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Sawyer opened the door, letting sunlight pour into the dark and gray prison block. Eliza blinked frantically as she stepped outside, right in front of Sebastian. She had to stop as she let the fresh, warm air fill her lungs with oxygen, and her mouth twisted into a smile that soon transformed into a bubbling laughter. The warmth of the sun met her bare arms, sending a shiver through her entire body despite the heat. She lifted her head to the sun, letting the sunlight pour over her face.

But her happiness was brought short. She felt the stench before she could see the source of it. The foul and acid stank seeped into her nostrils and her bright smile shifted into a cough, stunned by the sudden smell.

Her eyes snapped between the many decomposed bodies on the ground with maggots nagging on them. The sight made Eliza's stomach turn and she forced herself to look away. Blood stained the courtyard where she had spent many days beating most of her inmates in basketball.

Jules's face scrunched up. "Ew. That smells."

Eliza rolled her eyes. Of course, Jules would worry about the smell instead of the dozen bodies of the people they used to know.

"Never thought I'd be so happy to see these fences."

Eliza's gaze traveled over the many corpses, examining every pair of eyes. Not that she had a great relationship with anyone except for Sebastian however she still wanted to know.

"You never said how you got into this place," Sebastian asked calmly, unlike the other inmates who's voices were aggrieved and enraged

The one with the crossbow nudged his weapon towards one of the fences with his weapon. "Cut a hole in one of those fences by the guard tower. "

After a moment of silence, Sebastian spoke up again. "So what is this? Some sort of disease?"

"Yeah." the leader hummed. "And we're all infected."

Eliza's head spun around at his answer. She wasn't sure what she was expecting but this wasn't it. "What do you mean infected?" Her voice came out more aggressive than she had expected like the man had caused whatever was happening.

The archer cleared his throat before he began to explain. "If I was to kill you, shoot an arrow in your chest. You come back as one of these things." He pointed to one of the decomposed bodies in the ground. It had the features of a normal living man but only slightly more rotten with teeth that looked like they hadn't touched a toothbrush in years and eyes that had shifted to a light yellow color. Its hair seemed to have fallen off leaving a few scattered strands of hair to remain on its head and its clothes were torn.

"It's gonna happen to all of us."

Eliza swallowed hard and tried to keep her face an icy expression but the words that had just left the man's mouth had coursed through her body, heading straight to her gut and filling it with unsettling emotions. His words made the whole thing seem like it was doomsday for everyone.

"Ain't no way this Robin Hood cast is responsible for killing all these freaks," Tomas spoke up like the words hadn't bothered him even a little bit. "Must be fifty bodies out here."

Tomas slowly made his way toward the leader, stopping only a few feet away from him. "Where'd you come from?" He asked as if that had anything to do with the matter.

"Atlanta." The man answers shortly. Which also answered one of Eliza's many questions: How her family had met these people. Eliza and her family all came from Atlanta and Sawyer worked at the Atlanta Sheriff's Department which must be where he met Rick, the leader.

"Where you headed?" Tomas took a step forward. It hadn't even occurred to Eliza that the group would even consider leaving. They couldn't leave anytime soon considering that her brother just lost his arm and was in no condition to travel anywhere but judging by the expression on Tomas's face, he had different plans for them.

"For now, nowhere." The leader kept his voice firm and steady.

Tomas's face twitched and Eliza could tell that he wasn't happy with the answer. The man got in front of the leader, staring him down before pointing to the far end of the prison yard. "I guess you could take that area down there near the water. Should be comfortable."

"To hell with that. They don't need water." Eliza spoke up before the leader managed to. "They need the walls. They've got an injured man and a pregnant lady."

"Easy for you to say." Tomas glared at her. "You've already got yourself a place in their little Robin Hood group."

Eliza prayed that he was right. While the others in the group like the leader and the archer didn't seem to love her presence so far, she was still family to three people in the group and that must matter for something. Right?

"She's right." The leader stepped between Eliza and Tomas. "We're using that field for crops."

"We'll help you move your gear out." Big Tiny said but Rick instantly shut him down.

"That down be necessary. We took out these walkers. This prison is ours."

"Slow down, cowboy." Tomas placed a hand in the air.

"You better watch how you talk about our prison." Jules got up behind Tomas. "You snatched the locks of our doors and you expect us to just hand you this place over on a silver plate. This is our prison. You better leave before we make you."

Jules's fearless and intimidating facade wasn't fooling anyone. She may have the fire-red hair that made her look like a villain out of a movie but if you focused long enough you could see a slight tremble on her chin as she spoke.

"We were here first," Tomas added.

"Locked in a broom closet?" Rick scoffed at the two. "We took it. Set you free. It's ours. We spilled blood."

"We're moving back into our cell block," Tomas said, referring to the cell block where the new group had settled in like their home.

"You'll have to get your own," Rick said through gritted teeth.

"It is ours!" Thomas shouted back, whipping out his gun from his holder earning a strong reaction from the archer who shot forward with his weapon in the air.

"Hey!" Sebastian raised his voice and Eliza almost froze in shock. The boy never raised his voice like that. "Let's work something out, alright?"

"I don't see that happening," Tomas said not tearing his gaze from the leader.

"Neither do I." He stared back at him.

"I ain't moving back into that cafeteria," Tomas said.

"There are other cell blocks, man." Sebastian stepped forward.

"You could leave. try your luck out on the road." The man with the crossbow said. His words scared Eliza a little, her mind trailing off to what the world might look like outside these fences and she wasn't sure she wanted to find out.

Thomas hesitated for a moment and glared at the people around him. "These three pussies can do all this, the least we can do is take out another cellblock."

"With what?" Big Tiny asked.

Thomas nodded toward Rick. "Atlanta here will spot us some real weapons. Won't you, boss?"

The leader glared down on Thomas. "How stocked is that cafertia? Must have plenty of food, six people lasting almost a year."

"It sure as hell doesn't look like anyone been starvin'." The man with the crossbow said and Eliza raised an eyebrow.

"There's only a little left," Thomas said, but Eliza knew that it was more than just a little.

"Well take half," Sawyer said. "In exchange, we'll help clear out a cellblock."

"Didn't you just hear what Thomas said?" Jules snapped at him. "There's only a little left."

"Bet you got more food than you've got choices." Rick stepped between them and Eliza almost laughed at the scared expression on Jules's face. "We got a deal?"

Thomas nodded. "Alright."

"Then let's be clear. If we see you out here, anywhere near our people, if I so much as even catch a whiff of your scent, I will kill you." The leader said through gritted teeth.

"Deal."

While the rest of the inmates headed to the cafeteria along with Rick and Daryl, Eliza was finally allowed to see Eli again, under extreme supervision by Sawyer as if she was one of the bad guys.

"Is this really necessary?" Eliza muttered to Sawyer who held onto her arm tightly as they entered the cellblock.

"Just shut up. You should be glad that Rick even allows this."

"Rick, is he the stinky one or the crazy one?" Eliza asked.

"Most days he's both, now get on with it. He'll want you out of here when he's back." Sawyer led her into the cell where most people from the group stood gathered around Eli's bed. She stepped into the cell and almost instantly most members in there took an uncertain step back and exchanged glances. Eliza ignored them and sank down on the floor next to the pregnant woman. She tried to keep a slight distance so as not to frighten her since it was obvious that the group didn't trust her.

Eliza wrapped her hand around Eli's. It was cold and his skin looked alarmingly pale. He felt almost lifeless and Eliza didn't even try to fight the burning tears that appeared when she stared at his fragile body. She couldn't lose him, not after just finding him. Not ever. It was awful seeing him like that, all weak. And the sight of the stump on his arm made Eliza's stomach churn.

"How's he doing?" She asked the woman next to her.

"We've managed to stop the bleeding, which is a good sign." She flashed her a reassuring smile, something that Eliza wasn't prepared to receive from the members of the group who all looked at her as a criminal. "However, he's still at risk of an infection."

Eliza nodded and blinked away the tears that glistered in her eyes. "What can I do to help?"

"There's not much we can do, unfortunately." An old man said as he appeared in the doorway, wiping Eli's blood off his hands. "Unless you've got antibiotics on you."

Eliza stared at him. "I don't. But I might get to the infirmary."

"You know the way to the infirmary?" The man with the white beard asked.

"I think." She stood up quickly, ready to do whatever it takes to at least attempt to help her brother.

"The tombs are swarming with walkers." Sawyer stopped her before she could leave the cell.

"Give me a weapon and I'll be good to go." She told him.

"No one's going anywhere," Rick said as he stormed inside the cell.

"Stop me." Eliza retorted and pushed past Sawyer. She flicked out the pocket knife that she had taken from Jules the day prior but before she managed to get to the cellblock door, she felt a hand wrap tightly around her wrist.

"You wanna stay alive to help your brother, you better start listening to what I tell you." Rick roared at her through gritted teeth, his hold firm on her wrist.

"Are you treating me?" Eliza's face twisted in anger as she tried to squirm out of his grip.

"Don't be stupid now." The man lifted his flannel shirt aside to flash her his gun that rested in his holster. Eliza glared at him, her chest heaving until she unwillingly stopped trying to let out of his hold. "That's what I thought," Rick muttered.

"My brother is dying. He needs those medical supplies and I'm the only one who knows the way." Eliza told him. "That woman in there. The pregnant one." The man's eyes flickered up to hers and Eliza understood that she had caught his full attention. "That's right. She looks like she's ready to deliver any day. You'll need medical supplies for that too. Now, let me go."

"I'll go with you," Rick said.

"Great. Just who I had hoped for." Eliza said, her words laced with sarcasm.

"Let's just go." Rick finally let go of her wrist and the woman dragged her fingers over the soreness that he had left behind.

"Hold on there, cowboy. I'm not leaving unarmed. Not after what happened to my brother."

Rick stopped in his steps and sighed as he turned around. "You're not unarmed." His eyes dipped down to the pocket knife in her hand.

"Very funny. I want a gun." Eliza demanded.

"Do you think I'm stupid?" Rick muttered.

"You really want me to answer that?"

The man exhaled in annoyance. "We can't trust you. Now, you want to save your brother's life or do you want to keep arguing?"

Eliza free hand curled into a fist. She pushed past Rick and headed out of the cellblock while trying to control her enraged breathing.

She walked through the tombs, clutching onto her knife. It was dark and quiet, with only the sound of her steps and Rick's echoing between the walls.

"Hey!" Rick whispered to Eliza who was several feet before him. The woman didn't stop at his words making the man take a few quick steps to join up next to her and Eliza glanced at him. "You've got a kitchen knife to protect yourself, so if you don't wanna end up like your brother I suggest you stay close." Rick told her.

The brunette woman didn't say anything, she just kept walking down the hallway. She couldn't help but feel a little more at ease with the light of Rick's flashlight to illuminate their path. The man walked with the flashlight in one hand and his revolver in the other, crossing his arms and aiming them in front of him, and waving them around every corner and door.

"Here," Eliza said and stopped in front of the infirmary door. Rick nodded for her to step behind him as he kicked the door open and jumped inside, his gun aiming around the room for any signs of danger. Eliza stood at the door, preparing for something or someone to jump at them, her palm sweating enough for her knife to almost slide out of her grip.

She knew very little about the creatures that now roamed the earth. She had learned that everyone comes back as one of them when you die. But Most importantly, always to go for the head.

After several beats of silence, she breathed out in relief. She stepped inside and closed the door behind her to prevent any threat from attacking them from behind.

"It's clear." Rick flipped his gun into his holster and took the backpack off his shoulder and placed it on one of the open surfaces. "Grab anything that could be useful." He handed the woman a spare flashlight.

"Couldn't have given me that sooner." She muttered under her breath and started shuffling through the cabinets. She found rubbing alcohol, bandages, clotting gauze, and some clean towels, stuffing everything in the backpack.

Rick grabbed a few bottles of pills, examining them lazily before shoving them in the bag, just as Eliza turned around with a pack of clotting gauze.

"Those are for hair growth," Eliza commented with a smirk appearing on her face. Rick snorted out a quick chuckle and placed them back in the cupboard. They continued searching through the room, but most cabinets and drawers had already been emptied.

"Let's go." Rick closed the backpack and threw it over his shoulder. His arms crossed, aiming his flashlight and gun in front of him as he peeked out the door. Seeing as the signal was clear, he nodded to Eliza and the two snuck out through the door and wandered silently through the corridors.

"Stay close," Rick whispered.

The pair made it back to the room and handed all the medical supplies over to Hershel, which Eliza had learned was the name of the doctor. Rick forced Eliza to the dayroom between the cellblocks. He said that it was just temporary until they knew what to do with her. Eliza was now positioned on one of the seats, her leg bouncing up and down fueled by the fury that pulsed through her when Evelyn walked through the door that separated the dayroom and the cellblock.

"Hey, sweetie." Eliza smiled, scooting aside to give her younger sister some room next to her. The girl sank down beside her with a pile of clothes in her arms. "What you got there?"

"I thought that when Eli wakes up, he'll not want the sleeves to be in the way all the time." Evelyn tore off a little less than half of the sleeve on the shirts in her lap.

Eliza's heart shattered at the sight. As the hours passed Eliza slowly lost hope that her brother would wake up. She didn't want to think like that but a pit in her gut restrained the thought from leaving her mind.

"Evelyn..." Eliza started.

"I don't want to hear it." The younger girl was quick to say.

"What?"

"I know what you're gonna say and I don't want to hear it." Evelyn avoided looking at her older sister as she spoke. "Both you and Sawyer are so quick to lose hope. I mean, Sawyer is in there with his hand on his gun watching over him. It's like he's already given up."

Eliza sighed. "I know. Sawyers just cautious."

Evelyn didn't say anything. Instead, she sat there, tearing shirt sleeve after shirtsleeve. Eliza stared at the younger girl, smiling at the sight. She was alive and well. Only a day ago, she wouldn't even dare to dream about seeing her siblings again and now she was sitting in front of her. Eliza reached out and brushed a black stand behind her ear, almost as if making sure that she was real. She then sighed and grabbed some of the shirts and began copying Evelyn's moves by ripping the sleeve off.

"I figured they'd be in the way. Maybe we can find him a metal arm or something." The younger girl said and Eliza nodded with a sad smile.

"Badass."

"Really badass." Evelyn met her sister's gaze and smiled slightly before her attention attached itself to something behind her. Eliza turned around, not seeing what it was that she was staring at, at first but then spotted the yellow wings that looked like they almost shone in the gray room. Flapping its wings, it flew through the air before landing on the table in front of theirs.

"Pretty," Evelyn said and returned her focus to her work while Eliza remained staring at the animal, reminiscing what Sebastian had told her the night prior. Hope. They represented hope.

𝟑𝟏𝟔𝟎 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬
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𝐚𝐯𝐚'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞!!
Rick and Eliza are so sassy I love them