TWD The Youngest Angel - Carl Grimes

8

Shaye had found a comfortable spot, perched on top of one of the metal cafeteria tables. There had been no point in sticking around for the rest of the Grimes family dispute.

When entering the cell block the cafeteria was emptier than Shaye usually saw it to be. Most of the group was scattered around the block; either cleaning up to make the prison feel a little less unsettling, preparing and organizing food, or enjoying a moment of peace within the gray walls. There was a fourth option that T-Dog and Glenn had taken upon themselves to handle; attracting the attention of a few walkers that inhibited the corridors that led deeper into the prison.

Shaye had a view of the two men working, their knives making quick work of the dead. The corpses left a pile against the metal bar door. When the moaning ceased, Glenn swiveled his head around, catching the attention of Shaye. "Hey, wanna lend a hand?"

With her interest peaked, she hopped off the table and met by the door. "What's up?" A set of keys dangled off Glenn's fingertips, Shaye had seen Rick's attached to his belt outside so these must be her father's as the group had only come across two.

Glenn noticed the confusion of Shaye's face "Daryl is moving the cars outside, making room to bring the truck up." Shaye nodded, she had noticed the lack of her father's presence but didn't mention it.

Shaye had made a mental note of Daryl being Rick's right hand man, his second in command. If Rick trusted Daryl with the only other set of keys his role in the group had to be of higher importance than just muscle.

"What do you need from me?"

Glenn passed Shaye a flashlight, "Can you keep an eye out for anymore walkers when we open the door? We gotta clear out these bodies before they start to stink up the place anymore than they've already have."

Shaye agreed to this plan. It was respectable how cautious the two of them were being, unwilling to risk their safety in the slightest.

It did bring a small smile to Shaye's face that they asked for her help instead of searching for Maggie or waiting for Rick or Daryl to be available. Granted, Shaye being right there was convenient, but they could've asked her to fetch someone else. Shaye wouldn't voice it but she appreciated that they weren't treating her as a helpless child, but rather, as an equal.

After Glenn unlocked the door, Shaye stepped into the corridor, flashing the light to inspect every possible spot a walker could hide from. She stood a few feet ahead of the guys as they began dragging the bodies out of the way, the flashlight in one hand and a knife in the other. Every so often a walker would make an appearance. Shaye would announce the number of walkers there were. 

When the guys would hear Shaye announce there were walkers, even if it was just one, one of their heads peaked around the corner, their weapon drawn just in case. They watched as Shaye wasted no time in taking down the walker and began to drag the corpse over to where the others laid. 

The guys had just left the corridor when they heard Shaye's voice echo through the prison "five!" 

The corpses collapsed onto the floor once more in a heap as the two men rushed to Shaye's aid, drawing their weapons as they ran. Shaye gripped the flashlight in between her teeth as she drew her bow, aiming for the walker closer to her, she let her arrow embed itself between the eyes. 

Shaye had thought she could take down the other walkers as cleanly as the ones before them but as they rushed towards her, hungry dead eyes staring her down, she turned to run. If she got outside the door, she could close it and her and the guys could dwindle down their numbers through the gated door once more. 

Shaye yelped as her foot found the corpse of a walker, sending her tumbling forward. She clawed at the ground, trying to pull herself up but as she something gripping her foot she turned instead, attempting to release the walkers grip on her foot by kicking. 

A gunshot rang out through the halls as the walker began to open its mouth, Glenn ran over, kicking the walker away from Shaye, ensuring it was dead. T-Dog offered Shaye his hand, pulling her to her feet. The three of them stood by the door now, examining the herd of walkers that were now bounding through the halls towards the sound of the gunshot. 

There was no clear way the three of them could handle this large amount of walkers by themselves. Glenn turned to the others "let's go!" before running through the door. Once T-Dog and Shaye were on the other side, Glenn wasted no time in locking it. 

Shaye ran towards one of the tables and whistled, the guys turned towards her and understood, helping her overturn the table and roll it to the door. They propped the table against the door. In this case, the door was metal and created to keep criminals locked away but they didn't want to take a chance. The doorway was small and only a few could press against it at once, but the added force of dozens of walkers behind them, you never knew if the force was enough. 

Shaye locked eyes with Glenn, their chests heaving "thanks for that."  Glenn responded with a simple nod of his head, more focused on catching his breath. Shaye looked towards the door,  the sounds of groaning walkers echoing off the walls. "We really should clear this part out."

Glenn took a few steps through the door, glancing down the hallway "we will, just need the others first."

As Shaye found her breath, the figures of her father and Rick came rushing in through the doors; Carl wasn't far behind. 

"What happened?" Rick exclaimed, his eyes darting around to find the threat. 

Glenn threw his head back, motioning to the door "there were more walkers than expected." 

Rick rubbed his brow "anyone get hurt?" The three of them shook their hands. Shaye glanced down for a moment, the exterior of her boot hadn't been torn and Glenn had shot the walker before it bit down so she was fine. "You should've waited, that wasn't safe." 

"We had Shaye on lookout Rick" T-Dog spoke up "but with how tiny the hallways are too many of them built up we had to lock it up." 

"What was that gun shot for? You wanted to draw more of 'em in?" 

"No" Glenn scratched the back of his neck, looking to Shaye, a look of guilt crossing his expression "a walker had a hold of Shaye." 

At the mention of Shaye's name Daryl turned to his daughter and rushed to her side, looking over every square inch of her. "You okay? You got bit or scratched?" 

Shaye shook her head "he had a hold of my boot, almost bit me but thanks to Glenn it didn't." 

Daryl sighed, relief washing over him. Turning to Glenn he nodded his head in a way of thanks before turning to his daughter "you have to be careful girl." 

Shaye rolled her eyes, she was being careful, for once she was running away from danger and not towards it. But danger got a hold of her anyway. "Always am dad." To this, Daryl quirked an eye at his daughter before quickly pulling her in for a side hug. 

Despite the lack of a formal embrace, Daryl tried his best to show how grateful he was that his daughter wasn't marked for death. For once, Daryl was actually terrified, the thought of losing his daughter for a second time was too much to bare. He wanted nothing more than to push Shaye in her cell and lock her away, keeping her from any sign of danger, but, he knew that wasn't an option. If he knew anything, his daughter was more stubborn than he was, it was a Dixon thing.