Rotter Rotter, They've Certainly Got Her

Chapter 7- New Beginning, New Life

It felt as though my heart was going to escape out of my chest. All I could hear was the beat of my heart, the fear rising through my body, as we made our way into the next section of the prison. We grouped up, back to back using silent hand held weapons only. We had to try and keep the noise down, take them out bit by bit. We didn't have enough bullets left to take the rest out and even if we did then the noise alone would attract more from other areas of the prison. Leaving us faced with a massive group which could over power us or take down the fences if we retreated.

Every time a walker came towards the group, my body tensed sending a shiver up my back. I had tried to avoid groups of walkers for the past seven months, making this very out of character. Even though I was surrounded by other people who would help to keep me safe, I felt like I was all alone. I guess it would take me a while to readjust to this new way of living. Being surrounded by people again. Having other people to watch my back. I never thought that I would have this again.

We had cleared the courtyard and was beginning to move further in down a shorter alleyway to the right of the first cell block, to what looked like a more secure wing of the prison. It had less windows along the two visible walls and only one well, secured door to gain access. It must have been some sort of max security wing or maybe even death row, if this place had done. It was clear that this place was a men's prison from the inmates that we had taken down, but what type of male prison was unclear. The real question was where all the civilians coming from. Had they been here when everything went bad or was there a breach. If there was a breach then we could guarantee that this place was safe, and we had done all of this for nothing.

We kept pushing in, until Rick stopped and stepped back quickly pressing himself to the wall. He signalled to everyone else to do the same. In front of us was a chain link fence and gate, housing around a dozen of the dead. The gate was wide open, and any sound could draw them all out and cause a problem for us all. We had to be extremely careful.

Rick reached into his pocket and brought out the clip he had used the day before to secure the gate to the courtyard. He gestured for us to be ready as he reached out suddenly and grabbed the gate pushing it shut on the group of walkers behind the fence, he seemed to be struggling as the dead piled against the fence making the gap to great for the clip. Daryl rushed off and offered Rick support, allowing the pair to secure the gate but the walkers secured in the compound were the least of our worries.

From around the corner ahead of us came three walkers equipped in some sort of protective riot gear. Raising his crossbow, Daryl shot a bolt at the first walkers head, but the tip of the arrow made little contact, instead bouncing off and landing in front of its feet. The whole group approached the new threat and began their attempts at defeating the monsters. Nothing we seemed to use working, all the weapons were bounding straight off. Maggie grabbed the closest one to her and pulled its head back, plunging her knife into its skull. Finally pulling an end to its miserable existence. After witnessing the kill, it was clear that was the only way to take them down. The helmet needed to be removed or lifted up to make the kill, but the chance of success brought the risk of being near their snapping jaws.

It took quite a while to clear the yard but it was eventually done and time to enter the first building. We made our way towards the one that we could see from the outer ring the day before, a large black C painted on the side of the building. The metal cage before the door was unlocked as well as the main door inside, allowing us to gain access to the whatever lay inside. As we made our way in, the light was minimal due to the lack of windows. We had made our way into some sort of communal area, with metal chairs and tables bolted to the floor.

The room was eerily quiet as we observed the surroundings. Each room leading from this main room, seemed to be blocked by a locked metal bar door. From here we could see that there was a room of cells to the left and corridors to other parts of the prison ahead of us.

'The keys should be up the stairs in the guard tower so that we can get into all of these other rooms. It might also have information on where the local armoury might be situated' Rick began, making his way towards the stairs with Daryl, as me, Glenn, Johnathan and Maggie began to have a little look in the metal lockers and storage cupboards which lined the entirety of the wall to the left of the building.

The two men came down the stairs shacking the keys meaning that we were in look and might end up with some beds to sleep on for a change. Something that I haven't had personally since my accident back at the farm. The fact that the doors could lock would also make sleeping a lot easier, as I would feel safe knowing nothing would be able to get in.

As Rick slid the key into the lock and slid the door open, a rattling and moaning sound began to fill the surrounding. Making us alert to the possible dangers in front of us. Rick, Glenn and Maggie took the cells downstairs while me, Johnathan and Daryl took the upstairs. The rooms seemed a little trashed but it would be fine with a little Sprouse up, we could actually make this work.

Johnathan jumped back as a walker lunged through the bars of his cell. It had died while locked in its cell, like two others next to it. There arms reaching for the first piece of flesh they had seen since the prison fell. Daryl pushed past us and fired an arrow between each of the walker's eyes. Making the cell block quite again. This really could be home.