The Mini Badass

Chapter 45

Our group had made enough distance to slow down our pace, Rick leading us to where he buried his weapons.

"Here." Daryl says pointing to the ground and Rick grabs a hidden shovel. "The hell we still around here for?" Muscle man asks as Rick starts digging. "Guns, some supplies."

"Go along the fences, use the rifles." Rick continues and I grab ahold of Carl's hand with my free one. "Take out the rest of 'em."

"What?" I ask, stepping forward dragging Carl with me. "They don't get to live." Rick tells me, stopping his digging to turn to me.

"Rick, we got out." Glenn says, stepping closer to the man who starts digging again. "It's over."

"It's not over until they're dead." Rick says, grabbing the bag out of the hole. He takes out a gun, tucking it into his waistband. "Like hell it isn't, that place is on fire." New girl tells him, pointing back at the way we came. "It's full of walkers."

"I'm not dicking around with this crap." Muscle man says from beside a man with a mullet. "We just made it out."

"The fences are down." Maggie adds in and I glance at the girl behind her who avoids my gaze. "They run or they die."

A twig breaking behind me makes me whip around, raising my gun. "Oh my god." I whisper, lowering my weapon and staring at the bloody and muddy woman in front of me.

Daryl runs towards her, engulfing Carol in a hug. Carol laughs and I walk up beside them, Daryl pulling away from her. "Oh, Ainsley." Carol whispers, placing a hand on my bloody cheek before I throw my arms around her. 

I let her go and step back, letting Rick have a turn as I rejoin Carl's side. "Did you do that?" He asks her and the woman nods. The two hug as I rest my head on Carl's shoulder.

"You have to come with me." Carol tells him as they pull apart. With her words our group starts walking again, following the woman to a cabin.

As we get closer I can see a man coming out, a baby in hand. My eyes widen as I recognize the two, Rick realizing too, dropping all his stuff and rushing over to the two with Carl and I right behind him.

Rick takes Judith from Tyreese, holding the baby to his chest as Tyreese hugs his sister. "Judith, you're okay." Carl says, his hand on his little sister's shoulder. "Hi baby." I whisper as the girl looks at me.

"Ama." Judith mumbles and I chuckle, a large smile across my face. "Okay, I'm Ama." I whisper and Rick kisses the baby's forehead.

Carl wraps his arm around me and I place my head on his shoulder. Rick puts a hand on Tyreese's shoulder and the bigger man nods at him.

Rick steps back to me and Carl, pulling the boy's free shoulder into him making us form a huddle of sorts around Judith.

Judith starts fussing so we back off. Rick hands her to me and I hold her on my hip. "Hi." I whisper to her as she rests her head against my wounded chest. "I missed you too."

"You okay?" Carl asks, nodding down to my still bandaged wound. I grab onto his hand and smile at him. "Just fine."

"I don't know if the fire's still burning." Rick interrupts our little moment, staring back at the black smoke rising from Terminus. "It is." Carol tells him as I adjust my hold on Judith. "Yeah, we need to go."

"Yeah but where?" Daryl asks, throwing his crossbow over his shoulder. "Somewhere far away from there." Rick tells him and Carl takes Judith from me, the girl actually hurting my wound.

We all start walking and I lock eyes with one of the new girls, recognizing her. "Be right back." I whisper to Carl, jogging to catch up with her.

"Hey." I say, slowing to a walk next to her. "Hi." She says keeping her eyes locked on the ground. "You were there." I mutter and she closes her eyes. "That day, with that governor freak."