S2E58 - Line of Fire

Hershel and I stand, gathered round everyone in the group, including his family. He looks out at the group, fully expecting a negative reaction from my group. As am I, but I'll convince them. He speaks to them in a resolute tone,

"Everyone. I have a confession to make."

Maggie, who had been cold to Hershel ever since she came back with Glen from a quick run, looks at him knowingly, and with a bit of shock.

"We've been keeping walkers in the barn."

Almost immediately, I hear several people from our group speaking up. However, I shut that shit down,

"LET. HIM. TALK!"

I speak to them in a tone that gives them no room to speak back, nearly full on yelling at them. The group, namely Lori, Jaqui, and Daryl look at me with a look of shock and confusion. Lori looks at me with thinly veiled anger. I motion for him to continue,

"It was not my intention to lead you all into a false sense of security. I truly believed that there was still people inside of them, and that they could eventually be saved. I realize now how big a fool I've been. I didn't want to believe… That my wife and baby boy were gone…"

The group's outrage subsides as they hear this, knowing the feeling all too well. Hershel continues on,

"I'm asking you all… If you would help me in putting them to rest…"

Hershel lowers his head after asking, expecting a generally negative reaction. The first person to speak up is surprisingly Daryl,

"Yeah, I don't mind helping out."

Slowly, this feeling grows among the group with the first to accept after Daryl being Rick. Hershel watches as the group all slowly nods their heads. His eyes grow glossy, and he mutters out quiet thank yous.

We all get up to grab our guns and head over to the barn. Hershel talks to us when we get there,

"There's quite a few in there. If you see one in a blue sundress, please, avoid shooting her… I'll take care of her…"

I nod my head to him and hand him my pistol, to which he gives the shotgun he was carrying to Maggie, giving her a somber nod. Maggie, through tearful eyes, nods back. Glen comes up beside her and pats her shoulder before whispering something to her. 

Hershel hands me the keys to the latch, and I start walking. The entire time, scenes from the episode play through my head. 

Shane going ballistic and tearing open the shed. I look over to find Shane and Rick side by side, rifles ready to deal with the threat together.

Hershel looking completely destroyed, and falling to his knees as he watches what he believes to be his wife being killed in front of him. I look back and find Hershel still heartbroken, but standing strong and holding my pistol with conviction and closure.

Sophia, walking out of the barn a walker, completely grey and being shot by Rick. I look back over the hill and see her, Clem, and Carl all watching from afar.

Carol and Carl collapsing on the ground with grief, losing a daughter and their only real friend. I see Carol standing behind the kids, her hands on Sophia and Carl's shoulders with Clem standing in the middle.

A smile creeps it's way onto my face as I look back at the barn, knowing I've made a difference.

As I twist the key inside the slightly rusted lock, I hear the groans of the dead.

"Haaaaaaaagh, Uuuuuuuuugh."

As I remove the chain, they become restless and begin to March towards the door. The chain slams onto the ground with a heavy thud. I reach up and lift the wooden plank off the door, leaving nothing more than a flimsy bit of loose wood between myself and the dead. The stench finally hits me as the door cracks open. I run back, pulling my rifle from my back, and prepare. 

We all stand around with beating hearts, waiting for the first sign… With sudden motion, the doors to the barn swing open as the walkers come pouring out. Surprisingly, the first person to open fire is Morales. As the first walker takes a step out of the barn, his rifle goes off, catching the walker on the top of the skull, and causing the top to come off like a lid.

This seems to be the literal starting gun, as after this, we all begin firing as well, ripping through the horde with ease. Left and right, the walkers collected by Hershel begin to fall. The entire time, Beth cries into her boyfriend's arms, Lori watches on with a ridiculous look of horror, Rick holds his revolver at a weird angle, and Andrea puts her training to good use.

Amy takes part as well, mostly hitting the walkers in the chest, but hey, she's trying at least.

As the firing stops and the last walker falls, out walks an older one in a blue dress. Beth and Maggie wail out in pain as they see her, and collapse. Hershel as well has tears well up in his eyes as he slowly walks forward, pistol ready. He walks in front of me, and begins speaking to the walker,

"Annette… Wherever you're lookin' down on me from… Wherever it is you went… Know that this fool of a man has finally realized his mistake. For valuing your memory more than the safety of our family. For allowing this… Evil thing to use your body. I beg your forgiveness… And ask that you wait for me. Wait for your foolish husband to join you. I can't quite yet, but I will someday. And when that day comes…"

Hershel looks at the walker as it gets within ten feet of him, pulling up the pistol and pointing it at the walkers head—

"Let this foolish man love you again…"

*BANG!*

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AN: not gonna advertise my pat.reon on this chap. I'm falling behind on chapters there.