Ch. 17

Carl was scowling fiercely as he carried a bag out to the truck. Sam could understand the feeling. He understood what the boy was going through. He had a bloodlust, but not like Sam's or anyone else's. His was more of a curious bloodlust. He wanted to know what it was like to kill. Sam was just glad that he wasn't being allowed to stay, he would just put the rest of the fighters in danger.

Rick carried Judith out, then Sophia and Carol followed him out, their things packed up. It was a somber mood over the prison. Sam had Beth's revolver in his hand, absentmindedly spinning the chamber, enjoying the whizzzzz click. He could die, others could die, a lot of the Governor's people would die, that much was guaranteed. They had home field advantage, narrow corridors and automatic weapons.

At least, that was what Sam had thought. Rick had told them that they would all try their best not to kill any of the civilians. Merle had agreed to point out any of the Lieutenants, those they could kill, but only if they had a clear shot. Other than that, all members of the Woodbury army were off limits.

"So how do you think this is gonna go down?" Sam hadn't gotten a chance to really talk to Michonne. Even when they had been kidnapped together, he didn't say much other than "This way!" or "Over here!" It was a quiet and unspoken relationship, one that she had just ruined.

"Only way it can," Sam walked over to the fence by the field and examined it. He was going into what Beth had begun to call one of his "General Moments". "They've tear down the gates, ram through them, then they'll start firing blindly at the prison. After that it'll be a slow push forward, literally, they'll all be shiteing themselves, so they'll move slower than usual. They'll move into the prison, and then we'll spring the trap."

"And if the trap doesn't work?"

"Then we fight them. I don't care what Rick said, I'll get back to Beth, if it means I need to kill one of those people, so be it."

Sam wiped the sweat from his brow, careful not to move the gun so he wouldn't make any noise. The gunfire had ended just a few seconds ago. He could hear the footsteps passing by, he wasn't even hiding that well, they were simply that inexperienced, walking by corners and going straight for the confined spaces with hunting rifles and automatics they barely knew how to operate.

When they had all piled into the cell block, Sam was the first to move. He crept across the inner yard, Oscar sticking close and low. Sam went up to one of the Humvees that they had brought, the one with the .50 caliber machine gun, and climbed on top. The gun was still warm, and the ammo box still had a decent number of bullets.

"What are you doing? Smash that thing!" Oscar told him, his gun raised in the direction of the prison.

"No," Sam said as he fiddled with the gun. He dug into the working parts as quickly as he cold, until he pulled something out with a grin. "Firing pin. Are the tires popped?"

Oscar nodded. "Yeah now come on!"

Sam hopped out of the truck and slung his rifle over his shoulder. "Ammo boxes in the back of the cars, grab 'em, quick!"

The two men went to work and grabbed the heavy boxes lugging them across the field and to the far side. When the gunfire and alarms went off Sam and Oscar both dove to the ground. The Woodbury Militia began pouring out of the Block, men and women screaming in fear, some of them dropping their weapons and making for the trucks.

Sam saw The Governor screaming for his people to get off the trucks and into the fight, but they were routed, retreating and no amount of manipulation would overturn their instincts. Sam saw the Governor standing with his loyal men in the center of the field and made to raise his rifle. All he would need to do is line up his shot and then Bang, it would all be over.

The civilians started up their trucks and got out. The Governor shouted for his men to follow him and the three of them ran for their car. Sam took a knee and aimed. Almost, almost, he couldn't mess it up. His finger leaned on the trigger, he was about to take the shot.

"What are you doing?" scar asked, grabbing the rifle and forcing it down. "You trying to get us killed?"

The Governor got into his car and he and his three men got in chasing after his retreating men.

"Goddamnit! I could have killed him!" Sam slung his rifle over his shoulder and stood. "Why didn' you let me take the shot?"

"You would have gotten us killed!"

"No, I would have shot the Governor, and probably one of the others, if you had reacted properly, we could've killed all of 'em!"

"Listen man, I get that you probably got some sort of fucked up bloodlust, but don't let me get killed because of it!"

Sam scoffed and walked toward the inner yard. How could Oscar be so short sighted. The Governor wasn't done, he would lick his wounds rally his men and they would attack again. Without the Governor, they were broken, leaderless and not one of them would pick up a rifle to attack the prison.

Beth wrapped her arms around Sam when she got out of the car. She was shaking and Sam noticed the grim look on Carl's face, the fearful one on Hershel's, and the shock that was written all over Sophia's face.

"What happened?" He whispered to her.

"It was Carl. A boy came out of the woods. The rest of us didn't know what to do. Carl just, he just shot him though. He didn't even seem like he cared too," Beth pulled out of the hug and looked Sam in the eyes. "I know that you told me what you did. I asked you, and then you asked me how much I wanted to hear, I said all of it. And you did. Promise me, that you won't be like what Carl was today. You won't kill a man and feel nothing. Promise me."

Sam felt his heart rate quicken. Carl had shot a boy in cold blood. Something he had done to many times. He knew the path Carl was going down. He had tried to encourage him to open up, not bottle things up, but he hadn't listened. He just kept bottling it up, wanting to prove himself capable, and so he had killed a man.

Sam had been down that road. And now, with the Governor, he had almost fallen back in. He had contemplated killing manipulated people, he had almost gotten himself and Oscar killed because of it. He was falling into his old habits, because he didn't want to adapt.

"I promise you, I'll change. I will."

AN: Ok people, short chapter and probably a bit disappointing, but let me explain. The battle at the prison wasn't every exiting, I know,but I wanted to get that as close as I could to the show, also, Sam wasn't very close to Andrea, so I didn't show the return to Woodbury since it was mainly just them crying over her body, Sam wouldn't have done that. So I just ended it with him promising Beth that he wouldn't go full emotionless killer like he was during the beginning of the outbreak, and during the battle of Woodbury. Other than that, I apologize for the short chapter, they will start to get normal size next chapter. Please Review and I'll see you all next time! ~Pacco1