10

I heard them before they were close. At first I thought it was a dream but when someone grabbed me by the arm waking me up instantly, I knew it. It wasn't a dream. It was our living nightmare.

I stood up on my feet almost stumbling with the person who woke me up, and when I adjusted my blurry sleepy vision I found myself hearing the inhumane sound of the undead. Roaring and moaning like ugly ghosts in horror movies.

Not again.

Everyone was leaving the house, running to the garage and getting in the cars. I saw the Hyundai rode off, then the truck, and I barely recognize the ones who were leaving. I was still dizzy, I think my mind wasn't totally awake or maybe I was trying to fool my own brain.

The rush of the moment made me realize quickly that my Jeep was anywhere but here. I couldn't even ask a thing about my car because I was being dragged towards Daryl's motorcycle. He got on his bike and didn't let me process the situation when he suddenly grabbed at my leather jacket and pushed me towards him shaking me like a rag doll.

- Wake the hell up! We need to leave!

I got on the bike, wrapping hesitant my hands around his waist and the bike rode without warning. My heart jumped inside my chest when I glanced backwards. The house was being surrounded by walkers.

We were on the run, again.

The weather changed completely in a matter of weeks, the air remained a little cool and the nights a little cold, but I started seeing again the green trees and grass growing again. I think we had been seven weeks on the road, hiding and seeking for places to stay. This wasn't life. Lori needed to rest, and I could see she was feeling unwell, not sick though but being eight months pregnant was making her tired with every escape we made. The kids didn't seem to be taking this good either; I mean none of us was taking this easy. We were running out of food, out of ammo. The situation wasn't getting better.

Since the night we had to ran out the pretty house, Effy had been the one driving the Jeep, apparently they thought it will be better for me not to be driving just because I could get off the bike faster and fight or shoot whatever be the circumstance, than if I instead were driving a car. So, as Daryl didn't seemed to mind I turned out to be his partner in crime.

Okay, not in crime. But in defending the group wherever we had to.

We were in the woods for a millionth time and Rick and Carl had found a cabin. They were checking the place before we get there and I remained beside the bike with my gun loaded, Daryl had gone with them so I had to stay. He came trotting got on the bike and drove again when T-Dog gave us the sign, I motioned to Glenn, Hershel and Effy and they drove, following us.

The cabin wasn't safe either, we barely stood there when a dozen of walkers were coming close to the house and we had to leave for an unfortunate another time. Standing on the side of the road I pulled out the last two candy bars I had found in a pharmacy days ago, and gave them to the kids. I haven't been able to eat properly in many days but I rather give everything I found to them both. They were just twelve, they were growing and needed it more than me.

- Hey, while the others wash their panties, I'm gonna hunt. That owl didn't exactly hit the spot — Daryl said to me while grabbing tightly his crossbow.

- You're going alone? — I regretted it after saying that, I didn't have to show my worry for him. I bit my tongue.

- Nah, I'll tell Rick — He said before leaving with the sheriff.

In the past months, I noticed how we all became less talkative, conversations were more than unusual, and most of them were about how to take a place, how to clear a house from walkers and how to get away with our lives. I was mentally exhausted, and I was worried. Worried about the kids, about everyone and worried about Lori and her soon to be born baby. But I understood, fear wasn't something that I had time for. I needed to do my part.

- Didn't you listen? — Carol's voice woke me from my thoughts.

- Sorry, what?

- Rick found a place, we're going now — I didn't have time to verbalize any response.

A prison. A federal prison of the state of Georgia. A big building with walls, fences and plenty of space. Rick assured us that we could handle taking down the walkers wandering in the yards. The plan was pretty clear and precise and he explained it to us very quickly. We'll get inside the security fences, Beth Glenn, Maggie, Effy and I will distract the walkers nearby while Rick enter the yard and runs to the other tower and from two of the watchtower T- Dog, Hershel, Carol, Carl and Daryl will shoot to the undead in the yard. Sophia and Lori will remain close the fence gate.

Pretty easy. They cut one small spot in the inner fence so we could get in the inner side-aisle.

- These assholes don't stand a chance — Rick said looking at Carl, the boy smiled at his father.

- So, should we begin? — I asked while taking out one of my knives.

- Yeah, Mary, you're getting inside the yard with me — Rick informed, I glanced at him and nodded without questioning his changes of plans.

- Let's go, then.

I waited for them to start shouting and making a distraction for the walkers whilst killing them. Still with my knife in my hand I grabbed my gun and walked behind Rick. The walkers were already limping and Roaring to the shout and noise. I paced cautious, my boots crushing the grass, Lori was there holding a revolver with Sophia close to her, the girl holding another gun. Rick nodded at his wife and she opened the gate.

I walked almost trotted following Rick and shooting at every walker that got too close. The gunshots started and I began seeing walker by walker falling on the ground with every shot. I felt the zooming of a bullet passing near me and almost getting to Rick. I glanced back for a brief second, seeing a Carol apologizing without quitting the shooting. We moved fast and got to the watchtower door before I could even catch my breath again.

- I thought you didn't want me to do anything too risky — I said to Rick while we were cleaning the yard from the tower.

- You're the one crazy enough who'd accept without thinking — He said back to me.

- I'll take that as a compliment.

By night we had made camp and a fire in the yard. I was feeling every part of my body sore and numb. I needed to sleep. I didn't even care if I had to sleep in the ground surrounded by corpses. Hershel asked Beth to sing a song and when the two Greene girls were singing I reluctantly took my shotgun and headed to the tower were I'll be doing the second guard turn. Carol was making her way back and she gave me a small smile and winked at me. I chuckled a little wondering what was up with her.

- Hey hunter — I climbed myself up and watched at Daryl with his crossbow doing patrol. — Your time's up, you can go back and rest.

- Ya should be the one resting — He turned and glanced at me.

- I'm fine; I'll sleep when I finish my watch.

- Don't think that'll happen — He shrugged and shook his head.

- Come on, Dixon, stop joking I got to do watch — I stepped and he stopped me by putting himself in my way.

- We're going back — He muttered with his raspy voice. This was weird, Daryl and I had become each other backs in the runs but he never acted this way with me. He even looked worried. Definitely not, that was just my imagination.

- Are you babysitting me?

- Yep — He said, and with that he grabbed me by my elbow and almost dragged me down back to the yard.

- You got to be kidding!

- Nope.

I sat reluctantly on the ground. From across the small fire, I saw Maggie tilting one eyebrow at me. I just ignored her.

- Look, I know we're all exhausted — Rick started to speak. — This was a great win. But we got to push just a little bit more. Looks like this place fell pretty early. Could mean the supplies may be intact. They have an infirmary, a commissary...

- An armory? — Daryl said, still standing behind me.

- That would be outside the prison itself, but not too far away. Warden's offices would have info on the location — Rick looked at the building and then back to us — Weapons, food, medicine, this place could be a gold mine!

- We're dangerously low on ammo — Hershel mentioned. — We'll run out before we make a dent.

- That's why we have to go in there, hand to hand. After all we've been through, we can handle it, and I know it.

We did it. We handled it. It was monumentally messy at first, but we made our way inside the building. Rick found the keys of the cell blocks and exterior doors. Most of the walkers were dressed as guards or prisoners, some of them wearing special equipment I think for when the disease caught them. Is unbelievable to realize how not even a trained force couldn't had resist a walker attack.

Before noon we were moving our stuff inside one of the cell blocks. Everyone took a cell, except for Daryl who made clear to us that he wouldn't be sleeping in a cage. I didn't even mind, honestly I just wanted to put my head in one of those mattress and get unconscious until the next day. So since Carol would take a cell with Lori, and Effy took another with Sophia, I got a cell for myself.

God, I needed to sleep.

- Mary? — I opened my eyes, startled. I don't know if I slept in fact or if I just closed my tired eyes for a brief second. Effy was in the cell door.

- What's up? — She looked tired, dark bags below her shiny blue eyes.

- Rick and the others are exploring the prison, but we heard a couple of gunshots.

She didn't have to end her talking; I took my shotgun, checked my knives and headed out of the cell block. I crossed with like ten or twelve walkers in the way but I managed to get rid of them before they were close to me. Walking through the hallways and getting deeper in the dark pool of the prison blocks that seemed to be empty, I heard from a corner the inhumane sound of some walkers. There were a few of walkers, pushing towards a double door, I could find out that someone was keeping the doors shut from inside.

My gut twisted at the smell, months of being fighting with those things and they still made me sick and wanted to throw up my stomach. So I swallowed the nauseous feeling in my throat and I paced quietly. I pulled the trigger and the first shot flied. One by one they fell on the floor like dying mosquitoes; I swiped back the sweaty hairs glued in my neck and face. I stumble a little but I managed to take them out the way and opened the doors. Seemed like I found the prison cafeteria. And something else.

It was a chaos.

Hershel had his low leg bleeding, an unmistakable type of wound marked on his pale skin. Maggie was crying, while T-Dog and Glenn held the old man who was frantically moving in a desperate manner. I saw Daryl looking at me from the corner of my eye. But I couldn't take my sight away from the scene in front of me.

- Hold him down! Only one way to keep him alive! – Rick yelled looking at them; he hasn't realized yet that I was there.

The sheriff swung the axe and cut. The bile burned again in the back of my throat. I had to turn my gaze and that was when I saw them.

Five men and they were looking at us.

- Oh shit – One of them mumbled.

New Chapter :D

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Next one this thursday!