Dead Man Walking | Rick Grimes

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*LONG CHAPTER *

The bright light within the CDC stunned me, leaving me dazed before I snapped back into reality and pulled away from Rick. I stepped toward the side and motioned for everyone to rush in, taking the rear. Finally, it was just Daryl and I outside, allowing us to enter the cool refrigerated air. I took in my surroundings, and my mouth popped open in shock. The walls were white with tall ceilings, and the floor was a pattered white with brown – the pristine cleanliness of the floors took me by surprise. The end of the world hit us like a massive tsunami, and these people still manage to keep clean and waxed floors? I turned, shut the door behind me, and stood beside Daryl, stunned that this wasn't a total bust like how I half expected. I grabbed my pistol and held onto it, prepared to shoot. Someone saved us, but we don't know who they are or their intentions.

"Hello?" I called out after no one said anything. I heard a gun cock to my right and immediately snapped my attention to the noise, the gun in my hand snapping in the direction of the noise. The man had messy hair, and his hands shook as he pointed his shotgun at me.

"Anybody infected?" He finally spoke, his voice deep. Rick stepped toward him, his shotgun lowering, the anticipation growing.

"One of our group was. He didn't make it," Rick told the man. I followed Rick's example, lowered my pistol, put it back in its holster, and felt the unusual sensation of safety fill the air. Sure, I got to unwind while still at the quarry, but I never felt safe, at least not entirely. I don't know why this unnerved me. I should feel happy that this wasn't a bust, but something is gnawing at me – something's wrong. I don't know what, but something is.

"Why are you here? What do you want?" The man asked us, taking a brave step towards us, gun still pointed at us.

"A chance," Rick spoke confidently. The man observed all of us, looking to be at odds with himself.

"That's asking an awful lot these days." The man muttered, his aim wavering but staying put.

"I know." Rick breathed. The man continued to study us before his gun lowered, a massive sigh escaping him.

"You'll all submit to a blood test. That's the price of admission." He told us. I nodded, thinking that it sounded like a fair deal.

"We can do that," Rick nodded. The man pointed toward the doors, his gaze lowering to the ground.

"You got stuff to bring in, do it now." He said, "Once this door closes, it stays closed."

I hurriedly took off my pack and left it where I stood before running towards the doors and opening them. Daryl came up behind me, and we made a mad dash to the vehicles, occasionally shooting down and stabbing walkers as they came close. Daryl climbed up onto the bed of the truck and tossed his heavy pack at me, leaving me to kill any walkers that got too close to him. I caught his pack – just barely and with a grunt – and slung it as hard as I could in front of me, knocking a walker down. Daryl jumped from the truck, his feet landing on the walker's head, killing it. Handing him his pack, he slung it on his back and ran forward, leaving me behind. I saw Rick struggling with a few bags, carrying way more than his arms would let him, and ran toward him, finally putting my gun to use. I fired a bullet, watching as the walker creeping up on him tumbled to the ground. I still got it! I mentally cheered as I looked at the gaping hole in the walker's head.

"Give me a few bags," I ordered, holding my hand out. Rick shook his head and struggled, trying to hitch another bag on his already burdened shoulder. "You'll be slow, and that'll make you walker chow. Give me a few!" I shouted at him before grabbing the two bags he was struggling with. He nodded appreciatively, and we ran forward, me with two bags and him with four. The man waited by the door, his shotgun in his hands. He ushered me in as soon as he saw me and shouted at us to hurry as the walkers started getting closer and closer. I ran in and grabbed my pack, hearing the doors shut.