Surviving The Walking Dead (BOOK ONE IN THE SURVIVING THE WALKING DEAD SERIES)

The Night Watch

A few weeks has passed since we last saw The Governor, and things have been on edge ever since. With each passing day, everyone feared an attack was more and more imminent. We have repaired the fence as much as possible and have brought some junk cars onto the property to protect us from gunfire if need be. We moved the bus too, so we have cover no matter where we go. My cuts on my back have healed for the most part. The deeper ones were still healing, but I didn't need to have stitches anymore so that's a plus.

I've been working the night watch shift every night since I've been here. Hershel says I'm overworking myself, but I disagree. I needed to do this. Sure, I complained about the night shift all the time at Woodbury, but this was different. At Woodbury it was to keep walkers at bay or any bandits away, this was to protect us, our lives were at stake.

Daryl's been acting odd lately, pretty much avoiding me, but I couldn't blame him. He was about to talk to me about our last night on the farm when Rick called me into the prison to talk, he hasn't tried to talk about it since. After I calmed him down when he and Glenn got into it about Merle, he's been this way, only talks to me if he absolutely has to, but otherwise I rarely see him.

"You takin' the night shift again?" Rick asked as he walked up to me.

"Ya know me well, Grimes." I smiled.

"Ya don't need to do this."

"Do what?"

"Overwork yourself. There's plenty of manpower here to give ya a night off."

"You're wrong, Rick. I need to do this. It's my fault we're in this mess anyways."

"How is it your fault?"

"The Governor and I- we... we go back. Ya see, he was a cop way before all this shit happened. When my mom died, my dad lost it, broke down and became hysterical. The Governor took me away, said I didn't need to see all that."

"Where'd you go?"

"Loretta's Waffle House. We talked, had a good time together. He took me back to the police station so I can wait for my dad to pick me up. He got fired because takin' me away from the scene was breakin' protocol. Before I left he gave me his number and told me to call 'e m if I needed anythin'. That was the last time I saw 'em until I first arrived at Woodbury."

"I see."

"He was a great guy back then, my only friend. But he's... different. He's not that man I once knew. Once he remembered who I was he became very protective, especially after Merle and I went on a huntin' trip and came back a day late."

"What happened?"

"Ran into a pissed off bear, I killed it, but fell through a frozen lake. Merle saved me, but we had to camp for the night. Came back the next day and The Governor hit me, Merle stood up for me and The Governor started keepin' an extra close eye on us, especially me. Merle and I had to sneak out just to go huntin', but at the same time, we were lookin' for clues as to where y'all were."

"Which pissed 'em off more." I nodded.

"He said if I ever left he'd come after me and kill anyone who got in my way. I'm startin' to wonder if stayin' here is even a good idea."

"Michaela-"

"I'm puttin' all of y'all at risk. I dunno, maybe if I left-"

"Ya can't leave, we need you."

"But ya won't if I'm not here. If I'm not here, you're safe, if I am, you're a walkin' target."

"You honestly believe that?" Rick sighed. "Michaela, none of this is your fault. We're family. Family sticks together, that's what you said. You can't leave, Michaela. Please, stay." I sighed and slung my rifle over my shoulder and walked outside to the guard tower