DIRT AND DECAY ⸻ 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝 ( ON HOLD )

5| Explosion!

CHAPTER FIVE  ⎯ 
EXPLOSION!

"OPEN THE DAMN DOOR!"
      Daryl's fist connected with the metal shutters, issuing a sharp sound that echoed throughout the room. "My son ain't gonna die like this!"

Shane stepped forward, his fist gripped tightly around the fire axe. "Out of my way!" he shouted. With a powerful swing of his arm, he sprinted at the metal shutters — Nothing.

T-Dog was fast on his heels, leaping forward and tossing an axe to Daryl as they both ran towards the door. Daryl instinctively caught the axe, and swung it with all his might, the sound of metal on metal echoing off the walls, not even making a dent.

Carl and Sophia clung to their mother's embrace, their sobbing and teary eyes revealing their deep despair. August, sitting cross-legged beside Lori, stared blankly at the floor, his expression lacking emotion or any semblance of comfort.

"You should've left well enough alone." Dr. Jenner spoke up. "It would've been so much easier."

"For who?" Lori inquired rather aggressively as she glared at him.

"All of you. You know what's out there. A short, brutal life and an agonizing death." Dr. Jenner shrugged before turning to Andrea. "Your sister, what was her name?"

"Amy."

"Amy. You know what this does. You've seen it. Is that really what you want for your wife and son?" He turned to Rick.

"I don't want this." Rick shouted emphatically. He then proceeded to make his way towards Shane.

"Can't make a dent." Shane panted as he leaned against a desk.

"Those doors are designed to withstand a rocket launcher." Dr. Jenner said.

"Well, your head ain't." Daryl jerked the axe he held, his fingers tight around the cold metal handle, ready to launch it at Dr. Jenner's head. But before he could attack, Rick and Dale rushed in, quickly grabbing his arms and pulling him away.

"You do want this." Dr. Jenner told Rick. "Last night you said you knew it was just a matter of time before everybody you loved was dead."

"You really said that?" Shane narrowed his eyes at his friend. "After all your big talk?"

"I had to keep hope alive, didn't I?" Rick announced.

"This isn't right." Carol sobbed. "You can't just keep us here!"

"One tiny moment, a millisecond. No pain." Dr. Jenner tried to talk them into it.

"My daughter doesn't deserve to die like this!"

"Neither does my son!" Daryl shouted.

"Wouldn't it be kinder, more compassionate to just hold your loved ones and wait for the clock to run out?"

The sudden click of Shane's gun cut through the heavy silence in the room, as he advanced towards Dr. Jenner. Rick rushed forward, in a desperate attempt to diffuse the situation, but Shane pushed him aside without hesitation. "Open that door," Shane growled, the gun pressed firmly against Jenner's head. "Or I'm gonna blow your head off, you hear me?!"

"Brother, this is not the way you do this, we'll never get out of here!" Rick scolded.

"Shane, you listen to him." Lori added.

Shane screamed, his voice echoing throughout the room. His hands shook as he turned to the side, his fingers closing around the trigger of his gun. With a deafening blast, he pulled the trigger, the bullet piercing into a monitor and sending sparks flying.