Safe haven | Rick Grimes

032. CRUMBLES IN AN INSTANT

Chapter thirty two

"Crumbles in an instant."

The next morning, Rick and Scarlett were up before the rest of the prison. They stood quietly in the dim cell block, Scarlett holding Judith close while Rick kept a protective arm wrapped around her waist. A watch alarm quietly beeped, breaking the silence. Rick stepped away to shut it off, then walked over to Carl's cell and pulled back the curtain.

"Carl?" Rick called softly.

No response. Scarlett let out a low chuckle from the hallway.

"Carl," Rick said again, a bit firmer this time. A rustle of blankets signaled success. "Come on," Rick whispered, turning back to the block.

Scarlett looked up at him as he approached. "You be safe today."

Rick nodded. "Don't worry."

"I always worry," she countered softly.

Rick walked up to her, cupping the back of her head in his hand, and gently pressed his forehead against hers. "We're safe," he assured her.

Scarlett reached up, placing her hand against his cheek. Thinking back to the razor she had spotted earlier, she gave him a pointed look. "Don't shave the beard."

Rick chuckled, his eyes crinkling. "I won't."

Just then, Carl shuffled out of his cell, looking sleepy. Rick leaned in to kiss Scarlett goodbye, then leaned down to plant a soft kiss on Judith's forehead before turning to head out.

Carl walked over next, leaning in to kiss his baby sister's forehead too. Scarlett smiled, running her fingers affectionately through his hair. "I miss your hat," she admitted.

Carl chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's not a farming hat."

"You be safe out there, too," Scarlett told him, leaning down to press a kiss to his forehead. "Those other kids here are a bit strange."

"Trust me, I know," Carl said with a wry smile.

He turned and followed his father out into the morning light. Scarlett stood in the quiet cell block, watching the heavy doors close behind them. She looked down at the baby in her arms, pressing a final kiss to her soft hair.

"Just me and you," she whispered.

Walking back into the cell, Scarlett adjusted her grip on Judith and picked up the carved wooden horse. "This one?" she asked, but the baby didn't reach for it. Scarlett set it down and grabbed a plush bunny instead, holding it up. Judith immediately lunged forward and snatched it. Scarlett smiled warmly. "Yeah, that's the one."

Before the moment could last, a sharp gunshot shattered the morning quiet, echoing violently through the prison. Scarlett's eyes went wide. She instinctively clutched Judith tight against her chest and stepped out into the cell block corridor just as a second gunshot rang out.

Panic setting in, Scarlett ran to the heavy cell block door and threw it shut. Behind her, Beth came sprinting down the metal stairs.

"What's going on?" Beth asked, her voice trembling.

"I don't know," Scarlett replied grimly.

The loud blasts startled Judith, and she began to wail. "Shh, shh. It's okay," Scarlett whispered, backing away from the barricaded entrance.

Beth quickly checked the secondary door, securing the locks to seal the two of them inside the block. "Come on," Scarlett urged, turning on her heel. She ran straight toward her and Rick's cell, with Beth right at her heels. They ducked inside, slamming the cell door closed behind them.