After every suggestion that had been given or considered we found ourselves in the basement of the department store staring down at a ladder that would lead us to the sewers. Jacqui had been the one to suggest it, informing us that old buildings sometimes for whatever reason would have tunnels leading to the sewers.
"You think it's a way out?" Morales asked.
"Only one way to find out," Officer Friendly said sighing.
"And what if it's not?" Glenn suggested," What if we get stuck down there with a hoard blocking the way."
"We'll have to send someone to scout ahead, so we know if it's safe or not," Friendly said frowning at the idea.
It was silent for a moment no one saying a word. I would of gone, motivation for getting out of here alive should of sent me down that ladder with no hesitation. Except for the fact that I'm claustrophobic.... severely claustrophobic, and climbing down into the sewers not knowing if I could ever get out of not surrounded by concrete and pipes wasn't a way I wanted to spend my final moments.
"I'll go," Glenn informed the group," But I'll only take one of you to check. I don't want to get into each other and have the way blocked out by all of you."
"I'll go with you," Andrea said quickly after.
"No-"
"What don't think I can't?" Andrea asked quickly not even giving Glenn a chance to reply. I sighed annoyed causing Andrea's stare to fall to me.
"Speak your mind," Officer Friendly told Glenn giving him a reassuring smile.
"No I'm not saying that, you and Daniel have the only other guns, and you-" he said nodding towards Officer friendly," I've seen you shoot so I'd feel good with you having Merle's rifle, that way if the doors break down we have some people giving us time to actually get out of here.... Jacqui I need you to stay here so if we get stuck, or something goes wrong you'll be here to help.... so I'll take Morales."
"Sounds like a plan everybody knows there jobs."
I nodded at Glenn before turning around and making my way back towards the department stores shopping center.
I was silent besides the moans of the walkers in a desperate attempt to try and break through and eat our guts out. My nerves started to take over as the glass began to break. All of those walkers out there where staring at me there gray veiny eyes not blinking. Fear flooded through me and at that moment I felt utterly hopelessly. After awhile of staring at the corpses I decided to start to resume scavenging. I grabbed some jackets, new t shirts, and a lot of boxers for all the men.
As I was stuffing them into the duffle bags I heard footsteps come up behind me.
"I wanted to thank you, for helping me get out of that situation. If it weren't for you I'd be dead," Officer Friendly said from behind me.
"No problem officer friendly, some of us still have to be human beings you know?" I continued to pack the bags as I heard he Man chuckle slightly behind me.
"The names Rick, how bought you?"
"Daniel."
"Well Daniel, I want you to know that I'm very grateful for what you did for me. Because of you I have a chance to find my family."
"I just led you into another death trap," I said shaking my head," I saved you just so you could die at a later time. I mean honestly do you see a way out of this?"
I heard Rick sigh from behind me before he walked around me and kneeled down infront of me.
"It's ok to be afraid. Honestly id be worried if you weren't."
I shrugged helplessly not able to open my mouth all the words being caught in my throat.
Rick patted my back before walking away. I watched him walk over to Andrea and began to talk to her.
I glared at my shaking hands wishing I could be brave. Wishing I could seem as calm and collected as Rick was at this moment. Hell I just met the guy and I knew even though he had gotten us into this
Mess he was going to do everything in his power to get us out. It didn't matter if one of us pointed a gun to his face, or another had punched him in the face. Officer Friendly was real friendly.
I zipped the duffle bags closed and rose up setting them on a table. My hand continued to shake though and I sighed in annoyance. This would happen when I'm terrified, or pissed off. Like severely pissed off. The last time my hand had shook uncontrollably was when I walked into my apartment and found my stepbrother and fiancé going away at it.
The thought though was pushed from my mind when I heard the loud breaking of glass. My eyes flew over to the doors where one of the doors had broke and the infected where pushing onto the next and final set. Luckily for us they where only able to get in two at a time, so that would give us some valuable time.
Footsteps echoed from behind me and my best friends voice sounded out," Sewers a no go!" I groaned and looked around unable to accept that I was going to be eaten alive by a hoard of the living dead. Man that is not the way I thought I would go. Sure I would of thought I'd die young, considering I was about to enlist into the Army after graduation, seeing it as a way to avoid my family. Not that any of that mattered now.
"You say they can tell us by smell?" Rick asked Morales who nodded back.
"I have an idea," Rick informed us. I eyed Rick carefully an eyebrow raised.
As Rick explained to us his idea, and that Glenn and I where taking part in it I grew skeptical. Not only were we cutting open a Walker and spreading its guts all over tarps placed over us, we where just going to walk right through the hoard as if they didn't wanna eat us anymore.
But it came to no surprise to the group that we ended up agreeing on the idea, as it was our only idea at the moment and crazy as it was, it could just work. Though the unpleasant smell of the Walker blood, which smelled like rotten fish along with a cows burp, and the rotten flesh which almost caused me to gag up my breakfast. Glenn though did throw up his breakfast as guts where placed around his neck.
It took all my focus not to hurl as I kept my eyes trained on the ceiling as the blood and guts where spread over me. After a few minutes we where all completely covered in Walker blood,guts, hands, and feet. It wasn't till I was outside staring at two infected by the bus blocking the street ,that had squeezed there way through by hearing the door closing so often, that I complained about Ricks plan.
"Oh Rick if you get me killed I'm not going to be happy," I muttered as clutched my knife.
"I'm not gonna let you die," Rick informed me as we came closer to the walkers.
"Well if I do, and you make it I'm haunting your ass till you die," I joked cracking a slight smile.
Glenn let out a chuckle before the three of us became deathly silent as we walked forward next to the walkers. They turned at the sound of our footsteps. I stared at one of the geeks its pale bloodshot eyes stared back at me. Instead of lunging at me in a growling fit of rage it just turned away and trudged going back to staring at the wall.
Nodding at Rick and Glen we made our way under the bus, part of me worried that walking with a herd of them they could easily tell us apart. Even the scent of my deodorant caused me to worry that the infected would lunge and take a big bite into my arm. I wished I had my rifle, even though I know it wouldn't be good for shooting, but my shoulder felt empty without its weight. But I couldn't bring it, so I entrusted it with Morales.
I rose to the ground on the other side of the bus shakily my eyes darting from one Walker to the next. Each and everyone of them passed by us walking in it's mint circle or trudging along in one direction. I stared above the slumped over Beast, my eyes coming to the construction fences at the end of the road. Behind it was a van, and according to the bright blue eyed cop they kept the keys on sight.
Though getting back to the van caused a striking issue with all of the walkers swarming the building. But I had a feeling that if we even made it to the van Rick had an idea about that as well. But for right now we had to take it one step at a time. Worry about getting eaten alive right now, getting everyone out would come next.
We slowly progressed through the herd of walkers, Rick silently whispering to us not to draw attention, such as speaking or other actions. I knew that most likely meant swatting away all of the flies that where swarming the dead, and randomly landing on my face.
I lost count of the time that it took us to even get halfway there trudging along with the dead. Everyone of there steps was slower then I would of liked, I felt like I was back in Highschool hallways with everyone walking to slow and crowding the halls with there friends in a straight line unable to pass. Imagine that but with a bunch of jocks that where fresh off of a three hour practice in 90 degree heat. Then multiply that smell times 100 that's what you get when walking in a Walker hoard.
Without warning a was hit with multiple raindrops. I glanced up at the sky in annoyance as the dark clouds moved above us. The small few raindrops quickly changed into large full raindrops dampening my hair pushing the longer strands of my usually spiked up bangs into my eyes.
I looked over my shoulder noticing the walkers suddenly paying more attention as if they where dogs sniffing in the air looking for a scent.
"Do you think it's wearing off?" Glenn asked in a hushed voice his eyes wide open.
"No were good," Rick responded. We walked a little further but the Infected in front of us started to turn around.
"Ok maybe a little.... RUN!" Rick ordered slashing his crow bar at the nearest Walker. I kicked the Walker down in front of me before grabbing Glenn by his tarp not caring about the blood that soon covered my hand.
I pushed my friend I front of me as we charged for the fence. We where ahead of the hoard now, but they where after us, there groans and snarls assuring me that they wanted to eat me. I focused on the fence watching it get closer and closer. Glen and Rick threw there bat, and crowbar over. Not wanting to risk losing my knife I kept it in my hand as I jumped into the fence throwing myself over it.
I landed on the now wet ground and pushed my bloodied tarp over my head and let it fall to the ground.
"Dan!" Glenn cried out. I looked over in the direction of his voice to see he was at the building next to a now opened box. He tossed me a shiny object, it took me awhile to realize they where keys. I spun around and scrambled towards the van unlocking it. I glance back at the fence to see the herd knocking it down and charging towards us.
Rick jumped into the drivers seat, and Glenn and I scrambled into the passengers. Rick grabbed the keys from my hand and turned them in the ignition before stepping on the gas causing me to stumble backwards into the cargo hold.
"That was fun," I commented," How are we going to get the others?"
"The right side of the store where the trucks drop the packages off, I need you two to clear that street for me!" Rick informed us.
"And how are we going to do that?" Glenn asked.
"Sound," Rick answered pulling into a parking lot with broken down and abandoned cars.
We scrambled out of the van and looked at the cars, trying to find one that wasn't completely broken down, or had a dead man with a bullet in his head.
My eyes scanned onto a bright red Dodge Charger and a smile spread across my lips.
"Guys, How about this one?" I asked nodding towards it.
Glen walked next to me smiling," Oh yeah."
***
I smiled as I sped down the streets of Atlanta drifting around the formerly busy streets making my way to the department store. Glenn was in passengers seat smiling as well though he was holding pretty tightly to the door.
The whole downside to driving the car was that the car alarm for whatever reason was going nuts and not turning off. It was good for attracting the walkers towards us, but was starting to give me a migraine.
"Turn left up here!" Glenn shouted pointing towards the street. I nodded and took a deep breath as I swiftly turned into the street. Walkers where everywhere against the building trying to force there way in.
"Come on you ugly sons of bitches come to papa!" I growled as I slowed down into a stop in the middle of the road. The walkers swarmed the front and sides of the car but I made sure not to let to many get behind me.
"Thinks that's enough?" I asked Glenn. He shrugged not knowing since you could only see about three rows of walkers.
I shifted the car into reverses and started to slowly back up the street the walkers followed us anxiously trying to take bites out of the car. After I had drove down the whole street I stepped on the gas sending the car speeding backwards before stopping, putting it back in drive, and speeding off again out of the city.
"What do we do now?!" Glenn asked looking back at the walkers trying to follow us.
I didn't answer as I stopped the car not caring about the walkers that where slowly gaining on us. I poked my head out the drivers window staring back at the department store. I smiled as I saw the van speeding away from it.
Rick bi passed the walkers by taking a side road, that exited later down the road. I smiled as I stepped on the gas and sped off.
With no cars being on the road up to the turn off towards our camp I was free to drive as fast as I wanted. I watched as the speed turned from 80-100 and let out a big celebration scream. We had survived Atlanta, making it out without any casualties plus supplies. And hell if I wanted to speed a Charger down the road I was going to.