𝓗𝓮𝔂 𝓐𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓵 | 𝓓𝓪𝓻𝔂𝓵 𝓓𝓲𝔁𝓸𝓷

Chapter 44: Cope

"Axel, Oscar!" I called for the two inmates finally feeling a little more like myself again.

"Yes Ma'am," Axel replied as he and Oscar approached.

"For now, we could use an extra hand. I'm taking you two on good faith here. I need to sweep the prison cells make sure they're all secure still. But I need someone to check the perimeter and make certain there are no breaches. I'm hoping I can trust you two to do that?" I raised an eyebrow at the pair.

"We can do that," Axel replied with a sincere look and Oscar simply nodded.

"Good, when you're done report back to me or Glenn okay?"

They nodded and headed off.

I walked back over to the rest of the group who were still standing around in relative silence save for the baby. I tied Carol's headscarf around the loop of my jeans. The fact that there was no blood on it was giving me the tiniest amounts of hope. I decided I would go back and examine the area properly put my old skills to good use.

"How's the baby?" I asked Hershel quietly.

"She's healthy, but she needs formula as soon as possible," He answered.

"Where's Rick gone?" My eyes scanned the yard but found no sign of the sheriff.

"He went back in to find Lori," Beth replied with a hand on Carl's shoulder. "He don't seem right either."

"Right now, I think I would be more concerned if he seemed perfectly put together. He'll make it through just needs some time," I sighed. "We need to make sure our cell block is clear. You up for that Glenn?" I turned to my friend.

"Yeah, together we can cover it," Glenn agreed. "Let's go."

I lead the way grabbing my keys and unlocking the door. Carl came up behind us as we were about to enter.

"I want to help," He announced. I looked at him with sympathy.

"Carl-"

"Please, let me do something..." He started up at me silently pleading.

"Fine...but you stay back and fire from a distance of they get too close you move out and shut the door okay?"

"Fine," Carl nodded.

"Right, ready?"

The boys nodded and we pressed in. I knew there would be some by the entrance but it seemed like for now most had dispersed.

I took the lead jumping down the steps and pouncing on the first walker with my knife. Driving it into its head the body collapsed but I kept a tight hold on my weapon -which slipped out as the corpse flopped over. Glenn had taken another as I tore my machete out as well jamming it through a walkers face whilst planting my knife in another opposite me to keep it in place. In one swift movement, I ripped the machete out of one walker and into the other.

The small group was down quickly and I closed the side door and locked it. The cafeteria area was now walker free but we could still hear the moans and groans of the undead. I returned my knife to its holster as we crept around to the cell lock entrance.

There were more packed in there than out in the cafeteria. The foul creature stumbled about aimlessly and bumped into one another and the walls.

"There aren't any upstairs. If we fight our way through Carl can shoot through the bars and you and I can kill them off one by one on the stairs," Glenn suggested. I nodded in agreement.

Carl moved over to the other side of the door quickly and quietly. A few of the creatures caught sight of him though and began to lumber towards us. The young boy opened the gate and Glenn and I moved in stabbing the walkers in our path then charging up the stairs. It felt good to hurt something to be able to my anger and frustration out on the cause rather than my friends.