Red Stains

Chapter Four

Day 28

As we make our way back to the others, I can feel a glimmer of hope flutter in my heart. It felt strange. Of all people to find Rick, I did. I was his only connection to his old life, to his family. It made me so happy.

We climb down the last fire escape into the alleyway where the bay is. A walker comes sauntering towards us but doesn't see us. Glenn motions for us to kneel and before I can say anything Morales and T-Dawg come charging out, baseball bats in hand. They beat the walker down and motion for us to follow.

We all jog to the entrance and get inside quickly.

I start to speak but before I can get a word out, Andrea has thrown herself on Rick, screaming, a gun pointed to his head.

"You son of a bitch. We ought to kill you." She growls, one hand tight around his shirt the other holding the gun. "Woah, what the hell Andrea!" I scream.

"Just chill out, Andrea. Back off." Morales says, stepping forward. I put my hand over my own gun, ready to draw if she didn't calm down.

"Come on, ease up!" Jacqui says now. She was usually very quiet and it made me smile to hear her speak up.

"Ease up? You're kidding me, right? We're dead because of this stupid asshole." She basically begins to cry now. "We're dead... all of us... because of you." She pulls away, shoving the gun into her waistband, wiping a stray tear from her cheek. My hand loosens around my gun, sliding to my side limply.

"I don't understand..." Rick trails off, looking to me and Glenn for help. Morales speaks up again.

"Look, we came into the city to scavenge supplies. You know what the key to scavenging is? Surviving! You know the key to surviving? Sneaking in and out, tiptoeing. Not shooting up the streets like it's the O.K. Corral. When we helped you, apparently the walkers heard the shots and... well see for yourself." Everyone trails back into the main shopping area and my heart sinks into the pit of my stomach.

"Oh no..."

Walkers have begun to bang on the glass, pushing and scraping, clawing and snarling, at least a hundred at this point. At any point, the slightest offset in pressure could break the glass and we'd be screwed.

"You get it now?" Andrea seethes and Rick rubs the back of his neck, looking around.

"Bastard.." she then whispers and I turn on everyone.

"Listen guys. It doesn't matter anymore! You wanna know who this man is? His name is Rick Grimes. He is from King County, he was a police officer, and he's Lori's husband!" As I say it, I step in front of him.

Everyone but Glenn just gapes at Rick, their eyes quizzical. "You were supposed to be dead." T-Dawg says, chuckling a little.

Rick nods, laughing a little himself. "Yeah, you're probably right, on a few occasions. I mean how did I manage to get through a coma, the beginning of the apocalypse, and then find myself in a tank being helped by someone on a walkie talkie? Who knows. But, I'm here now, and I would like to get to my family."

Everyone is silent for a while. "Alright." A few of our group say in unison, nodding their heads.

I look to Rick and give him an apologetic look. "Sorry about that..." I say, and he nods. "It's alright. Gotta protect your people, I understand."

Suddenly gunshots can be heard directly above us. "What the hell?!" Glenn says, and we all start running to the roof.

"Dixon! What the hell man! Cut it out!" Morales shouts.