Spider Monkey

Chapter Ninety - Seven - Waves

50 hours.

Waves of Walkers.

Wave after wave after wave.

Michonne and her people are back in Alexandria. Fighting to defend it from the dead throughout the night and day. No matter how much they fought, another wave would always come.

As they were gathering up the dead to dispose of, Judith came running out. A woman - one of the teachers running after her. Carl quickly grabbed her.

"Judith! What are you doing?"

"You and Hedley promised to train with me!" She whined, pouting.

"We are busy." Carl sighed, putting his sister on the ground, "You cannot run away like that. It's dangerous."

"But you said-"

"Judith!" Carl yelled, his fear getting to him.

Hedley went over and rubbed Carl's back before kneeling down to Judith. "You need to understand, Jude, that we are busy here protecting our home. You need to stay with the school with the rest of the kids, where it's safe."

"But I want you and Carl and Mommy safe too!"

"I know you do."

"And I'm tougher than all the other kids! You taught me!"

Getting an idea, Hedley smiled, "You're right. You are tough. So tough that I need your help with something."

She lit up, "What is it?!"

"I need you to help your teachers protect the school and everyone inside. Stay with the adults and keep a close eye on everyone. Do you think you can do that?"

She nodded, serious, "I can do it!"

"Good."

She hugged Hedley and Carl then ran back to her teacher, telling her all about how she was going to help protect everyone. The teacher looked at them with a nod before luring Judith back to the school.

"See you later, Alligator!" Hedley called over. 

She turned her head to yell back, "See you in a while, Crocodile!" 

Then she was gone. 

Carl looked at Hedley, shoulders deflating as Hedley held him.

"She can't run out like that. It scared me half to death." Carl muttered.

"I know. It scared me too." He kissed Carl's temple.

"Hedley! Carl! Up front!" Called Daryl from in front of the gate.

And they were back to working, going over to where Michonne was ordering her people.

"How long till the next wave hits?" Michonne asked Eugene up in the tower keeping watch. He looked through the binoculars.

"One hour from the north, two from the south. Northern wave's thicker than fleas on a farm dog, but the southern's more dispersed. By my estimation, we'll be fighting into the night again."

Michonne looked at Daryl.

"Yeah, can't push 'em too much further."

"I have eyes." She snapped then took a deep breath, "Sorry. I'm just tired."

Daryl put a hand on her shoulder, "We all are."

Hedley spotted someone coming up to the gate, "Dad!"

Everyone looked.

It was a Whisperer. Just the one. A girl, young, cleaner than the others.

"The north border. Now." She said, trying to be tougher than she looked.