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When night time faded and morning came, everybody began to wake up one by one, some still exhausted and some wide awake. Now that winter had gone, and the sun — which was scorching on their skin — had come back, they didn't need any blankets or coats, even in the morning.
"How did you sleep?" Rick asked, loading his gun — after yesterday, he didn't have much ammo left.
"Fine." Ophelia replied with a small smile. "How about you?"
She'd hardly slept at all. Not because she didn't want to. But, because she couldn't. But, she didn't want to worry anybody about it. So she said she slept fine instead — it was easier this way.
"I slept better than I have in a long time." He smiled back.
"I never thought I'd live to see the day where someone said they slept better in a prison." Ophelia chuckled quietly.
"I never thought it would be me that said it." He said, as he shoved his handgun into her holster.
Rick then pulled out a knife — to avoid making any loud noises when they overtook Cell Block C — and made sure the safety was on his gun. Ophelia did the same before they headed off.
"Ready?" Hershel asked a few moments later, approaching the group still sat by the fire — or what was left of it.
Everybody nodded their heads and readied themselves before they walked over towards the building. Daryl quickly joined them with his crossbow in his hands, making his way over to the front of the group, whilst Carl stayed behind with Lori and her unborn child — and Beth, Carol and Hershel.
When they approached the brick building, Rick then opened the door and each of them slid in — Rick, Ophelia, Daryl, T-Dog and Glenn taking the lead as they made their way into the courtyard littered with starving walkers.
Daryl began to pelt arrows into their skin and everyone else thrust their blades into their heads — nobody used a gun unless it was a last resort. Ophelia held her hunting knife tightly in her hand, as she grabbed each walker by the shirt — or blue jumpsuit — and pierced her knife through their heads.
By the time that they'd nearly reached the inside of the building, armed walkers began to appear. They were covered head to toe in prison armour and their heads were shielded by police helmets. Daryl shot at one of them with his green feathered bolt, but like a boomerang, it bounced off back at him.
Everyone furrowed their brows as to what to do, until Maggie was able to wedge her blade under its jaw, which wasn't protected by their helmets. They all did the same after, and quickly made their way to the inside of the prison building.
"Almost there!" Rick yelled over his shoulder.
Everyone kept pushing on, until Daryl came to a sudden stop and everyone skidded to stop beside him.
"What is it?" Ophelia asked, pulling her knife out of a walker — some blood spilled onto her cheeks as she did.
"That's a civilian." He said, gesturing at a walker.
"So the interior could be over run with walkers from outside the prison?" T-Dog sighed heavily.
"Well if there's walls then what are we gonna do?" Glenn asked, catching his breath. "We can't rebuild the place."
"We can't risk a blind spot we have to push in." Rick insisted as he ran a hand over his face.
Although they were reluctant to, everyone nodded their heads and pushed on. They trusted Rick to lead them.
Eventually, the group reached the building and all spilled into the inside of the Prison — Cell clock C. They quickly shut the door behind them and took a moment to catch their breaths before they looked around.
It was quite a lowly lit room, with the sunlit windows being the only source of light. The wallpaper was peeling of off the walls and thick bars barricaded the cells. But, they had beds — bunk beds — and shower rooms, which was a blessing to the group.
"What do you think?" Rick asked, as he looked around the cell block.
"Home sweet home." Glenn smiled, as him and Maggie looked for their own cell.
"After spending months on the road, I'll take it — I'll take anything with a bed." Ophelia said, standing next to Rick.
"Looks like you were right, officer friendly." She added after a moment.
Rick turned to face her and furrowed his brows. "About what?"
"There was somewhere out there."
❦ ❦ ❦
"It's secure?" Lori asked, rubbing her belly, as she walked into the cell block.
"The cell block is." Rick nodded.
"What about the rest of the prison?" Hershel asked with raised brows. The sheriff shook his head at him.
"In the morning we'll find the cafeteria and infirmary."
"We'll sleep in cells?" Beth then asked after a moment with wide eyes — as if she was horrified by the thought.
"The floors always an option." Ophelia mumbled, leaning over the balcony.
"I found the keys on some guards." Rick told them. "Daryl has a set too."
"I ain't sleepin' in no cage. I'll take the perch." Daryl announced as he climbed up the stairs.
Everybody then begun to scurry off into their cells and unpack their things. There were plenty of cells, so no one was forced to share a room — although Maggie and Glenn would, as well as the Grimes family.
Ophelia picked a cell on the top floor, at the end of the balcony and threw her back pack onto the top bunk — and her brothers — and then launched herself onto the bottom bunk. She hadn't felt blankets or pillows in months and it was heavenly.
Her cell was quite small and thin, there wasn't much room, but it was enough. There was a small, barred window at the top of the wall to let the light in, and there was a sink in the corner of the room to wash her hands or give her water — if it worked.
For the first time in a long time, she felt safe and secure. But, even as night time approached and the moonlight emitted her cell, she couldn't fall asleep. All she could do — all she ever did — was think back to that night ; the night that she lost her brother. It haunted her mind day and night. And she didn't know if it would ever go away. But, it certainly didn't if closed her eyes. So, she didn't even bother.
