CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN » PRISONERS
"Man, you don't make the rules."

♔

"Suit up," Rick instructed, chucking a protective vest over to me. I caught it swiftly, pulling it over my head with ease. "We're gonna push through, regain the other cell blocks."

After gearing up properly and positioning weapons, we began to head towards the door that led to the other sections of the prison. Rick took the lead, holding out the flashlight in front of him as he opened the door.

It was dark, deserted and full of the dead. I felt my chest tighten with nerves as we moved through the corridor, Glenn pausing briefly to spray paint the wall so we'd know where to go on the way back.

Suddenly, just when it had all seemed to be going too smoothly, I heard familiar moans and groans as we ran into a whole hoard of walkers.

"Go back! Go back!" Rick screamed as I automatically spun back around the other way, crashing in to Olivia in the process. We rushed back the way we came, only to be blocked off by another group of walkers. Next to me, I heard Maggie let out a shrill scream and turned to see a walker had almost grabbed her. Automatically, I aimed my gun, pulling the trigger and dragging her away as the walker fell.

We turned the corner, halting when we both realised we'd split from the group. "Shit!" I cursed, running my hand through my hair as I looked around in all directions. "Shit, shit, shit!"

"This way!" Maggie grabbed my arm again as we narrowly missed another group of walkers. I could hear voices ringing around in the air and the two of us pushed on further, sliding into another corridor to see a bloodied Hershel, bitten by a walker.

"Oh god."

I froze, the frantic sounds echoing all around me. My heart raced, panic flowing through my body as Hershel's screams of pain became louder.

"Blaire!" My eyes snapped up to Rick, who appeared to have been shouting at me for a while. I glanced around me, nothing walkers closing in on us from both sides.

Daryl and Olivia stepped past me and I shared a nod with them both, knowing that we were going to have to try and make a path through the walkers.

Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I moved towards the herd, shooting every few seconds as we inched backwards, allowing the others to get Hershel to safety.

"In here! In here!" I heard Maggie yell and I quickly slipped through the door, pressing my back to it as soon as it closed shut. Daryl stood next to me doing the same, whilst T-Dog and Olivia struggled with the other door. I watched as the others knelt around Hershel, and saw Rick's axe swing up in the air.

Even from the distance I was at, I could still hear it cut through flesh and bone as a few sickening slashes pierced the air. I opened my eyes again, trying to ignore the feeling of my stomach twisting. I spotted a movement behind Rick and instantly raised my gun, Daryl doing the same next to me.

Five men stood behind the metal bars, all looking horrified. The smallest one was the first to speak, his eyes wide. "Holy shit."

They were prisoners, it was clear by their jumpsuits. Yet, I was baffled to how they'd survived so long.

"Who the hell are you?" Daryl demanded.

"Who the hell are you?" One of them shot back.

"He's bleeding out, we gotta go back!" Rick exclaimed, capturing my attention for a moment. "Put pressure on the knee! Hard! Hard! Push, push!"

I stepped forwards, my gun still aimed at the five men. "Come out here. Slow and steady."

"What happened to him?" Another asked as Daryl and I still held our weapons up at them

"He got bit," I replied.

"Bit?"

My eyes narrowed as I watched him pull out a gun, T-Dog immediately holding up his own.

"Woah, woah, easy now," Daryl started as I stepped forwards as well, pointing my weapon at the man. "Nobody needs to get hurt."

I listened as Rick sent out instructions to the others about helping Hershel, and watched as Glenn walked into the room where the prisoners were, not quite seeming fazed by them. "You got medical supplies?"

"Where do you think you're going?" One snapped.

"Who the hell are you people anyway?" Another questioned as I glared between all of them.

"Don't look like no rescue team," the blonde one added on.

Rick, who was in the midst of carrying an unconscious Hershel, spoke up. "If a rescue team's what you're waiting for, don't!"

I glanced towards Glenn, who was frantically throwing medical supplies off a table. He rushed out of the room, pushing the table towards everyone, pausing momentarily to help Hershel on. "Come on, we gotta go! Get to the door! Let's go!"

Upon Rick's instructions, I rushed to the door and opened it. T-Dog stepped out first, killing a lone walker in the way. I followed, stepping out into the dark hallway. Running alongside T-Dog, I followed the arrows Glenn had left on the walls, leading us back to Cell Block C.

"Open the door!" Rick bellowed loudly as we approached the gates. "It's Hershel! Carl c'mon!"

I stepped to the side, letting them wheel Hershel inside one of the prison cells. T-Dog shut the doors, making sure only him, Daryl and I were left where the prisoners could possibly come through. And sure enough, they did.

"That's far enough," Daryl stated, holding his crossbow up.

One of the men stepped forwards, his face emotionless, and he stared him down. My heart thumped in my chest, the look on the mans face setting me on edge. I didn't like the look of the prisoners at all, especially the leader-type one. After all, they were all in jail for a reason. "Cell block C. Cell four, that's mine, gringo. Let me in."

"Today's your lucky day, fellas. You've been pardoned by the state of Georgia, you're free to go," Daryl stated.

"What you got going on in there?" The man asked, completely ignoring him.

"That's none of your business," I snapped back, suddenly feeling very defensive over everyone.

"Don't be telling me what's my concern," he threatened, pulling out his gun and aiming it towards me. I stood taller, pointing my weapon towards him, my jaw hardening.

"Chill, man," one of the others stepped forwards. "Dude's leg is messed up. Besides, we're free now! Why are we still in here?"

"Man's got a point," Daryl grunted.

"Yeah, and I gotta check on my old lady," another added in.

"Group of civilians breaking into a prison you've got no business being in, got me thinking there ain't no place for us to go!" The 'leader' snapped.

"Why don't you go find out?" Daryl challenged, taking a step forwards.

"Maybe we'll just be going now," the blonde one, who had been fairly quiet, said.

"Hey, we ain't leaving!"

T-Dog stepped out of the shadows, his voice booming. "You ain't coming in either!"

"Hey, this is my house, my rules, I go where I damn well please!" He countered, his voice rising.

"Man, you don't make the rules," I snapped back, still holding my gun firmly.

"You think you can just come in here and tell me what to do? You stupid bitch!"

"There ain't nothing for you here, why don't you go back to your own sandbox!" Daryl yelled back, taking a step in front of me just as Rick walked through the doors.

"Hey!" He shouted, his hands raised. "Everyone relax, there's no need for this."

"How many of you in there?"

Rick squinted at him. "Too many for you to handle."

"You guys rob a bank or something? Why don't you take him to a hospital?" One of the prisoners asked. I frowned for a moment, it taking a few seconds for me to realise that these men didn't have a clue what was going on.

"How long have you been locked in that cafeteria?" Rick questioned.

"Going on ten months."

"A riot broke out," another answered. "Never seen anything like it."

"Ever heard about dudes going cannibal, dying, coming back to life? Crazy."

"One guard looked out for us, locked us up in the cafeteria, told us to sit tight, threw me this gun, said he'd be right back," the leader explained.

"And that was 292 days ago."

"94 according to my-"

"Shut up!"

"We were thinking that the army or the national guard should be showing up any day now," the leader said and I shared a glance with Rick, who looked like he was hesitating on what to say.

"There is no army."

"What do you mean?" One of them immediately asked, looking between each of us for an answer.

"There's no government, no hospitals, no police. It's all gone," Rick said.

"What about my mom?" One of them asked, causing my heart to clench at his words.

"My kids, my old lady!" Another exclaimed. "Yo, you got a cellphone or something so we can call our families?"

"You don't get it, do you?" Daryl asked as Rick shook his head.

"No phones, no computers," Rick confirmed. "As far as we can see, at least half the population's been wiped out. Probably more."

"Ain't no way," the leader said, causing me to sigh in frustration.

"See for yourself."