Dead Man Walking | Rick Grimes

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"If this goes south, we're cutting her loose." Yup, so predictable, Rick. I looked at her and analyzed her body language. The way she's tense in here, her eagerness to go to that man's apartment... she wants revenge.

"You think she's leading us into a trap?" Oscar questioned, his gaze landing on the woman. I shook my head but dared not to speak.

"Right now, it's the blind leading the blind," Daryl said. His following words were probably the best to come out of his mouth this entire journey. "Let's split up." Before I could answer, a knock pierced our tense silence. I grabbed my gun and aimed, knowing it would be best to deal with this silently. But I don't know if it's just one or multiple. What if they saw us? Came up with a plan of attack to dispose of us without alerting their people? Keys jingled from the other side of the door, and the lock turned. I ran towards the door we used to come in and crouched, hoping that we would go unnoticed.

"I know you're in here," The man announced as he closed the door behind him, "I saw you moving from outside." I swallowed harshly and grabbed my knife, ready to hurl it if he came too close to us. "Alright, now. You're not supposed to be in here, and you know it. Who's in here?" Rick made a bold move and rushed towards the guy, gun pointed and arms pressing on the man's throat. I came out from my hiding spot and aimed my shotgun at him.

"Shut up." Rick demanded, "Get on your knees." He threw the man down, his gun still pointed at the man's head, "Hands behind your back. Zip tie him." I rushed forward and produced a zip tie from my pocket. I grabbed his hands, bound them together, fastened the zip tie, and watched Rick interrogate him further.

"I don't know." The man answered, his voice small with fright. Rick gripped his collar harder and forced him closer.

"Where the hell are they?" He questioned, getting in the man's face. The man repeated that he didn't know, frustrating me further. I spotted a rag on the ground and bent over to pick it up.

"Open your mouth," I demanded of the man and shoved the dirty rag in his mouth. He gagged slightly, trying to squirm away before Daryl bashed him upside the head, knocking him unconscious. "Hide his body."

Rick and Daryl grabbed the man by his feet and hid him in the room's shadows. Hopefully, people won't find him until we've already left. Rick joined me in the front and pushed me forward slightly, his hand lingering on the small of my back. I pursed my lips and stepped away, creating some distance between us. Whatever may have been stirring within him before his wife's death is no longer there. He needs to process his feelings about losing her, not worry about me. If he wants to worry about someone, it should be his kids. I know I'm coming off cold and calloused, but I refuse to be his distraction. Sure, it was fun to flirt with him in the past, and I know it was wrong, but it seems even infinitely more fucked up now. Lori has only been dead for a short while. God damn, where was my moral compass before?

Gunfire rang out in the community, screams emitting everywhere as the civilians ran for shelter. Rick slowly opened the door and stepped outside, leading us into the main streets of Woodbury. If we're lucky, we can blend in as 'soldiers.' He guided us through the shadows and approached the building where the shots came from, gently pushing the door open. We entered the building, guns raised and ready, but we all knew it would be best to avoid bloodshed.

Rick pressed himself against the wall, motioning for us to do the same before peeking over and turning the corner. My heart pounded in my ears as I followed him. My arms were tense as I held up my shotgun, my breathing coming out silent but jagged. A voice spoke with a soft tone to it, but his words were threatening. I've never heard a voice like this. Rick and Daryl shared a look as their faces turned pale. Did they recognize the voice? The men of Woodbury ordered their prisoners to their feet, rushing them to their execution.