Dead Man Walking | Rick Grimes

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The whispers kept coming from every angle, putting me on edge. Dog continued with his barking, his head darting in all angles, giving us a general idea of where our attackers were. I took a retreating step backward and searched the fog, trying to catch a glimpse of our new enemy. Michonne, Daryl, and I stood side by side in front of everyone, our weapons held high to fend off any attacks from these people.

"Go, now," Michonne whispered, her voice barely audible. Magna and Yumiko quickly exited, joining Eugene outside the gates while Aaron hung back with Jesus's body. A 'walker' brandished a knife, lunging for me before dropping to their knees with a bolt in their head.

"You two go," Michonne ordered with her sword held tightly in front of her, "I'll cover you." I didn't need to be told twice! Turning, I rushed alongside Aaron and looped my hands underneath Jesus's arms, dragging him towards Yumiko, Eugene, and Magna.

"Cover Michonne," I said as I passed Yumiko, fear pounding within me. Have these people always been around, and we haven't noticed? How long have they been this close to us? Their masks are so real; it's hard to tell them apart from regular walkers, but that has to be the point, right? Why else would they be walking around with walker skins on their faces? Behind me, I could hear the gate clang shut, but I wouldn't put my money on the gate staying shut. These people walk among the dead, leading them as their own weapons. They've weaponized walkers. Geez, how crazy does that sound?

"I got it," Daryl muttered and grabbed Jesus's limp arm that I had around my neck. I pursed my lips and nodded, rushing to lead us out of the darkness with Dog.

We kept pushing forward, not bothering to glance behind us for signs that these people were trailing us. I walked forward, slightly behind Dog but ahead of Magna and Yumiko. Behind them, Michonne helped Eugene walk, her brow littered with sweat against the rising heat. Last in line, Daryl and Aaron carried Jesus, determined to bring him home for a proper burial. It makes me sad—I wanted to patch things up with Hilltop, reestablish that friendship and camaraderie between us, but with Jesus gone... No, I can't afford to think about this now. I paused and looked around, my knife firmly in hand, as I spotted a house. The conversation of those behind me fell on deaf ears as I yanked on a fence and watched it tumble to the ground.

"Right now," I spoke, interrupting something Magna was saying about our next move, "We keep moving, okay? We can't afford to be caught by those assholes again." With everything that happened, Michonne and I didn't pay attention to our horses. Unfortunately, they managed to run away, leaving us behind to make the long walk back to Hilltop.

"June!" Michonne hissed, her voice scarily low, "Do you hear that?" I furrowed my brow and strained to pick up any sounds around me. In the distance, a neigh broke through, making a smile spread across my chapped lips.

~*~

Tiredly, I dragged my feet. The night had been long, and my entire body felt sluggish as exhaustion started to seep within me. We had only found Michonne's horse, but that was enough. Eugene mounted the horse with Jesus hung limply behind him, and everyone was eerily quiet. Michonne took the left side of the road; her brow deeply furrowed as she remained in deep thought. I took the right side, remaining just as quiet and keeping a vigilant eye out for these new 'walkers.' It's brilliant that I have to give them. Put some guts on yourself, and you become invisible to them, but always have a mask on? You'll be one of them. You can walk freely among them and even weaponize them, which these new people have done.

Do they whisper to herd the walkers? From what Eugene said earlier, they were able to canvas the barn he was hiding in three times before Daryl, Jesus, and Aaron found him. How else would they herd them? How do we handle a threat like this? It's nothing we've ever dealt with before.