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ACT TWO
(hello, prisoners)

  VERONÍCA WAITED beside Glenn as the man spray painted an arrow on the wall. As soon as he had finished the group continued. While they hadn't run into any walkers yet, they knew it was only a matter of time.

So as they silently inched closer and closer to the next turn, Rick's flashlight shot around the room.
They turned another corner, a breath of relief filling each of them as it was once again empty.

While Glenn painted another arrow on the wall, it wasn't long before they continued walking. 

Once they turned another corner they regretted it. Seeing as when Rick immediately began yelling for them to go back, they knew exactly what it was.

The group scrambled to turn around, as soon as they did they began bolting. They followed the arrows among twists and turns.

Yet their running came to a halt as Maggie turned around with a yell, more walkers had came from another corner.

The group turned around as well, running into an unknown hallway.

As another group of walkers appeared. The walkers had managed to cut the group in half.

So while Veroníca pulled Glenn into an unlocked room. The rest of the group continued running.

Veroníca breathed heavily, holding the doorknob with one hand.

Glenn examined the nervous woman, frowning at the sight. "Vee, we're gonna be fine. We always are."

"I know. I know.."

"What's bothering you?"

"I just shouldn't have left Rory." Veroníca admitted, a frown coming onto her face while the beating from the door lessened a bit.

"Don't think like that... You shouldn't limit your usefulness to prevent something that.. uh—probably won't happen."

Veroníca didn't reply, instead she pressed her ear to the door. She waited for a moment before nodding to Glenn. "They're leaving."

Glenn nodded at this, waiting til the woman opened the door. As soon as she did he held up his weapon, following behind her as she kept the baton in the air.

"T-dog? Rick?" At Veroníca's hushed whispers, she wasn't expecting to hear a scream in response. Yet as soon as she did, the duo shared a look before following the screaming.

They made a few twists and turns before finally reaching the scene.

The duo was both shocked to see Hershel on the ground, he was laid across a walker and Maggie and Rick were helping him up.

Glenn immediately jumped in, taking Maggie's spot while Daryl and Veroníca killed a few oncoming walkers.

"We're blocked! Get back! Get back! Go!" Rick yelled, turning the group around while Veroníca killed another walker with a hit of the baton.

Hershel's groans of pain continued as they turned through the hallways. When Daryl and Veroníca bumped into Hershel, they immediately turned around.

They quickly examined the door in front of them. Veroníca rushed to rip the the handcuffs off of the handles, before rushing everyone inside.

"Shut the door!" Rick yelled as soon as Daryl entered the room.

While T-dog and Daryl held the door closed, Veroníca grabbed a nearby pipe to put through the door handles.

As soon as she did the trio joined the group in sitting around a hurt Hershel. "Hold him down." Rick commanded, taking off his belt.

The group listened and watched intently as Rick tied his belt around Hershel's leg.

He then grabbed a nearby axe. "Only one way to keep you alive."

Veroníca couldn't help but let out a gasp as Rick slammed the axe onto the man's leg. While Hershel yelled in pain, Veroníca had to hold back the vomit that was rising in her throat.

She forced her eyes away from the scene, not wanting to watch as Rick cut off the man's leg. Yet the sounds of the axe cutting through the skin seemed just as bad.

So while the woman gagged, she couldn't help but stand up. Wanting to be further away from the sounds.

Veroníca continued looking away from the scene, now standing beside Daryl who looked downwards.

When the slamming came to a stop, the woman reluctantly turned around. Regretting it instantly seeing as the blood had gotten all over the floor. "He's bleeding out."

Before anyone could help, Daryl raised his crossbow.

He glared at the newly found people. The strangers had currently stood in the kitchen, confused looks on each of their faces. He then took a few steps closer. "Who the hell are you?"

"Who the hell are you?!"

"He's bleeding out. We gotta go back." He then gestured Maggie closer while he spoke. "Put pressure on the knee. Hard, Hard! Push, Push."

While Maggie listened, Veroníca followed behind Daryl. She lifted her new baton in the air while Daryl spoke to the men. "Why don't you come on out of there? Slow and steady."

The men complied, walking out of the kitchen while examining the scene in front of them. "What happened to him?"

"He got bit."

"Bit?" The leader repeated, pulling a gun out of his waistband making T-dog walk toward them as well.

"Woah, woah, woah.. Easy now. Nobody needs to get hurt."

Before the prisoners could reply, Glenn rushed into the kitchen. His quick movement seemed to shock the men, making them turn to face the door. "Where do you think you're going?"

Glenn didn't answer, seeing as he was already in the kitchen. "Who the hell are you people, anyway?"

"Don't look like no rescue team." The one with the mustache said.

A loud slam came from the kitchen, making Veroníca glance towards the door. "You shouldn't wait on a rescue team. There's no one left."

Just as Veroníca finished her sentence, Glenn rushed out of the kitchen. This time he was pulling a cart. He immediately went towards Hershel while Rick yelled. "Come on, we gotta go."

While Rick and Glenn then lifted the old man onto the cart, Daryl still held his crossbow at the prisoners.  "T, the door!"

T-dog complied, ripping away the pipe. "Are you crazy? Don't open that!" One of the prisoners yelled.

"We got this!"

As soon as the door was open, one walker entered. While T-dog immediately took it down, Daryl nudged Veroníca.

The woman complied, dropping her arm while slowly walking away. Still keeping an eye on the prisoners.

As soon as she exited the area, it wasn't long until Daryl and T-dog followed behind her.

     When the group reached the cellblock, Rick rushed Hershel towards the cells while Daryl stayed near the tables. "Open the door! It's Hershel!"

Veroníca followed behind them, standing beside T-dog as he closed and locked the cell door. As soon as he did, the duo made their way back to the tables.

Daryl had still been at them. He was currently pointing his crossbow at the door, making Veroníca furrow her eyebrows. "What are you doing?"

"Waitin'. I know those douchebags are coming. I heard 'em." Daryl said, still pointing at the open cellblock door.

While T-dog was about to deny his claims, when footsteps began filling their ears. He placed a hand on the gun which was currently in his pocket.

As the prisoners suddenly appeared, reluctantly stepping into the cellblock. Daryl was the first to speak. "That's far enough."

"Cell block C. Cell 4–That's mine, gringo. Let me in."

"Today's your lucky days, fellas. You've been pardoned by the state of Georgia. You're free to go."

"What you got going on in there?" The taller prisoner asked making Daryl cut him off. "Ain't none of your concern."

"Don't be telling me what's my concern." The leader pulled out the gun, glancing at Veroníca for a moment before continuing. "If it was her who said it I wouldn't be so mad.. What's your name, hermosa?"

"Like I said before, ain't none of your concern." Daryl repeated, answering for Veroníca so that the woman didn't have to speak to the prisoners.

"Oh, now you've—"

The leader was cut off as the tallest one spoke up. "Chill, man. The dude's leg is messed up. Besides, we're free now. Why are we still here?"

"The man's got a point."

"I gotta check on my old lady."

"A group of civilians breaking in to a prison you got no business being in.. Got me thinking there ain't no place for us to go."

Daryl subtly shook his head at this, a cocky smirk rising as he replied. "Why don't you go find out?"

"I'll agree. If we can take her—" The leader was cut off at this, seeing as T-dog immediately raised his gun.

"Imma stop you right there, you ain't touching her or coming in either." T-dog said, holding the gun pointed at the man's head.

The leader now pointed his gun at T-dog, his voice growing louder as he yelled at the trio. "Hey, this is my house, my rules. I take what I want and go where I damn well please."

"Fuck that, you and your posse can get the hell out of our cellblock." Veroníca spoke up, pulling out her familiar throwing knives.

"She speaks!"

"Not to you she don't." Daryl mumbled as he tightened his grip on the crossbow. "There ain't nothing for you here. Why don't you go back to your own sandbox."

Just as the prisoners leader was about to retort, Rick interrupted the argument. "Hey, everyone relax. There's no need for this."

"How many of you are in there?"

"Too many for you to handle." Rick replied, the woman smirking as the prisoners fear showed in their eyes.

"You guys rob a bank or something? Why don't you take him to a hospital?"

A brief silence filled the air at the question. As the group shared looks, Rick was the first to speak. "How long have you been locked in that cafeteria?"

"Going on like ten months."

"A riot broke out. Never seen anything like it."

"Ever heard about dudes going cannibal? Dying, coming back to life?" The shortest one asked. "Crazy."

"One guard looked out for us, locked us up in the cafeteria told us sit tight. Threw me this piece, said he'd be right back." The leader answered, readjusting his grip on the gun once more.

"How long ago was that?" Veroníca asked, making the tallest one answer her. "Two hundred ninety-two days ago... We were thinking that the Army or the National Guard should be showing up any day now."

"There is no Army.. There's no government, no hospitals, no police.. It's all gone." Rick explained.

"For real?"

"Serious."

"What about my moms? My kids? My old lady.. You got a cell phone or something that we can call our families?" One of the men in the back asked, taking a step closer to the other group.

"No phones, no computers. As far as we can see at least half the population has been wiped out. Probably more."

Veroníca frowned as she watched the men process the news, while she didn't like the leader. She felt pity for the men. After all, they had been waiting for the day they'd get saved and everything would go back to normal.

It was evident in their eyes that all the former hope had been ripped from them.

So when the leader denied it, it didn't shock Veroníca. Denial was the first stage of grief.

Veroníca didn't bother following Rick to take the men outside, she didn't want to witness more of their grief. Instead she made her way back into the cells.

As she watched Lori and Carol change bloody rags, she couldn't help but begin feeling her hope diminish. She figured with the new secure place, less death would find them.

Yet as she watched more and more blood drip from the man's wound. She finally admitted to herself, death would follow them everywhere they went.

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