I swung my leg off the bike, bracing my hands on Daryl's shoulders a little heavier than usual to keep my balance — less pressure on the ribs — as I got off the motorcycle.

The others got out of the cars behind us as I took out my knives, doing a quick spin check of our surroundings. I'd really like to avoid being snuck up on at all costs. Especially since we just made a whole lot of noise pulling up to this book store — or what used to be a bookstore.

This little open-air shopping mall is deserted like everywhere else. There's maybe 9 shops here, none any bigger than a small house except for this book store on the corner, and it's basically just two shops stacked on top of each other to create two floors.

But, it's tall enough that we might get a good vantage point from that top level. The windows are big and if we're lucky, there'll be roof access.

The outside of the caramel brown modern-looking building makes it stand out against the other rundown off-white shops in this little strip. Amazing what a difference a simple color scheme can do to something.

There's a dollar tree next door to it, that might have some odds & ends we could use without having to go find stores they'd be at.

Oh yesssss I almost fist pumped. There's a hardware store. I doubt it'll have anything fancy but there'll be simple tools at least. Maybe bolt & wire cutters — things we could use should we encounter chains or fence that we need to get through. I can think of at least 3 times making runs into the city — in Atlanta — where those would've come in handy.

I made a mental note to check these stores out before dark but we need to clear this shop and get settled first.

"Alright," Rick stood at the front of the group who gathered almost in a line on my right as Daryl stood to my left.

"T-Dog, Randall, you're on watch. Keep your eyes peeled and no gunfire unless you have to. We don't have ammo to waste and we don't wanna draw unnecessary attention to ourselves."

"Daryl, Eve, Glenn, Maggie. You guys come with me, we'll clear out the store. The rest of you, stay here and keep an eye out. Be ready to move in case this goes south."

Rick turned and motioned at us, taking his python into both hands as the 4 of us followed towards the doors.

"Stay behind me."

"Stay behind me."

Maggie and I both looked at Glenn and Daryl — who looked at each other like they'd grown a second head.

I couldn't help it. I snorted.

They both looked at me and I covered my mouth, "concealing" the grin that's trying very hard not grow.

Maggie tried biting her lips to conceal hers but let's face it, we both failed. Miserably.

Rick looked at us, thankfully letting us have that little moment before he gave us a stern look and we all flanked him. Daryl and me on the left side of the door, the other 3 on the right. All of us standing in a sort of half crouch that seems to aid sneaking for whatever reason.

Don't ask me how it works, I just know that it does; even if only as a placebo effect.

Daryl got his crossbow ready and I spun my knives around, ready.

Daryl turned slightly and grumbled to me, "Play it safe. I mean it." as Rick grabbed the handle.

I gave a low hum in response, knowing he's not looking at me at a good enough angle to see a nod and my hands are ocupado so no thumbs up's either.

Rick looked at us and we both nodded before he quietly pulled it open, just enough to allow us inside.

I slipped in right after Daryl, looking straight ahead of myself to his right while he looked to the left.

The ceiling is high, several rows of dark bookshelves about 6 feet in front of the door. A dirty checkout counter on my right, right as we came in.

It's carpeted so we don't have to worry about boots squeaking, and there isn't any blood on it that I can see. That's a good sign.

I don't like how many rows of shelves there are though. It's just enough — and the space is just big enough — to make me a little nervous about what could be hiding in here.

I glanced at Daryl just as he looked at me and nodded. He moved left, Rick following him, and I went right, Glenn & Maggie following me.

Glenn moved up beside me, looking down the rows one by one, with Maggie watching behind us and keeping an eye on Rick & Daryl who are doing the same thing in the other direction, while I snuck around the spacious counter and carefully leaned around it.

All that greeted me was a worn, uncomfortable looking grey desk chair, several papers scattered about and a couple stacks of books under the counter, but I almost gagged at the smell coming from something over here.

It smells like something died over here, but not like rotting flesh — yeah, I know what that smells like by now, and isn't that just a little disturbing.

My face contorted as I tried not to breathe while I looked around. Right up until I found a rotting half eaten sandwich in the metal garbage can, green, grey, mushy and crawling with so many bugs I can't even name all of them.

I gagged, and flinched at how it pulled the muscles around my bruised diaphragm before scurrying back out from behind the counter; wanting to get as far away from that nastiness as possible. Lest it hurt me more than it already has.

As I went back though, I noticed a half empty plastic water bottle beside a rotting apple core on the shelf just under the counter. Someone must've been having lunch when all this happened.

Ew, I almost shivered. Almost half a year old lunch. I grabbed the water bottle, stuffing it into the pocket on the side of my backpack — whoever came up with the idea for a water bottle pocket on the outside of the bag was a genius — before heading back over to Maggie and Glenn who have reached the end of the shelves.

I gave a whistle, barely louder than just breathing and Glenn gave me a thumbs up. I nodded and looked down to where Rick and Daryl are, making eye contact with Daryl before he made a small gesture to the shelves. I nodded, understanding and went down one of the rows, quick & quiet and peaked out the back of them.

Ok, this place is bigger than it looked. There's a little area on the left for kids to play and read books — your typical story time zone — and a door to the bathroom just on the other side of the little multi-colored, animal covered, knee high fence, then what looks like some sort of office. And to the right, where Glenn & Maggie are, there's another door, and almost directly in front of me — about 12 feet — is the curved dark wood & tan cement railed staircase that heads up to the second floor, where I can see just a couple more rows of shelves and what looks like an empty space farther to the right up there.

I stood on my tip toes, stretching my neck a little to try and see more of it but when has that ever really worked? We still try though.

I glanced at Glenn & Maggie and pointed to that room, which they're already standing by, looking like they're wondering if they should open it or not, before looking down at Rick & Daryl.

Daryl stood inside the bathroom and gave me a short nod when he caught my gaze. Clear.

He and Rick poised to go into the office next and I watched Glenn and Maggie go into the other room, so I — carefully — started up the stairs. Not to come up here by myself and clear it, but just to get a better look of the whole store, and maybe see a little more of the upper floor.

I'm not stupid enough to try and clear this by myself — not in my condition anyway. No matter how fast or quiet I may be.

It only took a minute or so before Daryl was at the bottom of the stairs and almost scared the crap outta me. I thought he was a walker for half a second there.

I jerked my head a little and stepped to the wall so he could go around me and take point.

Normally in close quarters like this, I should be taking point, but I can't afford to get hit or grabbed right now even the slightest. And he told me to play it safe, so that's exactly what I'm doing. Lucky him. I don't often do what I'm told.

I followed him up the remaining steps as they curved around so we were facing back towards the front of the building. The painted cement railing next to us making it easier to see the whole floor.

The entire right side is open and just full of sitting areas; couches, chairs, even brightly colored bean bags, and the entire left side is just one giant book shelf that runs along the wall with 4 rows of smaller shelves at the very edges and a set of study tables in the center. All in all, I was wrong. We can see the entire room from right here.

Immediately on my right is another door with a uni-sex bathroom sign and judging by the dimensions I'd say it's a single stall bathroom.

I turned the handle experimentally and glanced at Daryl to see him ready with his crossbow, before giving it a fast tug.

He stepped in almost the second the door was out of the way. Fast and tense but he relaxed, lowering his crossbow. Empty.

Wow, that's unusual. I thought there would've been at least one walker in here but I guess a book store isn't a very popular place to hole up or raid or anything really.

That's good. I'll remember that in the future. Add it to my list of 'Likely safe places'. The one I've just started as of now.

I relaxed myself, and looked around the room before walking towards the large windows at the end. It's been awhile since I've been in a bookstore, sadly.

I looked outside and gave Hershel and Lori a thumbs up as they saw me. Just before Glenn and Maggie joined them back outside.

"Let's head back."

I turned, seeing Rick on the stares near Daryl and headed back over as they started down; Daryl waiting until I caught up to actually go back down and head for the doors.

As soon as we pushed the glass door open, we were greeted with Rick telling the others. "We'll set up camp on the second floor."

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