Losing Hope *EDITING*

Chapter 38; Claire Curvel

Slowly we began moving more into the courtyard, Carol and the others banging on the gates to attract some walkers over to them.

"Get tight, get tight!" Glenn yelled.

I bit down on my tongue, plunging the end of the pipe into a walker on the ground that was still moving. I moved closer to the others, rolling my shoulders as I looked around quickly. There wasn't even a lot of walkers. We could take them all down easily. What are they waiting for?

One by one, walkers began to jump. I gritted my teeth, sending a glare to the back of Maggie's head. Every time a walker got close and I got ready to put it out of its misery, she'd jump forward and take them down first. I could handle a couple of walkers myself. Without her help.

"Don't break rank!" Rick yelled.

I turned halfway around, watching as T-Dog broke out of the circle. "We need that!"

"T! T!"

"Shut up!" I yelled, breaking out of the circle also.

"Claire!" Rick and Glenn yelled out.

I ignored them as T-Dog knocked back a walker -sliding past him and stabbing the end of the pipe into the walker. I turned around smiling, taking a step back. "One less walker to worry about."

I moved back into the circle with T-Dog, getting yanked roughly by Glenn's side. I hissed, pulling my arm away from him. I know he's going to lecture me, but what the hell. I'm helping. Did he expect me to just be in the circle and let everyone else take care of the walkers? If that was the case, I would have stayed and killed walkers from outside the gate.

I could feel the tension between everyone as we moved to the closest door. I turned to look at Rick as he slowly pushed open the door, nothing but darkness showing itself. It was eerily creepy. Once the door was fully opened, Rick peeked over the corner -his facial features changing.

"Shit," he whispered, motioning his hand for us to get against the wall.

I crouched down besides the door, my eyes widening as armored prison guards popped up from around the dumpster. Just our luck. Of course we'd be stuck with something like this. I scooted back, more of the prison guard walkers coming from around the corner. They stalked towards, their growling and snarls making me stand back up straight and raise my weapon with wide eyes.

I gasped as Daryl shot an arrow at one, the arrow just bouncing of the guards helmet and to the ground. I took a few steps back as the others separated. Panic slowly creeping in, I looked around for help as a walker with a gas mask came stumbling out of the open door and straight towards me. I pushed it back, stabbing the pipe into its chest just for it to snap in half.

I yelped as I tripped over a dead walker, falling straight to my back. I rolled over quickly as the walker with the gas mask came stumbling over to me, his decaying hands reaching out to me. I grabbed the half of my pipe, pushing myself up to my feet and holding it out as the walker came towards me -my hands shaking and my eyes wide.

"Daryl!" I heard Rick yell out.

I looked around in panic, kicking the walker back as hard as I could. How was I supposed to take this thing down. "Fuck you," I screamed out. Running full force, I rammed into the dead guard, raising my weapon up and plunging it through the uncovered top of the walkers head, twisting it as I grunted.

I yanked the pipe back out, turning around just in time to see Maggie lift the mask of one of the guard walkers up and stab her knife up into its skull. She turned around surprised, looking to T-Dog and Glenn. "See that."

The others wasted no time in copying Maggie's moves, taking down the walkers with ease. I looked around, my breathing heavy and blood that wasn't mine dripping down my hands. I chuckled, leaning over and closing my eyes.

I jumped as a hand rubbed my back, turning my head to the side to look up at Glenn. "You okay?" He asked. I nodded -standing up straight and wiping my hands on my jeans. "You sure?" He asked again.

I nodded, giving him a small smile.

"Claire, that was stupid of you to break from the group earlier like that," Rick snapped as he stormed over to me.

I raised my hands up in surrender, looking at him wide eyed. "I know, I'm sorry," I rushed out.

"Try anything like that again and I'll make you sit out with Lori."

I rolled my eyes, turning away from him. I got it. It was stupid but I killed that walker with no problem. Give me a break. I shook my head, looking towards the gate. Everything I do seems to be wrong according to someone. So what the hell is right?

Glenn gave me a nod before jogging towards the gate. "Stop," Rick called out.

"Well it looks secure," Glenn said back, walking back towards Rick confused.

Daryl shook his head, standing besides Rick. "Not from the look of that courtyard over there," He said, pointing down towards the other courtyard. "And that's a civilian."

"So the interior could be overrun by walkers from outside the prison," T concluded, leaning his arm against the wall.

Great. To think I was thinking we'd finally catch a real break. To think everything would have been easy as pie now that we took down all those walkers.

Glenn interrupted my thoughts."Well if there's walls down what are we going to do?" He asked, his arms falling to his sides. "We can't rebuild this whole place."

"We can't risk a blind spot. We have to push in."

I turned to look at where Rick pointed, sighing quietly. What if there's just a whole lot more walkers inside? I don't know how much longer I can keep killing them today. I'm exhausted. I feel like at any given moment I could just fall to my face and sleep for years.

I want to go and wait outside the gates. I want to rest but I don't want to let them down. I don't want to let Glenn down. He'll see me as growing weak or something if I say I want to quit now. After helping Rick this far, I can't just up and quit just to get myself some rest. I didn't think it'd be this hard.

I held back a groan, following behind Maggie with Glenn and T-Dog behind me. I took a deep breathe, climbing up the stairs like the others. My body felt completely heavy, but I know I can push myself a bit more. I still have enough energy in me to help.

We stood behind Rick and Daryl; Daryl sliding the door open and Rick stepping in first. I coughed out, dust coming out from the open doorway. The rest of us followed behind Rick and Daryl, being met by loud creaking as Rick opened the cell gate. It was eerily quiet as we walked in, no sight of walkers were anywhere. T-Dog shut the door behind us, leaving no worries of something coming in or going out unexpectedly. Cautiously we moved into the prison, my eyebrows furrowing at the messy sight.

It looks like it was a real struggle here when walkers popped up. I wonder if anyone actually got out. Rick pointed out to different directions, nodding his head at us. I made my way over to the guard tower, carefully walking up the steps. Before I could take another step a hand landed on my shoulder. I turned to look over my shoulder -raising an eyebrow at Rick. The only sound that could be heard was Rick's footsteps as he brushed past me, his eyes searching for any signs of a walker on his way up.

I waited in anticipation as Rick disappeared into the guard station. "Do you see anything?" I whispered up to him.

I smiled as Rick held the keys that lead to the cells up, signaling down to Daryl with a head nod. Looks like maybe luck is on our side again. "Claire you stay here and we'll tell you when to go get the others," Rick told me as he walked down the stairs to where I was standing.

I frowned. "What? Why do I have to stay?"

"You look tired," he whispered. "Take a break."

I sighed. There's no way I could lie and say I wasn't when it was clear as day. I was exhausted. I nodded, not in the mood to argue with him. He signaled to the others towards the cell block gate, unlocking it and leaving me to take a seat on the bottom of the stairs. I'm just glad it's basically over. As soon as the others get in here, I'm resting and I don't care what anyone says. I did my part today.