Safe haven | Rick Grimes

105. THE STORM

Chapter one hundred and five

"The storm."

Carol, Magna, Rosita, and Kelly had successfully found Connie and Virgil, but things in Alexandria were still not getting better. A terrible thunderstorm rolled in, trapping everyone inside a single house. While the adults worked quickly to board up the windows, a baby's cry echoed through the tense room. Hershel, Gracie, Judith, Caroline, Daryl, and Rick all sat huddled together in a tight circle.

A loud, violent rattling suddenly vibrated from the front entryway. "What's with that door?" Rosita asked, looking over her shoulder.

"It's rotted out," Magna shared, hammering a piece of wood into place. "If this storm keeps up, the wind is gonna shake it completely apart."

A massive clap of thunder boomed overhead, causing Rick to jump in fright. Daryl immediately pulled his younger brother close, wrapping a protective arm around him.

"I remember a story about our parents," Daryl shared quietly, his voice grounding the frightened kids. "Back when they were on the road, starving and scrounging for food with nowhere to stay. A storm started up just like this one, and they managed to find an old barn. As the night went on, a herd of walkers tried to break in. The only way they survived was by every single one of them working together, using their weight to hold the doors shut and keep the dead out."

Just as thunder clapped again, a heavy tree branch crashed through the window glass, and the rotted front door blew wide open. Screams erupted through the house. Rosita sprinted across the room, throwing her weight against the door to force it shut.

Daryl released Rick and stood up, heading straight toward the broken window to survey the damage. Judith followed right behind him, with Kelly stepping up to guard their backs. Outside, the streets were completely flooded, and a massive piece of debris swept past in the torrent.

"That's even worse," Rosita muttered, joining them at the glass.

"What was that?" Judith asked, squinting into the dark.

"A piece of the perimeter wall," Rosita shared grimly.

"You're kidding?" Daryl asked, his eyes wide.

"Come on, get back," Rosita ordered, ushering the kids safely away from the window as the storm raged on.

The adults gathered in the kitchen to re-evaluate their defense. Seizing the moment, Daryl slipped upstairs to gather their gear. He headed back downstairs a moment later, handing Caroline her bow and arrows. Judith walked up with Gracie as he handed her the katana, while he held a heavy axe firmly in his own hand.

Aaron, Magna, Connie, Kelly, and Carol soon headed out into the torrential rain to put their emergency plan into motion. They left Rosita, Lydia, and a few other protectors behind to guard the house and continue boarding up the broken windows.

Daryl remained standing by the entryway, keeping watch. Caroline sat on the floor next to Rick, who leaned heavily against her shoulder for comfort, while Judith sat right beside Gracie.

"I wish I was more like you guys," Gracie whispered, looking at the weapons. "You're never afraid."

"That's not true. We've been scared plenty of times," Judith shared gently.