Chapter 2: My hero...


RPOV

~14 years ago~

"What type of present is it?" I asked her, my eyes shining as I watched her sweet face. Her cheeks slightly blushing as she slowly opened the box to look at what was inside. Her bright blues looking down at what was hidden in the box.

"It's for you..." she said as her long lashes fluttered before her gaze met mine. Her toothy smile cute and sweet. She shut the box momentarily as she looked at me shyly. "You're going to be starting a dangerous job today and...I thought...this would keep you safe," she said gently.

She turned the box to me, opening it and a small smile played on the corner of my lips as I looked down at what was in the box. It was...I necklace, a cute cut out circle, gold and engraved on the front was 'Love, KG' and this made me chuckle.

"What's this?" I asked her as she pouted her soft pink lips at me and caused me to laugh softly. She instructed me to take it out with a gentle 'Daddy' at the end. Pulling out the circle, I soon saw it was a necklace, a long gold chain keeping the tag in place. My fingers lightly grazed it both front and back, which made my brows knit together.

Turning it over I read the words 'My hero...My Daddy' smirking I looked up at the little girl who was now blushing up at me. Her soft curls making her look cuter, her big blue eyes pleased at my smile and her own smile forming on her lips.

"You like it?" she asked me, her voice raising a little in question and excitement. Chuckling, I looked down at the necklace and nod. The smirk now turned into a smile, one of pride and happiness.

"I love it," I tell her and pull her to my lap, forgetting my cereal and newspaper. Lori was making Kat's breakfast but we were sitting together, her arms wrapped around my shoulders and pulling my into a hug. My arms enveloping her as I rubbed her back, my eyes shut tightly as I breathed in her soft, floral scent.

"But...why did you put 'My hero'?" I asked her gently and she giggled, pulling away and looking at me surprised. This made me smile at her, everything she did and said...always made me love her more each and every day.

"Is it not that obvious? You're a police officer and...you're always going to be my hero, with or without being an officer...because...you're my Daddy and you'll always do what's right...and you'll protect me no matter what," she tells me and I chuckle.

"Ain't that right," I tell her, myself and Lori which made her smile. My heart warmed at her words and her giggle to my response. Laughing softly, I rubbed my nose against her, sighing in bliss and began to tickle her sides gently.

Her giggles and squirming made me chuckle at her, her soft curls shaking with every wriggle and each giggle was emphasised with each tickle I gave her. "Thanks for the present baby girl, I'll treasure it forever," I tell her and she begged me to stop and let her go.

Stopping, I held her in my arms tightly as she fought me to get out of my arms. Sighing grumpily and begging me to let her go. I laugh and shake my head, pouting my lips at her and she placed her finger to my lips. "No Daddy!" she giggle yelled, teasingly.

Laughing I squeezed her a little in my arms, Lori placed both her breakfast and Kat's at either side of the table. Beside me and at opposite sides, both Lori and Kat to be facing each other. Smiling at Kat's playful face made me chuckle and shake my head. Being stubborn I shook my head "You know what I want...no leaving until I get it," I tell her and she giggled.

Sighing she leaned over, kissing my already pouted lips and making me smile. I gently slip her to be on the ground, placing the necklace on the table beside my bowl of cereal. Kat walking towards a smiling Lori who was shaking her head.

"Go get ready for kindergarten, then come down to say goodbye to Daddy and have your breakfast," Lori said as she kissed the top of Kat's head and watched her run upstairs. I had picked up the necklace, glancing at the running girl and the mother of my child. Smiling as Lori came up behind me and placed her hands on top of mine.

She took the necklace off me and slipped her hands behind my neck, hooking the pieces together until the necklace dangled against my neck and pressed to my skin. Smiling I ran my fingertips along the engravings. With a kiss to the lips, Lori went upstairs to help our daughter as I sat there and tought of the wonderful women in my life...


KPOV (Present day...)

The birds were chirping, Carl was running around and finally came back to us. Cleaning things and preparing food for later. Amy was making her way towards us with her red bucket. "Mom!" Carl called out and this made me giggle.

"Right here," Mom told Carl as we sat together on the empty glass crates, Carl was playing with his small cars and was by a car. Not in our sight but his noises of cars was enough indication he was around us. "Any luck?" Mom asked Amy as she walked closer and handed the bucket to her.

"How do we tell if they're poison?" Amy asked us, she would normally go hunting for herbs but her favourite was mushrooms. I always knew the herbs and other things, as I had read it in a book we had last raided a store.

"Uh, there's only one sure way I know of," Mom told her, my mind drifting off to the others. Daryl hadn't been back from his hunt for at least a day. The others were still in Atlanta. It included Glenn, Andrea who is Amy's sister, Morales, Jacqui, T-Dog and Merle.

"Ask Shane when he gets back?" Amy asked her and Mom gave her a nod as she got up and began to clean the bucket. Walking off to the distance.

"Yeah, you've got it," she gave a nod and turned to look at both me and Carl, then looked up at Dale, who was stood atop the RV and on the look out for any geeks.

"Thank you," Amy said kindly as she sat beside me and did the same as me. Checking for things to do and making sure everything was prepared for tonight's dinner.

"Dale, I'm heading out," Mom said up to Dale. Looking at both me and Carl as she spoke the next part. "Sweethearts, I want you to stay where Dale can see you both, okay? Don't stray too far from each other. Stay close got it?" she gave us a nod, making me nod back and smile kindly at her.

"Yes, mom," we said in unison. Smiling at myself at how similar we were. Mom smiled at the two of us before turning her back on us. She stopped in her tracks when Dale called out to her.

"You too," he called out to her which made her stop. "Don't wander too far. Stay within shouting distance...and if you see anything, holler. I'll come running," he instructed kindly but sternly.

"Yes, mom," mom mimicked us and this made me giggle softly. Shaking my head as I watched her walk away. Sitting close to the fire, I decided to get up and walk to sit beside Carl on the dirt. Smiling I looked at him and patted his shoulder.

"How about you and me go into the RV and read a book together?" I asked him. He smiled back at me and gave me a nod, getting up and walking towards the RV as I told Dale we were going to look at books to read. Dale agreed but said we were to get out and read together in his sight.

Sighing we got in and decided on a book, I was surprised that Dale actually had a copy of John Steinbeck's 'Of Mice and Men,' which was one of my favourite books to read in college. Doing literature, we had to learn history too and this was a very creative and good novel.

Pulling it out, I sat with Carl on the floor, our backs pressed against the car as I let Carl read to me. Smiling, correcting him as he pronounced a word wrong and answering any questions he had. "Why are we reading a boring book about two guys?" he asked me and I shake my head.

Smiling I shake my head at him, sighing as I remembered the book and what life meanings it had. "This book...is a form of history. It's art at it's finest. What it teaches us is...that...no matter the skin colour, the loss of hope...that...the world...it may feel like shit sometimes but...as long as you have a reason to keep living...there is always hope," I tell him.

This makes Carl look at me with those blue eyes of his, reminding me so much of dad and mom mixed together, that I smiled at him. He smiled at me and gave me a nod. "It sounds good," he tells me and this made me smile back at him.

"It does...plus...it's my favourite book, ask mom," I giggled, shoving his shoulder as we both laughed gently. Carl opened the book again and continued to read, we were almost at the scene where we would meet Curley.

We were reading as mom walked over to us. Her hair a slight mess, her eyes slightly watery and her skin a little sticky with sweat. There was a certain smell coming off of her, which made my nose want to wriggle but I didn't. I knew she would know that I knew what she was doing.

"Reading Kat's favourite book?" she asked us as we nodded. Carl smiled up at me and this made me giggle. Getting up, I ruffled his hair and told him to put his book mark in the page we were on. That we would read tomorrow and that he should go do his homework now. Mom smiled, asked me to help her with the mushrooms and work with Shane on them. That she was going to assist Carl with homework. Nodding, I did as she said and parted ways to do so.


RPOV

The radio was beeping and hissing while walkers were banging and snarling above and below my head. "Hey, are you alive in there?" the voice asked as I ran towards the CB. Thudding my head accidentally against a pipe and grunting in pain.

Picking up the talkie I answered into it. "Hello? Hello?" I called back, hopeful that they hadn't left me yet, that they would somehow help me out of this mess.

"There you are, you had me wondering," the male voice answered. I was looking around, sweat dripping from my nose and skin as I felt the adrenaline rush through my veins.

"Where are you? Outside? Can you see me right now?" I asked him, there were so many questions I needed answering but...I didn't know how much time I had before something happened.

"Yeah, I can see you. You're surrounded by walkers. That's the bad news," he spoke, the buzzing noise was the thing that kept me going. The way the boy spoke made me wonder.

"There's good news?" I asked curious to know if there was anything good from this situation I was stuck in. Hopeful this guy would help me out of this mess.

"No," the male answered bluntly, this made my heart pump just as fast, the sweat dripping from the amount of stress I was under.

"Listen, whoever you are, I don't mind telling you I'm a little concerned in here," I tell him as my mind got mushed with questions, wanting a way out of this hell and a chance to find my family.

"Oh man. You should see it from over here. You'd be having a major freak-out," he said as his voice quivered from the fear and actual shock of what was going on around the tank.

"Got any advice for me?" I asked him. This isn't making anything easier for me...it isn't helping either.

"Yeah, I'd say make a run for it," he told me and I deliberated, wondering if this was a good idea or not.

"That's it? 'Make a run for it'?" I question his initiative. I don't know if this is a good idea...I could get killed with a single mess up and...I would need to trust this guy if I want to survive.

"My way's not as dumb as it sounds. You've got eyes on the outside here. There's one geek still up on the tank but the others have climbed down and joined the feeding frenzy where the horse went down. With me so far?" he suggested with his plan, making me consider it.

"So far," I replied shortly, just wanting a way out and a little help from this willing guy.

"Okay, the street on the other side of the tank is less crowded.
If you move now while they're distracted, you stand a chance. Got ammo?" he said but I remembered the bag I had dropped. It has a walkie-talkie...a good set of rounds and a lot of guns...I need that back...and my hat.

"In that duffel bag I dropped out there, and guns. Can I get to it?" I ask him but he quickly replies before I could even have a chance to think.

"Forget the bag, okay? It's not an option. What do you have on you?" he asked me quick as gunfire, my hesitation was momentarily as I took a second to register what he was asking.

"Hang on," I told him as I grabbed the gun that was on the army man. Taking it, I checked the amount of clips and rounds I had. Checking the guy's pockets, I found a grenade and placed it in my pocket. "Yeah. Yeah," I spoke to myself as I nod in agreement, pleased with the amount I have. "I've got a Beretta with one clip, 15 rounds," I tell him as the sweat ran down my skin and off to hit the ground.

"Make 'em count. Jump off the right side of the tank, keep going in that direction. There's an alley up the street, maybe 50 yards. Be there," he tells me as though he was about to stop talking to me, I needed to be reassured that everything was fine, that we all were still fully humane.

"Hey, what's your name?" I asked him without thinking, wanting to be thankful to the person who helped me in this desperate moment.

"Have you been listening? You're running out of time," he barked as I nod and gathered my thoughts, grabbing the gun and a shovel, I got ready, my breathing heavy as I reassure myself with a 'right' and opened the lid. Seeing a single walker, I slapped him hard with the shovel, climbed off the direction the guy said and ran towards the alley he spoke of.

As the single walker fell, I threw the shovel to the ground and ran as well as I could. Shooting walkers that got too close or that were in my way, the shovel long gone and my heart pounding within my chest. The blood running through my veins as I then saw a guy pop out from a gate.

"Whoa! Not dead!" the guy said, a ball cap on and his hands raised in surrender. "Come on! Come on! Back here! Come on! Come on!" the guy from the tank spoke out as I followed him and he climbed up a ladder that was heading for the roof.

"What are you doing?! Come on!" he shouted down at me as I shot some walkers that were following us. When my final bullet was out, I looked at the gun and began to panic. Looking up, I began to climb up and rushed to get to where the boy was.

"Come on, get up," he shouted as I fumbled up the ladder, a walker grabbed my foot but I shook him off and kept climbing. When we both got to the mid section we both panted and watched as others tried to climb. Clawing up at us desperately.

"Nice moves there, Clint Eastwood. You the new sheriff come riding in to clean up the town?" he teased me a little mad and exhausted. He was of Asian decent, young and kind of scrawny.

"It wasn't my intention," I tell him honestly. Both of us panting for breath as we watched the walkers below us.

"Yeah, whatever. Yeehaw. You're still a dumbass," he insulted but I knew arguing about anything would make me even more stupid.

"Rick. Thanks," I told him my name as I held my hand for him to shake. Thankful for him saving my life, that it was something he didn't have to do but he put his own life on the line to save mine.

"Glenn. You're welcome," he tells me and we shook hands, both of us preparing for the next set of ladders. Grabbing my gun, I shoved it into his backpack and watched the walkers growl, snarl and claw up at us.

"Oh no," he spoke as he saw a few attempt to climb the ladder. "The bright side: It'll be the fall that kills us," he tells me as we looked up at the ladder, making me want to gulp at how high up we would be. "I'm a glass-half-full kind of guy," he tells me and I didn't have to hold in any laughter as I watched him start to climb.

"Are you the one that barricaded the alley?" I asked him when we were finally on the roof tops and making our way to...wherever we were going. Glenn clearly knew the way and would assist me as we were reaching our destination.

"Somebody did I guess when the city got overrun. Whoever did it was thinking not many geeks would get through," Glenn said as we jumped over a wall and sneaked past more walkers that were beneath us.

"Back at the tank, why'd you stick your neck out for me?" I asked him as we reached a rooftop passage into a building, he slid his backpack off as I held the door opened for him.

"Call it foolish, naïve hope that if I'm ever that far up shit creek, somebody might do the same for me," he tells me honestly, this was when I knew this was a good guy and that I am grateful for his help. "Guess I'm an even bigger dumbass than you," he tells me jokingly but I didn't feel the need to laugh. Both of us climbing down a set of ladders before our feet touched the ground.

"I'm back. Got a guest plus four geeks in the alley," Glenn spoke into a walkie talkie as we ran down a set of stairs and stopped almost at the bottom, stunned as we saw two walkers make their way to us. Our bodies both tensing but then two men in black safety suits and baseball bats came out. Beating up the two walkers that were heading towards us.

We ran towards the room they had exited as the walkers growled from their brains being smashed to pieces. "Let's go!" Glenn called out to the two in suits.

"Morales, let's go!" another voice called as I left the door wide opened for them, waiting for them to follow us and my heart pounding in my ears from the rush of adrenaline. The voice was male and judging by the name so was the other suited man. When they rushed in, we closed the doors behind us.

Suddenly, I was pulled by my shirt and thrown against a pile of boxes. A woman with blonde hair, blue eyes and a gun pointed to my head. "You son of a bitch. We ought to kill you," she growled at me as her hand was firm against my chest. My hands raising to show an act of surrender.

"Just chill out, Andrea," one of the suited men said as he began to unsuit himself and stepped closer to the woman who had her gun to my face. "Back off," he said again.

"Come on, ease up," a woman with dark skin said, her eyes flickering from me to the woman so-called 'Andrea'. Keeping my calm as I kept my eyes on Andrea.

"Ease up? You're kidding me, right? We're dead because of this stupid asshole," she growled as she tensed up and kept her aim on my head, her head shaking with incredulous in her eyes.

"Andrea, I said back the hell off," the man growled as he stepped closer again, taking off whatever was left of his suit. "Well, pull the trigger," she encouraged when she finally didn't listen to him.

"We're dead. All of us..because of you," the woman said as she began to cry, shaking her head and letting me go. Slowly, I breathed back to normal and watched as she looked at me with sad eyes.

"I don't understand," I admit to them, still new to this whole new life and how this world had changed drastically. One of the men had grabbed me, the same one who told Andrea to back off. Pushing me down halls and into a room as he walked beside me.

"Look, we came into the city to scavenge supplies. You know what the key to scavenging is? Surviving! You know the key to surviving? Sneaking in and out, tiptoeing. Not shooting up the streets like it's the O. K. Corral," the one that was pushing me said, he gave me a final push into a room which looked like a corner shop.

"Every geek for miles around heard you popping off rounds," another man said, he was black and was one of the men to save us in that alley in the black suits.

"You just rang the dinner bell," Andrea said as my body tensed, seeing glass doors and windows surrounding the entrance, walkers pressed up to it and pushing against it. One or two thumping against the glass with rocks in their hands to break the glass.

"Get the picture now?" one of the men asked me. My body frozen from shock as I kept my eyes glued to the nightmare in front of me. Growling, snarling, banging and thumping against the windows and doors...all because of me.

"Oh God," Andrea spoke as we all rushed to hide in the back, watching the walkers eagerly try to get in with us. "What the hell were you doing out there anyway?" Andrea questioned me as she looked at me.

"Trying to flag the helicopter," I answer them honestly, watching as they watched me curiously. One of the males gave me a look of pure anger and as though I had three heads.

"Helicopter? Man, that's crap. Ain't no damn helicopter," the black one said as he shook his head and the others all either watched us, the doors or glanced down at the ground they stood on.

"You were chasing a hallucination, imagining things. It happens," the black woman said as she shook her head and raised her hand kindly, as though to excuse me of my sanity.

"I saw it," I declared, sure of myself and not doubting it. I'm fed...stable, hydrated. I lost my family...not my mind! Well...I partly didn't...waking up to this would drive anyone crazy.

"Hey, T-Dog, try that CB," the other man said to the black guy. So he must be Morales. "Can you contact the others?" Morales asked T-Dog as he pulled out a CB and tried to make it work.

"Others? The refugee center?" I asked them, unsure of what exactly they were trying to contact and who.

"Yeah, the refugee center. They've got biscuits waiting at the oven for us," the black woman said with sarcasm evident in her voice. Looking at me like I was probably dropped on the head as a child.

"Got no signal," T-Dog announced to us which made me shake with slight worry, tensing at the thought we were stuck here in this close to closing in building. "Maybe the roof," he suggested and that was when we heard a gun firing.

"Oh no. Is that Dixon?" Andrea complained as she looked up at the roof. Where the noises were coming from.

"What is that maniac doing?" the black woman questioned as they all ran towards another room.

"Come on, let's go," Morales instructed as me and Glenn ran up behind them, following them up the stairs up onto the roof and seeing a man with a gun, short hair, white...possibly middle age or more or less my age shooting walkers with a rife.

"Hey, Dixon, are you crazy?!" Morales asked him as though this man was even more of an idiot than I was. 'Dixon' began to laugh uncontrollably, his voice was raspy as he chuckled and we just stood there, watching him as continued to fire.

"Oh jeez," someone mumbled as he turned to look at us, his rifle loose in his hands as he pointed it around as if it was a tool.

"Hey! Y'all be more polite to a man with a gun! Huh? Ah! Only common sense," he said as though with this gun, he had all the power he needed to take the lead on everyone. To take control.

"Man, you wasting bullets we ain't even got!" T-Dog informed him as he kept on laughing. "And you're bringing even more of them down on our ass! Man, just chill," T-Dog said a little angered as Morales came up beside him, the three men all close to each other as we watched their interaction.

"Bad enough I've got this taco-bender on my ass all day. Now I'm gonna take orders from you? I don't think so, bro. That'll be the day," Dixon told us as we all stood there and they looked irritated but I was honestly a little confused. You could tell he was a redneck but...is he bringing race into this?

"'That'll be the day'? You got something you want to tell me?" T-Dog questioned pissed off at how rude this guy was being especially as he refered to Morales as 'taco' especially because he seemed to come from a Latin background.

"Hey T-Dog man...just leave it," Morales tried to encourage T-Dog to do, hoping he would leave this racist asshole to his own thoughts and opinions.

"No," T-Dog said as he raised his hand and got closer to Dixon. T-Dog standing his ground against Dixon.

"All right? It ain't worth it," Morales tried to ease them, to calm and clear T-Dog's mind, to not cause a possible fight and make things worse. "Now Merle, just relax, okay? We've got enough trouble," Morales tried to explain to the man others refered to as Dixon.

"You want to know the day?" Merle asked as he licked the inside of his cheek, swaying lightly from side to side on his feet, trying to intimidate T-Dog and not backing down either.

"Yeah," T-Dog answered, looking to Glenn he shook his head and hands. Telling me not to worry, the tension coming off the two told me they were really close to having a fight.

"I'll tell you the day, Mr. 'Yo,'...it's the day I take orders from a nigger," Merle said rudely as we saw him say it proudly, knowing it would tick T-Dog's buttons and he got the reaction he wanted.

"Mother-" T-Dog said as he went to punch Merle, all riled up and only got him hit in the face with the but of the gun, falling flat onto his back and I went to separate the two.

"Hey, come on, Merle. That's enough," one said as I tried to grab Merle but only got punched in the nose, falling to the floor as others stood there and screamed.

"Come on. Dixon! Whoa, cut it out, man! Stop it! Dixon, get off him! Dixon, you're gonna hurt him. Merle, cut it out! No no no, please. Please," they all screamed, shouted and begged as the two fought, Merle beating up T-Dog as the others shouted orders.

Getting up, I checked my nose to see I was fine, there was no bleeding...just the shock. Getting back onto my feet, I grabbed my cuffs and watched as Merle pointed a handgun in T-Dog's face, watching as everyone stayed silent or begged for him not to do it. To not kill T-Dog.

Merle took a minute to observe the group before formulating saliva and spitting it on T-Dog's chest. Rubbing it in as he tapped T-Dog's chest and got to his feet, gun in hand. "Yeah! All right! We're gonna have ourselves a little powwow, huh? Talk about who's in charge...I vote me. Anybody else? Huh? Democracy time, y'all. Show of hands, huh? All in favor? Huh? Come on. Let's see 'em," he ordered as he pointed the gun at them, his stance lazy and clearly he was on something.

"Oh, come on. All in favor?" he asked as they pulled T-Dog away from Merle, some of them raising their hand and the black woman lifting her middle finger up at him. "Yeah. That's good. Now that means I'm the boss, right? Yeah. Anybody else? Hmm? Anybody?" he asked all cocky, as though he still wanted to continue fighting.

"Yeah," I growled as I grabbed the rifle and bashed it into his face as he turned to look at me. He fell onto his back like T-Dog did and I quickly dragged him to the pipes and cuffed him to them.

"Who the hell are you, man?!" he asked me as I lifted him to sit up, staring him down to show him who was actually intimidating.

"Officer friendly," I growled at him. "Look here, Merle. Things are different now. There are no niggers anymore. No dumb-as-shit, inbred white-trash fools either. Only dark meat and white meat. There's us and the dead. We survive this by pulling together, not apart," I tell him as I fixed his gun to my own purposes.

"Screw you, man," he growled at me lazily, making me hiss at his attitude and nod.

"I can see you make a habit of missing the point," I insult him as he eyed me with a look of anger and vengeance plotting in his brain.

"Yeah? Well, screw you twice," he spat out again, making me lean up a little above him, pressing the gun against his temple as I bared my teeth at him. Unhappy with the way he was acting.

"Ought to be polite to a man with a gun," I said as I cocked his gun and said the same words he did. "Only common sense," I imitated him angered by his attitude towards me and his group of other survivors.

"You wouldn't. You're a cop," he pointed out just by looking at my uniform, which made me want to laugh but only allowed me to shake my head and move the gun away from his temple, lowering myself to look him directly in the eyes.

"All I am anymore is a man looking for his wife and kids. Anybody that gets in the way of that is gonna lose. I'll give you a moment to think about that," I tell him as I searched his pockets. Incase of any weapons but I wasn't surprised to find a snorting stick. Looking at his face, my eyes scanned his nose, seeing some of the white powder on his nose. "Got some on your nose there," I said as I flicked it off of him.

"What are you gonna do? Arrest me?" he laughs out and I stood up to clutch the stick. Throwing it over the wall and into the air. Letting it fly to wherever it wanted to land. "Hey! What are you doing? Man, that was my stuff! Hey!" he grunted out as he struggled against the cuffs

"If I get loose, you'd better pray...yeah, you hear me, you pig?! You hear me?!" he screamed after me as I walked towards the other end of a wall, to get away from him as I rubbed at my knuckles, wrist and hand. My heart pounding as my hands shook from the adrenaline and wanting some fresh air as I looked over the balcony. Seeing walkers cover the somewhat abandoned and empty, filthy streets.

"Yeah, your voice carries," I muttered to him and myself, hearing footsteps come up behind me and turning to see the footsteps stop beside me.

"Do you hear me, you filthy pig?!" Merle continued to insult me but I only ignored him, knowing full well he wouldn't be a problem for me any longer. Especially now that he was in cuffs.

"You're not Atlanta P.D. Where you from?" Morales asked me as he stood beside me and watched me curiously.

"Up the road a ways," I told him, keeping it vague as I didn't quite trust him but...I knew he wouldn't try anything right now and I did step up to Merle so it must have gave me credit.

"Well, officer friendly from up the road a ways...welcome to the big city," he tells me as we looked beyond the distance, watching the walker filled streets and tall, abandoned buildings that was once a form of civilisation.

Thunder was rumbling walkers were moaning and stumbling around beneath us. "My God, it's like Times Square down there. How's that signal?" Andrea commented as she looked to T-Dog who sat down on the ground opposite Merle.

"Like Dixon's brain...weak," T-Dog answered her as he tried to get signal. Merle just raised his hand to show him his middle finger, not amused by the insult as we searched for a form of escape.

"Keep trying," Morales encouraged him as we all looked around for a away out. Non of us coming up with any ideas or not using a voice to speak up and suggest one.

"Why? There's nothing they can do. Not a damn thing," Andrea said a little negatively. Where the hell is all this negativity coming from? Is there not a positive bone in this girl's body?

"Got some people outside the city is all. There's no refugee center. That's a pipe dream," Morales informed me as we looked down at the streets, walkers wandering around aimlessly as we watched them walk by.

"Then she's right. We're on our own. It's up to us to find a way out," I say taking initiative, trying to come up with any way that allowed us a chance of escape.

"Good luck with that. These streets ain't safe in this part of town from what I hear," Merle spoke out to me. Calming down from his high before his eyes trailed over to Andrea who was looking in a bag. "Ain't that right, sugar tits? Hey, honeybunch, what say you get me out of these cuffs, we go off somewhere and bump some uglies? Gonna die anyway," he suggested to Andrea slightly negative himself.

"I'd rather," Andrea answered which gave me a small smirk. The girl has a mouth on her, that's for sure...I'll give her that.

"Rub muncher. I figured as much," Merle insulted Andrea, possibly angered by her turning him down and humiliating him in front of us all.

"The streets ain't safe...now there's an understatement," Morales murmured as he looked to me and then back down.

"What about under the streets? The sewers?" I suggest, remembering there were passage ways from under. Tunnels.

"Oh man. Hey, Glenn, check the alley. You see any manhole covers?" Morales asked but all we saw were gurgling, growling and wandering walkers covering the streets as we all looked for a sewer entrance.

"No, must be all out on the street where the geeks are," Glenn spoke as he searched all sides of the streets, seeing nothing but walkers and no manholes closer to us that wouldn't be a threat to us.

"Maybe not. Old building like this built in the '20s...big structures often had drainage tunnels into the sewers in case of flooding down in the sub-basements," the woman who I learned was Jacqui said as she tried to remember something. Making me look at her curiously.

"How do you know that?" Glenn asked her as we all looked at her surprised at this knowledge. Hopeful that this was out ticket out of here.

"It's my job was. I worked in the city zoning office," she informed us as we all nod and decide to go down and check.

"This is it? Are you sure?" Morales asked as we reached a hole in the ground, ladders leading us down to the sewers as there were no echoes or sounds walkers would usually make coming from below.

"I really scoped this place out the other times I was here. It's the only thing in the building that goes down. But I've never gone down it. Who'd want to, right? Oh. Great," Glenn said but as he spoke we looked down and then back up at him, he was fast, knew his way around and could possibly make it alone.

"We'll be right behind you," Andrea encouraged him as she tried to reassure him of his safety.

"No, you won't. Not you," Glenn disagreed as he shook his head and examined each of us.

"Why not me? Think I can't?" Andrea asked, a little insulted of the insinuation.

"I wasn't-" he tried to save himself but I stopped them both before Andrea could but in.

"Speak your mind," I tell Glenn, instructing him not to be afraid to tell us anything. Especially his idea.

"Look, until now I always came here by myself In and out, grab a few things No problem. The first time I bring a group Everything goes to hell. No offense. If you want me to go down this gnarly hole, fine But only if we do it my way," he tried to reason, trying to do what was best for him and all of us.

"It's tight down there," he stated as he glanced down. "If I run into something and have to get out quick, I don't want you all jammed up behind me getting me killed. I'll take one person," he said as I went to step up to take that place.

"Not you either. You've got Merle's gun and I've seen you shoot. I'd feel better if you were out in that store watching those doors, covering our ass," he said as he looked at me, giving me a half compliment, but it was a compliment enough.

"And you've got the only other gun, so you should go with him," he said as he looked at Andrea, trying to explain why he wouldn't take her with him. "You be my wingman. Jacqui stays here. Something happens, yell down to us. Get us back up here in a hurry," he instructed as he looked at Morales and Jacqui.

"Okay," Jacqui agreed, nodding her head once as we all looked at each other.

"Okay, everybody knows their jobs," I said as we all nod and agree to what we had to do, to make sure we could all get out of here alive and together. We all went our separate ways, Jacqui stayed by the ladders while both me and Andrea stayed downstairs, by the shop and herd of walkers. Glenn and Morales went down the ladder and into the sewers.

"Sorry for the gun in your face," Andrea apologised softly after a few minutes silence, searching for anything of use and value.

"People do things when they're afraid," I excused her by trying to emphasise with her, knowing that this life wasn't easy.

"Not that it was entirely unjustified. You did get us into this," she says as I nod and agree that I did. I didn't know...I did just wake up from a coma...

"If I get us out, would that make up for it?" I ask her as we kept looking, her eyes drifting towards me and then back down at some things that we could scavenge.

"No, but it'd be a start," she said with a small smirk forming on her lips. I knew she was being slightly playful with her manerisms.

"Next time though, take the safety off. It won't shoot otherwise," I instruct after listening to the riled up walkers that knocked on the windows and doors.

"Oh," Andrea said softly as she pulled out her gun and looked down at it slightly unsure how to do such thing.

"Is that your gun?" I ask her, unsure she had ever properly used a gun before. Maybe she didn't need to...not until now possibly.

"It was a gift. Why?" she asked to my insinuation.

"Little red dot means it's ready to fire. You may have occasion to use it," I say as I show her how to do it, handing it her back, our eyes locking in a serious stare. She knows I'm right...god...I already had to shoot a few myself.

"Good to know," she replied, unsure what to do as she slipped it back into her back pocket.

"See something you like?" I question her as I see her standing by a jewelry section, her eyes glued on one object as I get closer to her.

"Not me, but I know someone who would...my sister. She's still such a kid in some ways. Unicorns, dragons She's into all that stuff. But mermaids...they rule. She loves mermaids," she tells me as her eyes flickered towards me and then back to a necklace that was around a mannequin's neck, of a mermaid.

"Why not take it?" I ask her, hoping she would and give it to her sister. I know exactly what it's like to give a girl you care about, something you know they would be happy to receive...

"There's a cop staring at me," she said as she looked at me from the corner of my eye, giving me a look of slight teasing. Making me chuckle as I watched her. "Would it be considered looting?" she asked me quite stupidly.

"Don't think those rules apply anymore. Do you?" I question her as I looked at her seriously. It doesn't matter anymore, just like my job, education and what little civilization there was left. All I am now is a father, surviving and looking for my family.

Andrea took the necklace off, placed it into her back pocket and gave me a kind smile. Glass shattered as we watched walkers smash through the first pair of doors, getting closer to the main doors and us.

Pulling out my gun, I rushed towards the door, aiming up at the doors as I watched out for any walkers. Seeing Glenn, Morales and Jacqui run towards us, staring at the door in shock and horror. "What did you find down there?" I ask them as they got beside me.

"Not a way out," Morales replied quickly, without hesitation.

"We need to find a way...and soon," Andrea stated as we all stood there, on edge as to what would happen to us and the doors if our eyes left it for even a momentary glimpse.

Thunder was rumbling above our heads as we ran towards the stairs to meet with T-Dog and Merle on the roof. "That construction site, those trucks...they always keep keys on hand," I said as I passed the binoculars to Morales, checking out a construction site that could be our ticket out of here.

"You'll never make it past the walkers," Morales said a little negatively, making me frown a little before looking to Glenn who looked stressed at the thought of going out there.

"You got me out of that tank," I stated as I looked to him, he seemed nervous and unsure as he looked around and then back to me.

"Yeah, but they were feeding. They were distracted," he explained as we tried to make a new plan for us to leave safely and together in one piece.

"Can we distract them again?" I ask him, only to be answered by a sarcastic Merle Dixon.

"Right. Listen to him. He's onto something. A diversion, like on 'Hogan's Heroes,'" Merle joked as he sat there cuffed to a pipe.

"God. Give it a rest," Jacqui ordered, clearly getting tired of Dixon's shit.

"They're drawn by sound, right?" I ask them, trying to reassure them all and get a straight and solid escape plan.

"Right, like dogs. They hear a sound, they come," Glenn agreed as he thought this over.

"What else?" I ask them as I looked around at the others in the group, to see what else I didn't know and could note down.

"Aside from they hear you? They see you, smell you and if they catch you, they eat you," Morales told me as he made it seem like it was not hard to know or understand.

"They can tell us by smell?" I asked them a little dumbfounded, unbelieving that this was actually true.

"Can't you?" Glenn asked like as if I was a stupid person.

"They smell dead, we don't. It's pretty distinct," Andrea said as she thought about it, probably saying the truth seeing as dead things always has the tendency to decompose.

"If bad ideas were an olympic event...this would take the gold," Glenn said as we agreed to pull in a dead walker and use it's dead scent to mask our living one. I had found all of us gloves and other barrier clothings that wouldn't allow the infected liquids or skin to touch our own. So that non of us would get infected.

"He's right," Morales said as we all began slipping our barrier clothes over our clean and normal ones. "Just stop, okay? Take some time to think this through," Morales said, trying to convince me to not go forward with this plan but my mind was already set.

"How much time?" I ask them as I looked towards the store's glass doors and windows. They already got through one set of doors, that glass won't hold forever," I state as I tried to make him see that we needed to act now or become lunch later.

We had pulled in a walker we killed early, breaking glass I pulled out the fire axe and watched as everyone's eyes followed my every move. Getting ready to cut the walker open, I couldn't and stopped to go on one knee beside him. Searching his pockets as I found an ID card.

"Wayne Dunlap. Georgia license. Born in 1979. He had $28 in his pocket when he died...and a picture of a pretty girl. 'With love, from Rachel.' He used to be like us...worrying about bills or the rent or the Super Bowl. If I ever find my family, I'm gonna tell them about Wayne," I said as I tried to make sure we were thankful for this man's death in helping us live.

"One more thing...he was an organ donor," Glenn added as we all realised that this was literally what was about to happen to Wayne Dunlap's corpse. He was going to be our organ donor. Grunts echoed the room as I began to cut him open.

"Oh! Madre de Dios!" voices called out as I continued chopping. "Oh! God! Gack! Oh God," they continued, the sloshing sound of organs and blood splattering everywhere. "Oh. Dios! Oh God," they kept on as they would groan and pull faces of disgust. Glenn pacing around beside me.

"Keep chopping," I ordered Morales as I passed him the axe and went beside Glenn to try and calm him down.

"I am so gonna hurl," Glenn spoke as he had his hands on his head, pacing around the room as he tried not to think about the smell or about what was going on right now.

"Later. Everybody got gloves? Don't get any on your skin or in your eyes," I explained as they all agreed and began to dig their fingers into the corpse of Dwayne. Getting anything they could as they we smothered both me and Glenn with walker guts. Moaning, groaning and complaining continued. Glenn was the loudest.

"Think about something else. Puppies and kittens," I tried to suggest to him, so he didn't have to think about this negative experience.

"Dead puppies and kittens," T-Dog said which didn't make things any better for us. Especially not Glenn.

Glenn turned around and threw up on the ground at the thought. "That is just evil. What is wrong with you?" Andrea said to T-Dog as we all knew that wasn't a good move to do when it came to this task.

"Next time let the cracker beat his ass," Jacqui said to me as she smothered me in the guts and blood.

"I'm sorry, yo," T-Dog apologised but it clearly didn't help poor Glenn feel any better about this.

"You suck," Glenn groaned out as we continued to put guts and blood over us.

"Do we smell like them?" I asked them, trying to make sure we smelled dead enough to go outside and be with them.

"Oh yeah," Andrea said with a small wriggle of her nose, her face pulling a look of pure disgust. "Glenn. Just in case," Andrea said as she took her gun out and slipped it into his waistband.

"If we make it back, be ready," I tell them, to stay cautious and ready for our arrival.

"What about Merle Dixon?" T-Dog asked me, unsure as to what would happen to me as I had the key to the cuffs that kept Merle on that roof. Digging into my pocket, I threw it at him and he caught it.

"Give me the axe. We need we need more guts," I ask for as I go in to chop open Dwayne some more, the sloshing sound echoing in my ears.

"Oh God!" some people said as I continued to chop poor Dwayne up and smothered my body in his guts and blood. The door creaked as both me and Glenn walked side by side, my axe in hand and Glenn holding onto a machete.

Walkers were growling as we carefully dragged our feet and wobbled as we stepped. Trying to imitate walkers as best as we could. A hand and foot dangled around my neck as it was tied to a piece of intestine.

Glenn having the other hand and foot around his neck as we made it past two walkers, who eyed us a little weirdly, causing me to tense and grip onto the axe a little tighter. We didn't see them look at us as we got past them, relaxing as we got down to go under the bus and crawled under. Getting up onto our feet slowly as we watched walkers stumble around and crawl beside us.

Slowly walking, our feet dragging or limping as we made our way towards our destination, growling, snarling and wandering walkers walked past us. Thunder clashing as the sweat on my skin got damper from the heat of the moment and sunlight.


KPOV

Dale and Jim were fixing the RV as Amy was wandering around camp, pacing as she worried for her sister Andrea. The others were still in Atlanta. Me and mom were folding up clothes together, while watching Carl and Shane bond over tying knots.

"Attaboy," Shane said as mom watched them happily, a smile appearing on her face.

"Yeah," Carl spoke proudly as he showed Shane what he was doing to the rope.

"And three, two, one pull it," Shane instructed encouragingly.

"Ah! Aw," Carl said sadly after messing it up a little, the two of them laughing as they tried it again. Shane kept giving Carl instructions as I nudged mom, pulling her away from her daze as I gave her a small smile.

"Something wrong sweetie?" mom asked me with her soft and gentle voice. Smiling down at the ground sadly I shook my head, continuing to fold up clothes as she watched me. Her eyes examining me from the corner of my eye.

"Tonight's the night...isn't it?" I asked her and she just nods, removing clothes from the line and folding them up and placing them in a bucket. We grew silent and sad, remembering him quietly and that was when I felt an arm go around me waist, behind my back and gently rubbing my spine slowly. Mom was trying to comfort me...but we both know she misses him too.

"Hello, base camp! Can anybody out there hear me? Base camp, this is T-Dog. Anybody hear me?" The radio squawked, making us pull our attention away from the clothes and walk towards the RV.

"Hello? Hello? Reception's bad on this end. Repeat. Repeat," Dale spoke into the CB. Hoping someone could hear us now since Shane tried to fix it and said it should be able to work if we were lucky.

"Shane, is that you?" T-Dog asked into the CB, making me roll my eyes. Shane wouldn't give a damn about the others if it weren't for mom and Carl...he doesn't care much about me. Never did...never will and well...I'm fine with that.

"Is that them?" mom asked as we looked up at Dale. Static invading our ears as Carl stood beside me and mom, placing my hand on his shoulder as I held him close to my side, giving his shoulder a slight squeeze to comfort him.

"We're in some deep shit. We're trapped in the department store," T-Dog informed us, making us all look down at the ground or up at the CB shocked or afraid. Amy frozen on the spot as she listened in.

"He say they're trapped?" Shane asked rubbing at his face and head, his voice questioning but a little disappointed. Everyone gathered, their voices silent as we tried to catch anything else from the CB.

"There are geeks all over the place. Hundreds of 'em. We're surrounded," T-Dog said, the CB crackling and making funny noises. Frowning, I leaned down and pressed a gently kiss on Carl's forehead.

"T-Dog, repeat that last. Repeat," Dale called into the CB hopeful. Only static came out and just as quickly we got a signal, the radio stopped.

"He said the department store," Mom said as she walked towards Shane, who was watching mom intently and curious. His face serious as he knew what she was about to say.

"I heard it too," Dale agreed quickly, seeing as he was the one closest to the CB and was the one talking to T-Dog.

"Shane?" Mom began as she walked towards him, leaving me and Carl behind her. She raised her hands up as though she was about to plead and beg him to go save the others. That something was needed to be done.

"No way. We do not go after them. We do not risk the rest of the group. Y'all know that," Shane snarled at her, forcing her to stay here and staying with both me and Carl. Knowing I should be thankful, I knew it wasn't right to talk to my mom like that.

"So we're just gonna leave her there?" Amy questioned Shane as she stepped up to him, threatening a little as she spoke of her sister. It wasn't right to leave Andrea behind, or any of the others who had risked their lives in search of supplies.

"Look, Amy, I know that this is not easy," Shane began, trying to comfort Amy with words but only making things worse for the poor girl.

"She volunteered to go to help the rest of us," Amy pointed out, explaining that this wasn't right when Andrea stood up to help Glenn and the others.

"I know, and she knew the risks, right? See, if she's trapped, she's gone. So we just have to deal with that...there's nothing we can do," Shane said as he shook his head, making me shake my own in disbelief. This isn't right...at all.

"She's my sister, you son of a bitch," Amy cursed, rightly so and pushed past him angrily. Storming off, before running and crying at the thought of her sister. This made me sad, pulling Carl closer to my side as I felt his little arm wrap around my waist.

Thunder rumbled as mom looked at Shane shocked, then back at Amy, running after the girl who was heartbroken about the effort we had towards the group and her sister. "Amy!" mom called after the girl.

"Come on. It's all right, buddy," Shane said as he rubbed the top of Carl's head and gently the side of my arm. Moving my arm away from him slowly, I bent down and looked at Carl with a small smile.

"How about...we go into the woods and you can name the plants, tell me if their poisonous or not...yeah?" I ask him and he smiles, nodding as his blue eyes stared right into mine. Tapping his shoulders, I bumped his chin with my finger and made him look at me. "Make sure you stay close, alright?" I ask him and he giggled, nodding and making me kiss his cheek...


RPOV

Walkers were growling, the streets were still filled, the sky looked like it was going to rain and we still weren't in the van. "It's gonna work. I can't believe it," Glenn whispers surprised at how far we already were and how close we were going. The van only a few minutes away from us.

"Don't draw attention," I whispered back, gritting my teeth as to not make as much noise, my anger starting to boil from the tension in my body. Walkers slowly passing us as we tried not to make them notice us as what we were...alive. Glenn began to growl as a walker was getting too close to us.

It began to rain, it started as a drizzle and soon turned into a storm. Rain falling, thunder clashing and walkers gurgling closer to us. Following us slightly as the rain started to wipe away our masking smell. Looking down at my feet to see the blood dripping onto them. Walkers looking around, sniffing like dogs confused and hungry.

"The smell's washing off. Isn't it? Is it washing off?" Glenn asked me, panic evident in his voice as we were almost there. I tried to keep him calm, so that we could reach it and get out of here quickly.

"No, it's not. Well, maybe," I say as we suddenly heard a walker roar and they began to run towards us. Turning my back, I slammed the axe into it's head and yanked it out. The walker falling to the floor as I looked to Glenn. "Run!" I screamed as we began to run, killing walkers as they roared, snarled and ran towards us.

We climbed and jumped over the railing, slipping the coats off, I grabbed my gun and began to shoot climbing walkers down. Covering our backs as Glenn ran towards the case that held the van keys. He opened it, dug his fingers in and grabbed the key and screamed my name. He threw it towards me, catching it, I turned my back to the walkers and ran to the van, opening the door and starting it.

When the engine finally started, Glenn jumped into the car and shut the door. A walker jumped towards his window, "Go go go go!" he screamed at me, making me let the tires screech. Speeding back, as we tried to get a way of escape. Walkers had already pushed down the fences and were making their way towards us.

"Oh my God. Oh my God. They're all over that place," Glenn said, panic in his voice as he looked at me for answers or a way out. For some sort of comfort or advice.

"You need to draw them away," I tell him, a plan clear as day in my head was being planned. Knowing that this plan would work if we were careful and open minded. That all we needed was that diversion.

"Those roll-up doors at the front of the store, that area? That's what I need cleared. Raise your friends. Tell them to get down there and be ready," I instruct him, telling him this and nothing else. This was my plan, just like he wanted his way...this was now mine.

"And I'm drawing the geeks away how? I- I missed that part," Glenn asked me, unsure as to the plan and what was to happen. I explained to him in detail what would be happening and he agreed, saying it seemed smart enough and that we would need to be careful.

As we got towards a corner, I saw a good enough car and we got out, being as quiet as we could, I smashed down the window and opened the door. The alarm blaring in our ears, alerting every walker around of our whereabouts. Using a screwdriver I started the engine, as Glenn got in and started revving it.

Allowing me to get into the van, I got ready for us to go, he let the tires screech as he drove down roads, the engine purring and red car sliding along the streets. Walkers rushing after it and allowing me to follow from a distance, trying to stay as silent as possible.

Glenn had stopped by the shop they were all at, by the back as he waited for the walkers to crowd around the car, when they got close enough, he slowly drove back, and closer as he spun the car around and waited for them to get even closer. When they were close enough, he sped away and lead them far from us.

Driving up, I slowly turned and backed up into the roll up doors, putting it on park and climbing out of my seat. I could hear voices and growling, unsure if this was a good idea but did it anyway. I slid up my own roll up door and banged on the door, waiting for them to roll up theirs.

Helping them place the bags in the back of the van, I did a few and climbed back to the front, watching them as they rapidly got things in and then one by one they climbed into the back. Engine revving as we saw walkers get closer to Morales and T-Dog, shutting the door, everyone sat down as I drove as quickly as I could out of Atlanta.

"I dropped the damn key," T-Dog said as we all sat there in silence, the soft sounds of panting and smell of sweat and nerves surrounded us. T-Dog looked away from anyone, upset that we had left a man up on the roof and I hadn't noticed until now.

"Where's Glenn?" Andrea asked, which just made me stay silent, making me want to hold in my laugh, instead I smirked and shook my head. Reassuring them all that he was more than fine, that he was going to get there before we would...


I hope you guys liked this chapter. Please may I have 5 more reviews? To get me encouraged to write the next chapter. I have the plan ready but...I want you guys to help me out. What do you think? Do you want more? What would you want to see happen? Leave your comments and responses in a review or PM if you prefer! Thanks.

Much love,

HeroJustInTime90 x