❝ People died. Every day without fail. And they stayed dead. But now . . ? ❞
The Apocalypse was a clear reminder that karma comes big. One day civilization was going to get punished for the wrong they committed. But the virus didn't choose between t...
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"Watch the backside!"
They curve protectively around Rick, his back turned to snip through the fence and into the walkway of the prison. With the hole big enough, Lori pushes through first.
Lucas stays back, taking down walkers getting a touch too close, and follows after Rick quick enough for Daryl and Glenn to crisscross the wire closed.
They run through the alley between the courtyard and the outside, protected only by thin, patterned metal. Just being in the protection of the small walkway is the best they've had in a long time, and that's saying something.
Rick stops at the gate, mentally takes notes of each challenge to be faced, takes a deep breath, and nods. "It's perfect."
He points out only a single flaw - the gate into the prison building. It hangs open, letting more walkers out and into the field.
Lucas frowns, hooking his finger into the fence to search for any more surprises.
"If we can shut that gate, prevent more from filling the yard, we can pick off these walkers. We'll take the field by tonight." Rick says, the confidence in his tone making the others feel at ease.
Hershel nods, squinting under the sun, "So how do we shut the gate?"
Ever the sacrificing, "I'll do it. You guys cover me." Glenn rolls his shoulders, hyping himself up.
But Maggie catches his arm and shakes her head, hard. "No, it's a suicide run."
"I'm the fastest," Glenn argues.
Lucas would've gladly taken the job, too. His specialty is exactly this, he thinks, sneaking and weaving his way through the masses of walkers.
When he was alone at the very start, it had been his only option.
Rick shakes his head, giving Glenn the break he needs. "No. You, Maggie, and Beth draw as many as you can over there," He gestures to the walkway, and nods, "Pop them through the fence. Daryl, go back to the other tower."
Lucas once believed Beth was too innocent to make it past the farm, but here they are, and she remains strong.
Rick turns around, leaning down to meet Carol's eyes, "Carol, you've become a pretty good shot, take your time, we don't have a lot of ammo to waste."
Carol, too, had molded to fit the ever-growing darkness of the world. She nods. Doesn't argue.
"Hershel, you and Carl take this tower."
"Alright."
Rick steadies himself in front of the gate, yanking his gun from its holster. "I'll run for the gate." He rolls his shoulders and blows out a long breath.
Standing uselessly behind everyone already given orders, Lucas frowns, flicking his switchblade in and out, in and out.
Then, Rick calls over his shoulder, "Lucas, you with me?"
Without hesitation, "You know it."
Lori sends him a glance but doesn't act. Instead, she grabs ahold of the gate and readies herself to pull.
Lucas can hear constant, overlapping calls from Glenn, Maggie, and T-Dog, leading the walkers toward them and away from Rick's entrance.
That's half the plan. Now the rest.
After a pointed look from Rick, he's pulling his handgun from his belt and holding it alongside his switchblade. He's grown used to the weight ever since the farm.
The gate drags open with a squeal.
Falling into position, Lucas remains a few paces behind, sneaking around a tipped-over bus and into the grassy field.
The reason he's even here presents itself when Rick turns towards the gate, leaving his back painfully open for the dead to attack.
Lucas flicks his blade open, kicks the walker away, and drops the body effortlessly to the dirt.
Breathless, Rick nods at him.
The echoing shots fired from the guard tower should leave Lucas feeling uneasy - all that noise drawing attention - but when Daryl saves Rick from another walker in his blind spot, those bullets end up being pretty reassuring.
It's when Carol accidentally shoots at their feet that Lucas is again, unnerved.
"Sorry," She calls out, sounding more sheepish than she is worried.
Lucas shrugs up at her as if saying 'what can you do' before scampering towards their final destination. He catches Rick's gun as it's tossed behind him and covers his back when he goes for the gate, lock in hand.
Taking care of the walkers on their asses with growing confidence in his aim, Lucas cheers when he hears the lock click together.
Stepping back against the dead's advance, very aware of his every surrounding, he can easily feel when Rick taps his side.
He hands the man's python back over his shoulder and follows him to the guard tower, being shoved inside as soon as Rick gets it opened.
It slams shut behind them. Something of a breathless laugh is shared with Rick when Lucas glances through the darkness at him.
"Come on," The man ushers, darting up the steps.
Lucas has to squint when the top door swings open, slowly inching his way onto the metal grating obnoxiously high up off the ground.
Seeing the progress has him grinning, teeth on show, for the first time in months. Rick glances over and laughs, not at him, but with him.
All this would be theirs. They deserved it.
When the final walker hits the ground, there is only silence. Then; the echoing cheers from below.
Lucas holds the railing tightly in his hands to peek over it, laughing quietly at the figures of the group running through the field.
It's the biggest space they've had since the farm.
And that was a helluva long time ago.
Rick comes up beside him, smiling, and roughs up his hair - to which Lucas groans, especially when his beanie comes flying off his head.
They watch it hurdle toward the ground silently.
Lucas glares up at him.
Rick rolls his eyes in reply, and looks out at the field again with a single nod, "This is perfect." He claps Lucas's shoulder and heads for the door.
