The Walking Dead: What Rests Ahead

Chapter 19:

I didn't realize how much blood a human being contains and just how much can be spilled without being dead. Quickly, Sasha lifted Bob up with a grunt, straining under the weight of the man. She half-carried, half-dragged him into the church, trying to be as gentle as possible. I followed her into the church. I could hardly believe any of this, but the tears in Sasha's eyes were real and so was the blood from Bob's leg.

I backed away from the horrific scene in front of me, stepping towards where Carl was standing. The look on his face, the pure fright, turned into a glare of anger. I watched as his o-shaped mouth transformed into a sneer. I could practically hear his thoughts. He could kill whatever hurt Bob, he was PLANNING on it.

The next few moments were a blur. My mind was spinning from what had happened. Who would do this? Why? I didn't comprehend any of it.

Bob gazed up at Sasha, who had Bob laying in her lap, stroking the side of his face softly. "We have to get supplies. We need to clean the wound quickly before it becomes infected-"

"No," Bob interjected, his hand springing up to grab his lover. "Don't waste anything on me." He carefully pulled down his shirt so that his shoulder was slightly exposed.

"Oh, God," Sasha whispered in disbelief.

Bob was bit.

"It happened on the food run. I didn't want you to worry. I was outside and...the Termians aren't dead. They took me, chopped off my leg, and-" his voice quivered, "they ate it right in front of me."

The room was silent. I didn't know what to feel. Empathy? Terror? Sadness? What could I feel? My whole being was numb.

"They could still be out there. There must've been a reason that they left him here." Rick said boldly, trying to take charge of the situation. "We need to strike them before they strike us. Catch them by surprise. We need to attack."

"I'm in," Sasha whispered intensely.

Tyreese held her arm and gave her a sympathetic look. "No. You need to be here. With him." He nodded his head down towards Bob.

"No," she said boldly. They walked to the corner of the room to have a private conversation about it, I guessed. The others decided who was going and who was staying.

Five minutes passed and everything was planned. Most of the group would go to where the Termians were hiding while Michonne, Carl, Judith, Father Gabriel, Bob, Tyreese, and I would stay back and defend the church. I didn't trust the Father, not one bit actually, and I didn't like the idea of him alone with us- or with the baby. I guess that's why Michonne had stayed. We needed more strong people to protect Judith.

Just as we were settling down and Rick's smaller group had faded away in the distance, a noise sounded from outside the church. No, not a noise. A voice. A very familiar voice.

"We know you're in there."

Chills crept up and down my spine as Carl quickly grabbed the baby. I held a finger next to my lips to signal silence. I scanned the room, looking for a place to hide. Michonne motioned to the back room and I followed without a sound, the intensity of the situation hitting me.

Rick is gone. And Daryl and almost everyone else. The thought struck my brain along with oh my god, we have little to no weapons.

We're screwed.

The front door to the church was hit once, twice, three time before it caved in. The Termians we feared now had access to us. They were inside. We had to leave or hide better or defend ourselves or do something-

But there was no way to escape without being seen from the outside. And there was no other place to hide. And we had only one gun and Carl had it under his arm. Alerted by the door being broken in, he handed me Judith quietly. The trust in his gaze made me want to freeze the moment forever...until I remembered that we were all about to die. I focused on the door to the tiny back door we were in. It would be so easy to get in here, so incredibly easy. Realizing this exact thing, Michonne scrambled around the room. What was she...?

She extended her long arms, pulling hard at a section on the floorboards. I could see an acute amount of terror in her dark eyes as she pried them up, the old wood making a loud creak. I cringed, hoping Gareth didn't hear. My hopes fell as he called from across the church. "Ah. There you are."

We are going to die here. Fear was now overflowing, my brain unable to contain it. I immediately helped Michonne pry up the rest of the wood, wondering if there was a way to escape...

And there was. As the last of the wood was peeled up, a small hole could be visable. It was almost too tiny and there was no way any adult could fit through it. Michonne pushed me towards the hole, mouthing one word. Go.

I shook my head, wanting to protest. I couldn't leave her and the others. There was no way-

But she pushed me again and logic returned to my brain. She couldn't fit.

It had to be me.

I hurriedly and carefully got on my hands and knees, trying not to hurt the sleeping baby in my arms. I crawled, quite difficultly, through the opening. A small patch of moonlight hit the tip of my shoe as I emerged, feet first, back to the forest around us. I looked back to the hole where another figure was struggling to get out. I walked over and awkwardly helped him get out, trying not to hurt the baby. Carl stumbled to his feet, took one look at me with determination in his eyes, and took my free hand as we ran away from the church.

I just prayed I'd see the others again.