MADE TO SUFFER

We looked at the walls in front of us. We were careful to stay hidden. Michonne suddenly moved away

"Hey! Hey!" Daryl whispered as we all turned. None of us were sure where she was going

"Damn it" Rick said as she had disappeared. We all moved back

"All right. We need to downsize" Rick said as we got our guns ready

"Ain't no way we're gonna check in all them buildings, not with all them guards there" Daryl said. A twig snapped and we all turned with our guns pointing at whatever it was. We saw Michonne mouthing words and pointing. We lowered our guns

"All right, let's go" Rick said as we followed her. She led us into a building. It was empty and dark. We all followed her as we heard crickets chirping. We walked cautiously, as Oscar closed the door behind us

"This is where you were held?" Rick asked

"I was questioned" Michonne corrected him

"Any idea where else they could be?" Rick asked. Daryl went to the other door and looked through the curtain

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

"The street is packed during the day. Those are stragglers" Michonne explained

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

"They could be in his apartment" Michonne said

"Yeah? What if they ain't?" Daryl asked

"Then we'll look somewhere else" Michonne said

"You said you could help us" Rick said

"She is" I defended her

"I'm doing what I can" Michonne said

"Then where in the hell are they?" Oscar asked

"Hey" Rick said motioning us over. We all followed leaving Michonne by herself

"If this goes south, we're cutting her loose" Rick said

"You think she's leading us into a trap?" Oscar asked

"She brought food for the baby" I said

"Judith" He said

"Judith?" I asked

"That's her name and just 'cause she brought food don't mean she's a friend" Rick said

"Right now it's the blind leading the blind. Let's split up" Daryl said. We heard knocking on the door. Our heads snapped in the direction of the noise. My adrenaline began pumping. We heard keys jangling and the sound of a lock, unlocking. We all quickly hid as the door opened. We heard it close. I was hiding behind a wall

"I know you're in here. I saw you moving from outside. All right, now. You're not supposed to be in here and you know it. Who's in here?" The man asked. Oscar had his gun ready as he walked in. Rick quickly took tackled him into the wall and pointed a gun at him

"Shut up. Get on your knees. Hands behind your back. Zip tie him. Where are our people?" Rick asked as Daryl zip tied the man. He was on his knees as he shook his head

"I don't know" The man said. Rick grabbed his collar harshly

"You are holding some of our people. Where the hell are they?" Rick asked getting more aggressive

"I don't know" The man claimed. Rick lowered his gun

"Open your mouth" Rick said as he gagged the man. Daryl then whacked him over the head with his crossbow. We went to drag him out when we heard gunshots and people shouting. I got my gun ready as Rick and the rest of us ran to the double doors. Rick opened it slightly to see what was going on. He then walked out. We followed

Our guns ready to shoot. Rick led us to the source of the gunfire. We went through a door. There was a corner. We all got against the wall. Rick looked out and then continued. We followed him. We could hear someone speaking but couldn't tell what was being said. We all ducked

"On your feet, move. Let's go, come on" a man said

"Shit" Daryl muttered. Him, and Rick grabbed flashbangs and then threw them as we ran. We heard them explode and then shouting. We ran towards them to find Maggie and Glenn. I found Maggie and pulled her out. Rick doing the same for Glenn. Gunshots went off as we escaped. Glenn was badly injured. It looked like he had been tortured. We all ran out

"Inside, quick!" Rick whisper-yelled. We all ran inside the building. Glenn fell to the ground

"Aint no way out back here" Daryl said as I looked at Glenn. I crouched

"Rick, how did you find us?" Maggie asked

"How bad are you hurt?" Rick asked avoiding Maggie's question

"I'll be all right" Glenn said

"Where's that woman?" Maggie asked. I looked around. Where was Michonne?

"She was right behind us" Rick said. He looked around the curtain

"Maybe she was spotted" Oscar said

"Want me to go look for her?" Daryl asked

"No. We gotta get them out of here. She's on her own" Rick said

"We can-" I was cut off

"Daryl, this was Merle" Glenn said. I turned to Glenn in shock

"It was. He did this" Glenn continued

"You saw him?" Rick asked

"Face to face. He threw a walker at me. He was gonna execute us" Glenn confessed as he put on a jacket

"S-So my brother's this governor?" Daryl asked

"No, he's somebody else. Your brother's his lieutenant or something" Maggie said

"Does he know I'm still with you?" Daryl asked

"He does now. Rick, I'm sorry. We told him where the prison was. We couldn't hold out" Glenn said

"Don't. No need to apologize" Rick said. He then ran back to the window to check

"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

"I'm good" Glenn said nodding

"All right" Rick said as we helped him up

"Hey, if Merle's around, I need to see him" Daryl said

"What makes you think he won't shoot you in the back?" I asked

"He's my bro-" Daryl was cut off

"Not now. We're in hostile territory. 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 tried to convince Rick

"No, no, no. 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 stared at him

"Yeah" Daryl said. We got ready to leave. Daryl pulled out smoke grenades

"On three. Stay tight. One, two, three" Rick said. He opened the door and Daryl tossed out a smoke grenade, and then another one

"Hey, over there!" Someone yelled as the area became filled with smoke

"Let's go!" Rick said. We all followed him with our guns raised. A man spotted us as he pointed his flashlight at us

"There they are" They said. Gunshots were heard. Rick aimed and fired at him. Killing him. The rest of us firing in the smoky area trying to take out our enemies. I shot down a man

"Behind you!" Someone yelled as we continued on

"Go! Get cover!" Rick yelled at us as we ran to a building

"Go, go, go!" He yelled as we dodged the oncoming bullets. We got to a safe spot

"How many?" Rick asked

"I didn't see" Oscar said

"Don't matter. There's gonna be more of them. We need to move" Daryl said. We were all panting

"Any grenades left?" Rick asked

"Uh-huh" Daryl said pulling them out

"Get 'em ready. We gotta gun it to the wall" Rick said. I peeked out and shot at the enemies. I then took cover

"You guys go ahead. I'm gonna lay down some cover fire" Daryl said. I looked at him as I shook my head

"No, we gotta stay together" Maggie said

"Too hairy. I'll be right behind you" Daryl said. Maggie peeked out and shot at the enemies. She hid once more

"Ready?" Daryl asked

"Don't die" I said as he threw a smoke grenade

"Smoke! We got smoke!" Someone yelled. We all ran as we shot our guns. We kept running

"Keep going!" Rick yelled

"This way!" Oscar yelled leading us. We all got behind a bus.. well Me, Glenn, Maggie and Oscar did. Oscar got ontop of the bus' hood

"Come on, now. Come on" Oscar said as he helped Glenn up. Me and Maggie covered them as we shot at the enemies. A gunshot went off and it hit Oscar

"Ah!" He yelled

"No!" Glenn yelled as Oscar fell. My eyes widened as I turned

"Rick! Rick!" I yelled as Maggie went to Oscar. I kept firing at the others

"Maggie! Y/n!" Glenn yelled

"Rick!" Maggie yelled

"Maggie, Y/n, come on" Glenn said. Maggie shot Oscar in the head and we both climbed up. Most of us escaped

"Get down" Rick said as we hid behind a truck. Daryl and Michonne were still missing. The guards were looking for us

"Come on, Daryl" Rick said. We heard rustling. We all turned to see Michonne. Rick walked over and cocked his gun

"Where the hell were you?" He asked. She was covered in blood as she came from under the train

"Put your hands up. Turn around. Turn around" Rick said. Her hands were up and she slowly turned around. Maggie kept her gun on Michonne. Rick took her katana. Rick then lowered his gun

"Get what you came for?" Rick asked

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

"They got Oscar" Glenn said keeping his gun on Michonne. I put my hand on the top of his gun and I lowered it

"Daryl is missing. You didn't see him?" I asked. She shook her head

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

"I brought you here to save them" She said

"Thanks for the help" Rick said

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

(1717 words)
11/24/21

Edited: 07/08/22