Left Behind (sequel to Not Alone)

Ch. 3 - The Prison

Daryl

Rick was all for the idea of trying for the prison. As Maggie and me had been walking back to inform the others, I thought about what she had said to me. She was right, Anna wouldn't want me acting like this to the others. She'd want me to move on as best I could. "Watch the backside," I said as I looked around while waiting for Rick to finish cutting through one of the first fences to get inside. Glenn was taking care of a geek on my right. "Got it," Lori said nodding as I glanced behind me at the group. Rick finally cut through the fence and we all began climbing in through the hole. "Hurry," Rick said to T-Dog who was still standing behind him watching the woods, "hurry!" Glenn and I, we were holding the hole open for Rick to climb through last.

I held the fence together for a moment while Glenn started patching the hole but once he was good, I walked off and headed down the path between the two sets of fencing. We came to a stop in one of the entrances to the prison, where they'd let cars in and out at. "It's perfect," I heard Rick say as I looked around at the walkers inside the fence that was part of the yard. I looked back at Rick, he was right it was perfect. "If we can shut that gate," he said and motioned to the gate ahead of us that was opened, "prevent more from filling the yard we can pick off these walkers. We'll take the field by tonight." "So how do we shut the gate," Hershel asked. "I'll do it," Glenn said stepping up, "you guys cover me." "No," Maggie said shaking her head behind him, "it's a suicide run. I'm not losing you too."

I gritted my teeth and looked away, I knew what she was talking about. She wasn't losing him after losing Anna back at the farm. "I'm the fastest," Glenn said trying to convince her. "No," Rick said stepping up, "you, Maggie, and Beth draw as many as you can over there. Pop them through the fence. Daryl, go back to the other tower." I looked at him and nodded as he continued on with the orders. "Carol," he said, "you've become a pretty good shot. Take your time we don't have a lot of ammo to waste. Hershel you and Carl take this tower." Everyone nodded and took to their assigned locations to help Rick get to that other gate without becoming walker chow.

Carol and I were up in one of the towers, shooting down any walker that got too close to Rick. There was one walker, right next to Rick, that I shot smack dab in the middle of the head. Rick looked up at me and nodded before turning and running for the gate again. "Sorry," I heard Carol call out while I was pulling back the string on my crossbow to set up another arrow. I looked back out as I watched Rick disappear into another tower closer to the prison. "He did it," Carol said as I glanced over at her then looked towards the rest of the group. "Light it up," I shouted to everyone as we all began opening fire to take the prison yard.

Didn't take too long before the yard was free of any moving walkers. "Fantastic," Carol said smiling as we rejoined the group back at the front just as Carl and Hershel were walking out of their tower. "Nice shooting," I said, trying to be nice as Hershel place his hand on my shoulder as we walked by him. I looked over at the old man and nodded. He had grown on me a bit in the nearly eight months it's been since the farm. "You okay," Carol asked Lori as we reached her by the first gate. "I haven't felt this good in weeks," she said smiling as we walked by her. "Good," Carol said as she ran off around the turned over bus. I walked by Lori and placed my hand on her shoulder as I went. "We haven't had this much space since we left the farm," Carol exclaimed as I again gritted my teeth.

"You alright son," Hershel asked as he came to stand beside where I had stopped after hearing Carol mention the farm. I looked over at him as he placed his hand on my shoulder again while looking out where Carol and Carl were running through the grass. "Just thinkin' 'bout her," I whispered and looked back across the field in front of me, "this place woulda been perfect. Ya know for her to have the baby here and all." "I know," he said and I looked down at my feet, "try not to let it bother you too much. Yes you need to move on, but don't move on so much as to forget who she was and what she meant to you. Move on to find your happiness again."

I looked over at him as he removed his hand from my shoulder and walked forward to where Beth, Maggie, and Glenn had come to a stop in the field. My happiness is with Anna, I thought, and it'll always be with Anna. I stood there watching as Rick greeted Lori out on the field. I had my crossbow slung over my shoulder, holding the strap with one hand. I looked around at everyone there. They all seemed happy at this point but I could only think about Anna and how she wasn't here with me. I caught Maggie's eye and tried to put a smile on my face for her, I was gonna try and move on from Anna but I doubt I ever would truly move on.