traded my life [TWD]

『52』

I set Woojin's carrier inside the guard tower shade and look around the fences.

"It's perfect," Rick states.

I hold my hand up to block the sun. We were still on the outer fence of the prison. Safe, but not fully inside.

"I see the vision, I do," I promise. "But, we're sleeping on gravel?"

"No," Rick denies and points to a further fence inside the courtyard of the prison. "If we can shut that gate, prevent more from filling in the yard, then we can pick off the rest of the walkers. We'll take the field out by tonight."

"So, how do we shut the gate?" Hershel asks.

I look at the stretch of the yard. It was a good measure of three soccer fields. Maybe four if you count the hills.

"I'll go. You guys cover me," Glenn speaks up.

"No. It's a suicide run," Maggie argues.

"I'm the fastest," Glenn reminds.

"No, I am," I argue back. "I'll run."

"You're barely back on your feet," Carol says.

"But, I'm the fastest and smallest," I urge. "I can get through them and they'll never see me."

"I can't ask you to do that," Rick denies.

"You're not asking me. I'm telling you that I'm doing it," I say and walk to the gate. "Now, come on."

Rick could tell that there was no talking me out of it.

I shrug. "I've gotta get back to normal somehow."

"We'll go together," Rick decides.

"Hey, Beth-"

"I've got Woojin," she cuts me off with a smile. "Don't worry about him. He's safe."

"Thank you," I make sure she knows. "It won't take long."

I kneel to my bag and shuffle through my things. I take out the headphones I'd found a couple of weeks ago and toss them to Beth. They weren't exactly perfect for the job and they didn't quite fit around Woojin's tiny head. But, it helped protect his ears from gunshots and keep him calm when we're running from walkers.

Rick gives orders to everyone else on where they need to be and what they should do. Once it is just Lori, Rick, and I at the fence, I pull my hair into a ponytail and stretch my legs.

"This isn't a race, Hyejin," Rick scolds.

"Well, it wasn't until you said that," I scoff. "Is this your way of finally arresting me? Only took you like a decade, huh?"

Rick squats down, ready to run. I poke my tongue to my cheek and shake my head.

"You ready?" Lori asks.

The tension between Rick and Lori was higher than ever before. He gives her a single nod. Then, he looks at me. I squint and eye him down.

The others that were stationed at the fence start yelling to get the walkers' attention. When close enough, they slice their weapons through the holes of the chain link and kill the walker.

Lori eases the gate open, quietly so as to not draw the walkers toward us.

When there's enough room, I knock my shoulder lightly into Rick's and take off running through the field. Rick follows after me.

Unlike Rick, I don't bother with shooting the gun I have- even though it has a silencer.

I could see Rick's demeanor shifting from the determined leader mindset to one of relief and excitement.