𝙴𝙿𝙸𝚂𝙾𝙳𝙴 𝚂𝙴𝚅𝙴𝙽 - 𝙱𝙾𝙾𝚈𝙰𝙷!
𝙻𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚂𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝙳𝚊𝚢
It was starting to get dark outside as the group had arrived at the CDC. As soon as Madelyn had stepped out of the RV, the strong odour of rotting bodies hit her like a sledgehammer, making her gag and even throw up a little on the side of the road.
"God, you okay?" Glenn asked as he rubbed Madelyn's back.
"Yeah, just peachy." Madelyn said with a weak smile.
"Here." Jacqui said, holding up a bottle of water.
"Thank you." Madelyn said, taking the bottle and taking a drink of water.
"Look at this place." Dale said as the group looked around and saw dead bodies littered everywhere. In front of them was a huge building which had to be the CDC.
"Alright, everybody. Keep moving. Go on." Shane whispered in case any of the bodies were walkers. Everybody proceeded with caution with their weapons. Madelyn had a baseball bat for the time being until she found a better weapon.
When the group approached the building, Rick and Shane tried to open the shutter but of course, it wouldn't open.
"There's nobody here." T-Dog said.
"Then why are these shutters down?" Rick asked.
"Maybe everyone ran, Rick." Madelyn suggested.
"Walkers!" Daryl called out before shooting the walker in the head. Carl and Carol's daughter, Sophia were starting to get scared and upset. "You led us into a graveyard!"
"He made a call." Dale said.
"It was the wrong damn call!" Daryl yelled.
"Just shut up. You hear me? Shut up." Shane said. "Rick, this is a dead end."
"Where are we gonna go?" Carol asked, clearly panicked.
"She's right. We can't be here, this close to the city after dark." Lori said, holding Carl close to her.
"Rick, we need to go." Madelyn said. "It's not safe here. It's getting dark and we have two kids with us."
"Madelyn's right, Rick. Fort Benning, it's still an option." Shane said.
"On what? No food, no fuel. That's one hundred miles." Andrea said.
"One hundred and twenty five. I checked the map." Glenn said.
"Not helping Glenn." Madelyn said, panicked as she kept a look out. It was getting darker by the second and that meant more danger.
"Forget Fort Benning. We need answers tonight, now." Lori said.
"We'll think of something." Rick said.
"Come on, let's go." Glenn said.
"Let's get out of here." T-Dog said as everyone began backing away from the building until Rick stopped. He saw the camera move. He knew he saw that camera move. Someone was inside. Someone had to be inside.
"The camera, it moved." Rick said, making everyone stop.
"You imagined it." Dale said.
"It moved." Rick said.
"Rick, it is dead, man." Shane said as Rick went to take a closer look. "It's an automated device. It's gears, okay? They're just winding down. Now, come on."
"No." Rick said, not moving when Shane pulled him.
"Man, look around this place. It's dead, okay? It's dead. You need to let it go." Shane said.
"Rick, come on. We're gonna get eaten alive out here." Madelyn said.
"No!" Rick yelled before banging on the shutters.
"Rick, there's nobody here!" Lori yelled.
"I know you're in there. I know you can hear me." Rick said, looking at the camera. "Please, we're desperate. Please help us. We have women, children, no food, hardly any gas left."
"Rick, there's nobody here." Lori said, trying to knock some sense into him.
"We have nowhere else to go." Rick said, ignoring Lori. "If you don't let us in, you're killing us! Please!"
"Come on, buddy, let's go." Shane said, trying to pull Rick away.
"You're killing us! You're killing us!" Rick yelled as Shane pulled him away and everyone proceeded to go back to their vehicles until they stopped when they heard a sound. The shutter opened. There really was somebody inside.
The group were cautious as they all went inside, calling out to anyone who may be in the building. "Hello?" Rick called out.
"Anybody infected?" A man said, holding a gun.
"One of our group was." Rick said. "He didn't make it."
"Why are you here? What do you want?" The man asked.
"A chance." Rick said.
"That's asking an awful lot these days." The man said.
"I know." Rick said.
"You all submit to a blood test. That's the price of admission." The man said.
"We can do that." Rick said.
"You got stuff to bring in, you do it now. Once this door closes, it stays closed." The man said. Everyone quickly came inside and the doors closed.
"Rick Grimes." Rick said.
"Dr Edwin Jenner." The man said. Jenner led everyone to an elevator so they could go upstairs.
"Doctors always go around packing heat like that?" Daryl asked.
"There were plenty left lying around. I familiarised myself. But you look harmless enough." Jenner said before looking at Carl. "Except you. I'll have to keep my eye on you." He said, making Carl smile.
"Are we underground?" Carol asked once everyone had gotten off the elevator.
"Are you claustrophobic?" Jenner asked.
"A little." Carol said.
"Try not to think about it." Jenner said. "Vi, bring up the lights in the big room."
All the lights then turned on in the big room, revealing a bunch of computers and desktops. "Welcome to Zone five." Jenner said.
"W-where is everyone?" Madelyn asked as everyone walked inside. "The staff? The doctors?"
"I'm it." Jenner said. "It's just me here."
"What?" Rick asked.
"What about the person you were speaking with?" Lori asked. "Vi?"
"Vi, say hello to our guests." Jenner said. "Tell them welcome."
"Hello, guests. Welcome." A computerised voice said through the speakers.
"I'm all that's left." Jenner said. "I'm sorry."
🧟♀️ 🧟🧟♀️ 🧟
Once everyone had had their blood test and was cleared, the group all gathered around the table where there was plenty of food. Everyone was very hungry so they were glad there was so much food to go around. Everyone was smiling and laughing again. Everyone felt safe.
"You know, in Italy, children have a little bit of wine with dinner." Dale said as he poured a glass of wine for Lori. "And in France."
"Well, when Carl is in Italy or France, he can have some then." Lori joked.
"What's gonna hurt? Come on." Rick said.
"It's already the end of the world. Might as well break a couple rules." Madelyn said as she sipped her wine and everyone laughed. Lori sighed and agreed as Dale gave Carl some wine. He took a sip and scrunched his face.
"Eww!" Carl said, making everyone laugh.
"You just stick to soda pop there, bud." Shane said.
"Not you, Glenn." Daryl said as Glenn looked at the wine bottle.
"What?" Glenn asked.
"Keep drinking, little man. I wanna see how red your face can get." Daryl said, making everyone laugh. Rick looked over at Jenner who didn't seem as happy as everyone else so he decided to stand up and raise his glass.
"It seems we haven't thanked our host properly." Rick said.
"He is more than just our host." T-Dog said.
"Here's to you, doc." Jacqui said.
"Booyah!" Daryl said.
"Booyah!" Everyone else cheered as they raised their glasses.
"Thank you. Thank you, doctor." Rick said.