Chapter 43) Tower

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Rick leads the way towards the outer fence of the prison.

T-Dog hands him a pair of pliers and Rick snips away pieces of the chain.

Maggie and Y/N surround Lori, weapons raised as Daryl and Glenn take down incoming walkers.

"Watch the backside!" Rick shouts.

The cut is finally wide enough. Lori goes first followed by Carl, Hershel and Beth.

T-Dog, Rick, Carol, and Maggie are next.

Lastly, Y/N, Glenn, and Daryl. The three of them close up the hole in the fence with wire and tie it tight.

The prison is set up in an odd way. There's the far outer fence that they just got inside of. It wraps around the entire outside of the courtyard.

There's a maybe 5 foot wide path and then another fence that is holding the walkers in the courtyard. There are a few gates in between.

Past the courtyard is another fence gate that leads to the actual prison. That gate is open.

The group investigates. Walkers try getting at them from both sides of the fence but are unsuccessful.

"It's perfect. If we can shut that gate, prevent more from filling the yard, we can pick off these walkers. We'll take the field by tonight." Rick says.

Hershel adjusts his gun. "So how do we shut the
gate?"

Glenn steps forward. "I'll do it. You guys cover me."

Maggie shakes her head. "No."

Y/N wipes a bead of sweat from her forehead. "I'll do it."

Glenn looks at her. "We aren't doing this again. The last time you took my place, you almost got eaten by a walker in a well."

Y/N goes to say something but Rick turns and speaks to the group. "Glenn, Maggie and Beth. Y'all draw as many as you can over in that direction. Kill them through the fence." He says pointing down the alley they're in.

"Daryl go to that tower over there. Carol too.
You've become a pretty good shot. Take your time, we don't have a lot of ammo to waste." He continues.

"Hershel, T-Dog, and Carl, you take this tower." He says pointing at the large brick structure next to them.

Finally he looks at Y/N. "Y/N's with me. We'll run for the gate."

Everyone gets into position. Lori grips the sliding gate.

Maggie, Beth, and Glenn start shouting at the walkers, drawing them away.

Y/N grips her sword, glancing at Rick next to her. "You ready for this, officer?" She teases with a smirk.

He huffs a laugh. "Damn right." He looks over at Lori and nods. She pulls open the gate and the two run inside, taking down nearby walkers.

Daryl, Carol, Carl, T-Dog and Hershel start shooting the walkers closest to Rick and Y/N. A bullet almost hits Rick who stops in his tracks.

"Sorry!" Carol calls out.

They are close to the opening now. Y/N gets in first and ushers Rick to hurry. He runs in and she slams the gate shut, wrapping a chain around it to hold it closed.

They quickly enter another tower to avoid the walkers they just trapped inside the inner fence. They climb to the top.

"Light it up!" Daryl shouts.

For the next minute or two, the group shoots every walker inside the courtyard. Rick finally shoots the last one.

He turns to Y/N who has a smile on her face. "We did it." She says.

He leans down, kissing her. "We did." He replies.
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Everyone meets back up in the yard, happiness and relief filling the space.

Carol prances around, glad to finally have somewhere safe. T-Dog cheers with his hands in the air causing Y/N to laugh.

Carl pulls Y/N into a hug. She ruffles his hair.

Glenn walks up to her. "I could've done it."

She sighs. "I know you could've. But like I said at the farm: I saved your ass back in Atlanta-"

He cuts her off. "And you sure as hell aren't gonna let me die now."

She smiles at the words. She told him that right before she let Shane lower her into the well.

It's true. She cares about him.

She hugs him briefly. "Exactly."

He rolls his eyes with a smile. "You are so stubborn."
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Later that night, the group sits around a fire Daryl made.

Daryl and Carol are standing watch and Rick is patrolling the perimeter continuously.

T-Dog smiles at the group. "Tomorrow, we'll put all the bodies together. We want to keep them away from that water. Now, if we can dig a canal under the fence, we'll have plenty of fresh water."

Hershel nods. "The soil is good, we could plant some seed, grow some tomatoes, cucumbers, soybeans."

After a moment he looks up at Rick who is still walking the fence. "That's his third time around. If there was any part of it compromised, he'd have found it by now."

Y/N sighs. "It's just what he does."

There's more silence. Eventually Hershel turns to Beth. "Sing a song for me. It's been a while."

She nods. "Okay. How about the Parting Glass?"

He nods and she starts to sing.

Carol, Daryl and Rick come over to the rest of the group who listen quietly. Maggie starts to sing along and Glenn smiles, wrapping his arm around her waist.

When the song ends, Hershel hugs Beth from the side. "Beautiful."

Rick stands up, having crouched when the song was being sung. "Better all turn in. I'll take watch over there, we've got a big day tomorrow."

Lori cocks her head. "What do you mean?"

"Look, I know we're all exhausted. This was a great win. But we gotta push just a little bit more.
Most of the walkers are dressed as guards or prisoners, looks like this place fell pretty early.
Could mean the supplies may be intact. They have an infirmary, a commissary."

Daryl adjusts his crossbow. "An armory?"

"That would be outside the prison itself, but not too far away. Warden's offices would have info on the location. Weapons, food, medicine, this place could be a gold mine."

Hershel looks around at everyone's tired faces.
"We're dangerously low on ammo. We'll run out before we make a dent."

"That's why we gotta go in there. Hand to hand.
After all we've been through, we can handle it, I know it. These assholes don't stand a chance."
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