𝕃𝕠𝕧𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝔽𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 | Daryl Dixon

34 | NEED YOU NOW

The scratching against the floor as Glenn drew a map of the prison was driving Tori mad. Like nails on a chalkboard, the noise made her brain itch, her shoulders tensing with an inward cringe. She didn't know how detailed this map was that he was drawing, but she prayed to all the gods that he'd finish it soon, because it was pissing her off to no end.

She sat at a table near the back of the room, her head rested on her palm while her other hand tapped the metal surface. Her lack of sleep the previous night was clear to anyone, just from her mood, as well as how exhausted she looked. Dark circles under her eyes, which stung with tiredness. Even letting her eyelids drift shut didn't make them feel better. It just stung, like with each blink, she was scratching her eyeballs.

"Now you said you found Tyrese's group here?" Glenn asked Carl, pointing to part of the drafted map. Carl nodded a yes, and Glenn said, "We secured this."

"He thought he came through here," Carl pointed.

"Means there's another breach," Glenn sighed. "Okay, the whole front of the prison is unsecure. If walkers just strolled in, then it's gonna be cake for a group of armed men."

"Why are we even so sure he's gonna attack?" Beth asked with her arms folded. "Maybe you scared him off."

"He had fish tanks full of heads," Michonne commented darkly, recalling her visit to the Governor's apartment during the battle. "Walkers and humans. Trophies. He's coming."

"We should hit him now," Glenn uttered.

Tori lifted her gaze from the table to her friend. "What?"

"He won't be expecting it," he said confidently. "We'll sneak back in and put a bullet in his head."

Carol shook her head at the plan. "We're not assassins."

"He didn't know you were coming last time, and look what happened," Hershel said quietly, calmly. "We lost Oscar. Daryl was captured. And you, Maggie, and Victoria were almost executed."

"You can't stop me," Glenn shook his head.

"Rick wouldn't allow this," Hershel replied.

"You really think he's in any position to make that choice?" the younger man hissed with bitterness.

"Think this through clearly," Hershel told him. "T-Dog lost his life here. Lori too. The men that were here. It isn't worth anymore killing. We should be out of here by now if he's really on his way."

"And go where?" Glenn asked, shaking his head again.

The farmer replied, "We lived on the road all winter."

"Back when you had two legs, and we didn't have a baby crying for walkers every four hours," Glenn bit back.

"What do you think all his toy soldiers are gonna do when they find their leader killed like how you're describing?" Tori spoke from the back of the room. "You think they'll just cover their eyes and pretend they never saw shit? As long as we're here, they'll come after us."

"She's right, Glenn," Hershel nodded slowly. "We can't stay."

"We can't run," Glenn snapped.

Without a word, Maggie pushed herself away from the wall she'd been leaning against and walked off into the cell block, her footsteps making an echo. Glenn watched her go, the anger in his eyes fading away, replaced with guilt for his earlier tone, knowing he'd probably scared her. He didn't do this - he wasn't a violent man. But knowing what the Governor had done to the woman he loved made him this way. Made him desperate for a very painful revenge.