An array of handheld weapons lay strewn out on the table in front of them. Crowbars, machetes, axes, knives, pipes…. All useful when taking down a walker. However, the prisoners looked unconvinced and unsatisfied as they took in what Rick was offering to them.
"Why do I need this," Tomas asked, holding up a crowbar. "-when I have this?" He held his small pistol into the air with a smartass look on his face. Skye rolled her eyes and shook her head at his ignorance. He thought he was a badass when really he was just making himself look like a fool.
"We don't fire guns. Not unless your back's up against a wall. Noise attracts them. Really riles 'em up," Daryl rasped out.
"We'll go in two by two. Daryl will run point with Skye and I'll run up the rear with you," Rick pointed at Andrew, who smirked back at him. "Don't break formation. No matter how close the walkers get. Anyone breaks ranks we could all go down. Anyone runs, they could get mistaken for a walker and get an axe to the head."
"And that's where you aim. These things only go down with a headshot." Daryl looked from prisoner to prisoner.
Of course Tomas was still too alpha male to listen. "Aint gotta tell us how to take down a man."
Skye's eyes found Rick's, her worry evident, and clearly he shared her thoughts.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Daryl held up a hand at the first sign of a walkers shadow, signaling everyone to stop. Skye watched as he counted to three with his fingers holding a flashlight in same hand, but before he got to three the prisoners let out their battle cry and ran past them, weapons held in the air. Rick stepped up in between Skye and T-Dog as they all watched the horrible scene unfold before them. Prisoners were slamming their weapons into walker's sides and stomachs, completely forgetting Daryl's instruction about hitting them in the head. Skye, Daryl, Rick and T-Dog exchanged looks of annoyance.
Their destruction came to an end. Skye stood wide-eyed and said, "Wow…"
"Look at that boys," Tomas shot a half-cocked smile her way. "She's impressed."
"Impressed isn't the word for it," she stated, shaking her head. Daryl's chuckles could be heard from her left, making her smile.
"Let's try this again. Only this time we need to do it right," Rick announced.
'Whatever man," Tomas led the group back to formation. "We got the job done."
"You need to put them down as quick as possible. They don't die unless you get the brain." Rick motioned for the group to go forward.
Back in formation, the group rounded a corner just in time to see a walker come into view.
Crossbow drawn Daryl says, "Gotta be the brain. Not the stomach. Not the heart." Shooting an arrow into the walker's head, he demonstrates his point. "The brain."
"I hear ya. The brain," Axel creeps forward with the group.
Skye watched as Oscar lunged forward, slamming his pickaxe into a walker's head before jumping back into formation. "Like that?"
"Mhmm," Daryl nodded in response.
As walkers began to pile in, they each took turns taking them down. Skye jutted her machete forward into a couple walker's heads, dropping them.
"Stay in tight formation. No more prison riot crap," Rick called out after taking down a walker of his own.
Even more walkers began to arrive and Daryl pushed Skye behind him so he could protect her more. Behind further back, she notices Big Tiny started shying away from the group. He got to the point where he was no longer in sight. Looking to Daryl she saw he was busying with a walker and decided to follow after Tiny on her own. Just as she went around the corner he had disappeared behind, she saw a walker reaching out for him.
"Look out!" Skye tried to warn him, but it was too late.
Her yelling had the others running around the corner after her, taking down the walkers around Big Tiny. Skye jumped as gunfire erupted in the small hallway, reverberating off the walls and making her ears ring. Rick turned and stared at who had fired the shots, Tomas. They all returned their attention back to Big Tiny, who now stood with fresh blood staining his right hand.
Rick ran a hand through his hair before saying, "Here. Turn around and let me have a look at that."
Anticipation ran through the group as they waited to see what Rick would say, but once Skye saw Rick's reaction, she knew it wasn't good.
Big Tiny must've sensed it as well because he jerked back around saying, "I'm telling you. I don't feel anything. It's just a scratch."
Rick lowered his head. "I'm sorry, man."
"I can keep fightin'!"
"You cut that old guy's leg off to save his life," Andrew spoke up.
Raising his flashlight towards Big Tiny, Rick said, "Look at where the bite is."
Skye knew they wouldn't be able to save this man. There was absolutely no way, and she felt guilty. She wished she had stopped him when she saw him backing away from the formation.
"Guys, I'm fine! Just-" Tiny took a breath and lowered his voice, "I'm fine. Look at me, I'm not changin' into one of those things."
Oscar stepped forward. "Look, man, there has to be something we can do. Maybe just lock him up."
"Quarantine him," Axel offered.
"We gotta do somethin'. Why you just standin' there? We gotta save 'em!" Andrew grew frantic as he watched Rick and Daryl exchange glances.
"There's nothin' we can do," Rick said with all honesty.
"You son of a bitch," Andrew placed the blame on Rick, shaking his head.
"I'm al-"
Skye jumped as Tomas pushed past her to strike Big Tiny in the head with a pickaxe, knocking him to the ground. He held the weapon up between him and Rick, staring at the blood. They all stared on in horror as Tomas started hacking away at Big Tiny's head. Finished, he stood up, breathing heavy and drenched in his fellow prisoner's blood. His crazed eyes looked from Rick to Daryl and then landed on Skye. It was in that moment that Skye was absolutely certain they couldn't tolerate him being at the prison.
Without even a single word, Tomas continued on their way towards the destined cellblock. Skye had to admit she was rather worried. There was no telling what this man would do. Slowly, the rest of them followed silently behind him. Daryl and Rick were a few steps behind her and T-Dog, whispering amongst themselves.
"You see the look on his face?" Daryl whispered to Rick.
"He makes one move…"
"Just give me a signal."
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
T-Dog pushed through the door in front of them to make sure all was clear. Walking through it they found themselves standing in what looked to be a laundry room. Machines sat in the middle of the room while white sheets and towels were thrown all about. Skye made sure to take note that she could grab some of these on their way out. It would be nice to be able to sleep with some clean sheets and pillows.
Tomas led them over to a set of double doors from which they could hear the sounds of dead behind them. Skye stepped up behind Rick and she could hear T-Dog closing the door behind them to make sure nothing could sneak up from behind like they did on Big Tiny. Rick through the keys down to Tomas' feet.
"I ain't openin' that."
"Yes, you are," Rick stated. "If you want this cellblock, you're gonna open that door, just the one. Not both of 'em. Cause we need to control this."
Sighing in defeat, Tomas snatched up the keys. Before moving to unlock the door, Tomas shot a backwards glance at Andrew. Skye narrowed her eyes as Andrew gave Rick a menacing look as he backed up behind Tomas, bat held at the ready.
Finally removing the lock, Tomas turned to the group, "You bitches ready?"
He yanked on the door. Nothing. Yanked again. Nothing.
"I got this," he said before yanking both the doors open, inviting a small horde of walkers into the room.
As the dead rushed them, Rick yelled, "I said one door!"
"Shit happens!"
They all did their best to keep the dead at bay. Skye kept her eyes on Rick and Tomas while also trying to take down as many walkers with her machete as possible. Her heart sank as she saw Tomas slice through the air with his pickaxe, hitting a walker but barely missing Rick. If Rick hadn't ducked, he would've been killed. That move was in no way an accident and she knew Rick was well aware of that fact. Not even a moment later, Tomas stepped up and threw a nearby walker onto Rick.
"Rick!" Skye moved to help him out, but had two walkers right in front of her.
"T, watch her side!" Daryl yelled before jumping past Skye to slam an arrow into Rick's walker's head, yanking it off of him and helping him to his feet.
Skye kept her weapon ready even though Oscar had just finished off the last walker. She was fuming and her eyes were boring into the back of the Mexican's head.
Rick stepped up in front of Tomas, who offered an explanation. "It was comin' at me , bro."
"Yeah," Rick nodded, looking to Daryl before returning his gaze to his attacker. "Yeah, I get it. I get it." He stared into Tomas' eyes, not even blinking as he said, "Shit happens." A few moments passed and all that could be heard was the sound of everyone trying to catch their breath, but within an instant Rick's machete sliced through the air down into Tomas' skull.
"Nooo!" Andrew stepped forward, bat still at the ready and his eyes now glued to where Tomas now laid dead. With a scream, he went to swing his bat at Rick, but Rick was faster and kicked his in the stomach, knocking him down. Scrambling to his feet, Andrew took off down the corridor with Rick on his heels.
"Easy now," Daryl said, directing his crossbow at Oscar, who stood dumbfounded. "Man, get down on your knees." Slowly, Oscar did as Daryl asked while also setting his ax onto the concrete. Skye moved to stand in front of the men as both T-Dog and Daryl had their weapons pointed at the prisoner's heads.
Axel, who had already done as Oscar did, said, "We don't have no affiliation to what just happened." Axel looked around frantically for a sign that they believed him, but looked up to Skye who just stood there with her hands on her hips. "Tell 'em, Oscar."
Oscar just shook his head. "Just stop talkin', man."
"Come on now. Ya gotta believe me. I just wanna help. Want my own place to stay. That's all. Come on, darlin'. Please."
Skye scrunched up her nose and Daryl shot out. "She ain't your darlin' so shut the hell up. Do as your friend said."
Footsteps could be heard coming from down the corridor. Just in case it was Andrew, Skye readied her weapon. She let out a sigh of relief as Rick stepped into view and walked past her, pulled his gun from it's holster and pointed it directly at Oscar's head.
"We didn't have nothin' to do with that."
"Yeah. You didn't know? You knew!" Rick was crazed and who wouldn't be after what had transpired. "Daryl, let's end this now!" He switched from Oscar to Axel, who began to plead for his life.
"No, no, sir. Please listen to me. It was them that was bad. It wasn't us," he pleaded.
"Oh, that's convenient."
"You saw what he did to Tiny. He was my friend…"
As the two went back and forth, Skye looked up to Daryl, biting her lip. She was leaning more towards keeping these men alive. Axel seemed harmless enough.
"…please. I swear to God. I wanna live."
Rick put his gun back to Oscar's head. "What about you?"
"I ain't ever pleaded for my life, and I ain't 'bout to start now. So you do what you gotta do."
"You guys keep to your cellblock. Stay away from our people?"
"Yes, yes, sir! That's a great deal!" Axel nodded.
"Fine. We'll bring you some food and remember… I'll kill you if you are seen close to our people."
Both men nodded.
"Alright then. Let's get you into your new home."
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Once back at their own cellblock, Skye and T-Dog laid the pillows, sheets and towels that they had collected onto the table. Seeing everyone crowded into Hershel's cell, Skye cocked her head to the side and went to stand by Daryl who stood just outside the door, leaning against the wall. Hershel was awake and now laid reached a hand up for Rick to take. Kneeling next to the old man with his hand in his, Rick began to look around at everyone. Skye could tell that seeing their appreciative faces helped push the thoughts of killing two men just moments before from his mind, at least for now. Still looking around, Rick watched as Lori left the room. Meeting Skye's gaze, she gaze him a nod, hopefully signaling he should go talk to her. It must've gotten across because he put Hershel's hand into his daughters' and stood, walking from the cell after his wife.
Thinking to herself, Skye watched as Hershel's girls cried tears of joy over their father's recovery. Biting her lip, Skye turned and headed back up to the perch. It was there that Daryl joined her, sitting next to her with their legs hanging over the edge.
"You alright?"
"Fine."
"You seem upset."
"It's just- Hershel," she shook her head at how stupid and cruel that sounded.
"He's making a recovery. Good thing, ain't it?"
"Yes," she paused. "And no."
He stared over at her, confused.
"I just keep thinking about how he almost got out. Almost made it out of this crazy horrible world. No more suffering, or pain. Just peace."
"I'm sure his girls don't view it that way."
"I know, Daryl. I am happy he's okay. I really am. But what next, ya know? Or rather, who? It's only a mater of time before someone else falls."
"Well then we'll have to watch where we step."
"You know what I mean, Daryl."
"I know, Skye, but come on. Just be happy for the old man. Take things a day at a time and be grateful for what we have here. Didn't you see how grateful Hershel was to Rick?"
She nodded, knowing he was right.
"We'll make it through. We always do, right?"
Her eyes just found his, wondering when that statement was going to no longer be true and fearful of how soon that could be.
I finally have some time to work on the chapters to catch up to the fourth season. I have it all laid out and it's just a matter of getting them typed up. But pleeeeaaaase bear with me… My husband and I found out we're having a baby so I've been super busy trying to get everything figured out for that.