Love's Conquer

Seed

Rick's POV

This is what we've been searching for.

That was my first thought when I set eyes on the fortress with elevated towers and steel fencing surrounding the large brick walls.

It's been a long time since the farm. My wife is due to give birth any when over the next few weeks now. We've been moving from place to place, going back and forth, trying to avoid the masses of different herds as much as possible. For the longest time, I kept thinking we would find the others; Bella, Shane, and Andrea. I thought we'd run into them a few days down the line after we escaped, but days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months, and now we're here. They're out there. They have to be. She has to be.

Lori and I are on different paths. We have been for a long time now, even before the farm, before Bella, before the outbreak. I love her and I always will, but this new world only amplified what we already knew. After what happened that night at the farm, after I told her how Carl had to put down Randall, she blamed me. She began to wish I had been more like Shane. It pushed me away, further than I care to admit. For her to wish that, it felt like more of a betrayal that what happened between the two of them. It wasn't something I could just get over. So I buried the thought and I've been avoiding it ever since.

"It's perfect." I stated, looking across the gravel path that travelled through the front yard of the prison. Walkers began to cling onto the fencing we were caged in, each one receiving a blunt instrument through their skull as they did so. "If we can shut that gate, prevent more from fillin' the yard, we can pick off these walkers. We'll take the field by the night."

"But how do we shut the gate?" Hershel asked in concern.

"I'll do it." Glenn offered himself as tribute for the heavy task. "You guys cover me."

"No." Maggie cut in. "Suicide run."

"I'm the fastest." Glenn argued.

"No." I rested my hand on his shoulder before pointing over to the right panelling of fence. "You, Maggie, T-Dog, an Beth draw as many as you can over there. Pop 'em through the fence. Daryl, go back to the other tower. Carol, you've become a pretty good shot, take your time. We don't have a lot of ammo to waste." I brought my gaze to my son and Hershel, watching them standing idly while they waited for their instructions. "Hershel, you an Carl, take this tower." As everyone took to their posts, I looked out across the yard as I weighed up the amount of walkers we had to tackle. "I'll run for the gate."

I looked around me, watching the numerous walkers head towards us to join the pack already at the fence, their dinner in full view. Suicide run. Maybe, but it's the only choice we have left. We can't keep running anymore. This is it, I can feel it. This is everything we need.

Glenn handed me two large carabiner clips that were connected by a thick metal chain, before I paced towards the entrance that led into the pit of the dead. Lori stood beside me, awaiting my nod of approval to open the gate.

"Over here!"

"C'mon!"

"Hey! Hey!"

The others began to thrash against the fencing at one side, causing the majority of the corpses to limp in their direction. I swiftly threw the strap of my sniper around my neck and took off the safety to my pistol. Everyone was in position as I looked to Hershel and Carl, then Carol and Daryl. I gave my nod causing Lori to open the gate, allowing me to make my way into the danger zone. I grasped ahold of my gun tightly in one hand, while peering around the side of the overturned bus. There was a clear pathway leading up to the main gate; should be easy enough. Feeling that there was no time like the present, I made a run for it. Raising my hand weapon, I shot down two walkers in my path but I managed to outrun any that were attempting to grasp ahold of me. I nearly tripped over my own feet as a flying bullet hit the ground only a few inches away from me. Looking up to the tower by the side of me, I noticed an awkward looking Carol.