HEART OF GLASS¹ ━━ the walking dead ✓

[ 012 ] the well walker

"How?" Marley inquired incredulously, tucking a fallen strand of ash-blonde hair back behind her left ear. "The well's way too deep."

T-Dog shrugged in a nonchalant manner, having already fused together a seemingly logical plan in his mind, "Easy. Put a bullet in its head."

They were uncharacteristically quiet. Cogs whirled in their heads. T-Dog's plan was the only thing that wouldn't cause an unnecessary mess or a potential bite to the arm. It wasn't like they had an overwhelming amount of options to choose from. It seemed . . . good enough.

"I'll get a rope." T-Dog concluded, nodding.

But they weren't quite finished. Or at least, Maggie Greene wasn't.

"Whoa, whoa, guys. No."

Glenn's brows furrowed. He squinted his eyes, gaze slicing through the dazzling rays of daybreak as he zoned his attention onto Maggie. "Why not? It's a good plan."

"It's a stupid plan." Andrea retorted in a sharp tone. She cocked her hip, gesturing to the well haphazardly. "If that thing hasn't contaminated the water yet, blowing its brains out will finish the job."

Andrea had a point. A really good point. Spurting blood and brain matter into the water with a single gunshot wound to the swollen head of the well walker would increase the risk of drinking infected water to the maximum level. Such a simple thing required an impeccably accurate, structured plan — the steps mapped out in a precise and logical manner to avoid the obvious risks.

Unless they wanted to spend the rest of their days as snarling, stumbling walkers.

"She's right," Shane said gruffly, pursing his lips in thought. "Can't risk it."

Marley held up a hand, and everyone simultaneously turned to look at her — the teenager girl who didn't really have the right to an opinion on adult matters, but spoke her mind freely regardless. "Does that mean this thing needs to come out alive?"

"So to speak." Shane said.

"Is that not . . . really dangerous?" Marley pondered, feeling an itch of concern blooming beneath her freckled skin.

The thought of subduing and controlling a walker that was double the size of a normal human-being was starting to sprout internalised frenzy and panic in the centre of her chest, carving an elongated hole that brimmed with anxiety.

"It's the only choice we have."

Marley released a ragged breath through parted lips, looking back over the well's opening.

The walker continued staring up at the chunks of fresh meat awaiting it above — curling its stubby fingers into a desperate fist. The contaminated water splashed up the walls, glimmering beneath the sun's irradiant gaze. The gruesome scene struck Marley with an odd yet brilliant idea.

Without a word, she turned on the heel of her foot and ran back to the white farmhouse. Everyone gathered by the well watched her receding figure in confusion.

She threw open the screen door urgently.

Beth was sitting at the dining table, scrawling meaningless words down into a diary that was incredibly worn at the edges. Sage was slumped in the chair opposite the Greene girl, her slanted, emerald eyes heavy and droopy with fatigue.