Broken Bars

Capture The Flag

Rick was still a no-show the day after he had attacked me in the tombs. Hershel had been down to visit and discovered that Rick genuinely believed he was talking to people across the phone. After a discussion, we had decided that there was no point in attempting to convince Rick otherwise. His violent reaction towards me had taught us how far he would take it delusion.

Somehow, the group was able to sort out some sort of routine for today. Daryl, Carl, and Oscar were heading into the tomb to try and clear walkers away. We couldn't live like this, cooped up in one half of the building. Meanwhile, Maggie and Glenn had volunteered to go and find baby formula for the baby. We couldn't risk running low.

I held her in my arms, where she lay fast asleep. She was a small baby, much smaller than I remembered babies being.

"How is she?" Hershel questioned, leaning over my shoulder. He stroked her cheek with his finger.

"She's doing fine," I replied. "she eats and gets winded, and then she's right back to sleep. She's been keeping her eyes open more a bit longer, but not much."

"Good, she's developin' normally," he hobbled over to the bed beside her crib and sat down. "how are you coping?"

"What do you mean?"

"She ain't yours to take care of, that job should be fallin' to Rick. Can't imagine its been easy for you to adjust to raising a baby," Hershel reasoned. He placed his crutches by his side, twirling his snowy white beard around.

I placed the baby in her crib and sat in the fold-up chair opposite Hershel. It had been brought in after we realised I needed somewhere to feed the baby at night. Trying to manoeuvre myself into the bottom bunk with the baby in my arms was not a good idea.

I took a deep breath, watching the baby settle into her crib, which was still a crate. We needed to find a better place to put her. "How did you do it?"

Hershel looked confused. "Do what?"

"Raise your kids, Maggie and... and Beth?"

Even after seven months, Beth was a sore subject amongst the group, especially the Greene family and I. She had been killed on the farm. Bitten by the walkers, and then mercy-killed by me. It was still fresh in my mind. Watching Andrea lure the walkers away, giving her own life essentially, to save Beth. It had all been in vain.

Hershel's breath hitched.

"My daughters were... they were angels, even as babies. Maggie is one of the strongest, most amazing women I had ever encountered in my life. I've never been prouder to call her my daughter. And Beth... Beth couldn't hurt a fly. She was always the innocent one, my Beth. Always polite and caring," he looked around the prison cell, smiling. "she would've liked it here."

"I know," I replied. "I think Dale would have too."

Hershel reached out and patted my knee with his hand. "Dale was a good man, some would say a little too good."

"He saw the best in everyone."

"That he did. Except Shane, of course. I don't think there was anything good of him left in the end," Hershel's voice was low and dark. Whilst Shane would forever be in our memory, it was a stained image of him. Like a burnt photo. You know who was in the picture, but they were forever marred in your mind.

I knew Rick was right to kill him. But I had to wonder, would Lori have died if Shane was still alive? Would T-Dog and Carol? Shane would have killed Andrew the same day Tomas died.

It didn't help, dwelling on the what-ifs.

And suddenly, I was no longer able to.

"I need help here!" My heart jumped to my throat as I realised the man shouting was Daryl. Without thinking twice, I leapt outside the cell, racing downstairs to see what the commotion was about.