Rick's Ruby

Chapter 6

Rick grabbed her hand, pulling her behind him as he went to the living room. "How many?"

"I saw five, might be more." T-Dog said, looking out the front window through a crack in the boards. "Got a truck parked in front."

Rick stepped up beside him and looked out. A large dark truck was parked near their vehicles a large dark haired man was standing out front looking over the house. There were four others behind him, wandering nearby.

A smaller dark haired man came up next to him and said something Rick couldn't hear, and pointed to the cars.

"They're looting the cars." Rick said grimly. "We gotta stop them." He stepped back and grabbed his Python from his hip. "Daryl, T-Dog, come with me to the porch. Ruby, stay here."

He went to the door and looked back at the two other men. "Ready?" They nodded and he opened the door, moving out onto the porch, his gun in his hand. They followed and shut the door behind them, leaving Ruby at the living room window to watch after them.

The big dark man grinned when he saw Rick. "I knew somebody was here. How you doin'?" The four other men he had with him stopped to focus on Rick, T, and Daryl.

"I think you better just move on down the road, mister." Rick said quietly, readjusting his grip on his gun.

"Oh, we are." The man nodded, but the smile on his face didn't reach his eyes. Rick knew the look, he was bad news. "Just could use a night's rest is all. Maybe a little food and some ammo you got lyin' around."

Rick shook his head. "Sorry, we can't help. Best be moving on."

The man chuckled, and looked back at his men that had come up behind him, hands on their weapons and menacing looks on their worn, tanned faces. The big man turned back to Rick and tilted his head to the side. "Ok. Well, thanks anyway, man."

Rick frowned, surprised the man was seemingly giving in. Something wasn't right. We're gone, ok?"

Rick nodded warily. "I'd appreciate it."

They walked back to the truck and Rick stepped down off the stairs, following a few steps. He felt T-Dog and Daryl right behind him, and the men paused.

"Rick?" T-Dog said quickly, stepping up beside him. "Walkers."

Rick head snapped to the right and saw half a dozen walkers coming through the trees from the road. He'd been so busy keeping his focus on the men and their guns he hadn't heard the low moans and shuffling of feet.

"The guns'll draw more." T-Dog said and all them men, even the new group, turned toward the threat coming from the trees. The big guy held his gun up and fired, dropping the closest one to them.

"Can't worry about that now." Rick said and followed suit, firing into the crowd of dead things. Gunfire erupted around them and soon all six walkers were laying in piles along the ground beyond the tree line. Rick turned back toward the man he'd been speaking to before, his gun still in his hand.

"This is gonna draw more. I suggest you clear out before they get here." Rick said quietly, and the man gave an amused chuckle.

"No thank you for helping you here?"

"Considering they probably followed you, I'm gonna say no."

"We can handle the walkers." He peered around Rick to the porch. "Besides, I don't think you got much of a choice."

Rick followed his eyes back to the porch and let out an angry curse. His stomach flew into his throat. Standing on the porch in front of the open door to the house was one of the man's guys, and he had Ruby by the neck, holding her in front of him and a gun to her temple. She met Rick's eyes and though she looked calm, he could see the panic in her eyes. The man had taken the walkers as a distraction to get around them to the house, and now he was going to lose Ruby because of it.