cassette tapes |d. dixon| [1]

19

"I didn't trust any of these prisoners one bit. Just because they seemed clueless doesn't mean they aren't dangerous. They were in those jumpsuits for a reason. But it was their leader we really had to look out for. He had the gun."

THE GROUP FOLLOWED TOMAS, the Hispanic prisoner with the gun, back to the cafeteria, "Pantry's back here!" he called out,

"You never tried to break out of here?" T-Dog asked as he walked in,

"We tried to take the doors off. But if you make one peep in here, then those freaks will be lined up outside the door growling, trying to get in. Windows got bars on them that he-man couldn't get through." Oscar told them,

"Bigger than a 5x8." Axel commented,

"You won't find me complaining. Doing fifteen. My left leg can barely fit on one of those bunks." Big Tiny said and Caroline smirked,

"Yeah, they don't call him Big Tiny for nothing."

"You're done jerking each other off? I'm getting sick of waiting back here." Tomas scoffed and they went back into the pantry with them. Caroline raised her eyebrows, 

There was a shit ton of food left. Who's leg were they pulling?

"That's what you call a little bit of food?" Daryl scoffed, pushing past Tomas to get a better look,

"Goes fast." He replied and Daryl hummed in response, "You can have a bag of corn, some tuna fish."

"We said half. That's the deal." Rick turns towards a door, "What's in there?"

"Don't open that." Big Tiny warned but Rick went in anyways. 

Caroline caught a whiff of the smell and quickly turned and blocked her nose as Rick gagged. The prisoners laughed as Rick slammed the door shut, "You wanted to know!" Tomas laughed,

"Can't wait for my own pot to piss in." Axel commented,

They began collecting the food. Caroline went to pick up a bag of corn when Daryl stopped her, "I got it."

She sighed and nodded, deciding not to fight him on this one. Caroline stepped back and began grabbing some tubs of oatmeal and other things.

"This was enough good to last us weeks! You know, if we ration it correctly. We've been struggling to find food these past few months and now it was one less thing to worry about."

"Food's here!" T-Dog exclaimed, holding two large boxes filled with jars as Carl opened the cellblock door and they walked in,

 "What you got?" Carl asked,

"Canned beef, canned corn, canned cans! There's a lot more where this came from!" T-Dog grinned, clearly excited they have more to eat than squirrel.

"Any change?" Rick asked as they approached the cell where Hershel was resting. 

Caroline paused, adjusting the box in her hands, wanting to hear on Hershel's condition,

"Bleeding is under control and no fever, but his breath is labored, his pulse is way down and he hasn't opened his eyes yet." Lori informed him,

Rick turned, "Take my cuffs, put them on him. I'm not taking any chances."

Glenn reluctantly took Rick's cuffs from his jeans. Caroline gave him a small smile before walking over to T-Dog, who took the box from her hands and set them down inside one of the empty cells.

Caroline walked back out, passing Rick and Lori who were talking under the staircase. Outside the cell block, Daryl stood with the prisoners. 

"Don' want you comin' with us, Care." Daryl stated, placing his hands on his hips as he watched her walk over,

"Too bad." She crossed her arms over her chest and stood in front of him so no one would hear them, "I've gotten this far without getting hurt."

"I want you to go look at Hershel before tellin' me you want to come." Daryl growled, pointing back towards the cell block.

"Look, no offence to the man, but he was more focused on finding Maggie and Glenn at the time. He wasn't being careful." Caroline lowered her arms, "I'm careful, Daryl."

"We're not just dealin' with walkers here, girl."

The two looked over at the prisoners and Caroline noticed Tomas' eyes on her.

She turned back to Daryl, "You'll be there. And I trust you. Daryl, please."

He sighed as Rick and T-Dog began walking over, "You stick by me, got it?"

Caroline nodded as the other two men laid weapons out on the table between them and the prisoners.

Tomas picked one of them up, "Why do I need this, when I've got this?" He asked, lifting his gun.

"You don't fire guns. Not unless your back's up against the wall." Daryl grunted,  "Noise attracts them, really riles them up."

"We'll go in two by two. Daryl will run point with Care, I'll bring up the rear with T." Rick stated, "Stay tight, hold formation, no matter how close the walkers get. Anyone breaks ranks, we could all go down, anyone runs off, they could get mistaken for a walker, end up with an axe to the head."

"And that's where you aim. These things only go down with a head shot." Daryl said,

"Ain't gotta tell us how to take out a man." Tomas replied,

"They ain't men. They're something else." T-Dog commented,

Caroline rolled her eyes, "Just remember, go for the brain."

"You sure you can handle this, chica?" Tomas asked, smirking at the blonde girl.

She took out her knife, "Can you?"

"I had a feeling this is going to end badly. And boy was I right."