Without A Voice

Chapter 27: Shit Happens

~word count: 1133~

~ Authors POV ~

Rick and the prisoners made a deal. They help them clear out the rest of their cell block and the group gets half their food. Everybody wins. Jane stood next to Daryl to watch the prisoners while T-Dog and Rick took the food back to their cell block.

"That's a pretty woman right there. She yours?" Thomas, the prisoner with the gun, asked Daryl.

Jane was sitting on a metal table keeping her eyes on the door, unaware of the man's remarks.

Daryl scowled at Thomas, "She don't belong to anybody."

"So you're saying she's available?" Before Daryl could say anything the man directed his attention to Jane, "Hey pretty girl!"

Of course, she didn't respond.

Big Tiny chuckled, "I don't think she likes you, man."

"Why you ignoring me bitch?" Thomas stepped forward clearly frustrated.

Daryl couldn't believe the audacity, "You need to back up. Now." He moved in front of him.

"I thought you said she wasn't yours, man?" He smirked and got closer.

Jane turned her head to see Daryl way too close to the man with the gun. They were both visibly agitated. She hopped off the counter and put her hand on Daryl's chest, making him back up.

"Calm down. Rick will be back any minute." She glanced between the two.

Oscar finally realized why she didn't respond to Thomas, "Dude, she wasn't ignoring you. She's deaf."

"What does that mean?" He looked confused.

Axel chimed in, "It means she can't hear you. She can't hear anything."

"He called you a bitch and thought you were ignoring him," Daryl explained to Jane.

She shook her head, "It doesn't matter."

Rick and T-Dog walked through the doors holding a couple of melee weapons. Thomas picked up a tire iron and scoffed.

"Why do I need this, when I got this?" He showed off his gun.

Daryl's response was immediate, "You don't fire guns. Not unless your back's against a wall. Noise attracts them, really riles them up."

"We'll go in two by two. Daryl will run point with T, l'll bring up the rear with Jane. Stay tight, hold formation, no matter how close the walkers get. Anyone breaks ranks, we could all go down, anyone runs off, they could get mistaken for a walker, end up with an axe to the head." Rick firmly directed.

T-Dog joined in, "And that's where you aim. These things only go down with a headshot."

"You ain't gotta tell us how to take out a man," Thomas scoffed.

Daryl shook his head, "They ain't men. They're something else."

"Just remember to go for the brain." Rick reminded them.

The prisoners chose their weapons and everyone started slowly heading down the dark halls. They walked quietly so as not to make any nearby walkers aware of their presence.

Jane tapped Rick on the shoulder, "I don't trust these guys."

"Me neither." He mouthed.

Big Tiny sighed, "Man, it's too damn dark in here!"

"Gotta hold it up high out in front of you. You're gonna hear 'em before you see 'em." Daryl pointed to his axe.

Suddenly Axel yelled, "It's coming!" and Daryl shushed him.

It was only two walkers. Before anyone can do anything, the prisoners run towards the walkers, screaming, and start attacking them. They watched as Axel stabbed one in the stomach. It was clear they didn't care about anything Rick had said.

"It's gotta be the brain!" Daryl shouted as he shot a walker in the head, "Not the stomach, not the heart, the brain!"

Oscar stabbed one in the head with a screwdriver, "Like that?"

More and more walkers began to emerge from the darkness. It was beginning to get crowded.

"Stay in tight formation, no more prison riot crap!" Rick demanded.

Jane noticed Big Tiny but before she could do anything, a walker sunk its teeth into him. He screamed in pain which made everyone realize what had happened. Thomas shot the walker and everyone gathered around.

"I'm telling you! I don't feel anything, it's just a scratch!" Big Tiny began to panic.

Rick shook his head, "I'm sorry man."

"You cut that old guy's leg off to save his life!" Andrew states in frustration.

Rick pointed to his back, "Look at where the bite is!"

"Guys, I'm fine! Just... I'm fine. Look, look at me, I'm not changing into one of those things."

Oscar pleaded with Rick, "Look, man, there's gotta be something we can do, we could just lock him up!"

"There's nothing we can do." Rick stared grimly.

Before Big Tiny could say anything else, Thomas stabbed him in the head. Jane, Daryl, Rick, and T-Dog looked on in shock as he continued to bash his head in. He didn't stop until his face was dripping blood.

"Did you see the look on his face?" Jane looked between Rick and Daryl.

Rick nodded, "He makes one move.."

"Just give me the signal." Daryl was quick to respond.

They finally made it to a set of double doors that lead to the cell block the prisoners were going to stay in. Daryl handed Thomas the set of keys so he could open it.

"I ain't opening that." He scoffed.

Rick shook his head, "Yes, you are. If you want this cell block, you're gonna open that door. Just the one, not both of them. Because we need to control this."

Thomas attempted to open one door but failed before tugging on both handles. The door swung open causing tons of walkers to rush in. Jane rolled her eyes at his reckless actions. He was going to get everyone killed.

"I said one door!" Rick shouted.

Thomas shrugged, "Shit happens!"

It was chaotic. Everyone was working to clear the room as fast as possible. A walker charged at Jane but before it could get her, Thomas grabbed her wrist and pulled her close to him. His arm was wrapped tight around her waist.

"I got you, princess." He shoved the walker into Rick, causing him to fall to the ground.

Luckily Daryl stabbed the walker before it could bite Rick. He looked up and glared at Thomas, who still had his arm around Jane. She pushed him off of her with a disgusted face.

Thomas rushed towards her, "You bi-" Before he could finish his sentence Rick slammed his machete down onto his head, killing him.

"No!" Andrew ran at Rick with his baseball bat but Rick kicked him, sending him to the floor.

Daryl aimed his crossbow at him, "Easy now."

Andrew got up and ran, Rick following close behind, "I got him!"

"Hey, get down on your knees!" Daryl instructed Oscar.

Axel pleaded, "We don't have no affiliation to what just happened! Tell him, Oscar!"

"Stop talking man."