CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: TAKE A DEEP BREATH!
Alex jammed her shovel into the dirt beside the trench she'd been digging and stepped back, adjusting the old leather gloves on her hands. Her eyes followed the trench toward the fence, separating them from the river, and she sighed, her breath puffing in the cold morning air.
Opposite the trench, closer to the prison, the rest of the group worked on moving the cars through the gates, and dragging bodies into a pyre. The sounds of cheer and laughter vibrated in the air, and Alex released her breath, easing the tension out of her shoulders. She pulled her gloves off, balancing them on the end of her shovel, and turned away, snagging her water bottle.
As she drank, movement caught her eye, and she spotted the two prisoners she'd left in Glen and T's hands strolling out of the prison and toward the group in the yard. The bottle fell from her hands, and rage boiled in her stomach. She moved, marching toward them, murder on her mind.
"Hey, Rick!" T called, heading toward the prisoners as well, and setting his body between them and Alex as he walked backwards and looked back at Rick for help. Rick and Daryl jogged after him, leaving the others to watch from further away.
"I told you what I would do if I saw them again," said Alex, baring her teeth. "Move, T."
"Just, hang on," he said, holding his hand out. "Give us a chance to work this out."
"T-"
"That's close enough," said Rick, stepping between T and the prisoners. "We had an agreement."
"Please, mister," said Mustache. "We know that, we made a deal, but you gotta understand! We can't live in that place another minute, you follow me? All the bodies, people we knew! There's Blood-Brains everywhere! There's ghosts!"
"Why don't you move the bodies out?" said Daryl, standing next to Rick like a sentinel.
T-Dog scowled. "You should be burning them."
"We tried!" Mustache's voice rose in pitch. "We did!"
Muscles crossed his arms, frowning. "The fence is down on the far side of the prison. Every time we drag a body out, those things just line up."
Daryl snorted. "So toss in a body and just run back inside." His eyes slid toward Alex, who waited quietly, her hand never leaving the Beretta at her hip.
"Look!" Axel threw his hands up. "We had nothing to do with Thomas and Andrew, nothing! You trying to prove a point? You proved it, bro! We'll do whatever it takes to be a part of your group, just, please, please, don't make us live in that place!"
Alex's body tensed, and she grit her teeth.
Rick met her eye and gave her the wait signal. She frowned, but did as he asked. He looked back at the intruders. "Our deal is not negotiable. You either live in your cell block, or you leave."
Muscles shook his head, looking down at Mustache. "I told you this was a waste of time. They ain't no different than the pricks who shot up our boys. You know how many friends' corpses we had to drag out this week? Just threw 'em out like…" He ground his teeth, his hands fisting-"Those were good guys! Good guys who had our backs against the really bad dudes in the joint like Thomas and Andrew." He shook his head in disgust as he stared Rick down. "Now, we've all made mistakes to get in here, chief, and I'm not gonna pretend to be a saint, but believe me… we paid our due. Enough that we would rather hit that road, than to go back into that shithole."
Rick glanced back at the other's, eyebrows raised. T looked grim, but said nothing. Alex and Daryl shook their heads without a second thought. Rick sighed and turned back to the prisoners.
"Fine." He pulled out his pistol and gestured to the gates. "Get moving."
The prisoners' faces fell, and they exchanged nervous glances, before walking toward the gate. Rick followed silently, Alex, Daryl and T-Dog right behind him.
Daryl unlatched the front gate and pulled it open. Rick motioned for them to leave.
"You can't do this," Mustached cried, turning toward Rick, who cocked his gun. "It ain't right!"
Muscles stepped out, glaring at the group. "Guess we know who the bad guys really are."
"Hey!" Rick said. "This one ain't on me. Now, we had an agreement. I gave you a choice. This is what you chose-This is on you."
Daryl nodded to Mustache. "Hit the bricks."
Mustache pressed his lips together and followed Muscles out. Daryl slammed the gate in his face and locked it. He grabbed the fencing and pleaded.
"Come on, please don't do this. We can help you guys!"
As a group, they turned away, heading back to the others, who were talking amongst themselves.
"We can't just leave them out there like that," said Beth.
"They're dangerous people, Beth," said Hershel. "Our priority is the people here, right now."
T shook his head. "It just don't feel right."
"You serious, man?" Daryl rolled his eyes.
Rick eyed him. "You want them living in a cell next to you? They'll just be waiting for a chance to grab our weapons. You want to go back to sleeping with one eye open?
"I never stopped," said T. "Bring them into the fold. If we send them off packing, we might as well execute them ourselves.
Glenn shifted, rubbing his head. "I don't know, Axel seems a little unstable.
Carol hugged herself, shaking her head. "After all we've been through? We fought so hard for all this, what if they decide to take it?
Maggie cocked her hip and nodded. "It's just been us for so long… They're strangers. I don't-It feels weird all of a sudden to have these other people around."
T-Dog shook his head. "You brought us in."
Maggie frowned. "Yeah, but you turned up with a shot boy in your arms, and didn't give us a choice.
Glenn scoffed. "They can't even kill walkers!"
"They're convicts, bottom line!" said Carol, turning away from the group to stare out at the prison. "We can't trust them."
T-Dog's eyes were sad as he looked at Alex for support. She stared back, unmoved.
"Those two might actually have less blood on their hands than we do," he pleaded.
Daryl shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. "I get guys like this. Hell, I grew up with them. They're degenerates, but they ain't psychos. I could have been with them just as easy as I'm out here with you guys."
Alex frowned. "We gave these guys a chance."
T-Dog perked up. "So, you with me?"
Daryl snorted. "Hell no! Let 'em take their chances out on the road, just like we did!
T-Dog groaned. "That's not…
Rick interrupted him, his face hardening. "When I was a rookie, I arrested this kid. Nineteen years old, wanted for stabbing his girlfriend. The kid blubbered like a baby during the interrogation. During the trial, he suckered the jury. He was acquitted due to insufficient evidence, and 2 weeks later shot another girl. We've been through too much. Our deal with them stands."
Alex patted T's shoulder and strode off.
Daryl sighed. "If I'm bein' honest, T," he said in a low voice. "They're probably safer out there."
"Turn the wheel to the right," Daryl called, his voice clear through the lowered window of the beat up Cadillac he pushed through the gate.
"Right." Jake turned the wheel.
"Little more!"
Jake complied, steering the car toward an open space between several others. The car stopped rolling.
"All right, put it in park."
Jake did so and hopped out, grinning up at Daryl. "I'm getting good at steering," he said. "Maybe I can drive one next."
Daryl snorted. "The others are moving our cars. We're on these that don't have keys."
"Can't you hot wire it?"
Daryl crossed his arms and chewed on his bottom lip. "Whatcha know about hot wirin'?"
Jake shrugged and glanced back toward T, who pushed a Mercedes that Carol steered. "Nothin', really." He looked up at Daryl. "It's what they do in movies, I guess." He crossed his arms, his grin widening. "Can I drive your bike, then?"
"Keep dreamin' kid," Daryl answered, tilting his water bottle to his lips.
"Awwe, come on. I'll be careful."
Daryl shook his head, and handed the boy his bottle. "Ya can't even reach the ground."
Jake snorted. "So, when I'm tall enough to reach the ground?"
"Mm…We'll see, then."
"Hey, T!" Jake turned toward the other duo. "Tell Daryl I can drive!"
"Can't do that," he grunted, heaving against the silver sedan. "I've never seen you drive, so how would I know?"
Jake sighed deeply. "Think Alex would let me drive her truck?"
"Doubt it," said T-Dog, Daryl, and Carol at once.
Daryl nodded his head toward a small Corolla. "Come on, let's get this finished so we can get somethin' ta eat."
"Fine." He jogged after Daryl out the gate and toward the end of the path. He pulled open the door and froze, eyes lighting up. "Hey! This one's got keys!" He pulled a set out of the ignition and held them up.
Daryl nodded. "Good, That's one I ain't gotta push. Lemme see 'em."
Jake hesitated, then held them out. "Come on, Daryl. This is the perfect chance to let me drive. I can reach the pedals in this one." He clasped his hands together under his chin. "Please. Please, please, please!"
Daryl pressed his fingers against his closed eyes and groaned. "Fine. But take it slow-Real slow."
"Yes!" Jake whooped and hopped into the car, reaching under the front of the seat to move it forward. He straightened, realizing he could barely see out of the windshield.
Daryl climbed into the passenger seat, looked at him, and snorted. He twisted to look in the back seat, reached, and pulled a child's booster seat toward them.
Jake scowled. "I'm not usin' that. I am not a baby."
Daryl grinned. "If you wanna see out that windshield, you're gonna have to sit a little taller."
"No way. I can see fine. Let's just go."
Daryl only jiggled the seat. Jake's face burned. "You have ta swear that nobody will ever know about this."
The man dragged his finger in an X over his chest. "Cross my heart."
Jake got out, glaring at the seat as Daryl slipped it into place. "I mean it. You can't tell a soul. If Carl found out-" he trailed off, remembering that he wasn't speaking to Carl.
"Let's get goin'," Daryl said, trying not to laugh. "We've got more cars to move, and we're burnin' daylight."
Jake groaned and climbed into the seat. He could see perfectly, and his feet still reached the pedals.
"Well?"
He shook his head. "This is so embarrassing." He took the keys, put them in the ignition, and started the car. Slowly, he eased the Corolla forward toward the gate. Daryl was quiet as he stared ahead.
"Right, turn left-Just a little. Straighten up when you get through the- yeah like that."
"I got it."
"Park it there, between the Buggy and that old Ford."
Jake aimed the car. Suddenly, a body flew onto the hood, screeching and scratching at the glass. Jake screamed, pressing down hard on the gas. The car slammed into the front of the Ford, pinning the walker on the hood by its legs. He sat back, staring dumbly at it as it tried to burrow into the car.
"Shit!" Daryl yelled, spotting two walkers shambling toward them from inside the yard. "How'd they get in?!"
"Daryl! What do we do?"
"Put it in reverse!"
Jake tried to back up, but the grill had gotten tangled with that of the truck's, and the car only jerked backwards and spun its tires.
The noise grabbed the attention of another three corpses, and Daryl let out a long breath. He hadn't brought any weapons, neither of them had.
He flung his door open. "Get out." Jake did as he was told, meeting Daryl as he rounded the car, and raced after him. Daryl snagged his hand, urging him to run faster.
"Not that way," Jake wheezed as a group of walkers dragged themselves toward them. Daryl, paused, then quickly changed direction, heading toward the nearest guard tower.
Jake's legs moved as fast as they could to keep up with Daryl, but something in the grass snagged his foot. His hand ripped from Daryl's as he went sprawling. Daryl slid to a stop and swung around in horror as a walker lunged onto Jake's prone form.
Chaos erupted as Alex raced toward the fence separating the prison from the woods. Axel and Oscar gripped the fence, screaming for her to run. Behind her, the horde grew in mass, and she grit her teeth. She couldn't see any of the others, only the two people in this prison she wanted dead.
There was no way she could make it to the safety of the prison walls or any of the towers. Her best chance for survival, get out of the prison and put the fence between her and the horde. She'd have to figure out a way back in, after.
She leaped at the fence, scrambling up, pausing at the rolls of barbed wire blocking her exit. She bit her lip, glancing left and right for a way over. Then, just as she resigned herself to tearing her skin, a blanket flung itself over the wire beside her. She peered down to see the prisoners, tugging at the edge of the blanket, forcing the wire back.
Alex reached the top just as the faster walkers in the horde crashed against the fence. The collision jarred her from the top of the fence, and she fell over, heading for the ditch on the outside. Her fall was broken as Oscar caught her, knocking him flat on his back, and they slid down the slope of the ditch toward the river.
"Oscar!" Axel cried from above, barely snagging the back of Alex's jacket hood. She gagged as it tightened around her throat, but their fall slowed enough for Oscar to dig his heels into the icy dirt.
Alex pulled herself out of the ditch and rubbed her throat, feeling angry welts raise tenderly across. She looked at Axel, who'd backed away with his hands raised.
"Sorry 'bout that."
"It's fine," she said, her voice raspy. She turned to watch the carnage inside, mourning the loss of all their hard work. She sighed and crossed her arms. "This'll be tough to clean up."
"If you need help…" Axel began, but fell silent at a glance from Alex. Oscar joined them, standing silently beside her, staring at the overrun yard.
"How the Hell did this happen?" She clenched her fists and looked up at the two men.
"You're barking up the wrong tree, lady," said Oscar. "We want to join you guys, not overrun our only source of safety."
She rolled her shoulders. "I guess we'll see." She strode along the outside of the fence without waiting for them, eyes scanning for a breach.
"Where you going?" Axel called, he and Oscar catching up.
"There's an opening in the fence big enough to let in all these bastards," she said. "Stay quiet so we're not noticed. If you can't do that, stay here."
The prisoners exchanged a look, but went silent, following her closely.
As they crept slowly through the tall, dry grass, Groans and snarls filled the air. Alex froze and ducked, peering toward a huge group of walkers shoving into a thin, tall gash in the fence. They seemed to have clogged the opening.
"Holy mother of-"
Alex pressed her hand over Axel's mouth. She stared at the giant horde.
Even with her weapons, there were way too many to kill. And who knew how many more were already on their way from the adjoining forest. If she didn't get that fence closed, the prison would be so overrun, they'd have no choice but to abandon it.
She looked back at her annoying companions, and her eyes fell on the long, bloody chain draped over Oscar's shoulders. She remembered he'd used it when they'd cleared their cell block. She swept her eyes back where they'd come, where a walker lay growling, but unable to move since its arms and legs had been ripped from its body.
She looked back at the prisoners, pressed a finger to her lips, and tilted her head toward that helpless walker. She creeped toward it, pausing to listen after every few steps.
"What are you doing?" Oscar asked, disgust filling his face as he stared at her. Axel looked as if she'd started speaking in tongues.
Alex dug her fingers into the soft, decomposing belly of the walker. It growled and snapped, but couldn't reach any part of her. She grabbed a handful of guts and pulled them out, draping the gore across her shoulders and cheeks.
Oscar retched and covered his mouth with his arm. "Oh, God!"
"Shh," Alex snapped, pulling out even more gore and smearing it over her front and arms. "There's no choice. I have to get in there and close that fence up." She glared at them. "Are you gonna help me or not."
Oscar scowled. "Do we get to stay?"
Alex shrugged. "I'm not the leader of this group…But I'll put in a good word for you."
"So, you want us to risk our necks to help you, but you can't guarantee we'd be welcomed into the group? How's that a good deal for us?"
Axel shook his head. "I don't want no part of…whatever this is."
Alex scoffed. "Like I want you tagging along anyway." She smeared more gore across her back, then sat back on her heels. "After what your disgusting fucking friend did, I'd really prefer you dead."
"He wasn't our friend." Oscar crossed his arms. "There were plenty of sickos in there with us…But they didn't exactly broadcast it. Ya know why?"
Alex met his glare.
"Because most of us in there would have beat his ass to death if we knew. We weren't in the kiddy diddler block, lady. We were there for petty crimes. 2 year sentences-Max. I don't know what Thomas was in for, but that shit wasn't it. He kept it to himself-That's the only way he survived here."
They stared at one another for a long, quiet moment. Then, he sighed, reached into the walker, and pulled out a handful of blood and guts.
"What are you doing?" Axel gasped.
Oscar gagged, but choked down his bile. "I'm gonna help you. No strings attached. If we have any hope of staying alive, it's here."
Alex shrugged. "Suit yourself."
"This is disgusting," Axel said, viscera dripping from his clothes. "You sure this'll even work?"
Alex shook her head. "Not at all. This is just an idea."
"And if it doesn't?"
"It don't matter, man," said Oscar. "We're dead, one way or the other."
Alex didn't answer, slowly shambling toward the group of walkers blocking the hole in the gate. More of them were showing up as they moved, and she watched as a walker shoved its way through the hole. The other walkers struggled to follow, and she gripped the hilt of her knife. She could hear the two men behind her.
"Once we're inside," she whispered to Oscar, "wind that chain through the gate and seal it tight. If we can stop more from getting in, we can clear the yard again."
"Got it." He clenched his fist around the chain, taking a deep breath.
"We're gonna die," Axel murmured. "We're all gonna die, I know it."
Alex went silent as they approached the edge of the horde. Several of the monsters looked at them, but quickly moved on.
She stifled a sigh of relief and wound through the crowd, careful not to move too quickly. She reached up as she came up to the mass of bodies pressed against the thin slit in the gate, piercing the skulls of the growling monsters. She glanced back at Oscar and Axel, who stood shivering, watching and waiting for her to clear the hole. She gave a slight nod and pulled back the last body, then ducked through, turning to hold the fencing open for the two men.
Once they were through, she began stabbing at anything else trying to follow, keeping them away from Oscar as he worked the chain through the sides of the hole, cinching it shut and clicking shut the padlock on the end.
Axel held off any walkers approaching from behind, and once the gate was secure, Alex darted forward, aiming her body for the cell block door.
"Wait for us," Oscar called, racing after her.
"Hurry up!" she called back, eyes scanning the field around them, then ducking under the reaching arm of a walker. She turned, thrusting the knife back, killing it.
Another came up from behind, grabbing Oscar's arm and dragging it toward its mouth. Oscar panicked trying in vain to pull away, and Alex drew her Beretta, firing. It dropped, and she shot the three walkers surrounding them.
"Thanks," Oscar panted, bringing his crowbar down on another's head.
Alex nodded. "There are too many out here, we need to get somewhere more secure. I'm running out of ammo."
"There," Axel said, nodding toward a gate swinging open, leading toward the cell block that belonged to the prisoners. "We left the door unlocked!"