Walking With The Dead

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Parker had never said anything bad about children- besides Lizzie- but when she heard Sam calling for his mother in the middle of the giant herd of walkers, she wanted to hand Judith to the nearest person and strangle that little bastard. Rick's hand tightened on her arm, dragging her after him, and they continued moving, barely breathing as they weaved through the ocean of walkers in single file. Judith, the little angel she is, remained silent as they walked, and Parker silently praised her niece for doing so. Rick pulled the group aside, waiting for those at the end of their line to appear.

"Alright, new plan. Flares from a few guns aren't enough. Too many walkers, too spread out. We're not going to the armory. We need our vehicles back at the quarry. All of us drive. We'll need to round 'em up. We leave, we come back."

"Okay," Jessie agreed, not having any experience with this. "But Judith..." Parker stared at her, challenging her to go on about the toddler who was doing better than her ten-year-old son. "..To the quarry and back, I.."

"I'll take her." Gabriel stepped forward. "Keep her safe in my church until you all lead the walkers away." Parker looked at the priest, not knowing if she could trust him after he had talked shit about them behind their backs to Deanna.

"Can you do it?" She glared at him.

"I'm supposed to do it," Gabriel said. "I have to do it... I'll do it."

"If even a hair on her head is out of place.." Parker ground out, handing Judith to him, keeping an eye on the passing walkers. "I'll find you and kill you. You better take care of her."

"I will," Gabriel promised.

"Take Sam," Jessie suddenly pushed her youngest son forward.

"No." He argued.

"Yes, Sam, it'll be safer," Jessie tried to convince him.

"I'm not leaving you," Sam insisted.

"Sam..."

"Mom, I'm not. I can keep going."

"Sam-" She tried again.

"I can keep going," Sam continued, not wanting to go. "Please. Please?"

"If you're staying, you are to be quiet, okay?" Parker hissed, tired of their back and forth. "Not a word." Sam nodded his head eagerly.

"Let's just go." Jessie looked at Rick to make sure he was okay with letting Sam stay but he looked away. 

"I'm going to keep her safe." The priest reassured Rick. Gabriel left with Judith and Parker caught her brother's gaze which seemed hesitant to leave his daughter with Gabriel.

"Hey, he's going to make it. I know he will." She assured him, watching as Gabriel disappeared amongst the walkers. Then they continued, slowly pushing through the dead, all of them trying their best to remain silent. The night took hold faster than anyone expected, and before they knew it, they were surrounded by darkness, and a lot of hungry dead people. In other words... a deadly combination. 

Sam stopped walking, paralyzed with fear, and no words from Rick or Jessie could get him moving again. "Sam?" Jessie whispered as the shuffling of walkers dragging limbs masked the sounds of her voice. "Come on. Come on." She held out her hand for him to take it. "Sweetheart? Sam?" 

"Sam, come on, I can protect you, okay?" Parker whispered, trying to sound as nice as possible, meanwhile, he looked like he was on the verge of tears. "Just take my hand." She reached out to him, wanting to get out of the herd as fast as possible.

"You can do it," Rick encouraged him. "Sam, come on." Rick shot his sister a worried glance, knowing their speaking was starting to draw the attention of walkers as they shuffled past.

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