Chapter Thirty-Five: Conflict


Carol came and told them the bad news while Esme and Beth were finishing up with washing the clothe diapers. The tombs outside of the boiler room were overrun by the dead a section that'd been previously cleared during the early days of the groups' stay at the prison. The biggest fear the group had was that with a steady stream of rotters getting in through the fallen wall the Williams siblings had described, it may only be a matter of time before the geeks could push into their living areas.

Hell if a herd passed through, they were screwed.

Daryl and Glenn were trying to figure out a way to prevent the rotters from pushing through even more and are planning to drive around the far side of the prison to scout it out for themselves.

Tyreese and Sasha had described the fire damage to the area rather well. Apparently Sasha was an ex-firefighter and she'd seen similar damage before. The area wasn't in danger of collapsing, but they didn't have a feasible way to seal off the back wall that had crumbled. When the fire original took out that wall it had destroyed four feet of thick concrete creating the breech. At some point, rotters must have been attracted to the smell of rotten meat or the scent of a poor unfortunate living bastard and fell the small section of the chain-link fence in the back.

Apparently, the damage to the fence wasn't actually too extensive and it only opened up the grounds to a small area that wasn't connected to any of the others, but the group also didn't currently have a way to patch that up or at the very least prevent any more rotters from wandering into the bowels of the prison.

"I may have an idea." Esme told the older woman cautiously, "It would be a lil' difficult an' take some time, pero, if we build spike traps from the trees and place them at- un angulo- um, angle it can prevent the rotters from entering for now."

Carol eyed her contemplatively, "How would they work?"

"If we dig them into the ground hard enough, they can't be moved. The pointed tops of the spike will, empalar, um, impale the geeks." Esme explained somewhat awkwardly as her cheeks colored, "We'd need to go check the traps once a while to dispose of the bodies but it should eh-stop more from goin' in. Maybe even make a second set of traps right at the beginning- the entrance of the breach."

"That could work. It would depend on how big the breach is, but it sounds doable." Carol mumbled, "I'll go tell the guys your idea, so's they can see if it has any merit when they go an' check it out for themselves."

Esme watched the short-haired woman walk away with relief. She found the other woman intimidating for some reason, and to have her idea acknowledged by the other made her feel validated and relieved. Beth bumped her shoulder against her's, "Tha' was a good idea."

"Gracias." Esme smiled back as she turned back to the diaper she was scrubbing.

"We'll still need to clear section again but it'll be a relief ta know tha' walkers can't get in again." Beth murmured thoughtfully.

"Mhmm." Esme agreed before adding softly in a more serious tone, "I don' like to hear that the rotters might push into here. Mis bebes, I cannot go very far with all my babies. They can' run, and I will never leave them. I-Is there a backup plan if the worse happens."

"What do you mean?" Beth asked.

"Like someplace to run to if you all get separated. Si eso pasa, if tha' happens everyone needs to have access to supplies an' know how to get to the rean-rendezvous point."

"When we first met Rick an' the others," Beth started, " they'd come across our farm 'cause of a huntin' accident. My Uncle Otis accidentally shot Carl through a buck he was trackin'... we thought the walkers were sick then. Daddy and Uncle Otis gathered all the ones we'd come across an' barricade 'em inside the barn."

Beth's eyes were glassy with unshed tears that refused to fall, "There was this other officer with their group then, Rick's deputy, Shane. Daddy says tha' the fall of civilization drove him mad. He didn' take too well to havin' walkers so close to their camp and he gunned 'em down. Killed what was left of my momma and my brother jus' like that."

"I'm sorry." Esme whispered.

"I'm not. Momma and Shawn had been dead for a while, we jus' hadn't believed it then. Not long after a herd came across the farm and took it over. Daddy didn' wanna leave and Maggie was with Glenn in one of the cars tryin' to divert the walkers away from our home. A fire'd broken out in the barn, Rick and Carl were trapped inside. My boyfriend Ji-Jimmy, he'd driven over with the RV to help them out. He didn' make it. The only reason I made it out was 'cause Lori grabbed my hand and started to pull me and my Auntie Patricia to the truck. Walkers pulled my Auntie right outta my arms..."

The picture Beth was painting in Esme's mind was a gruesome one. "Everyone jus' scattered, we didn' know where anyone was, or who even made it off the farm. Only reason we found each other again was 'cause Lori forced T-Dog to go back to the highway where'd they lost Carol's daughter at. We got lucky that everyone else made their way there as well."

"That sounds terrifying." Esme whispered, "I'm so happy that you found your family again."

"Me too." Beth sniffled, "But I think if we'd had a backup plan, somewhere we'd all go to if somethang happened, it wouldn' of been so scary. So I think, tha's somethin' that we should plan for as well, 'cause I never wanna go through tha' fear of not knowing where to go or if I'd ever see my sister and Daddy again if we get separated."

"We can do that." Esme promised, "Make a plan, and then we can show the others too. My friend, Mitch, he always use to say that it never hurt no one to be prepared, so let's do that."

A small cry escaped from where Esme had placed Judith down to have some tummy-time, "It looks like Judith is hungry again." Beth giggled, "You go get her, I can finish this up!"

"Okay," Esme sighed as she stood up and stretched before going into the kids room where she'd laid Judith down in Andre's pack n' play since the oldest toddler was playing on the rubber rug. "Ya, ya Judith ya estoy aqui. Hmm, tienes hambre, si?"

The infant's big fat tears had stopped rolling down her chubby cheeks but Judith still let out disgruntled whimpers, "Ya mi amor, I know you're hungry. Vamos, no more tears. I'm here." Esme whispered in soft kind tones as she stepped over Thomas and Bora before going into her own cell to sit on her bed and nurse. Bailey mewled at her curiously as she peaked her head into the cell. The tabby had been spending most of her time leashed inside of the children's cell, her cat liked to watch over the children almost like she was guarding them, but she still liked to poke her head in to see what Esme was doing if she actually sat or laid down on her bed.

Esme made little kissy faces at the tabby (which only earned her the cat version of an eye roll before Bailey slinked back into the other cell) before grabbing the boppy pillow with one hand and positioning it under the fussy baby. She quickly pulled the strap of her tank down before letting Judith latch on to her nipple and start sucking. Esme sighed as she rolled her head, neck cracking in a delightful manner, her hair tickling her shoulder and some strands even falling to land on Judith's cheek. The infant pulled on the brown locks contently as she continued to suckle happily.

The heavy thumps of running footsteps made her look up curiously as even Beth stood up to greet the newcomer. Carl screeched to halt in front of Beth, his breath coming out in short pants from his excursion.

"Wha-What happen'?" Beth questioned worriedly.

"People- hah- two of 'em at the fences." Carl panted as he rubbed sweat off his brow, "One of 'em... we know one of them, i-it's Merle!"

"Quien? Who's Merle?" Esme asked curiously as adrenaline started to pump through her veins.

Beth gasped, "Daryl's brother!? The one who got separated from the group in Atlanta?"

"Same one!" Carl rubbed the back of his head nervously, "Cut his hand off ta get off the roof he'd been cuffed to. He's with some black lady with a sword. My dad's lettin' them in. He wanted me to lock the Cell Block so they can't get in if they ain't friendly."

Hershal crutched up behind them, "Any of them hurt?"

"I-I think the lady was hurt, there was a-a bandage on her leg." Carl murmured.

"Alright, Beth, get my med bag and bring it to the cafeteria, then get back inside. I don't want you to be out there if things get ugly." Hershal commanded as he turned back around and began making his way back to the cafeteria. Beth ran from Esme's view with Carl hot on her tail.

Her shifting dislodged her nipple out of Judith's mouth, earning her a disgruntled coo before Esme remedied her blunder and Judith went back to nursing. It chafed her that she wasn't able to check out the situation for herself. It made her feel helpless. A whole new level of helplessness that she hadn't experienced yet in this new world. Before Daryl and Maggie had found her, she was in charge of her own life. If there was anything out of the ordinary happening she would jump to her feet and assess the situation for herself. A part of it was freeing that she didn't have all the responsibility resting on her shoulders anymore, but she felt like a burden and like her only purpose for existing anymore was to be a bystander in the grand scheme of someone else's story. The only impact she was making here was keeping Judith alive by feeding her, and caring for her own children.

Useless.

That was the real emotion plaguing her now.

She was purposeless.

Before, she had a routine. A sense of herself, of who she was. She was a mother and caretaker, yes. But she wasn't- she wasn't someone- someone who was just simply there. Yes, Beth enjoyed her company and in return, she enjoyed being in the presence of the teenager... but she just felt so useless. This group of people would be fine without her. Yes, they would need to constantly go out to scavenge for baby formula, but they also wouldn't have the added burden of Esme and her children.

Traitorous tears burned behind her eyes before one sneakily started to fall down her cheek. What was wrong with her? Complaining, even in the recesses of her mind. She was safe. Her babies were safe. There were people here. Good people. People that she could depend on. She wasn't alone anymore. Why did it feel like everything was slowly starting to fall apart around her? Like she was still on her own.

"Mama?" Lilac chirruped as she popped into the cell.

Esme quickly whipped her face and turned to look at her daughter with a smile, "Que pasa amor?"

The toddler smiled at her cutely, "Has to go potty."

Children, they were a blessing in disguise. A blessed distraction from her dark thoughts vanquished her worries and plights from her mind, at least for now.

"Okay, amor, dame un segundo. I just have to put the baby in the sling and we can go," she explained calmly.

"I has to do pee-pee too!" Andre declared as she carefully got up.

"Claro." she sighed softly before shooting the oldest toddler a small grin.

Of course, he did.


Words 2118


Translation:

Pero = but

Un angulo = an angle

empalar = impale

Gracias = Thank you

Mis bebes = My babies

Si eso pasa = If that happens

Ya, ya Judith ya estoy aqui. Hmm, tienes hambre, si? = There, there Judith I'm here now. Hmm, you're hungry, yes?

Ya, mia amor = That's enough, my love

Vamos = Let's go/stop/chin up

Quien? = Who

Que pasa amor? = What happened my love?/What do you want my love?

Amor, dame un segundo = Love, give me a second/moment

Claro = Of course/Right


(Hello everyone! Sorry for the late update but I haven't had the chance to get onto a computer for the last four or so days. The internet crapped out on my house again for the third freaking time this year. I swear Verizon is doing it on purpose by this point just to piss me off. It thankfully didn't stop my phone from working, thank you T-Mobile, and I could still internet through there otherwise I would have lost my freaking mind...)

(I hope everyone is healthy! There have been a lot of deaths in New York throughout the last week. I haven't left my house in three weeks now, and I'm more than a little stir crazy right now. My mom won't even let me go food shopping with her, which just makes me worry because she's already at risk because she works in a hospital. We've been cleaning like crazy, at least a full house clean up four times a week. I hope you all have other things to take your minds off this situation and that no one you know is suffering from this disease. You're all in my prayers!)

(So... Merle's at the gates of the prison with black lady with a sword... I wonder who that could be? LOL. I think the next chapter is going to make a lot of people happy.)


(Beachgirl25: I like the idea of an old wise grandmother. I'm going to try and figure out a way that I can write her into the story without it coming off as very Mary-Sueish... The older generation really has knowledge of a lot of hidden gems that would actually be really helpful in survival situations and I can totally see this character thriving during TWD. I'll look into what you said about Ty, I know that Abraham lost his wife and children but I never looked into Ty's past too much. LOL, I can see Daryl doing many things, but the sex talk might make him want to set himself on fire. It would be hilarious. I can totally see him talking about respecting women and consent... but the actually mechanicians that go behind sex... I might make him do that anyway just to laugh.)

(apegasaurus: YES, thank you. Beth and Merle have become like my babies and I've been reading a lot of fics staring them recently because ... because they deserve it. Merle/Beth pairing won't really happen in this fic, but I think that Merle is going to end up taking the youngest Greene under his wing. With the way the story is progressing I'll hopefully be able to write more Daryl/Esme interactions very soon!)

(celia azul: Aww, thanks!)

(animemangaobssessed: I'm glad that the Spanish is a little practice for you. LOL. Your comments about Daryl made me laugh... that's a good idea. Some self-defense lessons with our favorite archer is something that I'll definitely look into.)

(time-twilight: Thanks!)

(Mowglifrog: Thanks for reviewing! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!)

(Harrypotterlover7698: Alright, no problem!)

(AJ Granger: I know, it's a lot of kids, although it's nowhere close enough to the number of kids in my other TWD fic... trust me. Yup, the reunion with Andre and Michone is something that I've really been looking forward to writing... which is going to be happening really soon. The island idea is going to be coming up again really soon.)

(makaylamann51: LOL. You were ahead of me, but yes...)

(Guest1/Apple Bloom: LOL, I'm glad! I'm sorry for the late chapter, my life has been a bit chaotic.)

(Guest2/Seris: Awww! Thank you! I'm definitely antsy to write more interactions with Daryl, but our hunter is a little shy at the moment... I love Clannad, it was the first anime, I started watching Inuyasha when I was in elementary school, I watched when I was older and really kick-started my love for anime. I was pretty obsessed with it. Hell, all of my sisters know the dango song. LOL. Thanks! Take care of yourself as well!)

(Mamamoo-is-Queen: Yay! Thank you! I've definitely grown attached to the little ones as well!)