Self Inflicted

8

Michonne was doing a small ab workout on the floor while I ate some corn. Merle had walked away from her when I entered but she didn't say anything about it. I get about halfway through the bowl when Carl swings the door open frantically. "Dad!" Rick comes running, grabbing a gun. "Andrea's here!" We all grab our guns and run outside in a formation, lined up behind a truck.

Rick leading, Daryl, then Merle, then me and Michonne. "Go," is all Rick needs to say and Merle is off behind the car in front of us.

"Clear!" We all sprint forward toward the gates as Andrea walks up, walker on a pole outstretched in front of her.

"Are you alone?" Rick yells.

"Open the gates!" The woman yells back.

"Are you alone?" He yells again.

"Rick!" She cries back. He gives Merle the signal and opens the gate, Andrea lets go of the walker stick and runs inside.

"Hands up! Turn around! Turn around now!" Andrea drops her hatchet to the ground and is spun around by Rick, throwing her arms up against the fence as he begins to pat her down. I still stand with my pistol pointed out to the open field and woods, scanning.

A walker comes face to face with Andrea snapping it's jaws at her through the fence and she lets out a shriek. "Get down!" Rick throws her to her knees. He finished patting her down, ripping the bag from over her shoulder. "I asked if you were alone." Andrea breathes a distressed 'I am.'

She still has her hands above her head, after another quick scan of the area the leader grabs her by the arm and roughly pulls her to her feet. We all shuffle back inside and behind the safe walls.

She lays her eyes on Carol and quickly embraced her in a hug. I stand off beside Michonne and Daryl next to a table. Andrea releases the hug and looks around at all of us, Hershel earns a 'my god' from the surprised woman.

"I can't believe this. Where's Shane?" Rick shakes his head and breaks her eye contact. "And Lori?"

"She had a girl," Hershel speaks for Rick. "Lori didn't survive."

"Neither did T-dog," Maggie pipes in.

"I'm so sorry. Carl," she sighs, looking at the boy. But he doesn't budge, his hand rests against his gun and he looks through the woman with a stern expression in his blue eyes. The same as his father's.

"You all live here?"

"Here in the cell block," Glenn replies bluntly. She points to the cell block doors.

"Can I go in?" She questions and walks forward but Rick blocks her path.

"I won't allow that."

"I'm not the enemy, Rick."

"We had that field, the courtyard. Until your boyfriend tore up the field and shot us up," he gestures outside.

"He said you fired first," her eyebrows furrow and she shakes her head.

"Well he's lying."

"He killed an inmate who survived in here," Hershel speaks up.

"We liked him, he was one of us," Daryl grumbles, crossbow over his shoulder and he sits on the table.

"I didn't know anything about that," she touched her hand to her mouth and pulls it away. "As soon as I found out I came. I didn't even know you were in Woodbury until after the shootout."

"That was days ago," Glenn spits.

"I told you, I came as soon as I could." She looks between Maggie and Glenn, spinning around to me and Michonne. "What have you told them?"

"Nothing," Michonne smirks.

"The truth," I glare at her and she returns it.

"I don't get it, I left Atlanta with you people and now I'm the odd man out?"

"He almost killed Michonne and he would've killed us," Glenn starts.

"With his finger on the trigger," she throws a hand up at Merle. "Isn't he the one who kidnapped you? Who beat you?" She takes a deep breath and turns to all of us.

"Look, I cannot excuse or explain what Phillip has done, but I am here trying to bring us together. We have to work this out."

"There's nothing to work out," the leader steps forward with his hand on his gun. "We're going to kill him. I don't know how, or when, but we will." Andrea spews some more bullshit about there being room for us at Woodbury and Hershel asks the million dollar question. "Did he say that?"

"No."

"Then why did you come here?" Rick growls.

"Because he's gearing up for war. The people are terrified and they see you as killers, they're training to attack."

"Tell you what," Daryl pipes in again, "next time you see Phillip, you tell him imma take his other eye."

"We've taken too much shit for too long, he wants a war he's got one," Glenn huffs.

"You want to make this right, get us inside," Rick offers.

"No! There are innocent people!" She's just talking to his back though, because as soon as she said no he turned and walked away. Michonne and Andrea walk out together, I just gave her a glare and stayed put. Everyone but me and Daryl dispersed, I stared at the ground for awhile.

"Those people are weak," I begin and grab Daryl's gaze. "They're weak, but there are a lot more of them. They have people that just plant flowers, people that eat, sleep, and bullshit. They're living in fantasy land," I scoff.

"That's why we'll be the ones that make it, we have to," he grumbles.

"I don't think anything has to happen anymore, we just die," I shake my head.

"Nah, you're wrong. We have to make it," and with that the burly man was off the table and walking away. The only thing left for me to see are the wings on his back as he goes.