𝑩𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝑺𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒔 | ᵀᵂᴰ

31: If I Were a Boy

We were backing up the cars with our things to move them out of the prison. It was getting colder, meaning winter was right around the corner.

Beth shivered as she placed a backpack into a car. I took off my jacket and placed it around her shoulders.

"Oh, no, I'm fine." She said, starting to take it off.

"Please, Beth. I can hear your teeth chattering a mile away." I told her. She fixed my jacket onto herself with a small smile. "Thank you." She said. "You're welcome."

Beth seemed uneasy about what was going to happen later. I took her hand in mine gently. "Hey, it's gonna be okay. I promise." "You can't promise somethin' like that." "I can't... but I can try."

➳

The Governor and his army ambushed the prison, but we fought back with carefully planned flashbangs, guns, and walkers.

Once him and his army were gone, we went outside to make sure they left and to assess the damages. Carl, Beth, Judith, and Hershel were in a car in the woods just outside the prison.

"We did it. We drove them out." Rick said.

"We should go after them." Michonne said.

"We should finish it." Daryl said.

"It is finished." Maggie told them. "Didn't you see them highball it out of here?" "They could regroup." Michonne said.

"We can't take the chance. He's not gonna stop." Glenn replied. "They're right." Carol said. "We can't keep living like this." "So we take the fight back to Woodbury." Maggie said. "We barely made it back last time."

"I don't care." Daryl said. "Yeah. Let's check on the other." Rick said as we headed back into the prison meeting back up with Beth, Carl, Judith, and Hershel.

Rick kissed Judith's forehead before talking with Carl. Beth walked to the cells, and I followed. I peered over her shoulder at Judith. Beth looked back at me with a smile.

"She's precious when she's sleeping, isn't she?" Beth asked. "Yeah, she's adorable." I replied. "Carl said you sang her lullabies." "Yeah. I sang a couple." "What were they?" "Just ones my mom sang to me when I was little."

"What was her name?" Beth asked, looking over her shoulder at me. "Paulina." "That's a pretty name." "It is." I said quietly. Beth turned around and looked at me.

She got close to me. I placed my hand on her cheek gently. "I can't kiss you." She mumbled. "Why not?" I asked. "Cause you're not a boy." She answered.

I removed my hand from her cheek with a nod. "It's okay." I said. She bit her bottom lip slightly to hold back her words.

➳

We geared up to go pay the Governor a visit. Carl wanted to come, but Rick said no. He insisted and sat outside until Rick talked to him, and he walked away.

"Rick, we're staying." Glenn told Rick, referring to him and Maggie as he walked back over. "We don't know where the Governor is. If he comes back, we'll hold him off."

"Just the four of us?" Daryl asked. He handed me his crossbow. "Alright." He got onto the motorcycle, and I got onto the back.

"I appreciate you staying." Rick said. "Sure." Maggie replied. They pulled the gate open as we left for Woodbury.

On the way, we say one of the Governor's trucks and a bunch of dead Woodbury people and the walker versions of them.

A lady hit the window of the truck from the inside. She looked scared. Rick drew his gun as I opened the door.

She got out, and Daryl checked for another person. There was no one else, so he closed the door.

➳

We took Karen back to Woodbury with us, and as we carefully approached the front wall, bullets started flying. We shot back and ducked down behind a car. Karen stood up and yelled.

"Tyreese! It's me! Don't–" "Get down!" Rick said, pulling her to the ground.

"Karen!" Tyreese yelled back. "Karen, are you okay?" "I'm fine!" She said, getting up with her hands in the air. "Where's the Governor?" "He fired on everyone. He killed them all." "Why are you with them?" Tyreese asked. "They saved me." Karen answered.

"We're coming out!" Rick yelled. "We're coming out." Rick stood up and put his hands in the air. Daryl kept his crossbow pointed at the people just in case. Michonne and I stood up as well.

I put my hands in the air and then looked at Daryl as he did the same. We walked towards the gate as it opened. Tyreese and Sasha came out.

"What are you doing here?" Tyreese asked. "We were coming to finish this until we saw what the Governor did." Rick answered. "He– he killed them?" "Yeah. Karen told us Andrea hopped the wall going for the prison. She never made it. She might be here."

➳

"This is where he had us." I said. "The Governor held people here?" Tyreese asked. "He did more than hold 'em." Daryl replied. We went around the corner and heard noises coming from the door.

Blood poured out from under the door, creating a puddle. Michonne pulled out her sword. "Will you open it?" She asked. Daryl and Rick raised their guns.

"One, two..." Rick opened the door. In the middle of the room was a dead Milton, and there was another person next to the door against the wall. Michonne ran in. "Andrea!" She said, dropping her sword. She fell to her knees, pulling Andrea up.

"I tried to stop them." Andrea said. "You're burning up." Michonne told her. Andrea lowered her head and revealed a bite mark on her shoulder.

Suddenly, it was like I was transported back to that night with Amy. "Judith, Carl, the rest of them..." "Us. The rest of us." Rick corrected her. "Are they alive?" "Yeah, they're alive." Rick told her.

Andrea looked at Michonne with a smile. "It's good you found them." Michonne nodded, trying not to cry. "No one can make it alone now." "I never could." Daryl said. "I just didn't want anyone to die. I can do it myself." Andrea said.

"No." Michonne told her. "I have to. While I still can." Michonne respected her wishes. "Please?" Andrea said, looking at Rick. "I know how the safety works."

Rick grabbed his gun and placed it in her hand. "Well, I'm not going anywhere." Michonne told her. Andrea looked around the room. "I tried." "Yeah. You did. You did."

Daryl was the first to leave the room, followed by Rick, then lastly, myself. Michonne kept her word and stuck by Andrea.

I covered my ears as I awaited the gunshot. Once I heard it, I let a tear fall down my face. The last thing I had left of Amy was gone.

➳

We brought back a bus full of Woodbury people to the prison. They all seemed harmless enough.

Except for one. The one I can't seem to take my eyes or attention away from. This harmless act doesn't fool me. I know who he is and what he's capable of. And I'll be dammed if I have to live in the same prison as him.