Wilted

s e v e n t e e n

Carl's hand gripped my own like a vice. Or maybe it was the other way around. Either way, neither of us had any intentions of letting the other go any time soon. The groans from around us made my legs turn to jelly yet I managed to stay upright and moving continuously somehow.

Luckily though, we blended in with them. Just like Rick said that we would. He was upfront, leading us through the sea of walkers. We walked slowly, and it was tedious. But any faster and we might blow our cover against the dead. 

A walker brushed against my shoulder and my body tensed before it continued on it's way without a single care. It had completely ignored the fact that I was fresh meat. Although that was a good thing for me. 

"Alright, new plan." Rick said pulling us to the side and whispering. "Flare's from the guns aren't enough. Too many walkers, too spread out. We're not going to the armory, we need our vehicles back at the quarry. All of us drive, we'll need to round 'em up. We leave, we come back" 

I grabbed Carl's hand once more as one of his hands cradled Judith's head to his chest. Thankfully, the girl had made no fuss when it had come to being with her older brother. I could feel Ron's icy glare piercing the back of my skull.

"But Judith, to the quarry and back, I-" Jessie began to say and Rick pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to find an option for his daughter. 

"I'll take her." Gabriel spoke up with wide eyes. "Keep her safe in my church until you all lead the walkers away."

"Can you do this?" Michonne asked him darkly.

"I'm supposed to" He responded. "I have to, I will."

Slowly, Carl handed Judith over to the priest. She whimpered slightly from the jostling movement but quieted down none the less. I could tell Carl was worried about his sister, but going with Gabriel was much better than taking the child to the quarry and back with no food. 

I squeezed his hand with reassurance as he looked into my eyes hopeful. We'd make it out of this we had to. 

"Take Sam." Jessie told Gabriel as her son protested. "Yes, Sam, it'll be safer."

"I'm not leaving you." Sam declared and I scoffed as Jessie gave into her son. He'd get us killed, even if he thought he could handle it. He didn't know what this world was truly like. 

"I'm going to keep her safe." Gabriel reassured us.

The groans surrounding us seemed to get louder with each passing moment as I watched Gabriel walk away with Judith. The church was close, but I still couldn't help but worry. 

Slowly, we linked hands once more. Again, I held Jessie's and Carl's as we began to walk through the sea of undead. The sun was still setting. In fact, the sunset could be considered beautiful if it weren't for walkers roaming the streets. 

As the sun set fully below the horizon my nerves peaked. Something bad would happen. I could feel it in my gut as we continued to trek forward. It seemed that I was right, because suddenly Sam came to a halt as more walkers appeared. 

He was overwhelmed, that much I was certain of. I could tell just by the rising and falling of his shoulders. He let go of Rick's hand and began to back away from the undead. 

"Sam?" Jessie asked her son still clutching onto his hand. "Come on, come on. Sweetheart? Sam?"

Nothing seemed to be working. The boy was stuck in a trance. His bottom lip began to quiver and he let out a quiet whimper. 

"You can do it." Rick reassured the young boy. 

Since we had stopped, and began to speak we were drawing attention to ourselves. Walkers were beginning to make their way closer and closer.