Two weeks after the farm...
I've been locked in here for a whole week.
Hershel told Daryl that I cant get out of the room. He says he can't believe I made it out of the farm in this condition
My lung collapsed again five days ago and thats why I started coughing out blood.
Hershel helped me relieve the pressure building in my chest. I'm not so sure how but it hurt like shit.
The last thing I remember is he stabbed me with a long metallic knitting needle.
It was one of the most painful things I've ever experienced. I can't explain the feeling...
Then Daryl lost his mind and T rushed to stop him.
Hershel said we need to wait about two more weeks until I am stronger to move around Georgia again.
The thing is; we don't have two weeks.
I've passed out about four times in this couple days. My left lung is weak, and I've heard the group trying to talk my brother on leaving.
They say I wont make it anyway.
I always have someone with me. Just in case I die and turn.
I can't talk right now. I feel too weak for it.
"Daryl, you need to understand." I hear Lori telling my brother. "The herd is still moving and its only a matter of time until they catch up with us. We need to keep moving"
I open my eyes feeling awful and look at her.
They're right. There are walkers outside. I can hear them.
If the herd catches up with them, no one will survive.
But I'm scared... Of being alone...
Dying all by myself...
Rick is quiet. He's analysing the situation while Lori talks to Daryl.
My brother is sitting on the other side of the room with his back against the wall, biting his lower lip and looking down.
"We've stayed here long enough. Rick gave you more time than we have and she's not getting any better. We need to move."
Of course she thinks a week is more than enough when we gave Carl about a month to get better...
"What do you want me to do, leave her here to die?" He mumbles not making any expression at all.
Rick gets closer to Lori. he puts his hand on her shoulder "He's right. We all waited for Carl to get better. She's not gonna make it if we keep moving around. Maybe we can..."
"No, Rick. We cant. This isn't just about them. The situation outside is getting worse. We're leaving. With or without them. She's not gonna make it. She's a danger to us. We don't know when she's gonna die but I'm not staying to wait for it to happen and take more people with her. We're leaving." She says angrily and walks out of the room to where the others are.
Rick sighs. He turns his head to look at me. We look at each other.
Rick walks to Daryl and kneels besides him. "I'm sorry."
"Yeah, I bet you are." He replies angrily with sarcasm in his voice.
"I am, but you know I have to do whats best for the group. For my family..."
"You and I both." Daryl growls looking at him in the eye "Do whatever the fuck you need to do. You ain't changing my mind."
Rick nods. He stands up and says before walking out. "You can join us whenever you're ready. The group is open for you... Both.."
Hershel enters the room again to check on me.
"Lori wants to leave now" he says while doing so.
"Yeah. Enjoy the ride" Daryl says standing up and walking closer.
"She ain't going nowhere like that." Hershel says "You need to watch her. She won't survive another collapsed lung." We wait until he's done and gets up to face Daryl "We need you with us."
Daryl shakes his head.
"You know it's too dangerous here." He insists. "We're not hunters. It'll take us longer to find food."
"Would you leave one of your girls?"
"Definitely not. I understand your decision, but it's gonna take some time for her to move. Its gonna be hard for both of you."
I cough again.
Both men look at me worried and upset.
"I'm aware of it." Daryl mumbles
"Well, the only thing I can tell you is to keep her hydrated. It'll take time, but she'll heal. I guarantee it."
Daryl nods. "You should go now. People are gonna need you"
"I wish you both the best" Hershel puts a hand on my brother's shoulder.
Daryl nods looking down and the old man walks away.
Not long after that we hear the group leaving. Daryl looks at them from the window.
Then he walks back and sits besides me.
I give him a thankful look for not leaving me.
We can hear the walkers moaning outside.
It's so cold that we can see our breaths. We're sitting next to each other sharing the only two blankets we have. That's the only thing keeping us warm.
"I cant believe they actually left us." I tell Daryl.
My raspy voice is almost like a whisper. I don't like how I'm too weak to even talk.
"The group will always follow Rick and Rick will always follow his bitchy wife"
"Rick could've said no."
"And risk the whole group? Thats not how it works." I sigh. "He needs to take care of his family and a whole group of random people through winter." Daryl says.
We hear a loud thud on one of the walls and stay quiet for a moment. It seems like a walker fell against it.
After making sure there are no more walkers nearby I say "You should've left with them. You're just risking yourself."
"Don't even start. I'm not leaving you here." He growls annoyed. Theres another pause. "Have some rest. We're moving to the attic first thing tomorrow. We'll be safe there."
I nod and rest my head on his shoulder.
Now
I don't know where my flashlight is. I dropped it when the herd started following us.
We followed that particular corridor and found about thirty walkers that were attracted by the light.
Right now, they're attracted by the sound of my heavy steps and accelerated breathing.
I'm running alone in the darkness with 'who-knows-how-many' walkers walking as fast as they can behind me. I don't see the point on shooting them. I would just empty my gun before I could kill half of them.
There were so many of them that we got separated.
I'm not exactly sure how it all happened.
I heard a terrifying scream not long ago. Someone must've been bitten.
Fucking shit.
I can still hear the voices of the rest of the group and some sobs so I'm following them. Unfortunately my friends here are doing the same.
I see some light coming through the left corridor infront of me. "Rick!" I shout.
I don't care if walkers hear me, they're all behind me anyway.
I turn and see some of the group kneeling besides Hershel. He's the one who got bit.
T-Dog pokes my brother and nods in my direction. Both look confused to see me so desperate.
"Walkers! Run!" I shout harder getting everyone's attention but Maggie's and Hershel's.
Daryl frowns.
"Run!" I tell them again just when the herd turns the same way I did. "Get him outta here!"
Rick is the first to react "Get him up!" He shouts trying to get Hershel on his feet with T and Glenn.
I get to where they are and pull Hershel up like them. Rick and T are now carrying Hershel and run with Glenn and Maggie following them.
Daryl shoots the closest walker and we run after the group.
Theres so much of screaming from the group and growling from the walkers that we are starting to panic.
Soon we reach the end of the corridor. Just where the walkers were when we found them.
Theres a door blocking our way
"Get it open!" Rick demands holding Hershel, who keeps crying and calling God.
"Hurry!" Daryl yells and turns around "they're getting closer!"
"Got it!" T-Dog opens the doors somehow.
We rush inside.
T and Daryl press their backs on the doors to keep the walkers from coming in when it starts shaking violently and the undead hit the doors.
I look up to see Hershel still screaming.
I hear Daryl curse from the door and look around to see if theres something to hold the doors locked.
I look around until I see a crowbar on the floor. I walk to it.
I take the bar and walk to where my brother is. I put the crowbar between the doors.
He and T sigh in relief.
"Hold him down" Rick suddenly demands and Daryl runs to his side.
Rick strapped his belt tight around the man's leg.
I know what's coming... I tried it with the nurse that helped me out of the hospital just before Daryl and Merle came to get me.
I couldn't save her. She died, bled out to death.
At least she didn't turn. Maybe she wasn't infected yet...
My brothers never knew about her.
"There's only one way to keep him alive" Ricktator says.
Rick grabs a hatchet from his belt and without a warning he starts to chop his leg off.
We stare in horror how Hershel tries to fight against him and screams louder.
Rick hacks again and again until Hershel stops moving.
Looks like he passed out.
Rick swallows hard and keeps going until the leg is off. "He's bleeding out" he adds looking at me even more desperate.
And what am I supposed to do?!
I take off my hoodie and hand it to him while I think of something else. Rick presses it against the leg.
Bye bye hoodie...
I look around once more. Glenn, who's now holding Maggie in absolute horror, brought towels a moment ago.
I take them from him and kneel next to him to add more pressure to Hershel's leg. "I got it" he tells me. I nod.
Daryl moves next to us. Before I can get back on my feet he whispers.
"Duck"
Duck? I am confused. Rick and I look at him trying to figure out what he meant until he hear something to our left.
Daryl aims at whatever is watching us on the other side of the cafeteria.
I turn my head to see whats going on but stay low just in case.
Rick keeps working on Hershel.
There's five figures behind the counter. Looks like some inmates survived after all.
"Holy shit!" one of the prisoners says. He has a funny beard and shoulder long hair.
"Who the hell are you?!" Daryl asks them without moving
"He's bleeding out, we gotta go back!" Rick mumbles. I look at him for a second and then back to Daryl
"Why don't you come on out there? Slow and steady" My brother orders.
The survivors did as they were told, making their way out of the back of the cafeteria. The Latino and a slim African-American came out first.
I don't like the hispanic one. He's the one with a gun and is staring straight at my brother.
He tells one of the guys something in Spanish and then looks back to Daryl.
"You better put that down, Güero" he says.
I don't know much Spanish but I recognise it and know what 'Güero' means. Wouldn't be surprised if he starts calling us 'gringo'
Daryl frowns. He stays just like he was before.
The guy moves his hand a bit. The one with the gun. He lifts it like he's thinking on aiming it to Daryl.
I pull mine out and move next to my brother.
"Whoa whoa whoa. Easy now!" Daryl says backing off a bit.
"Calm down, amigo" I ain't taking any chances after last night's dream. I'm not seeing my brother die again. "Nobody needs to get hurt"
They tell him something in Spanish again. Apparently his name is Tomas. He relaxes his hand and points to hershel with the other one. "What happened to him?" He asks
"He got bit" Daryl answers and the whole group reacts. They look confused.
"Bit?" One prisoner asks.
Glenn suddenly makes his way right through them and heads for the kitchen.
"Do you have any medical supplies?" He asks
"Woah, were do you think you're going?" the biggest guy asks but Glenn ignores him.
The doors start shaking again. The walkers sound angry.
I wonder how are gonna get out of here.
T presses his weight on them again. Just in case.
"Who the hell are you people anyway, apart from this crackpot over there?" Tomas asks eyeing Daryl once more. "I think I know you"
Daryl snorts but stays quiet. A lot of people related to Jesse or drugs in general knew him and Merle. Even if they just saw them once, It could be possible.
"You don't look like no rescue team" the blonde prisoner says.
"If a rescue team is what you're waiting for, don't" we hear Rick, who's busy trying to get Herschel up, say from behind us. "Come on, we gotta go"
I turn my head a little to see what's going on back there.
Rick and Maggie try to lift Hershel up. Glenn comes out of the kitchen running with a trolley table and approaches them.
My mind sings:
On the first day in prison the asian brought to me...
A table with wheels on its feet
Shit, stop it, Mac! Focus.
They place the old man on the table and push it toward the door
"T! The door!" Rick yells.
"Are you crazy?! Don't open that!" A prisoner responds nervously and tries to stop Rick
I place myself in his way and tilt my head slightly "I wouldn't move if I were you..." I growl softly and wait for my group to exit.
"I got this" T says. I can hear how he's killing the small group of walkers that remained in the corridor. I don't know where the rest of the herd is.
The group heads out. Only Daryl and I stay to make sure that the prisoners don't try anything stupid until we hear Rick calling my brother's name
"Come on" Daryl murmurs and places a hand on my shoulder. "Lets head back"
I lower my gun and run out of the cafeteria with Daryl behind me.
We follow Rick back to the cellblock.
"Stay here with your brother" Was Rick's order once we arrived to the cellblock.
They rushed into the cells with Hershel and haven't come out yet.
Seems like its our job to keep an eye on everything now that Rick is busy and the damn prisoners followed us all the way from the cafeteria.
I am sitting behind Daryl, who positioned himself close to the door. My guns are ready on the table in front of me, as always, just in case.
Daryl puts an arrow on his bow getting it ready to shoot and aims at the dark hallway waiting for the inmates to arrive.
We can actually hear them coming.
Daryl takes a deep breath and then we see the first one entering the hall.
It is Tomas. He seems to be their Rick. Behind him comes the one who spoke Spanish to him, then the huge guy and then the other two. The blonde with funny beard and a smaller black guy.
They look at the hall from top to bottom fixing their eyes on us finally.
"That's far enough." Daryl tells them to stop them since they wouldn't stop walking toward us.
Tomas smirks and points at the door leading to the cells
"Cell block C. Cell 4, that's mine, gringo. Let me in."
Daryl just looks at him. His crossbow ready to kill them if necessary.
I look at them and keep quiet. I'm analysing the situation.
"Today's your lucky day, fellas." Daryl tells them "You've been pardoned by the state of Georgia. You're free to go."
Tomas walks further. I put my hand on my revolver now. I used my beretta enough.
"Well, we'll see about that" he mumbles looking at Daryl head to toe. "What you got going in there?"
"It ain't none of your concern" Daryl says dryly.
Tomas lifts his gun once more pissed by my brother's response. I lift mine too.
"Put the fucking gun down, would you?" I ask him.
"I'm not following orders from no kid" he says without looking away from my brother "why don't you go back to your sandbox? This ain't none of your business"
"You said you know him." I say walking closer "If you do, you must know it is my fucking business"
He looks at me fast and smirks "Hell yes, I know who you are."
"Then stop pointing it at him or you're dead." I repeat firmly.
Daryl raises an eyebrow as a dare sign.
"Chill, man! She's like what? 18? What's she gonna do?" The big guy says "Besides, we're free now, why are we still in here?"
Tomas looks at me.
"Yeah, I gotta check on my old lady." Another prisoner says
"Man's got a point" Daryl tells him looking directly to him with those creepy eyes he has when he threatens someone.
Whatever he does with that gun would be game over to him and maybe his friends too.
Rick wouldn't let them live after killing one of us. Or both.
Tomas glares at Daryl once more.
"A group of civilians and a bunch of psychos who've just broken in to a prison they got no business being in? Got me thinking there ain't no place for us to go." He mumbles.
Daryl walks closer threatening the hispanic even more
"Why don't you go find out?"
"Maybe we'll just be going now" the man with the funny beard says.
"Hey! We're not leaving!" Tomas looks back to him
"You ain't staying either." I say. He changes his gun from Daryl to my head. I dare him with my eyes.
"I said we're not going anywhere, bitch!"
"Drop the gun!" Daryl yells putting his finger on the trigger "now!"
"This is my house, my rules. I go where I damn want!" Tomas yells.
"Put the fucking gun down now!" Daryl yells again.
One of the prisoners eyes Daryl with a creepy look. I can see he's got a shiv in his hand.
Tomas snorts when he sees I notice the other have weapons too.
"Or what?" He asks my brother "You think we're scared of Legolas and his pocket bitch?"
"Hey hey hey hey! Everyone relax! There's no need for this" Rick enters the room just then. He stops next to Daryl.
Rick puts a hand on Daryl's crossbow and presses it down. "Put it down" he tells me.
I lower my revolver slowly.
Tomas looks at Rick now. "How many of you are in there?"
"Too many for you to handle"
Tomas laughs "is that why you sent a redneck and his kid to threaten me?"
Yes, we are rednecks. So what? Not enough for you, bitch?
"Oh shut up, Mexico." I growl.
Rick snorts and shakes his head. I move closer to Daryl, who looks like he wants me to shut the fuck up.
I roll my eyes.
"We work together to keep the rest from danger. And right now you're not exactly girl scouts trying to sell cookies, are you?" Rick asks them
"Why don't you take your wounded guy to a hospital?"
We look at one another. They really don't know what happened...
We frown.
"Hospital?" I ask completely confused.
"How long have you been in that cafeteria?" Rick asks
"About 13 months" the blonde says. "Lost the exact count in 12. That was about three or four weeks ago."
"A riot broke out. Never seen anything like it" the big guy says. The other one nods and talks again
"Like Attica on speed, man."
"Ever heard about dudes going cannibal, dying, coming back to life? Crazy" Tomas asks looking back to his friends. "One guard looked out for us, locked us up in the cafeteria. Told us: 'sit tight', threw me this piece." he shows his gun "Said he'd be right back."
The smallest black guy nods "We were thinking that the army or the national guard should be showing up any day now but.."
Rick sighs. He nods and looks at them like he's feeling sorry "Yeah. Half the population's been wiped out. Probably more."
The prisoners open their eyes wide. They're shocked.
All except for Tomas. He snorts. "You're kidding"
"I'm dang serious"
"Ain't no way."
"See for yourself" Rick points at the door leading outside.
"Damn this sun feels good"
I smirk at the prisoner's comment. I felt the same the first time Daryl let me out after being locked in an attic half winter.
It does feel nice.
We follow the prisoners to the yard and watch how they stretch and smile.
"Never thought I'd be so happy to see these fences" Tomas joins the others
Rick smirks too and shakes his head slightly
The prisoners walk around eyeing everything carefully like they own the place.
I think they feel like they're gonna just kick us out any moment and they'll have free house for themselves.
Yeah. Sure.
Daryl will wear a dress and a pink bow on his head before that happens.
"You never said. How the hell did you get in here in the first place?" One of them ask.
The prisoner turns around to look at Rick.
"Cut a hole in that fence over there by that guard tower." Daryl replies pointing at the tower.
The prisoners look in that direction they walk a bit to give a better look at it.
Tomas nods.
I move closer to my brother. He smirks and whispers to me."I bet you almost peed yourself when he pointed that gun at you" he teases.
"You were more scared than I was" I whisper back.
"I don't have to mentally slap myself to get my shit together"
"Go fuck yourself"
"Knock it off, you two." We hear Rick mumble. He's looking at us discretely.
"That easy?" I hear Tomas ask and look up to where he and the prisoners are.
That easy what?...
I try to concentrate on them again
Oh! Right, the fence. Well, yeah... It wasn't that hard...
Daryl shrugs "Where there's a will there's a way."
"So" the big one pokes a corpse with his boot and looks at Rick "what is this, like a disease?"
"Yeah" he says "and we're all infected"
Everyone stop what they're doing to look at our leader. Seems like they're not believing it.
"What do you mean infected? Like AIDS or something?" the funny bearded one says
I switch my weight to one of my legs and cross my arms. "No, not exactly"
"If I was to kill you," Daryl explains "shoot an arrow in your chest, you'd come back as one of these things" he points to one of the bodies and keeps going. "It's gonna happen to all of us"
"Ain't no way Robin Hood and Pipsqueak are responsible for killing all those freaks" Tomas says pointing at us
"Must be fifty bodies out here!" One of the inmates say
Tomas comes closer to Rick. Daryl and I watch him in case he tries to hurt him.
"Where'd you come from?"
"Atlanta." Rick says
"Where are you headed?" he goes on
"Nowhere"
Tomas smirks and nods to the right.
"I guess you can take that area down there near the water. Should be comfortable."
Daryl frowns. Rick and I snort.
"We're using that field for crops" Rick tells him
"We'll help you move your gear out."
"Yeah, of course, why don't you take our weapons too?" I say sarcastically earning a slight kick from Daryl.
"We took out these walkers. This prison is ours" Rick says looking into Tomas' eyes.
"Slow down, cowboy" Tomas says angrily and the african-american prisoner moves forward next to the latin guy.
"You snatched the locks off our doors!" He tells Rick angrily.
"We'll give you new locks, if that's how you want it"
The prisoners snort"This is our prison. We were here first."
"We took it, set you free. It's ours. We spilled blood" Rick says firmly coming closer to Tomas.
"We're moving back into our cell block" he growls and comes dangerously close to Rick.
"You'll have to get your own" our sheriff says
"I ain't going back in that cafeteria for one more minute."
"You could leave"Daryl, tells him."Try your luck out on the road."
Tomas looks at both of my group members and notices that theres no point in arguing. He turns away from rick and backs off telling the other inmates."If these pussies can do all this, least we can do is take out another cell block for us"
"With what?"
"How stocked is that cafeteria? It must have plenty of food. Five guys lasting a year?"
"It sure as hell don't look like anybody's been starving" Daryl mumbles
"There's only a little left" Tomas replies
"We'll take half. In exchange, we'll help clear out a cell block."
"Didn't you hear him? There's only a little left!" The prisoner with the shiv approaches Rick too fast for my liking. I point my gun at his head. He stops
"Don't even think about it". I tell him
Rick tells me to put my gun down. Daryl looks at me trying to figure out whats in my mind.
"Drop it." I order the prisoner. He looks at me with a threatening look. "The shiv. Drop it now."
I hear how the weapon falls on the ground. Rick and Daryl look at it.
I lower my weapon.
Rick smirks and looks at Tomas in the eye once more "Looks like you got more food than you got choices" he says "You pay, we'll play. We'll clear out a block for you, then you keep to it."
We wait for his answer. It is quiet for a while, but eventually he thinks about it and replies
"All right"
"Well" Rick says ending the deal "let's be clear. If we see you out here, anywhere near our people, if I so much as even catch a whiff of your scent, We will kill you."
Tomas looks at his group.
He looks at us carefully, then he speaks.
"Clear"