Penance (Book One): Daryl Dixon x Sage Wilson

chapter two

It's been a week.

     We took the RV, Jim was bit, couldn't hide it for longer. We dropped him on the side of the road, per his wishes. Rick seemed to not cope with the loss of life well.

     Bodies seemed to drop like flies.

After a short debate, we all decided to go into Atlanta and decide where to go from there. The camp was being raided from walkers in Atlanta, more likely because their food source was getting scarce. Andrea was still silent, but she seemed to be getting back to her normal self. Rick and Daryl were still butting heads on what to do next, and Glenn and I stayed out of it along with the others. Carol seemed happier, Sophia did too. I know it's wrong to say you're glad someone is dead, but it did those poor girls a favor.

But here we were now; being surrounded by walkers from left to right, north to south, and east to west. They were caving us in, making sure they had gotten their fair share. Atlanta was swarmed, and our plan backfired. The gunfire we resorted to didn't help either.

"What the hell do we do?!" Glenn yells as he shoots. Glenn, Rick, Daryl, Shane, and I were on the front line aiming at the heads of walkers hoping we could get wiggle room to escape.

I look around, seeing if there was a building that wasn't breached or exposed yet. But then it registers that what behind us wasn't a wall, but a government building. I squint as I see a small camera move right tin front of me; someone was watching us. "Hold the front line! I'm gonna try to get us in!" I yell to the boys as they look at me as if I'm insane.

"Hurry the hell up!" Daryl yells.

     "Yo I cannot die like this!" T-Dog cries as he kicks the building.

I run to the doors, waving my hands in front of the camera. "Hey! You! I know you can see us, please let us in!" The camera points down at me, but nothing happens. "Please, we have children!" I reach over to Carl, bringing him by my side. I bend down and whisper in Carl's ear. "Carl, beg."

"Please! I'm too young to die!" Carl cries out.

"Do you really want the blood of innocent people on your hands?! What if this was you or your family, huh?!" I look behind us as the walkers come in closer.

"Shit, I'm running low! Hurry, Sage!" Shane yells.

"I'm fuckin' trying, asshat!" I grunt as I return Carl to Lori and pull out my gun starting to shoot. "They're not fucking budging."

My gun starts to click as I no longer had rounds. And it wasn't just me; I look over to everyone else as they check their cartridges. Was this it? Because some asshole won't let a few civilians in? Damn greedy government assholes.

"Come in." A man's voice sounds over the speaker from outside, and a loud alarm sounds and the metal door opens.

"Guys, come on!" I waver everyone inside, letting myself go in last with the boys. As soon as we get inside, the door starts to shut with just an inch between us and the walkers.

"Holy shit," I pant as I put my hands on my knees. I toss my gun on the ground as I sit against the tile floor.

"Fucking asshole almost let us die!" Daryl exclaims while throwing his hands up.

"Well at least he let us in," Lori says hopefully whole holding Carl.

"Great job, bud. I think it helped." I smile at Carl as he nods to me with a smile back.

"What is this place?" Carol asks as she looks around. Our voices echo throughout the building which looked as if it was built out of fiber glass, metal, and creepy blue lighting. This was definitely a government controlled building.

"This is one of the CDC headquarters building in Atlanta." A middle aged man with ginger hair emerges from a dark hallway, with a white lab coat. His hands were in his pockets and it looked as if he lived lavishly. He smiles at all of us, and looks to me.

"How'd you notice?" He raises his eyebrows at me, and I stand up picking my gun up from the ground.

"Camera moving. I'm not a dumbass, it's called being observant." I cross my arms. "You almost didn't let us in; you could have killed us!" I step forward, but a pair of hands bring me back from launching myself. I look behind me and see Daryl had caught my wrist, shaking his head at me.

"Getting upset isn't going to help us," the man says in a calm manner. "I'm Dr. Jenner. And you?" He looks around at all of us, but no one answers. "How about we talk over dinner and wine; loosen everyone up, huh?" His eyes lit up as he walks towards the hallway he came from. Everyone seemed to perk up as soon as the words wine and food emerged from the stranger's mouth.

I look back to Daryl who let go of me, and turn to the group. "We really trust this dude?" I whisper. Daryl shrugs, and looks back to everyone else.

"I say we should give it a shot," Jackie says.

'I agree," Glenn steps forward.

"I say we give the guy the benefit of the doubt," Shane says bluntly.

"If he tries anything I still have a couple of rounds, but I say we give it a shot; he did save us when he didn't have to. Who knows who else came knocking at his door." Rick says as he holds onto Lori and Carl.

"I say we give him the benefit of the doubt," Lori shrugs.

     "I don't know about y'all but I need food." T-Dog gives a pleading look.

     "Food and a bed? Why would be turn that down?" Dale asks.

"Pleaaaseee?" Carl and Sophia beg. I suck on my teeth as I try to put my frustrations behind; these kids needed something in their stomach, and a warm place to sleep even if it's for one night.

"Fine." I say short. I could tell Daryl was onto my suspicion as well, but the scenario didn't add up totally for me. I could read people all too well with years of analyzing behaviors.

We all walk towards the hallway which the man walked down, everyone chattering in delight- except Daryl and I who stood at the back.