Beauty and Her Beast (Daryl Dixon Fanfic)

27

Rick opened the gate, the six of us making our way into the prison. We kept in a tight formation, making sure none of us were left exposed. We worked further in, dropping walkers left and right. T-dog spotted a riot shield, ignoring Rick's protests. He grabbed the shield, bashing a walker that came up behind him. Maggie jammed her machete into its head. We continued, almost finished.

Rick looked around a corner, slamming his back into the wall, signaling us to do the same. Two walkers in riot gear came out from behind a dumpster, spotting us. Then two more in riot gear came around the corner.

Daryl fired a bolt, but it bounced off it's face guard, agitating it further. We bashed on the helmets, but it did no good. Maggie got close to one, jamming her knife through it's chin. We did the same with the others. Rick knocked over one with a gas mask, pulling off the mask and the walkers face with it. He stabbed it with his machete, groaning.

Glenn started running to let the others in. "Stop." Rick warned.

"Well, it looks secure." Glenn shrugged.

"Not from the look of that courtyard over there. And that's a civilian." Daryl said, pointing to walker on the ground.

I groaned, wiping some blood off my forehead. "That means the interior may be overrun with walkers from outside the prison."

"Well, if there's walls down, what are we gonna do? We can't rebuild this whole place."

"We can't risk a blind spot. We have to push in." We all followed Rick into C Block.

Inside was a mess. We all looked around, making sure the room was safe. In the watchtower above, there appeared to be a dead guard, blood splattered on the window. Rick pointed up at it, signaling that he was going up. He moved as quietly as he could up the stairs, then rushed around the corner. We heard keys jingling.

Rick came back down, unlocking the gate. I cringed as it creaked open. There were dead prisoners in a couple of the cells. They were shot execution style. Rick and Daryl went up the stairs. We heard growling, which was quickly silenced. "Go get the others, Lottie."

Maggie and Glenn came with me. We helped carry stuff in. T-Dog was dragging away a walker as we came in. "What do you think?"

"Home sweet Home."

"For the time being."

"It's secure?" Lori asked nervously.

"This cellblock is."

"What about the rest of the prison?" Hershel asked.

"In the morning, we'll find the cafeteria and infirmary."

"We sleep in the cells?" Beth asked.

Rick nodded, holding the keys in his hand. "I found keys on some guards. Daryl has a set, too."

"I ain't sleeping in no cage." Daryl spoke, getting our attention. "I'll take the perch." I rolled my eyes, knowing he'd change his mind eventually.

Everyone started finding cells. I found one that didn't have blood on the walls. Luke ended up bunking with Carl. They'd become pretty good friends since we were out on the road. I curled up on the mattress, wrapped in a blanket. I fell asleep quickly, completely exhausted from today's events.

~*~

The next day, we gathered weapons and other supplies from the dead guards, setting them all out on a table. "Not bad." Daryl commented.

Rick nodded. "Flashbangs, CS Triple-Chasers. Not sure how they'd work on walkers, but we'll take 'em."

Daryl picked up a helmet. I grimaced as goo from the walker that wore it dripped off and onto the floor. "I ain't wearing this shit." He said.

T-dog held a glove that was drenched. "We could boil 'em."

"Ain't enough firewood in the whole forest. No. Besides, we made it this far without 'em, right?"

"Hershel?" Carol asked from the door. She nodded in the direction of the cells.

"Everything all right?" Rick asked.

"Yeah. Nothing to worry about." Carol smiled, walking away with Hershel.

~*~

We cautiously made our way down the dark hallway, the stench of death made worse by the humidity. There were bodies of prisoners here and there, eaten down to the bone. Glenn sprayed an arrow on the wall, so we could find our way back. Maggie gasped and we all shined our flashlights on her. I sighed in relief. She'd only run into Glenn.

We went further, rounding a corner. Glenn painted another arrow. We rounded another corner, a loud thud coming from another hall. We looked around the corner, at least a dozen walkers growling at the sight of us. "Go back." Rick ordered. "Go back! Move!"

We all ran, Daryl leading the way. Walkers came from another hall. We ran faster, finding somewhere to hide. "Where's Glenn and Maggie?" Rick asked.

"We gotta go back. Maybe they got cut off." I said.

"But which way?" Daryl asked.

Rick nodded. We all stood up, Rick opening the doors. We split up to look for them. I went with Rick and Glenn. We called out softly. I gasped when someone started screaming. We went around a corner to see a walker tearing the flesh from Hershel's calf. "No!" Rick shot the walker. Hershel wailed, eyes wide in terror and pain.

Maggie and Glenn ran around a corner. "No!"

Maggie was sobbing. Rick and Glenn picked Hershel up. "Daryl! Lottie!" Daryl and I fought off the incoming walkers. They came from two halls, forcing us down another. T-dog broke the cuffs that kept the cafeteria doors closed. We rushed in, barricading the door closed. Rick tore Hershel's pant leg, the wound gushing blood.

Rick grimaced, taking off his belt. "Hold him down." He tied it just above his knee, grabbing his hatchet. My eyes went wide. "Only one way to keep you alive." I felt sick. Rick hacked at his leg, blood splattering. I prayed that he would stop screaming. He finally passed out. Rick finished chopping it off, pushing it away.

He looked at his blood soaked hands. He took a moment, then started working again. "He's bleeding out."

I gasped as five figures appeared from behind a gate. "Duck." Daryl whispered.

We both stood up. Daryl aimed his crossbow while I aimed two of my guns. "Holy shit."