The dry run was not so dry nor so straight-forward as the convoy to the quarry had anticipated; as they stood beside it, figuring their best route, the surrounding walls began to crumble.

'We're doing this now!' Rick had shouted, and those with him had had no choice but to obey.

'Daryl, you're up,' Rick said, turning to his righthand man; Daryl had been sitting on his bike, leaning back. He nodded up at Rick once, kicked away the stand of his bike and pulled it out. It was his job to lead the walkers out of the quarry and down to Sasha at the bottom of the hill. The plan had been worked out, all they had to do was follow it.

He lowered his head and drove, glancing back when he hit the road to make sure they were following him - they were. He swallowed. All he had to do was ride.

Walkers in a herd were like sheep. Dumb sheep. The ones at the back had no idea what was happening at the front, but so long as the ones ahead kept walking, the ones at the back would follow. Still, they had their precautions in place to ensure any stragglers were taken care of.

However, all of their precautions suddenly proved futile as the sound of the horn reached them; Daryl looked around himself in panic, looking as the walkers looked around for the source of the noise too.

He radioed Rick, who confirmed the horn and admitted that half of the herd had broken off. Daryl fought with his inner conflict, wanting to turn around and go back, protect his home and family from the herd that was undoubtedly heading their way. He had even left Sasha and Abraham and begun to return home, but Rick had run in to his own trouble, forcing him to turn back.

'We are doing this for them,' Rick had said over the walkie talkie, 'we stop and go back now, we're doing it for ourselves.'

The gunfire that broke through the static after forced Daryl's hand; he would just have to pray they got the second half of the herd back on track before it hit Alexandria.

The Alexandrian's, unaware of the herd that was heading their way, set about clearing the bodies of the fallen - burying their own and piling up the intruders. After ensuring they were safe and okay, Beth went back to her own house with Maggie, where she dressed fully. She stepped gingerly around the blood still soaked into the carpet between both her and her sister's rooms, ignoring the repulsion that rose within her. She wandered over to the window, leaning her forehead against the cool glass and gazing down to the street below; the bodies had been moved, but there were still patches of blood splattered around their town. Beth's eyes were drawn to the dark patch in front of her own house in particular, memories of the burning man swimming to the forefront.

'Beth!' Maggie called from downstairs. 'Beth!'

Beth left the room, closing the door shut behind her and trying once again not to look at or step in the blood stain.

'What? What's happened?' Beth asked as she descended the stairs; Maggie was standing in the open doorway to the house, looking up at her as the daylight filtered in through the door.

'Michonne is back,' she said.

'Just Michonne?' Beth asked, hurrying over to her sister, jumping the last step.

'And a couple of Alexandrian's,' Maggie said, as she led her sister out of the house and down the steps.

'Rick? Daryl? Glen?' Beth asked as the two of them hurried right across the grass and on to the front yard of the house next door, the door to which was open.

Maggie shook her head as she hopped up the stairs and into the first house.

Michonne was stood by the island counter, along with Carol. She looked exhausted, her dark face shiny with sweat, her clothing gore splattered. Her tired eyes looked across at the two sisters as they walked over.

'What happened?' Maggie asked.

'The quarry fell in, we had to put the plan in to action right away.' Michonne said, her eyes serious.

'Did it work?' Beth asked, pulling at the hem of her t-shirt in worry. 'Did you lead them away?'

Michonne sighed deeply.

'It was going well until the horn,' she said.

'The horn,' Beth said, her heart picking up speed.

'Thanks to our wolves,' Carol said darkly, and Beth noticed the dried 'W' on her head, smudged but visible.

'Half split off and headed for it. We ran ahead.' Michonne said, and Beth knew what she was about to say before she said it. 'They're coming here.'

'The others still out there,' Carol said, 'they could still draw them away.'

Michonne nodded, but she looked tired.

'They could.' She said.

'You heard from them before you left?' Maggie asked. 'Glen, the others? They're okay?'

Michonne looked at Maggie for a moment before she nodded.

'Rick and the other's, they're okay.' She said. 'I was with Glen. The town was overrun. He split off with Nicholas - had this idea that if he lit a fire, it would stop the walkers from coming here. I tried to go instead. I wanted to.'

Maggie's face was pale but she was nodding, and Beth knew she was proud of her husband for putting himself out, for trying to help.

'The fire never got lit. We had to keep going.' Michonne said softly. 'I'm sorry.'

Maggie nodded.

'He said if he got stuck, he would find a way to send us a signal.' Michonne said, as Beth reached out to take her sister's hand, feeling her twist her fingers in with hers.

'A signal?' Maggie asked, but before Michonne could reply, the sound of shouting reached them.

The four of them looked at one another for a moment, then all of them headed out and down the street at a run.

'The gates! Open the gates!' Deanna called down from her position at one of the watch posts.

Michonne ran ahead and pulled them back, bringing Rick into view - he was sweating profusely, his hair plastered to his face, his shirt soaked dark as he ran ahead of a herd. Walkers that had been milling around the outskirts of the town were drawn to him, making their way over.

Michonne pulled her sword from her back and ran out to meet him, slaying any undead that got in her path.

'Come on!' Maggie screamed as Rick ran, his heavy breathing louder than the groans of the dead behind him.

With Michonne clearing the way for him, he reached the gates, and Maggie and Beth pulled them shut behind him, closing out the walkers.

Rick doubled over, bracing his hands against his thighs in an attempt to drag in some air to his burning lungs as others began to join them in the street.

Beth watched him, trying to keep her own breathing steady.

Eventually, Rick looked up and around at the people who had gathered - at the tired, frightened faces.

'You can hear it,' he said gruffly, gesturing out towards the gate which was now covered. 'Some of you saw it. They got back here, half of them. Still enough to surround us 20 deep.' He looked around at the pale faces, taking a deep breath. 'Look, I know you're scared,' he said a little lighter. 'You haven't seen anything like this. You haven't been through anything like this. But we're safe for now. The panel the truck hit seems intact.' He was nodding. 'That wall's gonna hold together, keep 'em out.'

There were murmurs from the now small crowd as people discussed what was happening, unable to really ignore the growls from the outside.

'They're gonna be back,' Rick said then. 'Daryl, Abraham, Sasha, they have vehicles. They're gonna lead 'em away, just like the others. And Glenn and Nicholas are gonna walk back through the front gate after.' He looked at Maggie, who nodded firmly. 'They know what they're doing, and we know what we need to do.' He looked around, his face serious and solemn. 'We keep noise to a minimum. Pull our blinds at night. Even better, keep the lights out. We'll try to make this place as quiet as a graveyard, see if they move on.'

'This place is a graveyard.' Someone within the crowd murmured.

'The quarry broke open and those walkers were heading this way.' Tobin, a man who had been a part of the convoy, spoke up - raising his voice over the sounds from the outside. 'All of them. The plan that Rick put into place stopped that from happening. He got half of them away.'

'I was out there recruiting with Daryl,' Aaron said then, and Beth's heart fluttered at the sound of his name. 'I wanted to try to get into a cannery and scavenge, and Daryl wanted to keep looking for people. We did what I wanted and we wound up in a trap set by those people. And I lost my pack.' He stopped to look around, his face pale and grave. 'They must've followed our tracks. Those people who attacked us they found their way back here because of me.'

Rick stepped forward then and placed a heavy hand on Aaron's shoulder.

'There will be time to talk about that,' he said. 'Right now, we need to reinforce those walls, and lay low.'

Beth climbed up the ladder, pulling herself up onto the watch point where her sister was; she had spent the day helping others, stocking up on food and ammo.

'You okay?' She asked softly.

Maggie was standing with her arms folded over her chest, her back to the town, looking out over the roads beyond as the sun was setting, making everything an inky orange.

'Yeah,' Maggie said.

'You looking out for him?' Beth asked, standing beside her sister and looking out as well - there were walkers here too, but not so many.

With a sigh, Maggie nodded.

Beth gently nudged her sister's side.

'He'll be back,' she said.

Maggie draped an arm around her with a smile.

'Yeah,' she said.

Although neither wanted to admit it out loud, neither sister felt truly safe without their other halves and with the threat of the walkers outside the walls, so Beth found herself snuggled up under the white blankets of her sister's bed that night.

As soon as the sun went down, the town became eerily silent; people felt safer inside their houses, and as Rick had suggested, in the dark.

Maggie crawled in to bed beside her sister, lying her dark head down on the light pillow, her face tired and worn.

'They'll be okay, won't they?' Beth asked, finding she was almost whispering as they lay in the dark. The night's sky allowed them some light through which she could make out her sister's features, but the majority of the room lay in darkness, and although Rick maintained that the threat was far off, she felt uneasy.

'Yeah,' Maggie whispered back.

'How come you didn't go out there with them?' Beth asked then.

Maggie shrugged against the bed.

'Glen didn't want me to,' she smiled, and Beth could smile at that too - sounded a lot like someone she knew.

'I can't wait for this to all be over,' Beth sighed in the dark. 'We need a break.'

Maggie sighed too.

'Yeah,' she said, rolling on to her back. 'Tomorrow is a new day, though.' She said. 'Get some sleep.'

Beth nodded, and in the large bed beside her sister, she closed her eyes, and somehow managed to drift off.

The next day brought more of the same - walkers at the walls, frightened humans within, and Maggie as sentinel on the watch post.

Beth found Rick teaching Ron how to shoot out by the lake, the younger boy's face set and serious as Carl watched.

'Beth,' Carl said as she wandered over, 'everything alright?'

'Yeah,' Beth nodded. 'What's going on?'

'Dad wanted people to be prepared.' Carl said.

Beth nodded.

'Hey,' Rick said, walking over to Beth whilst Ron aimed the gun at the targets Rick had set up. He put a hand on her shoulder. 'Daryl wanted to turn around and come back here,' he said. 'I told him not to.'

Beth only nodded again.

'Rick!' Maggie's voice called out to them, and both Rick, Carl and Beth turned to look as she hurried over, face flushed.

'Balloons! Green balloons!' She was shouting. 'It's Glen! That's Glen!'

Beth turned to look up at the bunch of balloons floating through the sky. Rick looked at Maggie, a small smile playing on his lips, and he nodded.

Maggie began to let out a breath, but a creaking drew all of their attention.

'Dad,' Carl said, his voice panicky.

The group of them turned in time to see the main water tower wobble, and as if in slow motion, fall. Beth gasped as it fell backwards, creaking and cracking as the fence it fell against began to fall too, plummeting to the ground in a plume of dust.

'Everybody get inside!' Rick shouted. 'Get to your houses!'

Dust billowed up from the wreckage and silhouettes began to appear within the smog, as the growls broke through.

Deanna came running to them then, shouting to whoever she could, repeating Rick's orders. Rick grabbed her, propelling her forward as the growls rose.

Beth ran, but the walkers were on them fast and they forced their way in-between herself and Maggie. She heard Maggie fire off some shots, but she was fast losing sight of her amongst the throng. She tried calling for her, but they were only pushed further apart and Beth was forced backward, unable to help her sister.

'Beth!' Rick cried, and she turned to see him pick Deanna up from the floor, from the saw blade that had been left on the floor and sliced through her leg.

Beth struggled to get away, torn between the two parties, struggling to get her knife from her belt. She plunged it into the skull of an oncoming walker, as she saw her sister scramble backwards, her own rifle aimed at the heads of those converging on her.

More shots fired past her as Jessie stepped out on her porch, steadying the shaking hand holding the gun with her free hand, as she shot away the walkers closest.

'Get inside!' Maggie cried, and Beth watched as she picked herself up and ran back towards the watch post and began to pull herself up the ladder.

Beth could not afford to wait and watch, she had to go; putting her head down, she ran towards Jessie who was shouting for her. Beth ran past her and into Rick, who pulled her in to safety.

Jessie slammed the door shut and turned to the rest of the room as Rick was lowering Deanna down onto the sofa.

Beth went to her; she was covered in blood, not just her leg but her sides. Michonne, who had run in ahead of them, began to tear away the fabric to inspect her leg.

Beth leant down and gently moved back Deanna's shirt to inspect the wounds there. Without speaking, Michonne handed her some cotton and Beth began to swab at the blood. As she wiped it away, Deana wincing in pain, teeth marks began to come into view. She paused, looking up at Deanna.

Deanna, her face sickly pale, looked down at her bleeding side, then up at Rick.

The room was quiet for a moment as Deanna took stock of the situation; her face falling, she moved her head to look up at the ceiling and sighed.

'Well,' she breathed out, 'Shit.'

Jessie's house held a dim, brooding silence for a while - those inside set about covering the windows and blocking out the light, and everyone tried their best to stay silent, but they could all make out the walkers on the outside, roaming freely, wandering their way up their streets. And no one could pretend not to hear them.

Michonne had helped Deana to one of the upstairs bedrooms, where she had finished cleaning her up as best she could.

'Fever's set in,' she said quietly, reemerging from the stairs. 'She knows how this goes?'

Jessie nodded.

'Yeah, she knows.'

'They're bound to cluster up eventually, move to one side,' Rick said, his voice low. 'When they do, I'll run to the armory and draw them away.'

'With guns?' Michonne asked.

'Flares.' Rick said. 'I'll open the gate. Fire them. See if I can get them somewhere - somewhere that's not here.'

Everyone around him nodded; it was as good a plan as any.

'Mom?'

Jessie whipped around.

'Mom!'

It was Sam, who had been left upstairs. Too afraid to come down, he was calling for his mother from the top of the stairs. Rick looked pointedly at Jessie, who hurried across the room and to the stairs.

'It's okay sweetie, I'm here,' she said, 'go back to your room.'

'Mom, I'm scared,' he said, his small voice shaking. Beth's heart went out to him, but the volume of his voice was worrying.

'Okay, I'll come up with you,' Jessie was saying, trying to keep her voice low, but Sam was beginning to whimper.

'I'm scared!' He cried.

'Jessie,' Rick warned, his voice low.

'Mom,' Ron said this time; he had been lurking by the window, and was peering out. Beth saw the walker that was looking at their house; her heart sunk.

'Get back!' Rick hissed, but the walker had seen him. Snarling, it crossed the grass and headed over for the house, and as is the nature of a herd, where one went, others usually followed.

'Every body get down,' Rick hissed, lowering himself, 'get away from the windows!'

'Upstairs?' Jessie whispered back, urgent.

Rick shook his head as Beth jumped down from the sofa, lowering herself to the ground.

'We don't want to trap ourselves,' Rick said.

Faces began to appear at the window then. Even hidden behind the curtain, Beth could make out the snarls of their decayed mouths.

Rick gestured for them to all move back towards the kitchen, and with their breaths in their throats, they moved down behind the island. Jessie remained where she was on the stairs, her eyes wide and frightened.

'The other's,' she hissed, 'what do we do about the others?'

Rick put his lip to his finger, silencing her.

Beth's legs began to burn as she remained crouched down, her heart lodged in her windpipe as fear gripped at her stomach. Hands smacked at the windows and the doors, more and more walkers being drawn by the movement and the noise, which was beginning to envelope the house.

'They're going to get in,' she mouthed across to Rick.

Rick just looked back at her, his eyes wide, his face pale.

'We need guts,' he murmured.

Beth frowned at him as he looked about himself, eyes flicking from window to window. Nearest to them was the dining alcove, where only a few walkers were, and most of them seemed to be moving around to the front. Rick seemed to be coming up with a plan.

'Beth, go upstairs with Jessie,' he said, 'get everyone and grab as many blankets as you can.'

Beth wanted to question him, but her inner Dixon kicked in and instead, she just obeyed. Crawling, she made her way over the tiles and onto the carpeted stairwell, where she hurried Jessie up before her. Jessie frantically signaled to her youngest son to stay silent.

'Judith is in there,' Jessie whispered to Beth as they reached the landing. 'Get her.'

Beth nodded, and headed for the baby.

The little girl was sat up in her crib, chewing on a teething ring, looking up at Beth with wide brown eyes. Beth picked her up and set her against her hip.

'You gotta be quiet now,' she whispered, but Judith just looked at her.

She met Sam in the hallway, who was carrying his bedsheets in his arms, his wide face deathly pale, his dark brown hair stuck to the sweat on his forehead.

Jessie returned a moment later with Michonne, also laden with sheets.

'Deanna?' Beth whispered. Michonne just shook her head.

No time to think, they went back down the stairs, where Rick handed them each a knife.

'Cut through these, turn them into ponchos,' he whispered.

No one questioned, just began to cut, making sure each one of them was covered. Once they were, Rick moved over to the back door; he opened it, and with incredible deftness, pulled in a walker whilst stabbing its head at the same time. He closed the door again. The small crowd around him watched as he plunged his knife deep in to the stomach of the creature and began to pull out its insides. Beth felt bile rise in her throat.

'Cover yourselves,' he said.

'Mom?' Sam whimpered.

'It's okay, sweetie,' Jessie whispered, placing both of her hands on his shoulders. 'It's time to be brave, okay. Can you do that?'

Sam looked up at her through his wide eyes, his lower lip shaking. He nodded.

Quickly, they each covered their-selves in the innards of the walker, smearing their hair and faces too.

'Stay together. Move slowly. We're getting out.' Rick said.

He pulled the back door open and carefully, they all piled out.

The walkers stumbled around them, snarling in their throats, their dead eyes lifeless, their bodies hanging limp. Beth had felt fear, but this was a new level - they were exposed. Out in the open. She tried to remain calm, keep her breathing steady, keep her eyes down and follow Rick, but the sheet was sticking to her, the stench of the guts churning her stomach.

Rick led them behind the lake to a place where the walkers were not so crowded.

'Flares from a few guns wont work,' he whispered, 'too many walkers. Too spread out. We need our vehicles. We go to the quarry, then we come back.'

'Walk all the way to the quarry?' Jessie whispered back.

Rick nodded.

'We have to.'

'With Judith?' Jessie grimaced.

Rick nodded, but he looked frightened.

Beth bit her lip.

'I'll take her,' she said. 'I'll take her to the infirmary, hole up until you get back. We'll be safe.'

Rick looked at her, uncertain.

'We'll be fine.' She insisted, suddenly feeling deep in her stomach that she was right. This was the right thing to do.

Slowly, Rick nodded.

Gently, he handed the baby over, and Beth tucked her under her poncho, letting it fall across her head. The weight of the baby felt right in her arms, but it also frightened her. The risk was huge.

'Let's go,' Carl murmured.

Rick nodded, and with a deep breath, Beth turned away from her family and began to pick her way through the street alone, through the enclosing walkers.

The infirmary was meters from Jessie's house, but walking with slow deliberation, surrounded by pure evil whilst carrying an innocent child, it felt like miles. Beth fought with every step not to close her eyes. She clamped her jaw shut until her muscles burned, and she focused on the weight of Judith.

We can make this she thought. We can make this.

Her heart, although it had a habit of pounding, had never beaten so quickly in all her life. Every nerve ending was on fire, every inch of her body on high alert. Her blue eyes flicked up to make sure she was on track, then back down to avoid the dead eyes of the walkers.

Her head pounded in fear.

The infirmary came into view, but instead of relief, Beth only felt more scared than ever. To fall inches from its door would be the end.

She moved on, bouncing Judith lightly beneath the gore stained sheet, praying the baby would not make a sound.

Beth reached the door and put out a shaking hand, turning the handle. It swung inwards and Beth slipped inside.

She closed the door behind her and turned to see a woman she knew by face, but not by name, huddled in a corner of the room. The woman looked up at her through her glasses, visibly shaken.

Beth went to her and crouched down with Judith.

'I'm sorry I – I used to work here sometimes before you and I – it just felt safe.'

Beth nodded. Denise. She had heard of her. She had been Pete's apprentice before her, but her own anxiety and fear of blood had forced her to give up the role, and as the woman sat pale faced and shaking, Beth could understand why.

Beth didn't risk saying anything back to her, just nodded and set Judith down between her legs.

She didn't want to allow herself to relax, but as far as safety went right now, this was as good as it got.

Beth did not know how long she sat with Judith for, but the light around her was fading fast as the daylight died. She prayed the others had made it out.

She was beginning to hope when she heard the gunshot. It sounded distant, but not too far off. Beth held her breath as the minutes ticked by.

Then the door burst open, and Rick burst in with Carl in his arms. Beth stood and carried Judith out as they lay Carl's limp body on the stretcher, and her heart stopped.

'What happened,' she gasped.

'Save him,' Rick said, his voice thin as he looked down at his boy. 'Save him.'

Beth looked down at him too – at what was left of his face. Where his right eye had been, there was nothing but a gaping, bleeding hole. Beth's heart fell in to her stomach as her stomach fell to the floor.

'Denise!' Jessie cried, her tone a mixture of fear and relief. 'Denise help him!'

'I – I'm a psychological doctor!' The woman cried, her hands flapping.

'Apply pressure!' Beth cried, flitting into panic mode. 'You can do this!'

With their limited medical knowledge, the two women set about saving Carl. Michonne explained that he had been shot, and on inspection, Beth realized the bullet had only clipped him and thankfully not struck.

'The bone fragments have damaged his eye,' Denise was saying. 'It needs to be removed.'

Beth's own hands were shaking, but she nodded. Denise, although terrified and under qualified, seemed to know what she was doing. For not the first time, and undoubtedly not the last, Beth longed for her father.

'Rick! Rick where are you going!'

Beth looked up in time to see the door swing shut behind him.

Michonne stared after him for a moment, then she pulled her sword free and followed. Jessie ran to the window; her blood soaked and tear stained face looking out past the curtains to where both Rick and Michonne were fighting.

'He's making a stand,' she stammered.

Denise nodded as she bent over Carl. Beth stepped back, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

'You're okay here,' she said, 'you've got this.'

Denise's pale and scared face looked up at Beth, but her hands were steady; she nodded. Beth nodded back, then moved towards Jessie. Together, they ran down the steps and out into the street, where she saw others had already joined, Rick's conviction enough to rouse them.

Fear gave way to adrenaline, and Beth began to fight; pride and warmth filled her as the others swarmed around her, her family and Alexandrian's alike fighting side by side, knocking the walkers back, taking them on and making ground.

She gasped for air but she did not stop, hitting walker after walker as their broken and dying faces lunged at her out of the darkness. Fear, anger, despair, each falling at the blade of her knife, and the blades of the knives around her, the head of an axe, the bullet of a gun.

'We can beat them!' Rick cried from somewhere near her. 'We can beat them!'

More and more people fell into the street to join them, and Beth caught glimpses of them, of Carol, of Noah, of Aaron and Eric, each face as set as the last. They could do this.

Then the sound of rapid gunfire flew through the air, followed by one large horn, and Beth could just make out the lights of a truck. Unable to stop to look, she continued to fight, kicking back those she couldn't get to, and grabbing the ones closest by the shirts or the necks before plunging in her knife, semi aware that the truck was moving.

Suddenly a fire burst into view, engulfing the entire town in an otherworldly orange light, springing up into sudden existence from the darkness. Beth bulked from the sudden heat, intense even though it was away from her. The walkers began to turn towards it, their dead faces swimming in an orange glow as they tore their dead yet starving eyes away from the human life. Like moths they turned, stupidly entranced by the sudden light. Beth kept her knife raised, but took a step back as the living around her seemed to do the same – the walkers began to turn, falling in line as they made a beeline to the fire.

Slowly, Beth lowered her knife, as the walkers all walked slowly but surely into the flames, the flames of which she realised now was once the lake. They screamed as they burnt, but they carried on in to the water, dropping to their deaths.

Across the flaming water Beth saw the truck for what it was - an oil truck. And she saw the silhouette that stood atop it, flame thrower lowered by their side.

'Daryl,' she breathed.