Angel With A Shotgun (Walking Dead Fanfic)

Chapter 34: Gone

Chapter Thirty Four


Gone


▬ Third Person- No one’s P.O.V ▬ 


     “I’m going after them.”

     “Don’t.” Lori told Andrea who had just shot up off of the couch and on to her feet. “They could be anywhere.” She reasoned with her, leaning her weight against the doorframe of the Greene’s living room. “And if Randall comes back we’re gonna need you here.” She nodded before the other door leading into the room from the hallway creaked open causing everyone to perk up.

     “Rick and Shane aint back?” Daryl questioned as he entered the room with Glenn right behind him. Lori’s heart immediately dropped at the sound of his voice rather than her husband's. Sure, she was glad Glenn and Daryl back but she’d have preferred if it was Shane and Rick.

     “No.”

     “We heard a shot.”

     “Maybe they found Randall.”

     “We found him.” Daryl said bluntly causing Lori to raise an eyebrow at him along with Maggie who was opening her mouth to enquire whether he was back in the slaughter house where they had kept him previously. “He’s a walker.” He revealed.

     “Did you find the walker that bit him?” Hershel enquired from his seat in between his two daughters. This came as no shock to him. He’d knew sooner or later the odd walker would get on his land, they would have to deal with it like they had done before, but with death rather than keeping them captive.

     “No,” Glenn told him causing everyone to stiffen up ever so slightly, those with guns placed there hand involuntarily on their guns. “The weird thing is…….” He trailed off, perking everyone’s interests up. What was weird? Other than the whole walker idea in the first place….  “He wasn’t bit.”

     “His neck was broke.” Daryl explained causing everyone to look around at each other. “The thing is,” he started. “Shane’s and Randall’s tracks were right on top of each other.” He informed the others, some of which, didn’t get what he was saying. “And Shane aint no tracker, so he didn’t come up behind him.” He elaborated, still some were clueless. “They were together.” He clarified.

     “Would you please get back out there and find Rick and Shane and find out what on Earth is going on?” Lori begged Daryl, hoping his response wouldn’t be the same response he gave her the last time she asked him to go out looking for Rick for her.  

     “You got it.”

     “Thank you.”

     Just then the same door that Glenn and Daryl had entered through only seconds ago was slammed open and Electra entered the room with a pissed of look on her face, as she did she walked straight into Daryl but she was so out of it that she barely realised.

     “Woah.” Daryl exclaimed, keeping her at arm’s length before he caught her facial expression. “Are you okay?” he questioned as she rubbed her head.

     “I’m fine,” Electra responded to his question unnecessarily defensively. “Not that you’d care.” She muttered underneath her breath but it was loud enough for Daryl to hear her as she passed by him. Emotionless, Daryl made his way through the door that she had just come from. “No thanks to Jared.” She said louder, her eyes finding Jared before glaring at him with accusing eyes.

     “What do you mean?” Maggie questioned her.

     “Your brother here took it upon himself to knock me out so that I wouldn’t go after my own brothers.” Electra stated, dropping Jared right in it as everyone looked to him. “I am sick and I am tired of covering for you, Jared Greene.” She stated with a shake of her head.

     “Covering for him?” Hershel questioned her now. “What do you mean by covering him?” he enquired. “Jared’s done no wrong.” He denied.

     “That’s where you are wrong, Hershel.” Electra told him. “And I am so sorry that I have to be the one to point this out to you all but like I said, I have covered for him and in return he knocks me out cold.” She spat. “He was the one that put Sophia in the barn, he knew the whole time.” She dropped the bombshell.

     Silence.

     In that moment everyone was rendered silence by Electra’s honesty in exposing Jared like she should have in the beginning.

     “You are my group,” Electra spoke up, looking to Stacie, Glenn, T-Dog, Thea, Lori, Andrea and Carol. “And I should have told you sooner and for that I am sorry.” She apologized, thinking that the group was more angry at her than they were at Jared which, in itself, was preposterous.  “I guess I just wanted us all to live under one roof and not be hating each other for once.” She shrugged.

     “Why?” Carol questioned causing Electra to look to the woman who’s expression was dark, cold and disappointment. So much so that it to her a moment to realise that Carol was not putting her question to Electra, but to Jared who stood behind her.

     “I-” Jared began to explain himself or try to.

     “WALKERS!”

     Daryl’s call had stimulated something in every single person that had heard it. Immediately, those who had been sitting down had found there feet and those who was been standing up were frozen still. They’re blood running cold out of fear and uncertainty.

     Without Rick and without Shane around, what were they meant to do?

      “Okay.” Electra took control, speaking up at last. “Let’s just calm down, okay?” she said, her eyes meeting certain people individually as she spoke. “Everyone just needs to stay calm, alright?” she questioned causing Beth and Patricia to nod at her. “But we need to wake up and stay smart, okay?” she said, adding the okays in order to gain a response from those around her.

     “What do we do?”

     “There’s no need in us all going out on a wild goose chase.” Electra stated. “Everyone stay here.” She ordered with authority in her tone. She looked around for a select few or anyone that she might need. “Glenn.” She pointed at him. “You come with me to the porch to join Daryl, we’ll sort something out.” She assured them.

     “What?” Glenn questioned her dopily before catching the glimpse of annoyance in her mismatched eyes. “Okay, okay.” He agreed, allowing her to lead him out of the safety of the Greene house and out to the porch where Daryl stood staring at the night.

     With an enquiring look, Electra turned her head and finally saw what had alerted Daryl so much. There were way too many walkers for comfort, way too many. She stared out hopelessly at them as she watched them approaching the ranch house slowly.  

     “Christ.” Electra exclaimed before turning back to Daryl and Glenn who seemed to come up with no words. “They must be migrating or something.” She pointed out the obvious causing Daryl to slowly turn his head to glance at her with an expressionless face.

     “We have nowhere near enough people, enough guns or enough ammo to take them all on from here.” Glenn pointed out to them.

    “Yeah, I think we all gathered that, Glenn.” Electra gulped, racking her brain for any sort of plans. She was never any good at that stuff, it had always been Shane and Rick. Where were they when they all needed them the most? They needed someone like them, fast. She opened the front door wide and shouted into the building “Hershel!” It was practically seconds before Hershel popped his head around the living room door. “We’re gonna need whatever guns you have here!” she shouted.

     “Right away!”

     “We need a plan, now.” Electra stated, looking to Glenn and Daryl who said nothing. “Guys, did you hear what I said?” she questioned them. “We. Need. A. Plan. Now.” She enunciated every single word perfectly and forcefully, hoping to drive the idea into their heads.

     “We need to get out there.” Daryl spoke up at last causing Electra’s and Glenn’s eyes to go to him. “All of us.” He stated and as if it were planned the rest of them entered the hallway, watching the walkers with wide eyes. None of them, however had gone onto the porch.

     “You’re right.” Electra nodded. “You’re absolutely right.” She stated. “We can’t stay here.” She told them causing Glenn to open his mouth in disagreement. “We’re all cooped up here, if we stay here, we die.” She said bluntly. “No doubt about it. We need to fight.” She stated.

     “This is all I’ve got.” Hershel said entering the porch and laying the bag of guns, along with a few shotguns and rifles of his own on the table. Glenn, Electra and Daryl slowly turned around so that they could see what Hershel had come up with for them.

     “Hopefully, it’s enough.” Daryl commented.

     “No one who can’t handle a gun, takes a gun.” Electra made the decision, looking up from the selection of guns to the people in the house. “Do you hear me?” she questioned. “We can’t risk it, you could end up hurting our people and you’d be wasting our ammo.” She said. “Those who can, come on up.” She said as she took up a Mossberg 500 "Persuader" shotgun, knowing too well that her handgun wouldn’t do the job.

     “Carl’s gone.” Lori revealed as she burst out onto the porch.

     “What?”

     “He was upstairs.” Lori claimed but even she was doubting herself in that moment. “I was sure that he was upstairs, he was upstairs right?” she rambled before she turned to Stacie who was standing alongside Thea, nodding in confirmation. “I can’t find him anymore.”

     “Maybe he’s hiding.” Glenn made a guess causing Electra to slowly turn her head to look at him with that look that she would give someone when they had said an incredibly stupid thing. “Or….” He trailed off looking at Electra. “Maybe he’s not.” He muttered under his breath.

     “He’s supposed to be upstairs.” Lori reinforced having not heard Glenn who had muttered his words underneath his breath. “I told him to be upstairs. He was upstairs.” She gushed, the words just kept on flowing out of her mouth with no barriers. “I’m not leaving without my boy.” She denied.

     “We’re not.” Electra confirmed causing Lori to look to her with a face with clear surprise. “Of course, we’re not going to leave without him.” She said. “You, Carol, Beth, Stacie and Patricia are going to look again, alright?” she said, looking Lori directly in the eye. “You’re gonna find him.” She assured her causing those who she had called to enter back into the house again whilst the guns were being passed out.

     Jared took one.

     Jimmy took one.

     Thea took one.

     Daryl took one.

     Glenn took one.

     T-Dog took one.

     Andrea took one.

     Hershel.

     And even Maggie, much to Glenn’s surprise.

     “Maggie.”

     “You grow up country, you pick up a thing or two.” Maggie remarked causing Electra to hide a smile as Maggie cocked her gun. Glenn, still a little surprised and disapproving with the thought of Maggie armed with a gun like that simply stayed quiet.

     “I got the number, it’s no use.” Daryl informed them causing Electra to simply glance at him out of the corner of her eyes before looking back to her gun, ignoring him. Daryl had known that information the whole time. When Daryl had said they needed to get out there, he meant they needed to get out of the farm, not what was going on.

     “You can go if you want.” Hershel remarked indifferently.

     “You gonn’ take them all on?” Daryl questioned.

     “We have guns. We have cars.”

     “We can kill as many as we can handle,” Electra informed Glenn, Daryl and Maggie. She had gotten Hershel’s message loud and clear, he would stay here and defend the farm from the safety of his own porch. “Then we use the cars to lead the rest of them off of the farm.” She proposed.

     “Are you serious?” Daryl questioned not Electra but Hershel, he couldn’t understand why anyone, anyone, would try to take numerous walkers alone and stationed at the house which was pretty much the place where all the food was kept and such.

     “This is my farm. I’ll die here.”

     “All right. It’s as good a nigh as any.” Daryl shrugged his shoulders casually, accepting that the old man had made up his mind.

     “We have a fright-liner, if you’re interested.” Hershel informed them. “It’s around the back.” He pointed out. “We used to use it to transport horses around….not that any more than one could fit in it, mind you.” He remarked, thinking it was of no use.

     “Well, that’s another vehicle we can use.” Electra stated.  “Okay, Daryl you take your motor bike. Glenn and Maggie, you take the Hyundai Tucson. Jimmy, you take the RV. T-Dog and Jared, you take the freightliner. Andrea, Thea and I will take the Ford F-100.” She devised the plan causing Daryl to head towards his motor bike. “Hershel, you stay here and defend the house whilst Carol, Lori, Beth, Stacie and Patricia search for Carl.” She said to him solely before turning towards the others. “Good luck.”         
 

►►►


     “Keep it steady, Thea.”

     “I’m trying to, guys!”

     “Try harder.”

     Electra was seated in the passenger seat beside Thea, her shotgun out the window whilst Thea drove around the Greene farm which was riddled with walkers. They were everywhere. In the back seat was Andrea, she was situated in the seat behind Thea so she could get the walkers on the other side of the truck. Electra fired another shot but because of Thea’s unsteady driving she moved at the last second causing her to miss.

     “Thea,”

     “I’m sorry, okay!” Thea yelled out of frustration as she made yet another sharp turn to avoid a cluster of walkers that Electra managed to successfully take out, despite the bad driving on Thea’s part. “I’m trying my best, okay.” She stated, grumpily.

     “Thea, we know you are.” Electra told her as she took another one down before reloading. “You’re usually better at driving than this, I mean you saved me twice with it.” She stated, choosing not to mention Aaron or Mark at a time like this.  “Whatever it is that you’re upset or worried about, can you just push it aside until we are safe?” she enquired. “Whatever it is will be fine.”

     Electra’s little ‘inspirational’ pep talk must have been a lot more inspiration that she thought it was because it worked a treat and Thea began to drive like usual allowing Electra and Andrea to take down more walkers and have less wasted ammo.

     “Good girl.” Electra smiled to herself as she took down yet another walker as the truck they were in passed the freight-liner that T-Dog and Jared were occupying. That was when she realised- Thea had been worried about T-Dog. Electra herself was worried but still kept her aim. At least by taking down walkers she was helping Rick, Shane and Stacie along with the others.

     “They must’ve set the barn on fire to draw them in, right?” Thea questioned, her eyes glued to the windscreen as she took yet another turn. That was pretty much all she was doing, turn after turn. “Shane and Rick, they set the barn on fire. That was there plan right, to draw them in?”

     “I can only assume.” Andrea stated, using her hand gun to make another head shot. “It’s not like there is anything else in the farm that would cause a fire,” she stated. “No electricity or anything like that, we can rule out natural causes.” She pointed out logically.

     “Oh, who cares?” Electra said carelessly. “It’s doing it’s doing it’s job, I for one enjoy not having to take on even more of these sons of bitches.” She said, even though there was a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach. What is Randall had contacted his mates and they had set the fire?

     “They’re all over the place.” Andrea pointed out the obvious to the other two girls, but she felt it necessary. “There’s no corralling them.” She stated. “We’re gonna run out of ammo before we even make a dent.” She revealed causing Thea to frown.

     “We need a new game plan.” 

     Electra hissed out of pain as she fired her gun once more. ‘God, what was wrong with me?’ Electra thought to herself. She had had this frightful headache ever since she had started. Little to her knowledge, it was a little after effect of being knocked out by Jared Greene.

     HELP ME! HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP ME! HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP! SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!

     “Is that Stacie?” Electra asked through the foggy haze that had settled itself on the Greene farm. Surely enough, she set eyes on the delicate little figure that was surely enough the source of the screaming. “Oh, my God.” She exclaimed. “Let me off, let me off now!” she hissed causing Thea to skid to a stop. “Y’all keep going, we’ll be fine.” Electra assured them as she practically jumped out of the truck and sprinted towards the figure.

     “HELP ME! HELP ME!”

     “I’m coming, Stace!” Electra screamed out into the night, diverting a few walkers attention away from the screaming girl. Without words or time for the surroundings and details to sink into Electra’s head, she took out the walkers surrounding Stacie and pulled her into a tight hug.

     “Electra.”

     “You make it to that freight-liner over there, okay?” Electra ordered as she remembered where they were. She then pushed Stacie away from her and stood back up once more, keeping Stacie at arm’s length. “T-Dog and Jared are in there, just run to it.”  She stated, pointing to the parked freight-liner was. “You run to it as fast as you possibly can and I’ll cover you from here, okay?”

     “But, what about yo-”

     “Just do it, Stacie!”

     Reluctantly, Stacie began to run for her life. Screaming as she came into contact with walkers that were making grabs for her, their teeth grazing her skin ever so slightly every so often. Her shotgun rendered useless, Electra fished out for the handgun and shot the walkers making a safe (enough) path for Stacie, not stopping until she saw Stacie enter the back of the freight-liner.

     Thank. Fucking. God.

     It took a moment for the smile on Electra’s face to slowly droop into a frown as she realised.

     She was alone.

     She was alone and stranded.

     She was alone and stranded with no means of escape.  

     A low groan erupted from behind her causing her to quickly spin around, whacking the walker in the face with her very short hair before pulling the trigger. The blood splattered in her face, thankfully missing her mouth and narrowly missing her eyes.

     She was alone and stranded with no means of escape in the company of only a hundred or so walkers.

     Before she could even think straight, a few more walkers walked towards her. Cursing, she drew her gun again and pulled the trigger.

     Click.

     Click-click-click.

     ‘I cannot have no ammo, I cannot have no ammo, not now, not in a time like this.’ Electra thought to herself in denial. She repeatedly pulled the trigger but all that it came to was clicking noises. Frantically, she backed away whilst she patted her pockets down for more ammo.

     Nothing.

     “Oh fuck it.” Electra continued to back up whilst retrieving her hunting knife, knowing fully well that it wouldn’t make much of a difference as she was backing away from the walkers rather than attacking them. “Oh, why don’t you go bother someone with a loud noisy gun for a change?” she thought to herself before she backed into the way of a vehicle that flooded her image with light.

     Shielding her eyes, she looked to the vehicle unsure of whether she should be thanking the vehicle for illuminating the road ahead or killing them for blinding her and nearly running her over.

     “Come on, I aint got all day!”

     Daryl Dixon, I fucking love you.

     Just then the shots rang out and the walkers who had been so eager to get a taste of her were slowly falling down limply on the ground. Without so much as another movement, she jumped onto the back of his motorbike, winding her arms around his torso whilst he finished taking the walkers out.

     “GO!”

     And with that, they were off.


►►►


     “We have to go back,”

     “You’ve said that bout 500 times before.” Daryl told her with annoyance in his southern drawl. “Did I ever tell you how repetitive and whiny you are, woman?” he questioned her, keeping his motor bike steady with Electra’s hands wrapped around his torso.

     “And did I tell you that we have to go back, Daryl?” Electra retorted, angling her head despite the fact that Daryl couldn’t see her. “We have to go back, Daryl, we have to!” she complained, clinging to Daryl afraid that she might fly off the motorbike if she let go due to the pure speed.