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Smoke and flames
Once they'd gone through the locations on the map, they decided to get some shut eye. Rick offered to take the first watch but Daryl quickly shot him down and told him to get some rest. Rick looked like he was about to argue but he didn't have the strength and hesitantly agreed.
Brook found it odd sleeping in her old bed again but it wasn't entirely unpleasant, especially since it was a nice double bed with a comfortable mattress instead of the thin, stone-like mattress back at the prison.
Unfortunately, she was haunted with nightmares again. Women's screams as the Governor's men violated them, the dead faces of her friends from Woodbury and the memory of her parents death.
When she got out of bed that morning, hearing Rick's wake-up call, she felt shaky and her heart pounded heavily in her chest. It felt like what she had experienced the night before; a anxiety attack. So she cupped her hands over her mouth and breathed steadily, remembering Daryl's advice.
It worked but not as quickly as it had done the night before with Daryl. She wasn't sure whether it was because she hadn't done it right, or maybe it was because Daryl hadn't been there to help her through it.
Quickly pushing the thought away, she rose from the bed and smoothed out her clothes, grimacing at the smell of sweat. They hadn't bothered to bring a change of clothes. When you were away from home, it was too dangerous to risk being caught with your pants down, or your shirt up...or off, or whatever. So they slept in their clothes which unfortunately meant that they'd all be suffering from a case of body odor this morning.
But she could try to eliminate as much of the smell as she could. So she made a quick stop in the bathroom, peed, and tried to find something to wash with. She tried the taps but it seemed the running water they once had was now gone so she made do with some soap and a towel.
She was about to leave the bathroom when the sight of a hair-band caught her eye and she pondered at the idea of using it. Usually, she left her hair down. Not because she preferred it that way but...because it just kind of existed like that. Beauty was no longer important and things like hair, shaving, moisturizing...they just got forgotten in the mist of survival.
She found herself reaching for it before she could stop herself and she pushed it onto her wrist before gathering her hair into her hands and proceeding to make a pony-tail. She may not be able to shave her legs, moisturize her face or wear her favorite mascara any more but she could do this; a simple act of girlishness.
A small smile lifted her lips as she glanced in the mirror, turning her hand side-to-side, making the flow of hair sway behind her. It suited her; made her face look slimmer and the bangs which framed her face - too short to reach the hair-band – seemed to bring out her eyes.
...Not that it mattered cause she wasn't trying to impress anyone...
Clearing her throat, she turned away from the mirror and left the room before heading downstairs.
She found them in the lounge, packing away the bags and preparing the weapons. Rick glanced up at her approach and sent her a small nod with a smile before Daryl did the same, although it seemed like he had to do a double-take at one point. She couldn't help but wonder what that was about.
"Ready?" Rick questioned, zipping up a bag and throwing it onto his shoulder.
Brook nodded and reached down, picking up a bag herself and doing the same. "Ready." she confirmed.
With that, they set off and Brook led them through Woodbury even though they pretty much knew where they were going from going over the map again and again. The pigs were held at the back of Woodbury and to get to them, you'd have to go past some armed guards who were protecting the building in front of them. The building was their armory and just above it, sat the Governor's place.
They didn't want anyone to think they could just go and get themselves some meat any time they wanted so the Governor made sure that they weren't very easy to access. When they headed into the building, she couldn't help but check the walls over for weapons even though she already knew that they were gone.
"Here they are..." Brook trailed off, pushing open the door to the back of the building. The sight they were met with wasn't a pleasant one. "Oh shit..." she expressed out of shock more than anything. The twenty week old piglets were nothing but blood and flesh, along with what looked like a adult pig which was being munched on by a Walker. By the black patch on its back – one of the only bits of flesh which seemed to remain – she guessed that it was the Dad. A bit of fencing seemed to have been the reason for the disaster since it was no longer standing, and the pen would have been easy for them to climb into once that was out of the way.
"Well, damn." Daryl commented, immediately raising his crossbow and firing it at one of the Walkers. It hit its target perfectly, making the body fall to the floor.
Another Walker started to rise, hearing all the noise they were making but Rick quickly walked over to him and stabbed him in the head before kicking it to the floor and yanking out the knife.
Brook let out a sigh, not only sad because of the meals they had just lost out on but because of the horrible way these poor animals had to die. Sure, they would have died anyway but if it had been by them, they would have been a lot older and the death would have been painless.
As she stared at what was left of the bodies, a thought occurred to her. "Where's Mom?" she questioned in a mumble, taking a step forward to the pen. She climbed over it easily and stepped over the carcasses, heading towards the small house that they had lived in.
"Mom?" Rick questioned in confusion.
She nodded and glanced back at him before looking at the body of the adult pig on the floor. "That looks like it was the Dad." she told him absently, glancing around for any sign of the Mom. "So... where's the Mom?"
"You think it could still be alive?" Tyreese asked, sounding as if he didn't believe the idea.
Brook shrugged and took a step towards the house inside the pen. "Walkers don't usually take their food and I don't see how she could of jumped out the pen." she pointed out, unlatching the door to the house and opening it. A shuffle reached her ears and she jumped slightly, causing the men to quickly ready their weapons, alarmed. "It's ok," she told them with a smile. "It's just her."
They all relaxed at that and glanced into the small house, seeing a fat, adult pig staring back at them.
Rick very quickly realized that they should have picked a better car as he watched the pig snort and walk around the back seats. Preferably a truck. That way no one would have to sit next to the smelly animal.
Oh well, it was too late now. He sighed and ran a hand down his face before turning back to the others who weren't looking impressed at the sight of the pig in the back seat. "We should try n' see if there's anythin' else here that could come in handy before we leave." he told them, lightly resting his hands on his hips.
"A'ight," Daryl nodded back, his face more amused than anything. Most likely because he knew he wouldn't have to sit in the back with the pig.
Brook huffed, wanting to smack that look right off his face and he seemed to know it because he only looked more amused. Rolling her eyes, she turned her attention back to Rick, wondering if there was anything she could do that would allow her to swap seats with Daryl.
"Brook, you take watch." Rick told her with a nod. "Me, Daryl n' Tyreese'll search the house."
She didn't complain. She would rather she got all the fresh air she could now before having to spend hours trapped with a pig. They quickly got to work and the men went into the houses which were right next to the car. Instead of taking the pig to the vehicle, they drove to the animal and parked in a alley way which was next to the place where the pigs were kept.
For the first few minutes she paced outside the front of the house while fiddling with her knife in her hands. They'd already packed the bags into the car – along with the pig which she could hear snorting and oinking – so once they'd searched a few more houses, they could head straight back to the prison. That way, they'd get back in time for supper and be able to bring back some extra bits.
Hearing the pig snort again, she turned to gaze towards it and laughed silently when she saw it digging it's paws into the seat, trying to tear it up. If they didn't search the houses quickly, there probably wouldn't be much car left.
The smell hit her before she saw it, making her frown with concern and confusion. She turned around and the thick, black smoke which drifted towards the sky confirmed her suspicions; something was on fire.
For a moment, she froze, her thoughts taking over her actions. How the hell could a fire start out of nowhere? Sure, it was a hot day but no-way near hot enough for something to catch alight, and it's not as if it could be a electrical fire.
So unless it was just a freak of nature incident – which Brook highly doubted – someone must have started the fire on purpose, and there was only one person that Brook knew who would set a town on fire, especially a town which still had plenty of handy supplies left.
The Governor.
She had no idea whether it was actually him but it made sense to her, and she also wondered whether he was doing it because he knew they were there. She didn't dwell on it though; she was too busy headed back towards the house where everyone else was.
"Guys, we have a problem!" she announced loudly once she had entered the house. Now that she was in cover, she pulled out her gun and checked the ammo, wanting to be prepared just in case.
Immediately after her warning, footsteps were heard from upstairs and only a second later did all three men come rushing down the stairs, guns ready with alarmed looks on their faces.
"Situation?" Rick questioned quickly, making his way over to the window so he could peak outside.
"Fire." Brook answered automatically, the cold metal of her gun feeling heavy in her hand as she popped the ammo clip back into place. "Big one by the look of the smoke."
At her revelation, Daryl frowned and made his way over to Rick who continued to peak out of the window. Once his eyes took in the size of the smoke trail which lead up to a massive cloud of the same color, he nodded absently, knowing that Brook was right about the size and seeing that it was getting bigger by the second which only meant one thing: "'S spreadin' quick." he commented, preparing his crossbow. "Ain't naturally either. Somethin's been used."
Rick frowned at that and dropped the curtain, covering the window back up before turning to Daryl, his fingers flexing on his pistol. "Petrol?" he questioned knowingly.
Daryl nodded, quickly shouldering his crossbow before pulling out his own pistol which sat comfortably in the back of his pants. "Or similar." he said, watching as he checked over his own ammo supply. "Could be the Governor." he pointed out, sliding the clip back into the gun before cocking it expertly.
"That's what I thought." Brook admitted, glancing around the group.
"Then we'll kill him." Tyreese suggested nonchalantly as if it was the most simplest thing in the world.
"Now, hold on," Rick whispered firmly. "We don't know what we're dealin' with yet. We need to keep a level head about it."
Daryl eyed him before replying, "What'd you suggest?"
"We get outta here quietly n' quickly as possible." Rick answered him simply. "We don't know if that's the Governor or some other fire-happy group."
Daryl nodded in agreement. "Gotta point."
"Sounds good." Brook also agreed. As much as she would love to see Philip dead, they didn't even know if it was him – only assumed because of the situation – and she didn't want some showdown with god-knows-who.
"I'm glad." Rick told them, lifting up his gun and walking over to the door. "We ready?" he questioned.
Outside of the building, the devastation was worse than it had been previously. Although their end of the street was clear, they rest of the town seemed to be on fire and spreading rapidly. The air was thick, making not only seeing hard but also breathing.
"Cover your mouths." Rick ordered with a croak, pulling his shirt up so it covered his mouth and nose.
Brook did as she was told, grimacing at the smell of burning. She saw Daryl and Tyreese do the same while not once taking their eyes off of their surroundings. It only took them five seconds to reach the car and a few more to enter it and get settled. Inside, the air was better but the smell wasn't thanks to the pig.
Rick started the car before flying out of their parking space and heading towards the exit. Unfortunately it meant having to drive past all the burning buildings and Brook couldn't help the "Holy shit!" that left her mouth as they narrowly avoided being crushed by a falling building.
"Gotta go faster, Rick!" Daryl warned loudly. Being in the middle of the devastation only made sight harder and they were pretty much driving blindly. The only thing that could be seen was the smoke which was slowly making its way inside of the car, and a large glow of orange from the buildings, barely visible through the smoke.
Rick switched on the fogs lights but it didn't help much. The loud crash from the fallen building behind them was soon followed by another one, although the location was unknown. It sounded scarily close though.
"C'mon, c'mon..." Brook found herself repeating, as if it would help the situation. The fear of death was swelling in her stomach and she realized how much she really didn't want to die. Before, it didn't matter as long as Jamie was safe but now...being at the prison with her old friends, and with Jamie finally safe...She'd found something else to live for.
"Shit!" Rick cursed loudly, the car coming to a skidding stop. In front of them, where Rick was sure the exit had been, was now a glowing, fiery pile of wreckage. He seemed to calculate the situation before looking at Daryl. "We'll have to drive through it."
"You sure this is the exit?" Tyreese questioned, unsure. "In all this smoke, I can't tell left from right, man."
Rick's silence wasn't a reassuring one but Brook didn't blame the man. She'd lived here for months and in these conditions it was hard to know for sure. "We'll have to take the chance." Rick said eventually, shifting gears before taking a deep breath. "Hold on." he warned them, and then the car jerked forward.
It may have been cowardly but Brook squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to see the events unfold in front of them. As far as they knew, they'd just driven straight into a building to their deaths.
The impact was a big one and the car almost didn't make it through. The noise caused goosebumps on Brook's body, not knowing if it was the sound of death or the sound of life. Random pieces of wreckage bashed against the car and then, just like that, it stopped.
When she realized that the car was still driving, she opened her eyes again. The ride was bumpy and the air around the car seemed to be thinning slowly. With the fog lights on, you could see the slightest bit of road.
"Are...we ok?" she questioned slowly, unsure. She realized that her heart was pounding frantically and she was half-tempted to use that anxiety-attack technique that Daryl showed her, although she was pretty sure it wasn't a attack and was just adrenaline.
As the road cleared even more, showing them the familiar route they used to get to Woodbury, Rick nodded and let out a relieved breath. "Yeah, we're ok." he confirmed, a little chuckle lifting up the end of his sentence.
Brook let out a laugh in return, feeling more than happy in that moment. It may have been clichéd but they all couldn't help but give their own laugh. It only lasted for a few moments before it went serious again.
By now, the air was completely clear other than a small layer of fog, and the devastation of smoke and flames was all they could see of Woodbury behind them.
"Ya think it was the Governor?" Daryl questioned after a moment of silence.
"Makes sense," Rick told him honestly. "He knows where Woodbury is n' I don't imagine a lot of people do."
"They don't," Brook told him absently, her head leaning against the window as she gazed at the passing scenery. The pig kept stepping on her as it tried to get comfortable and Tyreese seemed to have the same problem because every now and again, she could hear him grunt in pain. "Governor kills anyone who does."
"Why would the Governor set it on fire though?" Tyreese questioned a strain in his voice. Brook glanced over at him at the sound and hid her smile when she saw the pig trying to get comfortable, half sitting on his lap.
"Why would he kill 'is own people?" Daryl questioned back.
Their voices soon faded into the background as Brook closed her eyes, wincing once again when the pig decided to lean it's front paw onto her thigh. Her adrenaline high was slowly coming down, making her feel sleepy and she decided that a nap wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, especially if they had to spend the next few hours in the car with a pig who couldn't keep still.
Sleep wasn't as easy as she hoped. Every time she drifted off something would wake her up, pulling her back to reality. So she only got a few seconds of sleep at a time, mostly thanks to the smelly living-pork-chop next to her.
They managed to make it back by early evening and were greeted by the usual; Maggie and Glenn pulling the gate open while Carl stood ready with a rifle. By now, Brook was certain her legs were covered in bruises and she imagined that Tyreese's were the same.
It was a nice feeling seeing the new front gate work so well. The pig-pen also seemed to be built and it looked as if Hershel was busy overturning some mud, possibly preparing the ground for crops.
Instead of driving all the way up to the prison, Rick drove the car half way up the yard before turning onto the grass and making his way up to the pig's new home. Their arrival didn't go unnoticed and a small crowd gathered up at the court yard, watching through the fence.
The car barely had any time to stop before Brook and Tyreese were climbing out, happy to be free of the smelly animal. Luckily, there hadn't been any accidents since Rick stopped the car every two-to-three hours for a bathroom break for it.
Brook stretched, happy with her freedom to move and she watched as Daryl also climbed out before Rick followed. Rick then grabbed hold of the rope-leash before guiding the pig out of the car.
It took a few attempts and by the time the pig got the idea, Hershel had managed to make his way over to them.
"I'm never doing that again." Brook stated, rubbing a sore spot on her neck. Most likely from leaning her head against the window for so long.
Daryl huffed a amused laugh next to her. "Don't blame ya'."
"Only one?" Hershel questioned as Glenn, Maggie and Carl made their way over.
Brook nodded and glanced over at him, wondering why something seemed strange about the sight of him. "Dad and babies got eaten. Only Mom survived." she told him, squinting slightly at the setting sun in her eyes.
"What happened to the car?" Glenn questioned, seeing the dented and burnt front bonnet.
Daryl told him simply, "Ran into some trouble, s'all."
"I better check her over then," Hershel spoke up again with a look of concern. "If she's bit or scratched...I don't want to find out what kind of problems that could cause us."
Glenn was staring at Daryl, wanting him to explain exactly what kind of 'trouble' they had run into but he didn't push the subject. They'd probably talk about it later anyway. "What are we gonna do with one of 'em?" he questioned instead, watching as Rick closed the door of the pen behind him before wiping his forehead and letting out a tired sigh. "Eat it?"
"Be bett'r if we can find a boar." Daryl told him.
"Boar?" Brook questioned curiously. Wasn't a boar something you found in a jungle?
Rick joined them and gave her a amused look. "It's another word for a male pig."
Brook's mouthed formed a 'o' and she nodded. Trust Daryl to call it a boar and not just say male pig.
"Where we gonna find one though?" Maggie questioned, looping her arm around Glenn's and leaning against him affectionately.
Daryl shrugged and made his way over to the car. "Look at a map," He walked over to the open door and leant down slightly. "Try'n find ourselves a farm." Grabbing a few bags, he passed one to Rick and another to Tyreese before picking up his crossbow and placing it onto his shoulder. "Might get lucky."
"It's a good idea," Rick nodded in approval, his arm going around Carl's shoulder when he came over to his Dad's side. "But it's not a priority. For now, we need to concentrate on the cell blocks."
"I-I disagree." Glenn told him, looking slightly anxious at questioning Rick's order. "Sure, we got plenty of food from Woodbury but we haven't got any meat. Mostly tinned fruit, rice n' beans."
Rick sighed, sounding stressed as he wiped the back of his hand over his forehead. "So what do you suggest?"
"We try n' find this farm," he shrugged, glancing around the group that had formed. "Or Daryl starts huntin' again." he looked to Daryl.
Daryl nodded. "I can do tha'." he shifted on his feet. "Can go first thing in the mornin' if needs be."
Rick nodded back, the bags under his eyes looking even heavier. "Yeah, alright...just do what you thinks best." with that, he turned and walked away.
"You speak to Carol?" Brook questioned Daryl quietly as they others walked over to the pigs pen, curious about their new addition.
Daryl nodded, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. "Yeah, she said she'll try n' think of somethin'."
Brook took a deep breath. "Let's hope it's sooner rather than later." she commented, staring at Hershel's back. She just couldn't shake this feeling...
Daryl hummed in agreement before nudging his shoulder against hers and flicking his head towards the prison. "Fancy gettin' somethin' ta eat?"
She nodded. "Oh yes." she grinned and took a step forward with him. It was that moment it clicked and she lightly grabbed Daryl's arm, making him stop. He turned to her questioningly and she told him, "Hold on." before turning back to the vet. "Hershel?" she called out.
He turned at the sound of her voice, a small smile tugging his lips as if he knew what she was going it ask. It made her stomach twist. "Yes, Brook?"
"How's Merle?" she questioned, feeling Daryl stiffen up next to her. She guessed that the same thing had just occurred to him; why wasn't Hershel with Merle? Sure, it's not like he wasn't allowed to do other things but since Merle had been injured, Hershel barely left his side like the good Doctor he is.
The smile on Hershel's lips grew bigger. "Very well...he's in Daryl's cell actually."
Brook's eyes widened and her lips parted out of shock. She couldn't help but wonder if he was implying what she thought he was...and before she could ask, Daryl butted in with a step towards Hershel.
"What's he doin' in my cell?"
A pause, and then: "He's awake, son," The smile grew even bigger, if that was possible. "You best go see him. He's been asking about the both of you."
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