Wake the Dead

chapter 50

We were running as fast as we could, dodging trees and jumping over logs as we made our way through the forest towards the prison. My heart was facing 100 miles per hour when I thought about what could be happening. The gun shots stopped and it was completely quiet, but then I could hear tires squealing in the distance. 

The imaginary flip switched inside of me and I was automatically in the zone. I ran fast. So fast that I was much farther ahead of Daryl and Merle. Walkers were starting to appear more and more as I ran, hearing the gunshots. 

I would occasionally take one down with my knife, not even blinking, and then I would continue forward. The gun shots started up again, not as many in a row as before though, just enough to shot and then duck for cover. I could see the prison come into view as the clearing of the trees was growing closer and closer as I ran, but then something else caught my eye.

There was Rick, completely outside of the prison gates, holding off three walkers that were trying to take a bite out of him. I finally reached the clearing and stopped, steadying myself. I grabbed onto the tip of my knife and then flung it as hard as I could.

It impaled perfectly in the back off the walkers head that was closest to biting Rick. Rick's face was completely shocked, but then he took that as a chance and shoved the walkers away. He must have ran out of bullets because he was beating in the walkers skulls with the butt of his gun. I ran over and pulled the knife out of the one walkers head, and helped him kill a few others that got too close for comfort, receiving a nod from him.

More and more walkers started to pour out of the forest, along with Daryl and Merle. Daryl let an arrow fly into the head of a walker close by Rick, while Merle charged over, sending his blade through heads. We had taken out the multiple walkers that were close to us, so now I took the time to catch my breath.

I saw Rick give Daryl a nod and just then noticed Rick's face. He had that same crazed look again, one I'm sure I've had many times, but his was more demonic. His eyes were dark and shallow and his hair was all over the place, only adding to his look. 

My breathing was heavy and loud as I struggled to catch my breath. I walked over to the fence and looked in, seeing there was a weird truck parked in the middle of the field that must have held walkers in it because there were many roaming around inside the gates. I saw that no one was in the field and that they were all by the prison, protected by the fence that separated them. 

I turned around and started to walk, looking into the forest and around the prison for anyone that was going to shoot at us. I didn't see anything out of the ordinary so I let that imaginary switch turn back off. I put my hands on my knees and started to breathe deeply, trying to stop my wheezing. I heard someone call out my name, but was too focused on evening my breaths to hear who it was.

I feel a hand on my lower back, so I look up and see Daryl, handing a water bottle to me. "Deep breaths, Fi." I stood up straight, taking it and started to take long deep breaths. Daryl kept his hand on the small of my back as I took a drink, feeling it sooth my throat and cool me down. Not wanting to drink it all, I put the cap back on and gave it back to Daryl. 

Rick and Merle walked over to us and we headed to the entrance to the field. The car had completely broke off the gates that locked up the field, that's going to be a bitch to fix... We all ran through the field, taking any walkers near us out quickly. Carl and Glenn quickly opened up the fence and we ran in and helped shut the gate before any walkers could sneak in.

Rick didn't make eye contact with anyone, just walked off into the prison, not saying a word. Everyone else just stood there, staring at each other, but mostly at us. "What's he doing here?!" Glenn hissed, taking a step forward. Daryl too stepped forward and looked at everyone with hard eyes. "He's staying with us."