𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭. carl grimes

10 - ESCAPED

I catch a rifle that Rick tosses me and examine it. I've neve handled a rifle before, but there ain't no time to practice using one now.

"I don't know how to—" I tell Rick but he doesn't seemed to be bothered that I don't know how to use this. Instead, he teaches me to aim it, and how to cock it. "Thanks."

I stand up as Rick gives out other weapons to Maggie. Rick instructed for Glenn and Michonne—the woman with a katana—to wait for us somewhere a few miles from here, because Glenn can't fight in his state and Rick's still doubting to trust Michonne too much. I wasn't a big fan of Glenn's idea for her to go wait with him, but it was decided.

I only realize now that there's only about four guys guarding the walls, not as many as there were before. Then, I heard people shouting from the inside. What is going on?

I walk back to my group. "There's four guys on guard. I think we can take them out."

Rick nods at the information and cocks the rifle he's holding. I bring out the gun that Carl let me borrow, it's much less noisier. I aim at one guy, aimed it in between his eyes, and I tried to pull the trigger.

But I can't.

Rick noticed my hesitation, and took the liberty of doing the job. I shook my head, mentally scolding myself at how weak I am. I nodded my head to Rick before all of us go out of our hiding and run towards the walls.

Once we got inside, there weren't any people on the streets. The sound of people yelling are coming from the alley to our left, and there are lights from what I guess, fire, there. Rick goes first and we follow him, he sneaks a peek and backs up.

"There's a lot of people in. Some are just civilians, some are armed." He informs us before he faced us completely. "Maggie, you go up there and get in position. Wait for my signal before firing. Farren, get the grenades ready."

I nod my head before Maggie handed me the bag. I opened it and inside were the smoke bombs. I grab one and grab onto the pin of it, not removing it yet

There were men holding poles that held walkers by their neck, similar to what I saw Hershel and Rick were holding the day Shane opened up the barn. In the middle were the Dixon brothers, fighting the walkers off with no weapons whatsoever.

Rick raised his hand up and that was the signal Maggie waited for, before firing. She hits the walker in the head before shots went off. I didn't needed Rick to tell me to throw the bomb out, because I do it myself. I threw about three smoke bombs before grabbing my rifle, shooting to whoever I see that's holding a weapon. I see Daryl and Merle make their way through the smoke, before they reached us.

"Go, go!" Rick yells before we run outta here.

— later

I try not to wince and limp too much as we all run away from that place. Behind me was Daryl, then Merle, and in front me was Maggie and leading us the way was Rick.

Glenn and Michonne comes into view and I can see the way the latter's face scrunches up in anger when she sees Merle. They started running towards us and we slow down.

"Now we got a problem here," Rick tells the two, mostly to Michonne, as she pulls out her katana. "I need you to back up."

Glenn pulls a gun out. "What the hell is he doing here?!"

Everyone started yelling at everyone and I got out of their way, not wanting to be involved too much. There's not much I can do anyway, stopping an angry Glenn who's holding a gun, and Michonne who can slice me in half if she wants, is not really on my bucket list.

As Daryl yells at Glenn to get the gun out of his face, Merle laughs. "Man, look like you've gone native, brother."

I pull my gun out and aimed it at him. "Shut the hell up."

Daryl pushes the gun back down and I glare at him. He starts ranting on his brother about how he's with the Governer. Then Merle mentions that Andrea's with the Governer and my eyes widen.

"What? Andrea's in Woodbury?" Glenn asked in disbelief. I didn't see Andrea there either, or maybe I was too focused on saving Daryl's ass to notice that she was there in that arena.

"Right next to the Governer." Daryl answers.

Michonne takes a step forward with her katana in hand and Rick aims his gun at her still. "I told you to drop that!"

She lowers it a little and Rick takes a step forward. "You know Andrea? Hey, do you know Andrea?"

"Yep, she does." Merle answers and I grunt quietly, still gripping my gun. "Her and blondie spent all winter cuddling up in the forest."

Merle really needs to listen and shut up. He's getting on my nerves. "Mm-mmm-mmm. Yeah. My Nubian queen here had two pet walkers. No arms, cut off the jaws, kept them in chains. Kind of ironic now that I think about it."

I cocked my gun at him and he backs up mockingly. "I said shut the hell up!"

Merle laughs at points to me. "I like this kid, feisty little one. Reminds me of Ed."

I don't know why it doesn't bother me that he just compared me to my dad, but he's still ticking me off. I have been told before that I have my dad's temper and anger, and I have accepted that, but there's a fine line between comparing and being told that you're becoming this person.

Merle goes on talking shit about Andrea, then he goes and mocks Rick, who also told him to shut up. He keeps on talking, not even minding that I have a gun on him, and Daryl tells his brother to shut up. Merle snaps, before Rick hits his nape with the butt of his gun and he plops down to the floor, unconscious.

"Finally, the jerk shuts up." I mutter to myself, gaining a look from Daryl and I glare at him. I know that Merle's his brother and all, but his so-called brother just beat up Glenn bad, held us captive and gave us a hard time to escaped that place called Woodbury.

"Asshole." Rick mutters as he looks at Merle.