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so far all of us were accounted for as we grouped together near the pond. rick gazed around us all nervously, "all right—new plan, flares from a few guns isn't enough—too many walkers, too spread out. we're not going to the armory, we need our vehicles back at the quarry. all of us drive, we'll need to round 'em up, we leave, we come back."
"okay." i agree, i was quick with my response, because as of now it's our best plan than a few guns, yet there was just a quick problem, "but judith—to the quarry and back, i—" i cut myself off, shaking my head at rick. it's just not manageable for her, she may get hungry, thirsty, need her diaper changed, tired.
gabriel abruptly spoke up as we all looked around us, on high alert incase walkers may have noticed us, "i'll take her—keep her safe in my church until you all lead the walkers away."
i nod, "it's as good as it gets, it's gotta be." i say, and rick agreed. "can you do this?" michonne asks in a whisper, raising an eyebrow up in concern at gabriel.
our whole group was always skeptical at gabriel, he acted as a coward who didn't know what to do, so him showing bravery really shocked me. "i know i can, i have to."
rick nodded and closed in on gabriel and carl to cover them as they switched judith underneath the bed sheets. my poor baby, her scared face brought tears to my eyes. yet it's for the better, i'm gonna put my gut feeling aside and trust gabriel, i know with a baby's life and his ass on the line, he can do this. i know he can.
•
nighttime fell on us shorty after gabriel left, the moon shining was our only source of light in the cold darkness, and now, we were making it towards the front gate. we were all mixed up now in the line, not like it mattered. rick was in the front holding my hand, i held kenzie's, she held lola's, lola's held sam, and so on. after a couple more minutes of creeping our way through the walkers we came to an abrupt stop, a small whimper was heard.
releasing my hand from rick's, i turn around to see jessie's little son sam panicking, about to cry. jessie and ron tried to comfort him with words, but his sound of crying started to increase, it wasn't long until four walkers bit into him and took him down. reacting fast, i yank lola closer to me since she was near sam, not her, i won't let this happen to her, i won't let her die in fear.
my eyes moved to jessie, where i saw her break down into sobs at watching her son get eaten. "jess—jessie c'mon." i whisper to her, but my words nor rick's didn't seem to register into her head as she started crying her dead son's name.
walkers crowded around her and took her down quickly, my eyes widened with fear. you have got to be kidding me. "dad? mom! nik!" carl called in a low tone, i looked and saw carl trying to break away from jessie's grip, she wouldn't let go.
my heart raced with adrenaline, tears brimmed my eyes at the fact jessie was gone, but anger quickly flared up in me when i realized she was still hanging onto carl. rick couldn't hear carl calling for him, as he was discreetly killing off walkers coming near us.
i release kenzie's hand and pull my axe out from under the bedsheet, i will do whatever i have to do to protect these kids, whatever. taking in a sharp breath, i swing my axe at jessie's arm in full force, over and over again four times until carl was released from her hold, he fell onto the grass with a grunt.
as i helped carl up from the ground, the sound of a gun cocking behind us brought our attention. tears spiraling down his sweaty cheeks, his face etched with sadness, ron pointed a gun towards rick, carl, and i, "you."
i barely had any time to react or say anything before michonne slashed her samurai straight through his chest, a bullet ricocheting somewhere near us. i breathed with some relief, but yet, in a span of a minute, a family a three got taken out. how is that possible? just—how?
i look to lola, sending her an 'i'm okay' nod, she gave one back.
"dad?"
the tone of carl's tone was oddly distressed, and confused. when i turned to him my heart completely stopped, blood gushed down his right cheek, as a gash was right on his missing eye. he collapsed onto the ground with a thud. "no!" lola screams in shock.
"get him and let's move!" i shout, tightening the grip on my axe as rick dove to pick up carl. i was right behind michonne with the others behind me, she slashed any walkers in our way as we ran as fast as we could to the medical building.
even if denise isn't there, there's gotta be something we can do to help him, there's gotta be. whatever i have to do to help him, i will do. i'm not loosing carl, i won't, i refuse.
