her father.
"Deal,"Beth smiled.
Hershel and Maggie separated, and he looked in the direction of the prison courtyard. "Rick and the others will be putting those walkers down soon. I don't want you girls to see that."
"Thanks, Dad," Beth said, as she fearfully wrapped her arms around herself.
"Yeah, I…I don't want to see that at all," Maggie said.
Hershel hobbled towards his daughters and stood in between them. Maggie and Beth each put an arm around his waist and the three of them looked up at the clear, blue sky.
•••
Rick and John approached Sasha and Karen, both of whom were standing beside the duffel bag. Tyreese was still sitting on the aluminum bleachers and still staring at the pavement.
"Are you two ready?" Rick asked Sasha and Karen.
Sasha and Karen nodded.
"All right," Rick said, he knelt down and pulled an M4A1 rifle out of the duffle bag.
"What's your malfunction?" John asked Tyreese.
"I'm not killing anymore walkers today," Tyreese answered without looking up.
John looked around the courtyard. "Do I hear violins?" he asked mockingly.
"Hey," Sasha said as she stepped forward and pointed a finger at John, "shut up."
"I was only kidding, for Christ's sake," John grinned as he raised his hands in a halting gesture.
"Rick, do we really need this guy?" Sasha asked the group's leader.
"Yes, we do," Rick said as he gave John a contemptuous glance.
John gave Sasha a mocking salute, and then he bent down and pulled the AKM assault rifle out of the duffel bag.
"That's half empty," Rick said as he pointed to the AKM's magazine.
"No problem, I still have this baby," John grinned as he patted the Colt 1911 pistol holstered on his hip.
"Rick!" Glenn called out happily as he ran outside from the side door to Cell Block C.
"Yeah?" Rick asked.
"I found one!" Glenn said as he ran towards the group while waving a glass bottle with a silk handkerchief stuck in its mouth. "I found a glass bottle!"
Rick smiled at Glenn's exuberance. "Good work."
"Thanks," Glenn said as he reached the group. "I checked the administration wing and I found this atop one of the desks."
Rick took the bottle and examined the label: Southern Comfort Whiskey; the bottle was half empty. "Whoever owned this bottle must've drunk it to work up the nerve to opt out," Rick joked.
"He chose a gruesome way to go," Glenn said, "the window was wide open and when I looked outside it I saw a body lying on the pavement with its head split open and—"
"Okay! We get the picture!" Karen interrupted angrily.
"Uh, sorry, guys," Glenn apologized meekly.
Rick tapped Glenn on the chest to get his attention and pointed at the duffel bag on the ground. "Pick one," the sheriff's deputy told the young Korean.
Glenn reached into the duffle bag and pulled out an AR-15 rifle. He held the weapon in his hands nervously, and then he began to look around the courtyard. "Where's Maggie? Where's Hershel and Beth?" he asked.
Rick pointed at Cell Block C. "They're behind the cell block."
"Why? What happened?"
"Beth didn't want Maggie to help us," Sasha explained, "she stormed off, and Hershel and Maggie went after her."
"That little girl has more sense than all of you put together," Tyreese said, as he continued to stare at the pavement.
Everyone except Glenn glared at Tyreese, but they said nothing.
Glenn looked in the direction Maggie had gone, and started to follow her, but Rick put a hand on his shoulder.
"No," Rick ordered. "I'm sorry, but I need your help against those walkers."
"Yeah…sure," Glenn said, focusing on the task at hand.
"Karen," Rick said.
The young woman looked at the sheriff's deputy. "Yes?" she asked.
"Can you throw the bottle?" Rick asked, offering Karen the Southern Comfort.
"Sure," Karen nodded as she took the bottle with her left hand.
Rick dug into his jacket pocket, took out a Zippo lighter, and offered it to Karen. "Make sure you throw it far and that it lands on the road; we don't have fire extinguishers to put it out if lands in the field."
"Yeah," Karen said as she took the Zippo lighter.
"Glenn, do you still have the keys to the new locks?" Rick asked.
Glenn dug into his back pocket and produced a keychain with two keys attached it. "I've got them," he answered.
Rick nodded, picked up the duffle bag and slung it over his shoulder. "All right. Glenn, you and John are with me. Sasha, stay here on the fence and distract the walkers. Karen, when I give the word you light the bottle and throw it over the fence and onto the road."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"Sasha," Rick said as he motioned towards the chain-link fence.
Sasha nodded, approached the fence and struck it with the butt of her submachine gun. The walkers growled angrily and she struck the fence again and again.
"Let's go," Rick said as he ran towards the section of fence the group used as an opening; Glenn and John followed him.
Glenn leaned his AR-15 rifle against the fence and started to unlock the chains holding the section of fence in place.
"Are you ready?" Rick asked Glenn as he placed his M4A1 rifle and the duffle bag on the pavement.
"Yeah," Glenn answered as the last lock came loose.
Rick looked at Karen and waved his arm. Karen nodded; she lit the rag, held the bottle in her hand for a few seconds, and threw the bottle over the fence; it flew over the heads of the walkers and landed with a crash; the bottle shattered and the fire it briefly contained spread across the road.
The walkers along the fence line turned around and shuffled towards the growing fire. Rick and Glenn gripped the loose section of fence, and cautiously removed it while John aimed his AKM assault rifle at the distant walkers.
Rick picked up his rifle and slipped the duffel bag over his shoulder. "Come on," he whispered.
Rick ran onto the field, with Glenn and Joe following; Sasha and Karen ran towards the opening in the fence line and joined their companions in the field. The walkers surrounded the fire and growled and swatted at its flames.
Alone in the courtyard, Tyreese stood up and walked towards the side door of Cell Block C.
•••
"All right, form a firing line," Rick ordered as he dropped the duffle bag behind him.
The group followed Rick's orders. The sheriff's deputy was in the center, with Glenn on his right, and Sasha on his left; John and Karen were on either ends of the line.
One of the walkers at the fire turned around and growled at Rick and his four companions. A few seconds later, the rest of walkers were growling at them too.
"Better get ready, kid," John said to Glenn as he brought the AKM assault rifle up to his shoulder.
The walkers now began staggering towards Rick and his companions.
"Remember there're more guns in the duffel bag," Rick said as he tightened his grip on his M4A1, "if you run out of ammunition, call out and one of us will pick up the slack while you get a new rifle. If it looks like we're about to get overrun, run for the opening in the fence, and I'll cover all of you."
"Okay. Just don't stay out here with them," Sasha joked as she aimed down the iron sight of her submachine gun.
Rick nodded at Sasha and brought his rifle up to his shoulder.
The walkers in the front line growled louder and stretched out their arms in anticipation of grabbing one of the four live bodies who had abandoned the protection of the chain link fence.
"Fire!" Rick shouted.
BRAKKA! BRAKKA! BRAKKA! BRAKKA! BRAKKA!
The first line of walkers fell to the ground with one or more bullet wounds to their heads, but the second line was hit in their chests or stomachs and they struggled to stand up again while their comrades stepped over them and moved forward.
"Shit!" John muttered through clenched teeth as he dropped his empty AKM rifle to the ground and pulled out his Colt 1911 pistol; he thumbed the safety off, and fired at the approaching walkers.
BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!
Three walkers fell backwards as the large .45 ACP slugs struck them right between the eyes, but the walkers behind them stepped over them and kept moving forward.
Sasha was shooting the walkers in front of her until her submachine gun ran empty. "I'm out of ammo!" She shouted.
"Get another rifle, I'll cover you!" Karen shouted.
Sasha dropped her submachine gun and ran towards the duffel bag behind the firing line, while Karen now fired her M4A1 rifle in a wider arc.
The walkers were decreasing in number, but they were also getting closer.
"I'm out!" Rick shouted as he dropped his rifle.
"Get a new gun!" Glenn shouted as he fired his AR-15 rifle at a walker just a few feet away from Rick.
Rick turned around and ran towards the duffel bag. Sasha had just taken an AR-15 rifle and was running back to the firing line. Rick took the M-14 rifle, and he also ran back to the firing line.
BRAKKA! BRAKKA! BRAKKA! BRAKKA! BRAKKA!
The last of the walkers fell to the ground. Rick and his companions lowered their weapons and gazed in awe at the slaughter they had committed.
"Is everyone all right?" Rick asked as he looked left and right at his companions.
"Yeah," Karen said quietly.
Sasha and Glenn nodded. John gave Rick a thumbs-up.
The group looked again at the walkers lying in the field; those that weren't killed had been crippled by gunfire but were still growling and were stretching their arms out at Rick and his companions.
"I'll handle this," Sasha said coldly as she moved forward with her AR-15 aimed at the ground.
Rick and the others watched as Sasha stepped amongst the fallen walkers and fired a bullet into the foreheads of the crippled few she came across.
BRAKKA!
Moments later the field was silent, but there was one walker on the ground with its arm raised. Sasha stepped over to it and was surprised to see it was the businessman walker she
had been staring at earlier, its torn and soiled suit now stained with dark blood from the many bullet wounds in its chest. The businessman walker shifted its gaze from the clear, blue sky and stared at Sasha; she aimed her rifle at its forehead and pulled the trigger.
TO BE CONTINUED