Fighter

Chapter 23: Second Trip

The next morning, we all know what's coming. The devil is going to be knocking on our doorstep, demanding for entry. The prison falls into a deep silence again, not even Judith is crying to fill the empty void. Just the sound of the undead echoing through the halls, haunting us. We're packing only essentials, making sure we have enough to last us through winter if Rick's plan goes south.

"I got this." Derek says, taking a heavy box from me full of medicine and placing it in the back of my jeep.

"Thanks." I smile, wiping the little bit of sweat off my forehead. I look over at Carl as he shrugs off his father's hand and wordlessly placing his bag in the back of a car before heading back inside.

"I've never seen him this mad." Glenn whispers to Rick as I continue to pack my car, Chewy sticking his nose into everything. "Even with Lori. He just, shut down." He tries to explain to Rick.

"He's still a kid." Rick brushes off. A kid who needs his father. "It's easy to forget." He sighs, wiping his hands on his pants before closing the hood of a car. Daryl walks over towards me, belongs in hand and places them inside the trunk neatly.

"You know, Merle never did nothing like that his whole life." Daryl states, looking at me briefly.

"He gave us a chance." I state, making eye contact with him. He pulls out his poncho from his bag and places it on me, tucking away stray hairs before speaking.

"Stay warm Skylar." He mutters before walking back inside, a small smile tugging at my lips.

"Let's move out!" Derek yells as he walks back out into the courtyard. Hershel, Beth, Judith and Carl pile up in one car and Josh, Carol, the dogs and I pile up in mine. We all take off, driving off into the woods hidden from the naked eye.

"Do you think it's gonna work?" Josh whispers, cuddling up to me in the backseat.

"Either it does or we have to look for somewhere new again." I sigh, brushing away some hair from his eyes. An hour or so later the sound of engines roaring and tires on gravel begin to get closer and closer.

"It's happening." Carol states from the window, a pair of binoculars in hand. Gunshots begin to go off, causing the dogs to whimper.

"Shhh its okay, it's okay." I sooth them as the gunfire continues for a short moment. "They're in."

"When do you think-" Josh begins to question before a loud buzzer goes off. "It started." Faint screaming and yelling is heard through the forest as more gunshots are fired.

"They're leaving. They're leaving!" She states cheerfully climbing into the passenger seat.

"We did it?" Josh questions, a hopeful smile on his face.

"We did it." I agree, hugging both of them before climbing back into the driver's seat.

"Wait a few minutes, make sure it's clear." Carol suggests.

"Yeah." We sit there in silence, deep in our own thoughts before I start the car and drive back towards the prison. The guard towers are all blown to bits except from the one closest to the courtyard, that's good. The gates are all torn off, that's bad. A majority of the Walkers in the yard are dead, good. But the sound of all the gunfire and the alarm will draw in a lot more, bad. The prison is still ours, good, very fucking good. I think to myself as we all hop out of the car and slowly walk inside.

I spot Carl and he looks like he's in an even worse mood than before we left, and Hershel and Beth look a little off, something must have happened. Josh and Beth embrace one another as does Rick and Judith, Derek walks over to Josh and I and we all hug tightly before he bends down and hugs Biscuit. Rick kneels down and hugs Carl but the hug is not returned.