Eyes Wide Open [TWD]

°•three•°

"Daryl, you cover the back," dad orders as we trail inside the giant building.

"Hello?" Rick calls holding his shotgun up.

"Watch those doors. Watch for walkers," dad follows up.

"Hello?" Rick asks again.

"Anybody infected?" A voice booms.

A man is revealed to the side of the room. An armed man, at that.

"One of our group was. He didn't make it," Rick says in regards to Jim.

"Why are you here? What do you want?" The man asks.

"A chance," Rick says, his voice hoarse.

"That's asking an awful lot these days."

"I know."

"You all submit to a blood test. That's the price of admission."

"We can do that."

"You got stuff to bring in, you do it now. Once this door closes, it stays closed," he points.

Carl and I are forced by Lori's side as Glenn, dad, T-Dog, and Daryl rush out to get the bags. Lori's hand rests on either of our shoulders as we wait. Once Glenn is back inside, I don't hesitate to rush to his side and grab his hand again.

"Vi, seal the main entrance. Kill the power up here," the man says into a device on the wall.

"Rick Grimes," Rick introduces.

"Dr. Edwin Jenner," The doctor says.

--

"Doctors always go around packing heat like that?" Daryl asks through the awkward atmosphere in the elevator.

"There were plenty left lying around. I familiarized myself. But you look harmless enough," He says scanning through us.

"Except you," he says to Carl, "I'll have to keep my eye on you."

"Are we underground?" Carol asks as we walk down the hallway

"Are you claustrophobic?" Mr. Jenner asks.

"A little," she replies.

"Try not to think about it."

"Vi, bring up the lights in the big room," Jenner says as we walk into another room.

In an instant, lights flicker on.

"Welcome to zone 5," he says, waving around the room.

"Where is everybody? The other doctors, the staff?" Rick asks.

"I'm it. It's just me here."

"What about the person you were speaking with? Vi?" Lori asks.

"Vi, say hello to our guests. Tell them 'Welcome'."

"Hello, guests. Welcome," A robotic like voice says.

I jump and try to pinpoint exactly where it came from to no avail.

"I'm all that's left. I'm sorry," he says before leading us into another room.

This room is simpler. White walls, hard chairs. Less complex than the rest of the building. I cling to Glenn's arm when Jenner took my blood. I was okay with shots, but from what I could remember, this was my first time getting blood taken.

Suddenly, I hated needles.

"I would give you a sticker, but I'm all out," Jenner tells me afterwards as I eye the vial with my blood in it wearily.