Chapter Twelve: Everything's Good.....Over

Chapter Twelve

Everything’s Good….Over

▬ Third Person- No one’s P.O.V ▬  

     All was well in the Atlanta Survivor Camp as the people were buzzing around like busy bees as usual. Amy had just returned from collecting firewood whereas Dale was sitting on the green camping chair reading a book in peace when a  garbled transmission came through on the radio.

     “Hello….” A voice came from the radio causing Dale to turn in its direction in shock. “Hello?” it called out again. “Can anybody hear my voice?” the voice on the other end asked. Amy practically dropped her pile of firewood and ran over to the receiver. 

     “Hey? Hello?” she replied. 

     “Can anybody hear my voice?” the voice on the other end asked again. 

     “Yeah, yes we can here you-you’re coming through over,” she said attempting to make contact with the person on the other end of the line. 

     “Anybody who hears please respond,” the voice said causing Amy to look around in confusion before looking up at Dale who was about two yards away from her now. “Broadcasting on the emergency channel, will be approaching Atlanta on highway eighty five,” it stated. “If anybody reads this please respond,” 

     “We’re just outside the city,” Amy responded to the voice, the radio was getting a lot of random noise. “Dammit,” she frowned as the random noise got louder and she heard no response. “Hello?” There was no response. “Hello?” she said more desperately this time. “Urgh, he couldn’t hear me, I couldn’t warn him,” she explained to Dale.

     “Try to reach him again,” Dale suggested. “Come on son, you know best how to work this thing,” Dale said calling him over. Shane stuck his axe which he had been cutting some firewood with into the table near the radio before stealing the receiver off of Amy. 

     “Hello, hello this the person who called us on the air?” Shane spoke into the receiver…Nothing. “This is Officer Shane Walsh broadcasting to person unknown, please respond,” he spoke into the receiver again. Lori, Carl, Thea, Dale and Amy looked expectantly but there was still no response. Sighing, Shane put the receiver back on its hook and span one of the dials causing the noise to get quieter. “He’s gone,” he stated.

     “There are others,” Lori said optimistically. “It’s not just us,” she said to Shane. 

     “We knew there would be that’s why we left the CB on,” Shane replied. 

     “Lot of good it’s been doing,” Lori said with her hands on her hips. “I just hope the others have managed to put signs up on eighty five and warn people away from the city,” she stated. 

     “Folks got no idea what they’re getting into,”

     “Well,” Shane got up from his crouched position and stood up straight before continuing on. “I’m sure the others have had the time too,” Shane ran a hand through his hair stressed before marching off to his tent. Lori looked at him in concern causing her to begin to follow him, Carl went to run after her but Lori turned around.  

      “Carl, why don’t you just give me and Shane some time, alright?” Lori said before following Shane. “What are you pissed at me?” Lori asked but Shane ignored her and entered his tent. “Look you can be pissed at me all you want but it’s not gonna change anything,” she stated entering her tent after him.

     “I’m not pissed at you Lori,” 

     “Really? Then who are you pissed at?” 

     “Myself,” Shane responded causing Lori to throw him a look of confusion. “I shouldn’t have let her go Lori, I should have made her stay put. But you know Ellie, determined, strong-willed, she always did end up getting her way,” Shane stated. “What if she-” 

     “She’s fine Shane,” Lori interrupted him. “This is Electra we’re talking about here, she’s a one woman army if anything. Has to be to deal with the Dixon brothers,” Lori stated. “She’ll be fine,” Lori assure him. Shane looked up to meet Lori’s greeny-brown eyes before leaning in for a kiss which she gladly reciprocated. 

     “Mom,” Carl’s call caused them to jump apart before Shane opened the flap of the tent to see Carl walking towards the tent.

     “Sup buddy, she’s in there,” Shane stated before exiting his own tent. “Go on,” he ruffled Carl’s hair before leaving them too it.

     “Hey, I don’t want you to worry,” Lori said kneeling down so that she was Carl’s sight. “Shane was just a little worried about Electra, that’s all,”

     “Do you think she’s alright?”

     “Of course I do, like I said to Shane…We’re talking about Electra here,” Lori assured him. “Now go and finish your chores,”

/////

     “It could be worse,” 

     “How could it be any worse?”

     “Well, actually it could be a helluva lot worse than this my friend. I mean we could be dead, being eaten alive, be one of them and come on there’s a lot worse placed to be stuck than this department store,” Andrea said optimistically reassuring Electra. 

     “I suppose you’re right, I just…” Electra paused for breath. “I just always thought Glenn was exaggerating whenever he talked about the amount of walkers in the city…”

     “Yeah, so did I….” Andrea admitted then trailed off awkwardly. 

     They were sat on the stairs in the department store which they had been contained in for four days. Glenn had always returned back to the survivor camp on the fourth day early in the morning. Shane and the others must have be worried sick. Electra thought to herself. She was worried sick, that was for sure. T-Dog, Glenn and Jacqui had gone out to scout for some more supplies whilst Morales patrolled the doors and Merle watched up from the roof top. 

     “That’s probably why the military bombed the city,” Electra realised causing Andrea to raise an eyebrow at the girl in confusion.

     “What?”

     “That’s why the military bombed the city…” Electra repeated herself. “Because of the amount of walkers around, they must have thought they were doing a good thing, killing them all. They mustn’t have realised that it had to be the head,” Electra explained. “Warning us away from the city by doing so as well,” Electra stated. 

     “Could be,” Andrea shrugged. “But then again, it is the same military who allowed this whole thing to get out and spread,” she stated. 

     “To the military,” Electra raised her bottle of water which had been kept beside her on the step. “The douche bags who allowed me to get on a plane to this country, didn’t inform anywhere else in the world of what was happening and abandoned us,” she ‘toasted’ bitterly 

     “Hey, I’d watch your mouth if I were you,” 

     “Shouldn’t you be on watch, Merle?” Andrea asked in an annoyed tone as Electra unscrewed the cap of the bottle and raised in to her lips. 

     “It’s all a waste of time, what’s the point watching geeks after geeks after geeks?” Merle shot back at her focusing on Electra’s gun which was still tucked in the back of her jeans…just in his reach.

     “And why are you so defensive of the military? Not like they did you any good is it?” Electra scoffed, screwing the lid back on the water bottle. 

     “I’m ex-military,”

     “Oh wow, you have got to be kidding me,” Andrea turned around almost instantly to look up at Merle as Electra did the same. 

     “You?” Electra asked in disbelief. “You’re ex-military?” she repeated him words in a questioning tone. “You were in the military…?” 

     “That so hard to believe sweet cheeks?”     

     “Yeah actually,” Andrea shot at him. “It is, I mean. Sure the military are ass-holes but they ‘re nowhere near your standards,” 

     “What happened?” Electra questioned. “I mean, I’ve seen older men still serve in the military,” Electra stated in explanation.

     “Was dishonourably discharged,” Merle stated. “They reckoned I punched a non-commissioned officer in the face,” he explained. 

     “Did you punch him in the face?”

     “Yes,” he stated. “But he deserved it the jack-ass,” he explained. “It was worth those sixteen months inside and being court-martialled,” he reminisced on the memory. 

     “It was a dumb question to ask,” Andrea stated. “I should have known better then to give you the benefit of the doubt,” she rolled her eyes. 

     “Mmm,” Merle looked Andrea up and down. “You’re feisty and not ugly, I’ll give you that,” he stated causing Andrea and Electra to squint at him in confusion. 

     “Okay then….”

     “But still not bangable, not with Electra’s around anyway,” he stated causing Electra and Andrea to roll their eyes and turn around again.     

     “Can you just give it a freakin’ rest?” Electra asked. “I mean how many times do I have to tell you no?” she mumbled under her breath annoyed. “Believe me when I say this, you are the last person I would have sex with. I would rather remain celibate until the day I die,” 

     “You’re words cut me deep, sugar tits,”     

     “That was my intention, dick head,” 

     “Can’t blame a man for trying,” Merle shrugged carefully snatching her gun out of her belt without her noticing before stuffing it in his own and standing up. 

     “You can when it’s the hundredth time,” Andrea stated in Electra’s defence causing Merle to roll his eyes before taking off up the stairs with a grin on his face. 

     “Guys? Guys? You hear me?”

     “Yes,” Electra spoke into the walkie. “We can hear you Glenn. What is it? Are you guys alright? What’s wrong?” she interrogated him. “Over,” she added. 

     “Everyone’s fine,” Glenn sighed. “Everything’s fine,” he assured her. “We’re approaching the department store through the side door on the bottom floor, just wanted to let you know….” He explained. 

     “Alright, we won’t shoot you…..over,” she stated removing her finger from the button before placing it back on it again. “And you are meant to say ‘Over’ whenever you finish what you have to say Glenn….over,” she added on before removing her finger off of the button. 

     “I know,” Glenn replied after an instant. “I wasn’t finished, I was just taking a pause….” He trailed off awkwardly. “Over,” he added. 

     “Oh, sorry….over,”

     “It’s alright,” Glenn stated. “I was just going to ask whether you could let us in, seeing as the door doesn’t open from the outside and all, over,”

     “Oh…” Electra trailed off shooting up to her feet. “I’m on it, over,” Electra stated climbing down to the bottom floor. “Morales, open the doors! Glenn, Jacqui and T-Dog are out there!” Electra shouted causing Morales to nod at her before opening the doors allowing T-Dog, Jacqui and Glenn to run through before he slammed them shut. 

     “Are y’all okay?” 

     “We’re fine, we’re fine,” T-Dog assured Electra as he hugged her. “How are you all doing? Everything under control?” he asked.  

     “Good, good, good,” Electra breathed. “Good, good, good,” Electra repeated. “I’m good, you’re good, Glenn’s good, Jacqui’s good, Morales is good, Andrea’s good, everything’s good. Even Merle’s good, not that I would classify that as good in my words but hey, who cares?” 

     “You’re rambling and sounding like a crazy person,” Glenn informed her, pealing her off of T-Dog who looked a tad confused.

     “I’m always rambling and sounding like a crazy person,” Electra stated. “It’s what I do when I’m relieved, worried or  panicking,” 

     “True,” 

     “Any luck?” Andrea questioned Glenn as she ran down the stairs and burst in through the door way casually with her hand on her gun. 

     “Found some cereal bars in the grocery store,” Glenn stated chucking Electra, Andrea and Morales a bar each. “And we managed to scout out a safe route to that camping supplies store,” he explained as Electra took a big bite out of her cereal bar. 

     “For real?” Electra asked, shielding her mouth from sight with her hand whilst she finished chewing the bite she had taken. “And back to the freight-liner too?” she asked dropping her hand. 

    “Yup,” 

     “God, you guys are amazing,” 

/////

     It’s nothing like Morgan described it. 

     Rick Grimes was still riding the horse that he had come by at the abandoned farm house down highway eighty five. There were hundreds of burned out cars sitting on the other side of the freeway, trying to leave the city whereas the side of the freeway into the city was completely deserted. Nevertheless, he ignored the uneasy feeling he had gained in his stomach and continued onwards into the city.

     It’s the only way I can find Lori and Carl. 

     It’s the only lead I have to go on. 

     I have no choice. I have to find them.

     Upon entering the city he saw the full extent of the devastation it had suffered under the bombing it had experienced from the military, but he had no clue what had caused it as he had been hugely misinformed by Morgan. He began to concentrate on his search for his wife and son, who cared about what had happened and he cared about was finding them. 

     He came upon an overrun military blockade and a few more burned out vehicles scattered around, with all the disruption he had been causing he had awakened a few walkers. Becoming aware of this he kicked the horse, speeding it up into a fast paced trot and began riding away from it. Looking behind him he saw more walkers emerging out of a broken down bus and a dark alleyway. 

     Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

     He captured sight of a helicopter flying overhead in one of the skyscrapers and made a sharp turn to begin to follow it, speeding up even farther. Turning around a street corner he came face to face with what seemed to be hundreds of walkers. Not having the time to back up he toppled off of the horse whilst the walkers descended on him and it. He scrambled under an abandoned tank, but more walkers came at him; attempting to grab for him from all directions. He took his gun and began to shoot. 

/////

     “What the hell was that?” Andrea aimed her question to no one in particular as she turned her head, looking for the source of the noise still wondering where it had come from. 

     “I. Am. Going. To. Kill. Him.” Electra declared in a growl making her way to the staircase, no one bothered to ask her what she meant…they just followed her up the stairs. 

/////

     Left. Right. Up. Down.

     Rick continued to shoot the walkers that were coming at him, but it was no use.  They were everywhere. They kept on coming in waves, he couldn’t keep going on like this and he knew it. Breathing heavily, he placed the gun to his temple- expecting the worst. 

     “Lori, Carl,” he breathed in regret. “I’m sorry,” he apologized in a whisper with full intentions of pulling the trigger and committing suicide until he briefly looked upwards. Seeing an open hatch underneath the tank he took his chance and crawled inside just in time. 

/////

     “This is not the time for target practice Merle!” Electra shouted at Merle as she burst through the door to the roof. Merle was standing up on the wall at the edge of the roof. 

     “It weren’t me,” Merle shot back casually, looking down at the hundreds of walkers which were walking the streets below.

     “What do you mean it wasn’t you?” Andrea demanded with a confused and annoyed expression plastered on her face. Of course it was you. Who else would it be? She asked internally. 

     “Come and see for yourself,” he turned to the rest of the group for a brief moment before looking down again at the scene which was playing out before his eyes. With confused expressions Electra and the rest of the group stood up on the wall and watched with him. 

/////

     Rick fell down to the floor of the tank in immense pain of the deafening echo that was reverberating inside the repressed air of the tank due to the shot he had just fired at the walked who he had presumed was dead but had been alive. Whilst disorientated, he noticed that the top hatch of the tank was still open and got up attempting to get relief from the sound. 

/////

     “Well I never,” Jacqui exclaimed as she saw a head pop up put of the top hatch of the army tank which looked as if it had been dropped in  the centre of the street. 

     “That dumb-ass fired the shots?” Andrea asked, narrowing her eyes at the figure despite the fact that it could not see her. The phrase ‘If looks could kill’ came into Morales’ mind as he saw her expression. “He’s killed us,” she growled in anger. 

     Electra watched in horror, not listening to the rest of the groups comment about the lone survivor. She was witnessing the walkers beginning to climb up the tank to try to get a piece of the figure who was just simply staring at something else in the street….a black bag was her guess. 

     “Come on,” Electra murmured under her breath, rooting for the lone survivor. Hoping that he would become aware of the walkers trying to get him. “Come on,” she growled before he finally tore his eyes away from the black bag and too the walkers before pulling the hatch down, sealing himself inside the tank.

/////

     Rick looked around helplessly. He was trapped…with no idea of what his next move would be. He couldn’t help but jump at the sound of the banging and scratching, the walkers were trying to get at him through the tank. He was trapped, surrounded with no hope of escaping. Rick held the soldiers pistol to his forehead, sweating as he just sat there breathing. He sprang up as he heard a crackle come through the tanks radio. 

     “Hey you, dumbass,” a voice said from the other side, but Rick was still sitting in his spot- too startled to reply. “You in the tank,” Rick scurried over to it. “Cosy in there?”