Rock and a Hard Place 12 The Wall Nine

The Wall Nine

            Marla held the bottles of water tight to her chest unsure if she would have to fight to keep them. The group has been travelling through the square all night and were not able to take a straight path with walkers around every corner. They ran into survivors sporadically all with blank expressions on their collective faces. A few tried to take supplies from them even though they had five children to care for but desperation overwhelms empathy.

            “Here Josh, hand these out to the kids.” Josh silently took the water as he shut the door behind her and gave the first to the youngest Amy. Marla handed a bottle to Hank who hasn’t spoken much since last night and to Richard, a man they picked up during the day.

            He was crouched inside an abandoned bus that Hank thought if they could get moving they could drive out of there. Richard was able to tell them the bus driver said the transports are control by the counsel and they were inoperable. The only sounds the bus was able to make was a static recording telling people to stay in their homes.

            “Bullshit, that’s what recordings said when the outbreak first appeared 25 years ago. Then came the ‘safe zones’ which only turned into walker buffets.” Richard stammered.

            Hank’s faith in New Charleston waned more and more. There were no patrols, no transports out of the district, and no containment of any kind. It was almost as if the citizens were left here to fend for themselves or die. And with every passing hour, the thought of something happening to his daughter weighed on his mind.

            “I know Jen will be fine. She’s strong and stubborn.” Marla spoke softly seeming to read his thoughts.

            “Like her old man…”Hank forced a small smile knowing Marla was trying to cheer him up.

            “Walkers.” Josh’s voice interrupted them, a group of walkers wandered pass the broken windows. “We can’t stay, more are starting to gather.” He whispered as he picked up his backpack. It still amazes Hank how young people have to grow up so fast now, they take on leadership roles more easily than him at that age. The thought gave him hope that Jen was still alive and fighting her way back to him.

            “Let’s move.” Hank gathered the supplies and took point with Josh close behind him taking second. Richard took up the rear apprehensively. Moving quickly, Hank led the group down the street avoiding small herds of walkers that were feeding on the ground. The group hasn’t seen another survivor since they passed a bus stop where they found Richard.

            Walkers simply overcame the living quickly because the attack was so unexpected. Without organized evacuations or containment, the walkers would have spread far and fast. Hank devised a plan in his head after reaching his home and meeting up with his daughter; they would have to either head for the inner or outer walls. Even though the announcement said they were sealed, he would find a way to get through them. The outer wall would lead away from New Charleston but into walker infested lands. The inner wall would lead to safety but for how long?

            “No!” A small scream penetrated Hank’s mind and he turned to see Amy on the ground with a walker pulling at her leg. Marla turned to run back to her only to be stopped by a walker’s dead hands plunged into her hair snapping her head back.

            “Shit.” Josh turned to help Marla while Hank made a break for Amy before the walker could sink its blackened teeth into her. Two walkers shambled out of a tall bush, both grabbed at Hank stopping him in his tracks. He kept his eyes on the defenseless little girl struggling to crawl out from under the walker while holding two at bay.

            Hank spotted Richard standing by with a white face and wide eyes. “Help her! Richard, goddamn it, help HER!” Hank roared at him urging him to act. Richard looked at him with blank eyes then turned and ran away. In that moment, Hank never felt as helpless as he did now. Richard never even looked back, Hank stared daggers into his fleeing back until he turned a corner.

            Just as a walker’s mouth was close enough to Hank’s face to smell what it had for breakfast a single silver arrow penetrated the skull stopping just at Hank’s eye. The walker fell and a man came into view.  A group of men and women charged from behind him to dispatch the remaining walkers. The archer picked up Amy and stood her on her feet as Hank rushed to them.

            “You alright little one?” The man said with a southern accent. He wore a T-shirt and leather vest with a quiver full of arrows on his back.

            “Daryl!” Marla yelled out. She ran to the man and hugged him; clearly they were old friends. “Thank you, we got ambushed.”

            “Amy, go with Josh.” Hank told Amy as she clutched her bear closer. Josh came to take her hand and led her back with the other children. The group of men and women took up defensive positions around them as a disciplined unit.

            “Hank, this is Daryl Dixon, he’s with the Dead Heads; these are them.” Marla introduced breathlessly.

            “Thanks.” Hank shook hands with the man who looked to be in his late 50s but still able bodied enough.

            “We took out more walkers than I can count. Carl sent me to find you and bring you back.” Daryl spoke.

            “Do you know what happened here? We haven’t seen any NCD around at all.” Marla asked.

            “And you won’t, Carl thinks the NCD and counsel are responsible for this.” Daryl knew the news would be hard for Marla to hear, even harder for Judith.

            “Paul, take them back to headquarters, the rest of us are going ahead.” Daryl ordered and a younger man moved to obey.

            “Where are you going?” Marla asked him.

            “I’ve gotta find Judith. She went to the inner wall but she’s not responding. A courier just got through with a message that she was coming to meet us late last night. I know she walks through Columbus Square…and then we heard about this….” Daryl couldn’t finish; he practically helped raise Judith and herself.

            “I’m going with you. You’re heading through Spring District?” Hank asked him. Daryl nodded his head. “I’m trying to find my daughter. I left her a note to go home and wait for me there. I need to see if she made it.” Daryl’s face changed with understanding of what Hank is going through. He nodded his agreement.

            “Then I’m going too.” Marla spoke up.

            “Carl said to get you to a safe place…” Daryl interrupted.  

            “I’m going with you there’s no point in arguing. Will the children be okay?” Marla asked.

            “Paul’s one of my best, he’ll take a crew with him.” Daryl pointed at Paul and they began to move out. Marla rushed over to hug Amy tight before departing. At least the children were safe while she, Hank, Daryl and some of the Dead Heads were traveling further into danger. Judith was someone out there along with Hank’s daughter.

            “Don’t worry Hank, Daryl is the best tracker. He’ll find Jen and Judith.” Marla comforted.

            “Who’s Judith?” Hank asked.

            “A very dear friend, I just hope she’s okay.”

To Continue…

Rock and a Hard Place 12- The Wall Eight

The Wall Eight

            “Citizens, by order of Head Counselor Grimes the inner and outer Walls are to be locked down. No one is authorized to move between the gates or screening stations. This is for your own safety. Please remain in your homes until further notice. Thank you for your cooperation.” The male voice read the same message repeatedly to the point where Jen can recite and mock it. She had been out all night with her friends and was ready to go home and face the wrath of her father.

            “Kay? You seen Codi? Wasn’t she supposed to meet us at the high school? She still has my jacket.” Jen asked as the group of teens walked the streets. The sun slowly began to rise in the east casting an early morning orange glow on a mist that still clung to the cool ground.

            “Nope, she probably got her some with her ‘boyfriend’ at the home,” Kay chuckled, “if I were you, I’d burn that jacket.” His comment drew knowing laughs from Jiff, Robbie, and Trinity.

            “What’s the matter? You miss your daddy? Did he give you the jacket for your sweet sixteen?” Trinity laughed as she walked. For some reason, Trinity has been riding Jen since they met yesterday.

            “What’s your problem?” Jen finally had enough and stopped to face her. Trinity could be a true beauty if she didn’t wear a frown on her face all the time. Her skin is caramel colored with almond shaped light brown eyes. She dyed her hair dark purple and shaved one side short leaving the other long in a punk style.

            “You’re my problem…” Trinity came forward, “I could kill you now and no one would care.” She stated with a smile but a strange noise drew the group’s attention to the streets. To their right a small horde of walkers staggered toward them.

            “What the fuck?” Trinity spoke in surprise.

            “Holy shit!  Robbie stuttered.

            “We need to move, now! The home’s not far.” Kay yelled. The five teens moved in unison, no one spoke, they knew they had to get off the streets and each pulled out a weapon. Jen didn’t have her knives or guns, they were confiscated at the outer Wall.

            “Here.” Trinity handed her a military Ka-Bar with brown leather grip. “Don’t fuck it up.” She warned but Jen was relieved to have a weapon again.

            Rounding a corner, the group reached the group home they had just left hours before. The bottom floor was empty but furniture was pushed over and tables knocked down as if a horde went through here.

            “We can’t stay.” Jen spoke.

            “We’re not, we just need to get a few things.” Kay assured her as he and Jiff went to the second floor. Jen paced the kitchen wanting to run home and get her dad. He would need her to watch his back as this horde advanced. They were always together at times like this, what would he do without her? Damn, why did she leave the house?

            As Jen paced, she noticed her denim jacket underneath a fallen chair but her elation turned sour when she picked it up and saw dried blood down the back.

            “Codi,” she whispered knowing the girl was mostly likely dead. She was a quiet 15 year old who liked to read books and write stories. She had mousey brown hair and clear blue eyes; she also had a crush on a boy who lived here on the fourth floor and wanted to wear the bedazzled jacket in a vain attempt to catch his attention.

            “Dammit, Codi.” Jen was surprised by the tears welling up in her eyes. She barely knew the girl but had grown to like her in the limited time they spent together. Codi had no one else in New Charleston so she had no one to mourn her but Jen would.

            The crackle of paper drew Jen’s attention, a crumpled piece of paper sat in the inner pocket. Perhaps it was something Codi was working on, a love letter to her crush. When she drew it out, she immediately recognized her father’s handwriting. Jen felt a rush of dread as she tore at the folded edges trying to open the letter as quickly as possible.

            ‘Jen, meet me at home. Dad.’ That was all that was written but it was enough to make Jen’s heart swell. Her father was okay and came here looking for her and finding her jacket covered with blood wasn’t enough to convince him of her death. In that moment Jen realized how much she truly loved her father and would fight her way home no matter what.

            With a renewed sense of purpose, Jen went to tell Kay that she was leaving for home and that they could join her or she would go alone but Kay was pointing at something on the street.

            “Guys! Look at this.” Kay yelled from outside on the porch.

            “Shut the hell up, you wanna attract every Zeek for miles? Ass.” Trinity spoke softly as the group followed Kay’s line of sight.

            “Look at this Zeek, he’s watching us and smiling. That’s some funny shit, you ever see a Zeek smile at you?” Kay was enjoying the show but Jen had a knot in her stomach. Walkers don’t just stand in the middle of the street watching you and smiling. That’s not normal behavior.

            “We should go.” Jen said her eyes never leaving the lone walker.

            “Yeah, let’s leave. You got our stuff.” Trinity agreed, her voice seemed uneasy with the walker around.

            “Let’s have some fun first. Jiff, you got that bat? Let’s play Zeek ball.” Kay and Jiff advanced. Robbie reluctantly followed not wanting to be left out and thought less of by the other guys.

            The walker stood stock still as the three boys circled him. Two with broad smiles and one scared shitless. Jiff began to poke at the walker trying to incite a reaction but the walker didn’t move, didn’t lunge, and didn’t attack. It just stood there grinning.

            “This bastard ain’t doing anything. This is too easy.” Jiff laughed obviously eager to smash the walker’s head in. Jiff aimed the bat at the back of the walker’s knees intending to put it on the ground and prolong their fun but the knees didn’t give out, it barely moved at all.

            “Just go for the head.” Kay provoked. Jiff swung the bat to the left temple and the walker caught the bat with his left hand. It twisted the bat down and pushed the end back into Jiff’s chest knocking him down. The smiles fade as the walker dropped the bat and advanced on a coughing Jiff. It reached down and grabbed Jiff’s head with both dead hands and picked him up high enough that his sneakered feet dangled above the concrete.

            Jiff was screaming as the walker plunged its thumbs into the soft orbs of his eyes and slowly crushed those inwards. Blood and matter oozed out and onto the ground. Kay and Robbie were motionless with fear; once Jen got past the initial shock was spurred into action. She ran for the walker drawing her knife; the horrible screams from Jiff making her feet fly faster.

            As she was ready to strike, the walker flung a now motionless Jiff around using him like a weapon to knock Jen to the ground. It swung Jiff’s body towards Kay who now took off running while Robbie’s head made contact with Jiff’s feet. The walker dropped Jiff in a crumbled heap and lunged for Robbie. It sank its teeth into Robbie’s throat and ripped at it like an animal while Robbie gurgled his last screams.

            Trinity rushed to Jen and picked her up by her armpits. “Let’s go, come on!” Trinity yelled but Jen’s legs didn’t want to respond so struck by fear. Finally Jen was able to get her feet underneath her and the two ran off into the newly formed day. Jen had never been so scared in her life, even living among walkers in the settlements didn’t scare her to this degree. The walker seemed to be enjoying killing Jiff and Robbie, the smile never left its face and it was able to fight back. How was it able to fight back?

            All Jen could think about now was getting home to her dad. She told Trinity about the note as they ran, she agreed to come with her and Jen could see Trinity has the same fear in her eyes.

            “Sorry folks, transports have been suspended. You should return to your homes.” The driver spoke to a small group of people on the corner. Jen and Trinity stopped to find out what was going on.

            “My home is overrun by walkers. I lost my wife. What are we supposed to do?” A man spoke up.

            “I’m sorry but all the transports and trains are remotely controlled by the NCD. I can’t even get it started. They’re asking me to tell you to return to your homes while they get the situation under control.” The driver continued to plead.

            “Situation? Jesus man, the square has been taken over by walkers. They’re spreading. We need to get out of the city.” Another man spoke with desperation.

            “There is no out of the city, the gates at both the inner and outer Walls have been sealed.” A woman in the crowd informed.

            “So they trapped us in here with Zeeks. Where is the NCD? Shouldn’t they be here to stop this?” The first man spoke again. “They’re trying to kill us, that’s what it is….they’re trying to exterminate us with walkers. Those bastards!”

            “Citizens, by order of Head Counselor Grimes the inner and outer Walls are to be locked down. No one is authorized to move between the gates or screening stations. This is for your own safety. Please remain in your homes until further notice. Thank you for your cooperation.” The recording spoke again over the static of the bus radio system as if mocking them. This wasn’t good. The Walls were supposed to keep walkers out; now they were prisoners.

To Continue…