Guts pt.2
Andrea froze, her expression shifting to confusion as she turned to look at Harry. The rest of the group fell silent, their eyes darting between him and the man they had just brought in.
Harry stepped forward slowly, his gaze locked on the man’s face. There was no mistaking it—the sharp jawline, the piercing blue eyes, the same look of determination he’d seen countless times before. It wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be.
But it was.
The man’s eyes widened as he looked at Harry, recognition dawning in his features. “Harry?” he asked, his voice hoarse but unmistakably familiar.
“Dad…” he whispered. And for the first time in a long time, he felt hope.
The world seemed to stop as Harry’s voice broke, trembling with disbelief. “Oh God…” He stepped forward, his feet feeling like lead, before throwing his arms around his father. The elder Grimes tensed for a moment, then wrapped Harry in a firm, almost desperate embrace.
Time seemed to blur as Harry’s mind spun, grasping at fragments of the past—the last time he’d seen his father, the chaos, the blood, the gunshots. Both he and Shane had been certain Rick was gone that day. They’d mourned him, made peace with his death—or so Harry thought. And yet here he stood, breathing and real.
Pulling back slightly, Harry’s eyes searched Rick’s face, looking for proof that this wasn’t just some cruel trick. “What… How are you even alive?” Harry managed, his voice raw.
Before his father could answer, Andrea’s voice cut through the moment like a blade. “What the hell were you doing out there anyway?”
His father, still catching his breath, turned toward the group, his jaw set. “Trying to flag the helicopter.”
T-Dog let out a short, incredulous laugh, leaning against the wall. “Helicopter? Man, that’s crap. Ain’t no damn helicopter.”
Jacqui crossed her arms, her expression skeptical as she chimed in. “You were chasing a hallucination, imagining things. It happens.”
Rick’s gaze hardened, his voice firm as he countered, “I saw it.”
Morales, trying to keep things grounded, raised a hand, trying to calm the brewing tension. “Hey, T-Dog, try that C.B. Can you contact the others?”
Rick’s focus shifted abruptly to Harry, his brow furrowing. “Others? The refugee center? Is your mother and Carl there?”
Jacqui scoffed “Yeah, the refugee center. They’ve got biscuits waiting at the oven for us.”
Ignoring her quip, T-Dog grabbed the C.B. radio and began fiddling with the dials. After a few moments, he let out a frustrated sigh, shaking his head.
“Got no signal,” he muttered, glancing at the group. “Maybe the roof.”
The sharp crack of gunfire echoed down from above, cutting through the silence. Everyone froze for a moment, their heads snapping upward toward the roof.
Andrea groaned “Oh no. Is that Dixon?”
Morales shook his head, “What is that maniac doing?”
Glenn, already moving toward the stairs, waved for the others to follow. “Come on, let’s go.”
The group hurried up the stairwell, their footsteps echoing as they burst onto the roof, the scene before them was exactly what they feared. Merle stood near the edge, a sniper rifle in hand, firing shot after shot at the walkers below
“Hey, Dixon, are you crazy?!” T-Dog shouted, his voice carrying over the chaos.
Merle turned his head slightly, a wide grin plastered across his face as he let out a laugh. “Crazy? Nah, just havin’ a little fun!” He fired another shot, the rifle kicking back against his shoulder.
Andrea sighed. “Oh jeez.”
Merle waved his gun at them. “Hey! Y’all be more polite to a man with a gun, huh? Only common sense.”
T-Dog stepped forward “Man, you’re wasting bullets we ain’t even got!”
Merle ignored him, laughing as he lined up another shot. The walkers below were growing in number, their moans rising in chorus as they pressed closer to the building.
“And you’re bringing even more of them down on our ass!” T-Dog continued, his voice rising. “Man, just chill.”
Merle finally lowered the rifle, turning to face the group with a sneer. “Hey! Bad enough I’ve got this taco-bender and Four Eyes on my ass all day. Now I’m gonna take orders from you? I don’t think so, bro. That’ll be the day.”
“That’ll be the day? You got something you want to tell me?” T-Dog demanded, Morales telling him to leave it.
“You want to know the day? It’s the day I take orders from your a ******” Merle spat as T-Dog lunged at him, Merle overpowering him.
The group tensed as Merle stood over T-Dog, the pistol in his hand shaking slightly. The group stood frozen, their breaths held, waiting to see what Merle would do next.
“Yeah!” Merle shouted, his voice carrying over the chaos below. “All right! We’re gonna have ourselves a little powwow, huh? Talk about who’s in charge. I vote me. Anybody else? Huh? Democracy time, y’all. Show of hands, huh? All in favor? Let’s see ’em!” He gestured mockingly with his pistol, grinning as no one dared to raise a hand. “Oh, come on. All in favor? Yeah, that’s good. Now that means I’m the boss, right? Yeah. Anybody else? Hmm? Anybody?”
The rooftop was still for half a heartbeat before a voice cut through the tension.
“Yeah.”
Before Merle could react, Rick swung a length of pipe down on the back of his head. The blow landed with a sickening crack, and Merle crumpled to the ground, the pistol falling from his hand and skittering across the rooftop. He stepped forward, his movements calm as he pulled a pair of handcuffs from his belt and snapped them onto Merle’s wrist, securing him to a nearby pipe.
Merle groaned, shaking his head as he tried to regain his bearings. “Who the hell are you, man?!” he snarled.
Rick crouched down, meeting Merle’s glare with a calm, steely gaze. “Officer Friendly,” he said.
He pressed the revolver against Merle’s temple. “Look here, Merle. Things are different now. There are no more ‘us and them.’ No dumb-as-shit, power-hungry rednecks running the show.” He gestured toward the street below, where the walkers continued to swarm. “Out there, there’s only one division: us and the dead. We survive by pulling together, not tearing each other apart.”
Andrea knelt beside T-Dog, helping him to his feet as he winced and rubbed his side, his glare still locked on Merle. Morales shook his head, muttering something under his breath about Merle’s stupidity.
“Screw you man.” Merle spat
Rick didn’t flinch, his gaze meeting Merle’s directly. “I can see you make a habit of missing the point,” he said calmly.
Merle smirked, tilting his head as if daring Rick to go on. "Yeah? Well screw you twice.”
"You ought to be nicer to a man with a gun. Only common sense.” Rick cocked the hammer of the revolver.
“You wouldn’t. You’re a cop.” Merle protested.
Rick glanced at Harry, then back at Merle "All I am anymore is a man looking for his wife and youngest son. Anybody that gets in the way of that is gonna lose." He paused, allowing the weight of his words to sink in before adding, "I'll give you a moment to think about that. Got some on your nose there."
Merle sneered "What are you gonna do? Arrest me?"
Without a word, he turned and walked toward the edge of the roof, his attention shifting to the walkers below.
Merle’s laughter faltered as Rick moved further away,. "Hey! What are you doing?" he barked, tugging against the cuffs. "Man, that was my stuff! Hey! If I get loose, you'd better pray… Yeah, you hear me? You hear me, you fucking pig?!"
Rick didn’t turn around, his voice calm and almost dismissive as he replied over his shoulder. "Yeah, Merle. Your voice carries."
Merle, still fuming, yanked at the cuffs again, his voice rising in frustration. "Do you hear me, you fucking pig?!"
Harry approached his father, Morales and T-Dog following close behind. Harry turned to look at him, his emotions a tangled mess of relief, disbelief, and a hundred unspoken questions.
Rick placed a hand on Harry’s shoulder, his expression softening for a moment “I’m glad I found you,” Rick said, though there was a hint of vulnerability beneath it. “Are your mother and brother safe?”
Harry nodded, his throat tightening as he thought of them. “Yeah,” he replied, his voice quieter than usual. “They’re back at the camp with Shane and the others. Everyone’s been doing their best to hold things together.”
Rick nodded, a flicker of relief crossing his features. “Good,” he murmured.
Harry hesitated, the question shaking loose a flood of memories he hadn’t wanted to relive. “Dad,” he began, his voice thick “We were sure you were... gone. There was no heartbeat. Shane—he checked, I checked. We didn’t feel anything. We thought you—”
He stopped himself, his chest tightening as he tried to put the words together. “We thought you were dead. Shane told me we couldn’t stay, that the walkers and military were closing in, and we barely got out. I—I didn’t want to leave you.”
Rick nodded slowly as he placed both hands on Harry’s shoulders now “It wasn’t your fault, Harry,” he said “You did what you had to do. It’s a miracle either of us are here at all.”
Morales and T-Dog exchanged a glance, staying close but giving father and son the space they needed. The walkers’ relentless groans echoed up from below, a chilling reminder that the world around them wasn’t going to wait for emotional reunions.
“Dad,” Harry said after a moment “How did you make it out? If we couldn’t feel a heartbeat... what happened?”
Rick glanced away briefly, his expression darkening as the memory resurfaced. “I don’t know,” he admitted, his voice quieter now. “I don’t know if it was luck or... something else. Maybe my body slowed down because of the injuries. But I woke up, and the hospital was... It was a nightmare. Empty, dark, covered in blood. The dead were everywhere.”
Rick couldn’t resist turning his attention back to Harry. He rested a hand on Harry’s shoulder again, his voice warm despite the chaos surrounding them. “So, how’d you get your mother to agree to let you come to Atlanta?” he asked, though his tone already carried a hint of suspicion.
Harry looked away, suddenly finding the cracked surface of the rooftop very interesting. “Uh…” he began, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. His hesitation was all the answer Rick needed.
“She didn’t agree, did she?” Rick pressed, a knowing smirk spreading across his face.
Harry winced slightly, his hand still at the back of his neck. “I might have… snuck in at the last second before she woke up,” he admitted, his words coming out quickly as if trying to soften the blow. “And, uh, asked Shane to break the news to her.”
Rick blinked, his smirk widening as a short laugh escaped him “You had Shane do your dirty work?” he asked, shaking his head. “Well, I hope you’re ready to deal with the fallout when we get back, because your mother’s not going to let you off easy.”
Harry grinned sheepishly, glancing up at his father. “Yeah, I figured as much. But, hey, Shane’s tough. He can handle it… I hope.”
Rick let out another snort, the sound carrying a rare note of humor amidst the tension. “Oh, he’ll handle it, alright. But you, son? You might want to brace yourself. If I know your mother, the rant you’re getting when we’re back at camp is going to last a while.”
Harry couldn’t help but laugh softly, despite the nerves twisting in his stomach. For a moment, it was almost as if things were normal—as if the world hadn’t completely fallen apart. But the distant thunder and the growling horde below quickly reminded them otherwise. Rick gave Harry’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze before turning back to the group, the smirk fading into a determined expression.
“Alright,” Rick said, his tone shifting back to business. “Let’s figure out our next move. We’re not out of this yet.”
Andrea peered over the edge of the roof, her face pale as she surveyed the endless horde below. “My God,” she muttered. “It’s like Times Square down there.”
Morales stood near T-Dog, who was fiddling with the C.B. radio. “How’s that signal?” Morales asked.
T-Dog gave Merle a teasing smirk “Like Dixon’s brain… Weak.”
Morales smirked faintly, though the levity was short-lived. “Keep trying,” he urged.
Andrea sighed, throwing her hands up in frustration. “Why? There’s nothing they can do. Not a damn thing.”
The weight of her words hung in the air until Rick finally broke the silence. “Then she’s right,” he said “We’re on our own. It’s up to us to find a way out.”
From his position, still cuffed to the pipe, Merle let out a sarcastic laugh. “Good luck with that,” he drawled. “These streets ain’t safe in this part of town from what I hear. Ain’t that right, sugar tits?” His gaze flicked to Andrea, his grin widening. “Hey, honeybunch, what say you get me out of these cuffs, we go off somewhere and bump some uglies? Gonna die anyway.”
Andrea’s expression hardened into a glare, her voice biting as she snapped back, “I’d rather die.”
Merle sneered, leaning back against the pipe. “Carpet muncher. I figured as much,” he muttered under his breath
Morales, rubbing his temples, sighed deeply. “The streets ain’t safe. Now there’s an understatement.”
Rick turned away from the railing, his brow furrowed as his mind worked through their options. “What about under the streets?” he asked “The sewers?”
Morales’s head snapped up, a mix of surprise and disbelief flickering across his face. “Oh man,” he groaned. “Hey, Glenn, check the alley. You see any manhole covers?”
Glenn nodded quickly, moving to the edge of the roof to peer down at the alley below. He scanned the ground but shook his head, frowning. “No, must be all out on the street where the geeks are,” he called back.
Jacqui stepped forward, her gaze thoughtful as she spoke up. “Maybe not,” she said, her tone calm but certain. “Old building like this, built in the ’20s… Big structures often had drainage tunnels leading into the sewers in case of flooding down in the subbasements.”
Glenn turned to look at her, surprise evident in his expression. “How do you know that?” he asked, his tone tinged with curiosity.
Jacqui shrugged lightly “It’s my job… or at least, it was. I worked in the city zoning office.”
The group exchanged glances, hope flickering faintly in the tense atmosphere. Rick nodded, “Then that’s our way out,” he said “Let’s find those tunnels.”
The group descended into the dimly lit basement, stopping in front of a rusted metal grate that led to the sewer entrance.
Morales squinted at it, his skepticism clear. “This is it? Are you sure?”
Glenn nodded “I really scoped this place out the other times I was here. It’s the only thing in the building that goes down. But I’ve never gone down it. Who’d want to, right?”
The group stared at him, their silence speaking volumes. Glenn sighed, realizing what was coming. “Oh. Great.”
Andrea crossed her arms, her tone dry. “We’ll be right behind you.”
Glenn shook his head quickly. “No, you won’t. Not you.”
Andrea’s eyes narrowed, her voice sharp. “Why not me? Think I can’t?”
Glenn hesitated, fumbling for words. “I wasn’t…”
Rick stepped in “Speak your mind.”
Glenn took a deep breath, his frustration bubbling to the surface. “Look, until now I always came here by myself. In and out, grab a few things… No problem. The first time I bring a group? Everything goes to hell. No offense. If you want me to go down this gnarly hole, fine. But only if we do it my way.”
He gestured toward the sewer entrance. “It’s tight down there. If I run into something and have to get out quick, I don’t want you all jammed up behind me getting me killed. I’ll take one person. Not you either,” he added, pointing at Andrea. “You’ve got Merle’s gun, and I’ve seen you shoot. I’d feel better if you and Mark were out in that store watching those doors, covering our ass.”
Andrea opened her mouth to argue, but Glenn pressed on. “And you,” he said, nodding toward Rick, “you’ve got the only other gun. So you should go with them. Harry can be my wingman. Jacqui stays here. Something happens, yell down to us, get us back up here in a hurry.”
Jacqui nodded, her expression calm. “Okay.”
Rick glanced around at the group, his tone decisive. “Okay, everybody knows their jobs.”
Glenn sighed, steeling himself as he approached the ladder leading down into the sewer. He glanced back at Harry, who gave him a small nod before following.
Glenn and Harry descended into the sewer. The faint sound of dripping water echoed around them, amplifying every small noise. A rat scurried across their path, letting out a high-pitched squeal that made Glenn jump slightly. He let out a startled noise, quickly glancing at Harry, who smirked despite the tension.
“Don’t say a word,” Glenn muttered, shaking his head as they pressed on.
Inside the store, the atmosphere was tense. The walkers outside continued to bang and growl against the doors. Rick approached Andrea, who was standing near the counter, her posture stiff as Mark gripped his rifle nearby, keeping watch.
“Sorry for the gun in your face,” Andrea said..
Rick gave a small nod, his expression calm. “People do things when they’re afraid.”
Andrea crossed her arms, “Not that it was entirely unjustified. You did get us into this.”
Rick tilted his head slightly, acknowledging her point. “If I get us out, would that make up for it?”
Andrea’s lips twitched into a faint, humorless smile. “No, but it’d be a start.”
Rick’s eyes flicked to the gun in her hand, and he gestured toward it. “Next time though, take the safety off. It won’t shoot otherwise.”
Andrea blinked, glancing down at the weapon. “Oh.”
Rick stepped closer, his tone curious. “Is that your gun?”
Andrea hesitated for a moment before answering. “It was a gift. Why?”
Rick pointed to the side of the gun, showing her the small red dot. “Little red dot means it’s ready to fire,” he explained, handing it back to her. “You may have occasion to use it.”
Andrea nodded, her grip on the gun tightening slightly. “Good to know.”
Rick studied her for a moment, then asked, “How did you know my son?”
Andrea’s expression softened slightly “My sister and Harry are close,” she said simply.
Rick raised an eyebrow “How close?”
Andrea let out a small laugh, shaking her head. “Close enough that your wife raised hell when she first found out about it.”
Rick’s lips twitched into a faint smile “Sounds about right,” he said, nodding “She always did have a way of making her feelings known.”
On the roof T-Dog leaned against the railing, getting static from the radio. “Anybody out there? Hello? Anybody read? I’m hoping to hear somebody’s voice ’cause I’m getting sick and tired of hearing mine,” he muttered, his frustration evident.
Merle, still cuffed to the pipe, let out a dry chuckle. “Yeah, well, that makes two of us. Why don’t you knock that crap off? You’re giving me a headache, boy.”
T-Dog shot him a glare, his voice sharp. “Why don’t you pull your head out of your ass? Maybe your headache will go away.”
T-Dog scowled at him. “Try some positivity for a change. Damn.”
“I’ll tell you what,” Merle said “You get me out of these cuffs, and I’ll be all ‘Sammy Sunshine’ positive for you. Hey, see that hacksaw over there in that toolbag? Get it for me, hmm? Make it worth your while. What do you say, man? Come on. Get me out of these things.”
T-Dog crossed his arms, his expression unimpressed. “So you can beat my ass again? Call me some more slurs?”
Merle smirked, shaking his head. “Come on now. It wasn’t personal. Your kind and mine aren’t just meant to mix. It doesn’t mean we can’t… work together, parley, as long as there’s some kind of mutual gain involved. So… about that hacksaw…”
T-Dog raised an eyebrow, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “I guess you want me to get that rifle over there too so you can shoot that cop when he comes back up, huh?”
Merle’s smirk faltered for a split second, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Huh,”
Glenn and Harry pressed forward cautiously, their flashlights cutting through the darkness. The sound of dripping water echoed around them, amplifying every small noise. They stopped in front of a rusted grate, its bars thick and unyielding.
“Yeah, we’ve got ourselves a sewer tunnel. Jacqui was right.”
Glenn examined the grate, running his fingers along the edges. “Can we cut through it?”
Harry shook his head, his expression grim. “If we had a blowtorch and half a day, sure. Dale’s hacksaw sure as hell won’t do it.”
Before Glenn could respond, a Walker appeared on the other side of the grate, gnawing on a rat. Its milky eyes locked onto them, and it lunged, its rotting hands clawing through the bars. Glenn and Harry jumped back as the Walker snarled and snapped at them.
Back in the store, Andrea stood near a counter, her gaze fixed on a mermaid necklace lying among the scattered jewelry. She reached out hesitantly, her fingers brushing against the chain.
“Oh,”
Rick approached her “See something you like?” he asked, his tone light.
Andrea shook her head, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “Not me, but I know someone who would… My sister. She’s still such a kid in some ways. Unicorns, dragons… She’s into all that stuff. But mermaids… They rule. She loves mermaids.”
Rick nodded, his expression softening. “Why not take it?”
Andrea hesitated, glancing at him. “There’s a cop staring at me.”
Rick chuckled, the sound brief but genuine. “Would it be considered looting?” Andrea asked
Rick shook his head “I don’t think those rules apply anymore. Do you?”
Before Andrea could respond, the sound of shattering glass cut through the air. Walkers began pouring into the store, their guttural growls filling the space. Rick moved quickly, his hand going to his gun as he prepared to defend the group.
Glenn and Harry burst into the room, their faces pale from their encounter in the sewers. Rick turned to them, his voice sharp. “What did you find down there?”
Harry shook his head, his frustration evident. “Not a way out.”
Andrea’s voice was tight with urgency as she stepped closer. “We need to find a way… And soon.”
Later, Rick stood at the edge of the roof, his eyes fixed on the construction site in the distance. The trucks gleamed faintly under the clouded sky, a beacon of possibility amidst the chaos. He turned to the group “That construction site, those trucks… They always keep keys on hand.”
Morales frowned, crossing his arms. “You’ll never make it past the walkers,” he said, shaking his head.
Rick’s gaze didn’t waver. “You got me out of that tank,” he replied.
Glenn hesitated, his brow furrowing. “Yeah, but they were feeding. They were distracted.”
“Can we distract them again?”
Merle, still cuffed to the pipe, perked up with a smirk. “Right. Listen to him. He’s onto something. A diversion, like on Hogan’s Heroes .”
Jacqui shot him an exasperated glare. “God. Give it a rest.”
Rick ignored the bickering and stayed focused on Glenn. “They’re drawn by sound, right?”
Glenn nodded, stepping forward slightly. “Right. Like dogs. They hear a sound, they come.”
“What else?” Rick pressed, his mind clearly working through the details.
Morales chimed in, his voice grim. “Aside from they hear you? They see you, smell you, and if they catch you, they eat you.”
Rick latched onto one detail in particular. “They can tell us by smell?”
Glenn gave a small shrug. “Can’t you?” he asked, as though it were obvious.
Andrea folded her arms, her voice cutting in. “They smell dead. We don’t. It’s pretty distinct.”
Later, the group stood in tense silence as they dragged the reeking corpse of a walker into the store.
Rick knelt next to the walker, gripping the fire axe in his hand. He was ready to begin when something gave him pause. Lowering the axe, he reached into the walker’s tattered clothes and began to search through its pockets. The others exchanged confused glances, unsure of what he was doing.
Finally, Rick pulled out a wallet, the cracked leather falling apart in his hands. He opened it carefully and found a faded driver’s license and a small stash of bills. “Wayne Dunlap,” Rick said softly, reading the name on the license. “Georgia license. Born in 1979.” He turned the wallet over, revealing a picture of a smiling woman with kind eyes. The photo was smudged, but the words written on the back were still visible: ‘With love, from Rachel.’
Rick’s voice was thoughtful, almost somber, as he continued. “He had twenty-eight dollars in his pocket when he died. And this... a picture of someone he cared about. He used to be like us. Worrying about rent, bills, or the Super Bowl. Then all this happened, and now... now he’s this.”
The group fell silent, the weight of the words settling over them.
“When I get back to the camp,” Rick said finally“I’m going to tell them about Wayne. So we remember what we’re fighting for.”
Breaking the silence, Glenn added with a wry edge, “One more thing… He was an organ donor.”
Rick nodded grimly and stood, hefting the fire axe once more. “Alright,” he said, “Let’s get to it.”
The group readied themselves, putting on trench coats to protect their clothes as Rick brought the axe down on the walker, beginning the process of extracting its remains.
“Madre de Dios!” Morales muttered, his voice thick with disgust.
Andrea looked away, her face pale. “Oh.”
Morales muttered again, “Dios!”
“Oh God,” Glenn groaned, his hand pressed to his mouth. “I am so gonna hurl.”
“Keep chopping,” Rick ordered, handing the axe to Morales.
Morales hesitated but took the axe and continued, wincing with every strike.
Rick stepped back, addressing the group while they worked. “Everybody got gloves? Don’t get any of it on your skin or in your eyes.”
As they applied the walker’s remains to themselves, Glenn continued to groan, his discomfort palpable. “Oh God! Oh jeez. Oh, this is bad. This is really bad.”
Rick placed a hand on Glenn’s shoulder, trying to steady him. “Think about something else,” he suggested. “Puppies and kittens.”
From the side, T-Dog quipped, “Dead puppies and kittens.”
Glenn gagged and turned away, retching as Andrea shot T-Dog a scathing look. “That is just evil. What is wrong with you?”
Jacqui muttered under her breath, clearly unimpressed. “Next time, let the cracker beat his ass.”
T-Dog glanced at her, looking sheepish. “I’m sorry, yo.”
Glenn groaned, wiping his mouth. “You suck,” he muttered, glaring at T-Dog.
Up on the roof, the storm overhead beginning to rumble louder as they watched Rick and Glenn shuffle through the thick crowd of walkers below. Every step the two took seemed agonizingly slow, their movements stiff as they mimicked the undead surrounding them. The walkers snarled and stumbled aimlessly, oblivious to the living bodies carefully moving among them.
Back on the roof, Merle demanded. “Hey, what’s happening, man? This some kinda circus act or what?”
Morales ignored him, his attention fixed on the pair below. “Hey, T-Dog, try that C.B. again. We need to get a line to base camp.”
Merle scowled. “Hey, come on. Talk to me, y’all. What’s the plan here, huh?”
T-Dog raised the radio and clicked it on “Base camp, this is T-Dog. Anybody hear me? Can anybody out there hear me?”
The radio crackled with static, offering no response. Morales leaned over the edge, his eyes narrowing as he spotted movement below. “There,” he said, pointing to Rick and Glenn as they emerged from beneath the bus, blending seamlessly into the horde.
Merle’s grin disappeared as he realized what was happening. His voice grew sharp. “That asshole is out on the street—with the handcuff keys?”
T-Dog turned to him, holding up the key in his hand.
Merle’s eyes flashed with anger, staring T-Dog down.
Glenn whispered through gritted teeth, his breath shaky but tinged with a thread of incredulous hope. “It’s gonna work. I can’t believe it.”
Rick’s voice came in a low, stern murmur. “Don’t draw attention.”
On the roof, Morales leaned against the railing, his eyes glued to the figures below. “Oh man,” he muttered to the others, his tone dismissive as he gestured to the sky. “It’s just a cloudburst. We get ’em all the time. It’ll pass real quick.”
The rest of the group exchanged uneasy looks but said nothing. Thunder rumbled in the distance.
Back on the street, Rick and Glenn kept up their slow, shuffling gait, though the growing unease between them was palpable. Glenn glanced over at Rick, his whispered words barely audible over the sound of the rain. “The smell’s washing off. Isn’t it? Is it washing off?”
Rick’s jaw tightened, his eyes darting nervously to the walkers around them. “No, it’s not,” he said quickly, then added, after a hesitant pause, “Well, maybe.”
Glenn swallowed hard as the walkers nearest to them began to sniff the air, their dull eyes narrowing with faint suspicion. One walker turned its head sharply toward them, snarling.
“Rick…” Glenn whispered.
Before he could finish, the walker lunged. Rick reacted instantly, raising the axe in a wide arc and bringing it down with brutal force.
“Run!” Rick shouted, all pretense of stealth abandoned as the other walkers turned toward them.
Rick reached the top of the fence first, tossing his weapon over to the other side before quickly lowering himself down. Glenn was right behind him, gripping the chain-link tightly as his boots slipped slightly on the wet surface.
Glenn finally made it over, landing with a thud on the other side. He wasted no time, immediately looking for the keys.
“They’re getting closer!” Rick shouted, pulling out the pistol and shooting at the horde
“I got it!” Glenn yelled, pulling the keys out triumphantly. He tossed them to Rick with a sharp flick of his wrist. “Rick!”
Rick caught the keys in one hand and hurried to the truck, yanking the driver’s side door open and climbing in just as Glenn dove into the passenger seat. Walkers were already reaching the fence, their weight causing the structure to groan under the pressure.
One walker managed to climb high enough to throw itself against Glenn’s window, its decaying face pressed against the glass as it snarled and drooled. Glenn recoiled, shouting, “Go, go, go, go!”
Rick turned the key in the ignition, and the truck roared to life. Without hesitation, he slammed his foot on the gas, speeding away from the horde just as the fence began to buckle
Andrea watched the trucks speed away from the horde. She stepped closer, her voice rising in alarm. “They’re leaving us.”
Merle’s expression twisted in confusion and anger. “What? What?” he snapped
Morales squinted, leaning slightly over the ledge. “Where they going? Where they going?” he muttered, his voice tight with worry.
Andrea shook her head, panic creeping into her tone. “No, no, come back,”
Inside the truck, Glenn’s voice was panicked as he stared out the window, the horde of walkers barely contained around them. “Oh my God. Oh my God,” he breathed, his words tumbling out in rapid succession. “They’re all over that place.”
Rick’s grip tightened on the wheel, his focus unwavering. “You need to draw them away,” he said “Those roll-up doors at the front of the store… That area? That’s what I need cleared.”
“And how am I drawing the dead away? I… I missed that part.”
Rick approached a sleek red sports car, his gaze scanning the empty street for any sign of nearby walkers. With a swift motion, he smashed the window as the alarm wailed.
Rick began working quickly to hotwire the vehicle. "That should do it," Rick said, stepping back from the car and nodding to Glenn. "Get behind the wheel and take it away from the store. Keep their attention on you."
"Alright," he muttered, climbing into the driver's seat.
Rick stepped back toward the truck. Glenn gripped the steering wheel tightly, glancing at Rick one last time. "Those roll-up doors at the front of the store facing the street… Meet us there and be ready," Glenn called into the radio before driving off.
The rooftop was a whirlwind of tension as the group moved quickly toward the loading dock, urgency driving their every step. Morales glanced over his shoulder, his voice sharp with purpose. "Come on! Let's go, let's go!"
Merle, still cuffed to the pipe, strained against the metal binding his wrist. His voice rose in desperation, echoing across the rooftop. "Hey, you can't leave me here! I'm not fooling, man! Morales! Hey, man! Don't do this!"
Andrea stopped just briefly enough to glare at him, frustration painted on her face. "Come on," she said to the others, pushing them forward. Without hesitation, she and Mark descended the ladder, with Jacqui following close behind.
Merle’s voice grew even more panicked as he realized the group was truly leaving. "Hey, that’s my gun! You can’t leave me. Don’t leave me here, you guys!"
From below, Andrea’s voice drifted back up. "Morales, come on! Harry, move it!"
Morales hesitated for a moment, his gaze flicking between Merle and the others. "I’m coming!" he shouted down, his voice tinged with regret. "We’ve gotta go!"
He disappeared down the ladder, leaving only T-Dog lingering behind. T-Dog stood frozen, conflicted as Merle’s pleas became more frantic. "Morales! You can’t leave me like this, man! Hey, T-Dog. No, man. You can’t leave me, man. You can’t leave me here… Not like this. You can’t, man. It’s not human. Come on, don’t do this!"
T-Dog groaned, his internal struggle written all over his face. With a heavy sigh, he moved towards with the key.
Merle’s expression lit up with relief and triumph, his tone shifting to one of encouragement. "Come on, T. Come on! Come on, yeah! Yeah! Come on! Co… That’s it! Yes! Come on, baby! Come on!"
But as T-Dog rushed back toward Merle, his foot caught on a piece of debris. He stumbled, the key slipping from his grasp and into a drainpipe. For a moment, both men froze, their wide eyes following its path.
T-Dog scrambled forward, but it was too late.
Merle’s voice rose in a furious roar. “You did that on purpose!” His face was red with rage, his entire body straining against the handcuffs.
T-Dog, standing frozen for a moment, shook his head vigorously. “I didn’t mean to!” he shouted back, his voice defensive but tinged with guilt.
Merle wasn’t buying it. “You lie! You did it on purpose!” he spat, his voice thick with venom.
T-Dog glanced toward the door leading to the stairwell, the sound of the others escaping just barely audible over Merle’s ranting. “It was an accident!” he insisted, but there was no convincing Merle.
“Don’t leave me, man! Don’t leave me!” Merle’s voice cracked, desperation breaking through his anger. “You liar!”
T-Dog’s chest rose and fell as he swallowed hard. “I’m sorry,” he said, his tone filled with regret. He began backing away, “Man, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t leave me!”
T-Dog hesitated, clenching his fists, before finally turning and sprinting toward the stairs. “I’m sorry,” he muttered again under his breath, refusing to look back.
As he descended, he grabbed a heavy chain from the landing and wrapped it hastily around the door handle. He pulled it tight, locking the roof door from the inside.
Above him, Merle’s voice was still audible, muffled but feral with rage. “Hey! What are you doing, man? You’re gonna rot in hell! You hear me? You’re gonna rot in hell! Come back, man!”
As the group rushed into the docking bay, Andrea came to an abrupt halt, her head tilting as a faint but unmistakable sound reached her ears. It grew louder by the second—a piercing car alarm blaring in the distance.
Outside, Glenn’s red sports car roared past, the car swerved to avoid a growing cluster of walkers, the majority of them shambling after the sound and the flashing lights.
The group took their cue, hastily sliding open one of the dock’s side doors. A moment later, the rumble of Rick’s truck engine filled the air as he pulled into view. The heavy vehicle came to a stop near the loading bay, the rear door clanging open.
“Let’s go!” Rick yelled, waving frantically to the group from the driver’s seat.
Without wasting a second, Morales, Mark and Andrea began helping the others climb into the back of the truck.
“Move it, people!” Morales shouted as he hoisted Andrea “They’re not gonna wait for us!”
The group piled into the truck just as Rick gunned the engine again, slamming the doors closed behind them. Morales braced himself against the metal, securing the latch as the truck lurched forward, carrying them away from the dead.
Mark looked around, his brow furrowed. “Wait… where’s Merle?”
Morales cast a glance at T-Dog, his expression grim. T-Dog hesitated, his voice low and filled with guilt. “I… I dropped the key.”