Episode 16, Roaring flames.

Rick watched Michone walk up to the prison gates, she was leaving again to find...him. Rick couldn't ponder on dark memories. He dropped his garden gloves and ran to catch up with her, she moved fast for a woman who played everything with style, Michone had a certain...swag? Yes, Shane use to call woman like her swag, or something similar to that. Before the world went to shit.

"Michone!", Rick called catching up to her. She slowed down and turned her head slightly to face him, he caught up to her just as he ran out of breath. All this time spent on running from walkers you would think you would be use to it by now, Michone turned fully to face Rick, he took in a deep breath before continuing,"I need you to find some seeds, not big bags but enough"

"Sure", her voice was soft and low, but also very serious."anything else?",Rick respected Michone, she was always going out hunting the Governor. Ever since Andrea and Carl she just kept looking, but sadly she hadn't found him yet. And to think it was Carl's call to let her stay, Rick still remembered that day when Carl and herself went out to fetch a crib for Judith, something must have happened between them that made him feel she should stay, and even after Merle almost took her to the Governor, she forgave Rick, she understood why he had to do it.

"...no", with all he needed to say, he turned around to leave. Rick was stopped by a hand on his shoulder, he turned to face Michone.

"You alright", her face betraying no sign of emotion.

"Yeah, I'm fine"

"I know its hard", she began, Rick fully aware of what she was trying to say,"but I'll find the Governor, make him pay for all his crimes"

"In this world, we all commit crimes", Rick stated,"I just want him brought down for what he's done". Michone nodded as he turned and walked back to his gardening, she didn't blame him for wanting the Governor to suffer. After Andrea was killed she swore that she would hunt him down, and then Carl...god, to think that this man almost lost his mind after his wife died, and now Carl. She doesn't know how he's even holding up, but she went through the same-No! She was fighting back tears trying to forget, it doesn't matter now, she's a strong survivor.

"Y'er headin' out", came a voice Michone recognized, it was more of a statement than a question from Daryl Dixon. Michone turned to face him.

"Trying to, but everyone keeps stopping me"

"Just here ta say good luck"

"Didn't know you where so emotional", Michone teased with a hint of a smile.

"I ain't, mainly here to open the gates"

"Sure you are...", Daryl walked Michone down to the gates and he opened them as quickly as he could, Glenn too was at the gate. The gate opened and Michone rode the horse into the distance.

"I hope she finds him this time", Glenn said watching her figure shrink in the distance.

"Yeah", the gates closed as walkers flung themselves against it. It amazed Daryl at how far walkers would go just to take a chunk of meat from you.

"You going out to check the snares with Rick", asked Glenn backing away from the gates.

"Yeah, maybe got some squirrel"

"Maybe you can talk to Rick", suggested Glenn.

"'Bout what?"

"Come on Daryl, don't act like you haven't noticed"

"Carol and I talked 'bout the same thing"

"What she say?"

"Doesn' matter", said Daryl walking back up to the prison. Glenn followed next to him,"let 'im be", Daryl said out of the blue.

"What?"

"Rick, he'll come 'round"

"But what if he doesn't? What if he just hides behind the fences from now on"

"He won't"

"How-how do you know that Daryl"

"Look at me, I came 'round after Merle"

"This isn't the same", Glenn shot back.

"How?"

Glenn thought back to Lori,"look what happened after Lori died, Rick almost lost it completely"

"And he came back"

"Yes, and now his son is dead"

"What? Ya sayin' Merle wasn't important ta me?"

"Daryl, that's not what-"

"Na...don't, Merle was the only family I had", they both stopped walking and where now facing each other,"and I came back. Rick is like a brother ta me, Carl...I treated him like family"

"Daryl, it's not that it's just-your stronger than Rick when it come to family", Glenn said.

"Is that what y'all think", Daryl said backing up, soon he turned and started walking away,"y'all wrong"

Philip stopped to catch his breath, Jhon and Micheal soon noticed Philip lacking behind so decided to slow down. They had been running non-stop since the garage station, as they where being chased by a herd of biters. The noise from the attack drawn many biter out in the open, and by the looks of it a large bon-fire started in the town they where running away from."Philip, you okay", asked Jhon when Philip caught up.

"I'm fine", Philip said wheezing for air.

"You sound like a retarded Donald Duck, let's catch our breath and walk", suggested Micheal, Philip didn't like Micheals comment, he felt fine, but went with walking anyway."How far are we from home"

"Ain't far, maybe an hour or two", Jhon replied.

"Then damn, I can still smell the smoke, fire might be bigger than I thought", Micheal said sniffing the air.

"Yeah...", Philip started slowing down even more. That can't be right, they where far from the town by now, a sudden breeze let a powerful smell of smoke and ash endeared his lungs."we are heading north, right"

"Yeah", replied Jhon.

"The fire is south, and the wind's blowing south"

"So?"

"That smell is coming north", a sudden bad feeling started to develop in his gut. Philip started running full speed,"we need to get to the hotel, Now!"

The musical sound of crickets rubbing the back of their legs filled the air, the sun was about an hour from going down. Rick Grimes listened to the crickets over the sound of the dead clawing at the prison fence, next to Rick followed Daryl with his 'famous' slung crossbow.

They trotted through the forest listening for approaching walkers, they only encountered two walkers, but Daryl's crossbow and Ricks knife took care of them. The first snare came into view, nothing. Rick sighed heavily,"nothing", Rick stated to Daryl. Daryl nodded as they moved to the next one,"I never thanked you", Rick said to Daryl.

"'Bout what"

"Not trying to talk to me about Carl, or letting me lead again"

Daryl shrugged,"I know it bothers you"

"Still...what do you think"

"About Carl or you"

"Both"

Daryl remained silent for a good minute before answering,"Carl was y'er boy, it's hard on you", Daryl slowed down as a walker moan passed him,"and you blame yourself for letting him go"

"Yeah..."

"That's why y'er hiding in the prison"

"I have work to do-"

"-so you wouldn't have to make any more decision"

Rick remained silent but soon spoke again,"I..I can't..every decision I make someone we care about dies"

"Do you think no one will die when the council makes a decision", Daryl said with a frown.

"...no but-"

"-Rick", Daryl cut him off,"what if Judith was out here, would you wait for the council ta make a decision", although Daryl didn't expect a reply he waited for one anyway,"I know its tuff, but you'll come back, you know you will. Take a break from being leader, but don't hide yerself in the prison"

"You think I should disband the council"

"No, join it. We look at you as our leader, and we always will"

"I'll take your advise, but I need more time", with that being said, the rest of their trip remained silent.

Philip saw the orange glow of fire illuminating from Jackson, the town came into view about ten minutes ago. Philip ran through the snow not waiting for the others to catch up. He ran through the towns streets avoiding the now many biters pouring into the town. Fires burned through buildings closer to where the hotel was. As he rounded the next corner, he saw it.

There, burnt to the ground was the hotel they where staying in, biters where drawn to the orange glow of the flames. Philip dropped to his knees, this wasn't happening. He failed a child once again. A rotten hand landed on his shoulder as a biter swung its head ready to bite into his neck.

Bang!

The biter fell limp next to him. Jhon and Micheal where by his side,"come on Philip! We need to go", Philip didn't move, he didn't even answer. Jhon grabbed his arm but was met with a punch to his face.

"Leave me alone!", Philip yelled now pointing his Berreta at his head.

"Okay", Micheal replied helping Jhon up."your choice. The biters are stating to surround us, come on", Philip turned back to face the hotel, while he was turned Jhon and Micheal grabbed both Philips arms and pulled him away while he struggled.

Carl ran and ran. The biters where everywhere, when the house fell he didn't need to wait long before biters where completely pouring into the town. Carl cried in pain as pain from hi right leg rippled his figure, but he couldn't slow down or else he'll die.

"Raargg", a biter jumped Carl as he rounded the corner. It had him pinned against the wall, Carls right arm screamed in pain as it held the biter away from his face, he brought his left arm up and struck the biter with his hidden blade, it pierced through the biter's jaw into it's skull, it fell limp and Carl fell down with it, he felt like he was going to black out.

He needed to find someplace to hide before he blacks out in the open. The moans and growls where getting louder as the herd was gaining on him. He looked to the building closest to him, he was now far away from the burning buildings and the particular building he was looking at was across the street. He limped over to the door but it wouldn't budge.

Crap! He limped around trying to find a way inside. Bingo, there was a ladder attached to the building, the second floor window was next to it. He limped over to the ladder and began to climb, his muscles and wounds crippled his body in pain but still continued to climb. His back-pack made it even more difficult, he reached the second floor window and took out his ice-pick, his right arm raised still in pain and swung with all his strength against the window. It shattered on impact and Carl pulled himself to the window. His leg slipped under the ladder but his left hand grabbed the window sill. Carl cried in more pain as glass pierced his skin. He grabbed the sill with both hands and with his remaining strength pulled himself up and over. He fell onto the hard wooden floor and immediately began to black out. All he heard was the roar of the dead throwing themselves against the building...