The Monsters Among Us ➳ Daryl Dixon

47. Falling Ashes

We collected some weapons, exited the blood-soaked warehouse, and stepped into the bright light of the midday sun.

A secondary explosion had sent a cloud of smoke into the clear sky to our right, and we all collectively made a move to follow the sound until another sharp crack echoed from behind us.

A bullet struck the asphalt a few feet in front of my foot and we all collectively scurried backwards, back into the shadow of the warehouse. Pushed back against the wall, I could see the shape of a humanoid head peaking out from the shadow of the railing atop the roof above us. The shape of their head morphed as they tried to peak over at us, but the angle was too sharp to raise their gun to us.

It wouldn't take long for more to join us, and we'd be sitting ducks up against the wall like this.

I let out a sigh through my nose before extending my hand, palm open, toward Rick.

"May I borrow that knife again?"

He slapped the handle into my palm without question.

I looked across at all the other shadows on the ground nearby, making a mental note of their distortion due to the time of day, and readjusted my footing to account for it.

With a deep breath in through my nose, I palmed the blade of the knife and stepped out. There wouldn't be much time for me to readjust if my mental calculations had been incorrect, but I had faith. Enough of my mask remained intact to trust my instincts.

Spinning on my heel, I tossed the knife upwards before hastily returning to cover. I needn't have been concerned. A body struck the asphalt in front of us a heartbeat later, the assault rifle they had been clutching skidding across the ground, coming to a stop at Rick's feet.

He looked down at the weapon, bent at the hip, and picked it up.

Glenn took a cautious step forward, into the midday sunlight peaking over the foreboding building we stood behind and squinted up at the roof.

A chill spiked in the centre of my spine as I caught a shadow of movement atop the rooftop of the building to our left and I leapt out, grabbing Glenn by the back of the shirt and tugging him back. Sparks shot out from the asphalt as the bullets struck the empty spot his feet had been occupying a moment before.

Without hesitation, Rick stepped up, raised the discarded rifle and laid fire. "Go, go, go!"

We didn't need to be told twice.

The fading echo of a nearby explosion was met by the sound of distant gunfire and a new yet familiar rumbling sound that I'd come to associate with large groups of moaning walkers.

Carol's work on the fences had paid off. I didn't doubt she'd remain somewhere nearby to lay cover fire where need be - likely along the western fence line, where the tree cover was sufficient enough to mask a sniper pit.

When we reached the corner, having cleared the open courtyard whilst Rick laid fire on the rooftops above, chaos greeted us. An ocean of walkers had flooded the terminus.

I drew the discarded machete I had strapped to my back and made a move to continue onwards, but was stopped by Rick's hand on my shoulder as he met up with us at the buildings edge.