when i look at you | TWD

chapter nineteen: cellmates

HIS BROWN, DOE EYES ARE WIDE AS HE STARES AT AN UNCONSCIOUS HERSHEL ON THE STRETCHER AS THEY PULL HIM AWAY, his decapitated stump leaving a streak of blood on the ground as it dripped. Jax snaps back into reality in a quick second, moving in front of Ellie, whose eyes were wide in fear and shock as she stares at the blood on her hands and feet.

His hand grips onto her arm, squeezing gently. "El?" He shakes her shoulders, her still not saying a word, hands shaking immensely. His brown eyes catch something behind her, jaw dropping slightly. "Fuck." He breathes out, pushing Ellie behind him as he pulls out his gun— his dad's gun, from his pocket, pointing it sharply at the prisoners from earlier.

His gaze catches Daryl's from across the room, the man pointing his crossbow towards them, a threatening look on his face. "Back up! Back the fuck up!" Daryl says, one of the prisoners suddenly pulling out a gun. Jax's worried eyes move to his brother, who was behind the gate, eyes wide in fear as he looked to him.

"It'll be okay." Jax whispers to him, hands shaking immensely. He turns back to the prisoners, holding his gun tighter in his hands. "Drop it." He then says in the most threatening manner he can, which, even he would admit was pretty scary.

Ellie snaps back into reality once Jax's hand touches her arm from behind him. She gasps shakily and pulls out her gun once she saw Jax's out.

"Drop yours first!" The man yells in an anxious voice, his hands holding the weapon tightly.

Ellie breathes out heavily as she looks to everyone in the room, no one dropping their weapons. She suddenly gets bold and holds her gun out further, moving a little bit in front of Jax, cocking her gun. "Drop it or I'll shoot."

The other prisoners behind him move back near the wall, eyes wide in fear. The man raises his eyebrows in a shocked manner, a chuckle escaping his throat. "You're not gonna shoot me, sweetheart."

Jax takes a deep breath and cocks his gun. He squeezed the trigger without a second of hesitation, the bullet hitting the wall right behind his head. "But I will." He mumbles while the man flinches away, holding his gun towards Jax now.

"You motherfucker!" He yells, moving up towards the boy, Ellie and Daryl moving in front of him, almost like a shield as they hold their weapons in his face, making the prisoner back up a bit. His aim was still on Jax, though.

The cell door suddenly screeches from behind Jax, making him turn, meeting the wide shocked eyes of his father. "What the fuck is goin' on?" Rick yells out, moving next to Jax who had a weapon pointed towards him. The boy hands his father his gun, breathing shaky.

"Th-they followed us in here. One has a gun." He says quietly, looking into his fathers eyes. Rick nods and sighs shakily, placing his fingers on the bridge of his nose, pinching it in distress. "There is no need for this!" He says, moving towards the prisoners. Ellie and Daryl back up a bit, their weapons still high. As well as T-dog whose gun was pointed at the prisoners.

"Everyone just back the fuck up!" Rick yells, they obey, moving back towards the wall. Everyone but Daryl drops their weapons. He puts his gun back in its holster, holding out his hands.

"How many of you are in there?" The guy asks.

"Too many for you to handle." Rick responds back, narrowing his eyes threateningly.

The prisoners look them up and down, the one with the gun speaking first. "You guys rob a bank or somethin'? Why don't you just take him to a fucking hospital?"

They all exchange looks with each other. Have these guys been here this whole time? They all thought.

"How long you been locked in that cafeteria?" Rick asks.