June 23rd, 2011

Sam and the others stared at the wall in front of them. Sam was waiting for Rick's orders on what they were going to do. Then, suddenly, Michonne went off on her own leaving the others confused

"Hey! Hey!" Rick whispered but she didn't come back. Rick then turned to Michael

"What the hell is she doing?" Rick asked

"Probably getting revenge on that prick" Michael said. Rick thought for a moment

"All right, we need to downsize" Rick said

"Ain't no way we're gonna check in all them buildings, not with all them guards there" Daryl said as everyone grabbed a weapon. Sam held a rifle in his hands. A twig snapped, and everyone turned with their weapons raised. It was Michonne. She motioned for them to follow her

"All right, let's go" Rick said. So they followed Michonne. She led them into a building. They all entered quietly. Apparently this was also where Michonne and Michael were held

"This is where you two were held?" Rick asked

"We were questioned" Michonne said

"Any idea where else they could be?" Rick asked as Daryl peeked through the curtains

"I thought you said there was a curfew" Daryl said

"Doesn't mean everyone listens. You should see it during the day. My God" Michael said

"If anyone comes in here, we're sitting ducks. We gotta move" Rick said

"They could be in his apartment" Michonne said. Michael looked at her

"I don't think they are. I'm almost positive him and Andrea are a thing by now. He wouldn't want her to see that" Michael said

"Then we can look somewhere else" Michonne said

"You said you two could help us" Rick said looking at the duo

"They're doing their best. I mean, they aren't genies" Sam defended. Rick motioned for everyone but Michael and Michonne to come close. They gathered around

"If this goes south, we're cutting them loose" Rick said. Sam looked at Rick betrayed

"Excuse me?" Sam asked offended

"You heard me. Look, he may be your brother, but he isn't the same as before" Rick said

"Neither are any of us. We are not ditching my brother" Sam said

"Fighting won't solve this" Oscar said

"Let's split up" Daryl said. That's when they heard knocking at the door. They all hid as keys jangled. The door opened and closed shortly after

"I know you're in here. I saw you moving from outside" The man said as he walked around looking for the group

"All right, now. You're not supposed to be in here and you know it. Who's in here?" The man asked before Rick grabbed him and pointed a gun at his head. Rick forced him to the ground and got Daryl to zip tie the man. Then, Rick questioned him about the whereabouts of Maggie and Glenn. When Rick realized the man didn't know anything, he gagged the man before Daryl knocked him out. They dragged the unconscious man away

Winter stood by Carl who was watching Beth hold Judith. Axel was sitting nexting to Beth. Winter could only feel sadness for Carl. She knew he was going through so much. Winter wrapped her arm around Carl, who didn't protest, rather, he grabbed onto her shirt. She knew he was just a kid. A kid forced to grow up because of the world he lived in. Winter wanted to provide him any comfort she could

"You are good with her. You got little sisters?" Axel asked Beth

"No" Beth responded

"How old are you, anyway?" Axel asked. Both Carl and Winter began looking at the man suspiciously

"17" Beth said

"17. Interesting" Axel said with a creepy smile. Winter felt extremely uncomfortable

"Yeah, um no. Get the fuck away from her right now" Winter said. She wasn't going to let Axel try anything. Axel looked confused

"What did I do?" Axel asked confused. Carol had seen the whole thing

"May I speak with you?" Carol asked Axel. He turned to her

"Me?" He asked. Carol nodded before walking away

"I'll be right back" Axel said as he smiled at Beth before following Carol. Winter motioned for Carl to sit beside Beth, so Axel couldn't get so close. Carl sat beside Beth. Beth looked at Winter. Winter approached Beth

"If ever does anything that makes you uncomfortable or tries to do anything. You tell me. Do you understand?" Winter asked her. Beth nodded. Winter knew that even though the world had collapsed, people hadn't changed. Some men were still terrible people who wanted to do terrible things. Winter wanted to do her best to make sure that didn't happen, especially to any of the women here

They heard gunshots and yelling. Sam knew that this was their chance. Rick opened the door and the group left. They approached the building where they heard gunshots. All of them were in guard, and ready to kill if necessary. They entered the building, following Rick's lead. As they got deeper into the building the sound of a familiar voice could be heard. It was Merle. The sounds of footsteps approached. Rick pulled out a smoke grenade and threw it

An explosion was heard shortly after along with shouting. The group rushed into the smoke and found Glenn and Maggie, who had a bag over her head. Sam quickly took it off before the group escorted them out. Gunshots were fired as the soldiers attempted to attack them, but they missed. Glenn was bloody and covered in bruises. He was also not wearing a shirt. Glenn had his arm around Rick as the group tried to escape. They saw soldiers, so they quickly went inside a building. Glenn fell to floor, and Maggie looked at him worriedly as she kneeled beside him. However, one person in the group was missing, and that was Michonne

"Ain't no way out back here" Daryl said

"Rick, how did you find us?" Maggie asked who hadn't taken notice of Michael

"How bad are you hurt?" Rick asked

"I'll be all right" Glenn said

"Where's that wom-" Maggie cut herself off as she laid her eyes on Michael. She covered her mouth in shock. Rick looked around

"Where is she?" Rick asked Michael

"As I said the first time. She's probably going to say hello to that prick" Michael said before looking at Maggie. Sam knew that the three of them had a lot to talk about

"We can't wait for her. She's on her own" Rick said

"Woah, I can't just leave her behind" Michael said

"No one's asking you to. You can stay as well" Rick said. Michael was getting tired of Rick's behavior towards him but decided it wasn't the time to start a fight

"Daryl, this was Merle" Glenn said

"I know. Michael already explained" Daryl said

"He was gonna execute us" Glenn said

"Welcome to the club" Michael said trying to lighten the mood but it didn't help. Sam just shook his head

"Listen, I'm sorry. We told them where the prison was. We couldn't hold out" Glenn said

"Don't. No need to apologize" Rick said

"They're gonna be looking for us" Maggie said

"We have to get back. Can you walk? We got a car a few miles out" Rick said to Glenn

"I'm good" Glenn said. Rick and Maggie helped Glenn to his feet

"Hey, if Merle's around, I need to see him" Daryl said. Michael looked at Daryl

"Not now. We're in hostile territory" Rick said. They were in a dangerous situation, and they needed to get out as soon as possible

"He's my brother. I ain't-" Daryl was cut off

"Look at what he did! Look, we gotta- we gotta get out of here now" Rick said

"Maybe I can talk to him. Maybe I can work something out" Daryl said

"No, he's a fucking bastard" Michael said which earned a glare from Daryl

"You're not thinking straight. Look, no matter what they say, they're hurt. Glenn can barely walk. How are we gonna make it out if we get overrun by walkers and this governor catches up to us? I need you. Are you with me?" Rick asked Daryl. Daryl nodded

"Yeah" He said. The group got ready to make their escape. Sam could see that Michael was anxious. He understood that it was probably due to the fact that Michonne was nowhere to be found. Sam didn't understand the full extent of the relationship between the two, but he knew Michael cared for her deeply. The group left the building as Daryl threw out a smoke grenade. Then, the group ran, using the smoke as a cover. Though, it only did so much. They were spotted and they were shot at. Rick's group quickly returned fire as they made their escape. Sam shot down a couple of the men, as did the others. However there were so many. Sam was beside Maggie as the two covered for Oscar and Glenn. Oscar was helping Glenn onto a bus, when suddenly Oscar was shot

"Shit!" Sam yelled in worry

"Rick! Rick!" Maggie cried as she was kneeled beside Oscar's body. Sam could see Oscar's wound. He was dead. He was shot in the chest. Sam wondered if more would join Oscar

Winter had come down the prison stairs to see that there was a group on the other side of the gate. Carl had just locked the gate so they couldn't enter

"Who are they?" Winter asked. Carl looked at her

"I found them in the cell-" Carl was cut off

"Hey, what are you doing?" A woman asked

"Kid, did you just lock us in here?" A man asked

"Open the door" The woman said. Winter walked over to Carl and stopped behind him

"This room is secure. You'll be safe. You have food and water" Carl told them. The woman approached the door

"Open this door" She said

"I can't" Carl said

"Come on, man. We're not animals. Don't do this" She begged. Hershel and Beth stared at the woman

"Hey! You can't just leave us in here! Open this door! Open it! Now!" She yelled as she banged on the door. The man approached

"Sasha! Back away from their door and let the man go" The man said. The woman named Sasha did as told. He talked to her for a minute before looking at Winter's group

"We don't want any trouble" The man said

They had managed to make it over the wall. Everyone but Daryl and Michonne were missing. Rick was waiting for Daryl. They heard leaves rustling. When they turned, they saw Michonne. Sam looked at Michael who had a look of relief on his face. Rick walked over to her and pointed a gun at her head

"Where the hell were you?" Rick asked. Michael walked over and got in the way of Rick's gun. Sam noticed that Michonne had blood on her face

"Don't you fucking dare" Michael said

"Michael, get out of the way" Rick said

"No, put your fucking gun down" Michael said. Sam saw the tension rising quickly. Rick lowered his weapon

"Where are the rest of your people?" Michonne asked

"They got Oscar" Glenn said

"Daryl is missing. You didn't see him?" Maggie asked

"If anything happens to him-" Rick was cut off

"Hey, we brought you here to save them. Don't fucking turn on us" Michael said

"Thanks for the help" Rick said as if signaling that they were no longer needed

"You can't be serious" Sam said

"You'll need help to get them back to the prison or to go back in there for Daryl. Either way, you need us" Michonne said

(1953 words)
02/02/23