Radioactive Chapter Sixteen
Staying beside the officer at the ledge Zac listened as he heard Morales ask T-Dog how the signal on the cb was and he couldn't help but laugh at the man's response. That it was as weak as Dixon's brain. That sounded about right.
Turning around and walking to the rest of the group he watched as Merle flipped T-Dog off. "You should keep trying," he spoke as he looked down at T-Dog.
"Why there's nothing they can do?" Andrea asked knowing that right now they were stuck between a rock and a hard place. There was no way Shane was going to allow the others to come and help them and anyway it wouldn't be safe if they did. "Not a damn thing."
"Got some people outside the city is all?" Morales spoke up so the officer would know. "There's no refugee center. That's a pipe dream."
Rick put his hands on the building's ledge, "She's right we're on our own," he said referring to Andrea. "Up to us to find a way out."
"Good luck with that," Merle piped up. "These streets ain't safe in this part of town from what I hear," he smirked before turning his attention to Andrea. "Ain't that right sugar tits?" he asked smirking more when Andrea looked up at him. "Hey honey buns let's say you get me out of these cuffs. We go off somewhere and bump some uglies. Gonna die anyway," he said hoping his words didn't make it back to Jessica though he wouldn't put it past her brother to tell her.
Andrea who had bent down to put stuff in a back pack made a face at Merle's comments, "I'd rather," she muttered before standing up.
"Rug muncher," Merle said watching the blonde stand up. "Figured as much."
"Streets ain't safe," Zac muttered as he glared some at Merle shaking his head. "Now there's an understatement."
Rick turned to look at Zac, "What about under the streets?" he asked curiously. "The sewers?"
Feeling a bit optimistic at those words Zac turned to Glenn, "Glenn check the alley. You see any manhole covers?"
Standing up when Zac asked him to check the alley Glenn walked to the ledge closest to the alley and peered over before going back to where the group was. "No," he answered as he shook his head. "Must all be out on the street where the geeks are."
"Maybe not," Jacqui spoke up after Glenn's words. "Old building like this built in the twenties. Big structures often had drainage tunnels into the sewers in case of flooding. Down in the sub basement."
How do you know that?" Glenn asked eying the woman with curiosity.
"It's my job," Jacqui started then stopped herself. "Was. I worked in the city zoning office."
Raising an eyebrow at all that Jacqui had said Zac could tell from the look on Rick's face that the group would be making a trek down to the basement. A trip he wasn't sure he wanted to make. So instead he opted to stay on the roof with T-Dog as the others went to the basement with Glenn.
After they had left he sat down beside T-Dog on the roof his eyes going to Merle. "You really wanted to sleep with Andrea?" he asked glaring slightly.
"What's it to ya if I did?" Merle asked as he eyed Zac back. "Not like I'd be cheatin on ya."
Zac laughed bitterly, "But you'd be cheating on my sister or have you forgotten about her?" he asked feeling like he was justified in his hate for Merle at this moment. "She loves you and all you want is to screw around with another woman."
Merle made a face at Zac's words, "Your sister is kind of hard to forget. She's got the best pussy I have had in awhile," he said hoping to get under the man's skin. "But she knows how I am. This wouldn't hurt her," he lied because deep down he figured it would and that's why he didn't want her knowing.
"Speaking of your sister," Merle continued as he chewed his lip. "Why not get me out of these cuffs? Wouldn't want her knowing you let someone handcuff me would ya?" he asked as he shook his head. "She'd be pissed."
"She'd be pissed but she'd get over it," Zac replied as he shook his head no. Ending his conversation with Merle he listened as T-Dog tried getting their group again on the cb. A fact that seemed to make Merle none to happy and eventually Zac wasn't surprised that Merle had propositioned T-Dog on also getting him out of the cuffs. An offer which Zac was glad T-Dog had refused.
After awhile Zac looked up as he heard the door to the roof open and he watched as the group came back. "Did you find a way out?" he asked as he stood up.
"No," Morales replied grimly as he shook his head. "And the walkers broke through the first set of doors finally," he added in as he watched Rick grab the binoculars before going to the edge. Following behind him and Andrea he looked over the edge of the building. "We came up to see if we could get another way out."
Rick who had taken the binoculars looked through them for a bit before spotting a construction site and a few trucks. After spotting them he handed the binoculars off to Morales. "That construction site. Those trucks they always keep keys on hand."
"You'll never make it past the walkers," Zac spoke up as he looked down at the streets where the walkers were still roaming.
"You got me out of that tank," Rick reasoned as he turned to look at Glenn.
Glenn sighed as he walked away from the ledge where he had been looking over. "Yeah but they were feeding. They were distracted."
"Can we distract them again?" Rick asked trying to come up with something..anyway to get to that construction site.
Merle who had been listening in to the conversation decided to speak up as well, "Right listen to him, he is on to something. A diversion like on Hogan's Heroes," he explained his words soon getting him snapped at by Jacqui who told him to give it a rest.
"They are drawn by sound right?" Rick asked another question.
Glenn nodded, "Right like dogs. They hear sound they come running."
"Well what else?" Rick asked knowing there had to be other things.
"Aside from they hear you, see you, smell you. If they catch you they eat you," Zac shrugged before making a face at the thought.
Rick listened to Zac only seeming to zone in on one of the facts. Smell. The walkers could smell them. "They can tell us by smell?" he asked.
"Can't you?" Glenn blurted out feeling like that was a dumb question.
Andrea crossed her arms, "They smell dead we don't. It's pretty distinct."
After Andrea's words Zac watched Rick's face again not liking the look on it. Whatever Rick had in mind Zac was scared to find out.
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Standing in the department store Zac sighed to himself. He knew he had, had a reason to be scared of Rick's plans and the moment he took a pair of gloves from the officer he made a face. He really did not want to do this even if it seemed to be the only way for them to get out. It was just too disgusting to even consider.
"If bad ideas were an Olympic event this would take the gold," Glenn spoke as Rick handed him a pair of gloves. This idea was just horrible and he may have hated it a bit more because he was one of the key players in it.
Walking to Rick, Morales had to agree with him, "He is right, just stop okay. Take some time to think this through," he spoke as Rick handed him a pair of gloves. Gloves that he took.
"Yeah how much time?" Rick asked knowing they were running out of time. "They have already gotten through one set of doors. That glass won't hold forever," he spoke before grabbing a coat and throwing it to Glenn.
Zac couldn't help but make another face before the rest of the people in the group himself included all found coats and put them on along with the gloves. It was after that, that they began the walk towards the back doors that Rick and Glenn had came through. This time Morales and Glenn exited through them to get one of the dead bodies that had been taken down earlier by T-Dog and Morales.
After they had the body Zac chewed on his lip as it was laid down in the floor minutes after the door was shut. He wanted to hurl but so far he was doing a good job at keeping it in.
Jumping slightly when he heard glass shatter Zac watched as Rick broke a case containing an axe. After that had been done Zac sighed as Rick came to join the half circle they had made around the dead body laying on the floor. The monster they were about to tear apart.
Raising the axe to take the first blow Rick moved closer to the body but stopped himself as he kept his eyes on the man in the floor. Soon throwing the axe down quickly after pushing off the protective guard over his head. Bending down he checked the mans pockets finally producing a wallet.
Once the wallet was open he read the guys license, "Wayne Dunlap. Georgia license. Born nineteen-seventy-nine," he told the group before taking out the man's license and handing it to Glenn. "He had twenty-eight dollars in his pocket when he died and a picture of a pretty girl. With love from Rachel," he smiled as he turned the picture over reading the text on the back. "He used to be like us. Worryin about bills or the rent or the Superbowl. If I ever find my family I am gonna tell them about Wayne," he finished before putting Wayne's wallet back inside of his pocket.
Standing back up he put the guard back over his face and went to grab the axe again.
"One more thing," Glenn cut in as he watched Rick. "He was an organ donor," he informed everyone.
It was after Glenn spoke that Zac took a breath watching as Rick raised the axe and swung it down on the dead body. On Wayne Dunlap. It was also that action that made his stomach churn again as he watched the contents of the man come out some. He was also feeling glad that he wasn't the only one in the room who seemed to find this disgusting though because from the sounds the others were making they too found this as nasty as him.
As Rick kept hitting the man over and over Zac had to eventually look away and try to think of other things like Kate and the band and the music they had been working on but would never finish.
"Keep chopping," Rick said after awhile, taking the face guard off and handing both it and the axe to Morales.
Bending down Glenn looked down at the floor, "I am so gonna hurl."
"Later," Zac spoke knowing that if he saw Glenn get sick he too would probably have to give in to that urge.
Watching Morales as he kept chopping up the man Rick eventually looked at the rest of the group, "Everybody got gloves?" he asked before taking note that they did. "Don't get any on your skin or in your eyes," he warned them before bending down to grab some of the guts. Guts that would soon be on him.
Zac who bent down as well stood up once he had some of the guts in his hands. Walking to Glenn he began to lather some into the coat Glenn had on much to the boy's protest.
"Oh this is bad," Glenn spoke as he tried to hide his disgust from the smell. "This is really bad."
"Think about something else. Puppies and kittens," Rick suggested trying to get Glenn's mind off of things.
Keeping his expression calm T-Dog voiced the first thoughts in his head, "Dead puppies and kittens."
Glaring at T-Dog some Zac closed his eyes as he watched Glenn turn around to get sick on the floor. It was all he could do to keep from being sick himself now. "That is just evil. What is wrong with you?" he asked eventually as he opened his eyes to look at T-Dog.
Jacqui who was standing beside Rick looked at the officer, "Next time let the cracker beat his ass."
"I'm sorry," T-Dog apologized as he looked around the room.
"Do we smell like them?" Rick asked curiously. He was hoping they did. Maybe then they'd pass for walkers out on the streets.
Andrea nodded as she made a face, "Oh yeah," she replied before taking her gun out. "Glenn," she muttered trying to get his attention as she held the gun out to him. "Just in case."
"If we make it back be ready," Rick nodded before hearing T-Dog ask about Merle Dixon. Finding the keys to the handcuffs in his pocket he handed the keys to T-Dog.
Taking the keys T-Dog quickly left the backroom, heading to the roof where Merle was.
"Give me the axe," Rick said to Morales who handed it back to him. "We need more guts."
Zac groaned but made a face. He wasn't sure how much more guts they eventually put on Rick and Glenn but before he knew it Rick and Glenn were headed outside into the streets while everyone else headed up to the roof. It was when they made it that he heard Morales ask T-Dog to try the cb again.
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Avery who had left Jessica's tent a bit ago sat out beside the RV. Kate was on one side of her while Zoe sat on the other. Zoe and Kate were just gossiping mostly about things of the past and she, well she was enjoying listening to them. It was a nice break and it helped bring back good memories especially after her chat with Jessica had brought about bad ones.
Coming out of her thoughts though she turned her head watching as Amy paced back and forth. She was complaining about how it was late and that the group in Atlanta should have been back by now.
"Worrying won't make it better," Dale spoke as he worked on his RV. Lately it seemed the old thing just kept having more and more issues.
Smiling when Dale spoke Avery relaxed again knowing that Dale had a point and she was also glad that for now it seemed to silence Amy. While she loved the girl like a best friend she didn't need to worry about the group in Atlanta and she knew Kate really didn't need to worry about them.
Hearing the cb crackle Avery looked towards it making a face as she heard T-Dog's voice come through. Watching as Dale got on top of the RV to get to the cb she stood up and brushed the dirt off her pants seeing that Lori and Shane had also came closer.
"Is that them?" Lori asked as she put her hands on her hips looking up at Dale. The reception on this end wasn't that great so it was hard to tell.
When T-Dog's voice came through again Avery felt her breath catch as she heard the words trapped in a department store. Looking over at Zoe and Kate she knew they too had heard it. Zoe looked to the point of tears and Kate's face had lost all color it had in it.
"He say they were trapped?" Shane asked as he ran a hand through his hair.
Not answering Shane, Dale heard T-Dog speak again though it still didn't come through well. "T-Dog repeat that last. Repeat?" he asked.
"He said the department store," Lori spoke as the cb seemed to go silent again. Something that Dale confirmed he had heard as well. "Shane," she said as she stepped closer to him.
Looking at Lori, Shane stopped her before she could even finish, "No way. We do not go after them. We do not risk the rest of the group. Ya'll know that," he said as he looked down feeling a bit of guilt.
"So we're just gonna leave her there?" Amy asked referring to her sister.
Shane looked up at Amy and stepped closer to the blonde, "Look Amy I know that this is not easy."
"She volunteered to go," Amy spoke feeling her anger and panic at the thought of losing Andrea start to sit in. "To help the rest of us."
Nodding Shane knew Amy was right. "I know," he admitted as he shrugged. "She knew the risks right?" he asked her as he raised an eyebrow. "She's trapped. She's gone," he said as he shook his head. "So we just have to deal with that. There's nothing we can do."
Amy stood there not believing what Shane was telling her. How he could be so heartless as to just say they needed to deal and there was nothing they could do. "She's my sister you son of a bitch," she spat before walking away from him and heading into the woods.
Watching Amy leave Avery was going to go after her but she watched as Lori went instead. Turning to find Kate she found her gone as well and that's when she set her sights on Shane. She had never thought anyone could piss her off more than Merle Dixon but Shane Walsh had sure done it.
Walking over to him before he could go to Carl she grabbed his wrist, "She's right you are a son of a bitch," she spat as she locked eyes with the officer. "My brother is out there too. The brother who has a pregnant wife here at camp. You could have been a bit nicer."
Shane was surprised at Avery's outburst and the pure anger he saw flash in her eyes. Anger that made him shiver some. "Would you have liked me to play dumb and let them believe we could go and get them?" he asked as he locked eyes with the girl feeling a little unnerved by her right now.
"No. I would have liked it if you had kept your mouth shut. Do what you do best and go fuck Lori," Avery lashed out though she kept her voice so only he could hear her.
Being surprised at Avery's words Shane moved his wrist away from her, "You know about that?" he asked as he eyed her. The way she said it had seemed so sure and he couldn't see himself denying her words.
"I saw you two going at it on one of the first days here," Avery informed him. "Anyway it's not like you two don't make it hard to come to conclusions anyway," she shrugged before turning away from him and going to find Kate. She needed to comfort the other woman.
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Standing on the roof Zac had just handed the binoculars back to Morales when he felt rain drops on him. Looking up as the rain got worse he sighed. He really hoped this rain didn't cause the guts to wash off of Glenn and Rick especially since they were now in the middle of the walkers down there on the street.
"Oh man," Morales muttered as he too looked up holding his hand out some before looking through the binoculars. Rick and Glenn were getting closer to the construction site. "It's just a cloud burst. We get them all the time. It will pass real quick."
At that moment in time Zac didn't care what it was. All he cared about was Glenn and Rick's safety and the possibility of getting back to camp where his family was.
Andrea who had been watching from beside Morales watched as Rick and Glenn finally made it and eventually she saw one of the trucks burst through the gate though it didn't seem to come to the department store. "They're leaving us," she stated really hoping she was wrong.
"No. No," Zac muttered refusing to believe Glenn would just leave them behind or even the new guy. He seemed nice enough.
Before he could panic for too long Zac felt a sense of relief come over him when he heard Glenn's voice on the cb. He told them to get to the roll up at the front of the store facing the street. Not even thinking about it he grabbed a few things and took off with everyone else. All he wanted to do was get the hell out of there.
As they got to the bottom where the store was Zac paused only briefly. Long enough to see the second door was about to go at any moment. It had just enough cracks in it now.
Making it to the roll up Zac waited trying to be patient but it was hard. It was hard to be patient when he knew they were getting out and that he'd be getting to go back to Kate. He wasn't dying like he thought he would. Looking around as they waited he chewed his lip not seeing T-Dog or Morales.
"What is that?" Andrea asked as she heard a siren wailing in the distance.
Zac shrugged at Andrea's question and eventually he looked up when he heard someone coming in the room. Seeing T-Dog he smiled some but before anything could be said a knock sounded on the roll up and Zac reached out to help open it along with the others.
Once it was open he helped put stuff into the back of one of the trucks before climbing on. Before taking a seat he helped Morales shut the truck's back end as Rick took off. The walkers apparently had broken through the second glass by now because as they shut the truck's back end Zac watched walkers coming out of the place where he had stood moments before.
Taking a seat beside T-Dog, Zac couldn't help but notice that they were missing Merle. A fact that others too must have noticed because he watched as everyone came to stare at T-Dog questioningly.
"I dropped the damn key," T-Dog admitted feeling guilty for the fact that Merle Dixon was handcuffed to the top of a roof because of him. Though he had, had sense enough to padlock the doors. There was no way a walker could get to him.
"Where's Glenn?" Andrea asked finally noticing that he too was gone.
Zac though couldn't help but zone out at the thoughts of Merle. Jessica was going to freak out when he didn't come back to camp. Jessica was going to blame him for not keeping Merle safe like he had promised to do but he hadn't been the one who had the key. This wasn't on him and anyway it had been Merle's stupid ass that got himself handcuffed anyway.
Staying beside the officer at the ledge Zac listened as he heard Morales ask T-Dog how the signal on the cb was and he couldn't help but laugh at the man's response. That it was as weak as Dixon's brain. That sounded about right.
Turning around and walking to the rest of the group he watched as Merle flipped T-Dog off. "You should keep trying," he spoke as he looked down at T-Dog.
"Why there's nothing they can do?" Andrea asked knowing that right now they were stuck between a rock and a hard place. There was no way Shane was going to allow the others to come and help them and anyway it wouldn't be safe if they did. "Not a damn thing."
"Got some people outside the city is all?" Morales spoke up so the officer would know. "There's no refugee center. That's a pipe dream."
Rick put his hands on the building's ledge, "She's right we're on our own," he said referring to Andrea. "Up to us to find a way out."
"Good luck with that," Merle piped up. "These streets ain't safe in this part of town from what I hear," he smirked before turning his attention to Andrea. "Ain't that right sugar tits?" he asked smirking more when Andrea looked up at him. "Hey honey buns let's say you get me out of these cuffs. We go off somewhere and bump some uglies. Gonna die anyway," he said hoping his words didn't make it back to Jessica though he wouldn't put it past her brother to tell her.
Andrea who had bent down to put stuff in a back pack made a face at Merle's comments, "I'd rather," she muttered before standing up.
"Rug muncher," Merle said watching the blonde stand up. "Figured as much."
"Streets ain't safe," Zac muttered as he glared some at Merle shaking his head. "Now there's an understatement."
Rick turned to look at Zac, "What about under the streets?" he asked curiously. "The sewers?"
Feeling a bit optimistic at those words Zac turned to Glenn, "Glenn check the alley. You see any manhole covers?"
Standing up when Zac asked him to check the alley Glenn walked to the ledge closest to the alley and peered over before going back to where the group was. "No," he answered as he shook his head. "Must all be out on the street where the geeks are."
"Maybe not," Jacqui spoke up after Glenn's words. "Old building like this built in the twenties. Big structures often had drainage tunnels into the sewers in case of flooding. Down in the sub basement."
How do you know that?" Glenn asked eying the woman with curiosity.
"It's my job," Jacqui started then stopped herself. "Was. I worked in the city zoning office."
Raising an eyebrow at all that Jacqui had said Zac could tell from the look on Rick's face that the group would be making a trek down to the basement. A trip he wasn't sure he wanted to make. So instead he opted to stay on the roof with T-Dog as the others went to the basement with Glenn.
After they had left he sat down beside T-Dog on the roof his eyes going to Merle. "You really wanted to sleep with Andrea?" he asked glaring slightly.
"What's it to ya if I did?" Merle asked as he eyed Zac back. "Not like I'd be cheatin on ya."
Zac laughed bitterly, "But you'd be cheating on my sister or have you forgotten about her?" he asked feeling like he was justified in his hate for Merle at this moment. "She loves you and all you want is to screw around with another woman."
Merle made a face at Zac's words, "Your sister is kind of hard to forget. She's got the best pussy I have had in awhile," he said hoping to get under the man's skin. "But she knows how I am. This wouldn't hurt her," he lied because deep down he figured it would and that's why he didn't want her knowing.
"Speaking of your sister," Merle continued as he chewed his lip. "Why not get me out of these cuffs? Wouldn't want her knowing you let someone handcuff me would ya?" he asked as he shook his head. "She'd be pissed."
"She'd be pissed but she'd get over it," Zac replied as he shook his head no. Ending his conversation with Merle he listened as T-Dog tried getting their group again on the cb. A fact that seemed to make Merle none to happy and eventually Zac wasn't surprised that Merle had propositioned T-Dog on also getting him out of the cuffs. An offer which Zac was glad T-Dog had refused.
After awhile Zac looked up as he heard the door to the roof open and he watched as the group came back. "Did you find a way out?" he asked as he stood up.
"No," Morales replied grimly as he shook his head. "And the walkers broke through the first set of doors finally," he added in as he watched Rick grab the binoculars before going to the edge. Following behind him and Andrea he looked over the edge of the building. "We came up to see if we could get another way out."
Rick who had taken the binoculars looked through them for a bit before spotting a construction site and a few trucks. After spotting them he handed the binoculars off to Morales. "That construction site. Those trucks they always keep keys on hand."
"You'll never make it past the walkers," Zac spoke up as he looked down at the streets where the walkers were still roaming.
"You got me out of that tank," Rick reasoned as he turned to look at Glenn.
Glenn sighed as he walked away from the ledge where he had been looking over. "Yeah but they were feeding. They were distracted."
"Can we distract them again?" Rick asked trying to come up with something..anyway to get to that construction site.
Merle who had been listening in to the conversation decided to speak up as well, "Right listen to him, he is on to something. A diversion like on Hogan's Heroes," he explained his words soon getting him snapped at by Jacqui who told him to give it a rest.
"They are drawn by sound right?" Rick asked another question.
Glenn nodded, "Right like dogs. They hear sound they come running."
"Well what else?" Rick asked knowing there had to be other things.
"Aside from they hear you, see you, smell you. If they catch you they eat you," Zac shrugged before making a face at the thought.
Rick listened to Zac only seeming to zone in on one of the facts. Smell. The walkers could smell them. "They can tell us by smell?" he asked.
"Can't you?" Glenn blurted out feeling like that was a dumb question.
Andrea crossed her arms, "They smell dead we don't. It's pretty distinct."
After Andrea's words Zac watched Rick's face again not liking the look on it. Whatever Rick had in mind Zac was scared to find out.
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Standing in the department store Zac sighed to himself. He knew he had, had a reason to be scared of Rick's plans and the moment he took a pair of gloves from the officer he made a face. He really did not want to do this even if it seemed to be the only way for them to get out. It was just too disgusting to even consider.
"If bad ideas were an Olympic event this would take the gold," Glenn spoke as Rick handed him a pair of gloves. This idea was just horrible and he may have hated it a bit more because he was one of the key players in it.
Walking to Rick, Morales had to agree with him, "He is right, just stop okay. Take some time to think this through," he spoke as Rick handed him a pair of gloves. Gloves that he took.
"Yeah how much time?" Rick asked knowing they were running out of time. "They have already gotten through one set of doors. That glass won't hold forever," he spoke before grabbing a coat and throwing it to Glenn.
Zac couldn't help but make another face before the rest of the people in the group himself included all found coats and put them on along with the gloves. It was after that, that they began the walk towards the back doors that Rick and Glenn had came through. This time Morales and Glenn exited through them to get one of the dead bodies that had been taken down earlier by T-Dog and Morales.
After they had the body Zac chewed on his lip as it was laid down in the floor minutes after the door was shut. He wanted to hurl but so far he was doing a good job at keeping it in.
Jumping slightly when he heard glass shatter Zac watched as Rick broke a case containing an axe. After that had been done Zac sighed as Rick came to join the half circle they had made around the dead body laying on the floor. The monster they were about to tear apart.
Raising the axe to take the first blow Rick moved closer to the body but stopped himself as he kept his eyes on the man in the floor. Soon throwing the axe down quickly after pushing off the protective guard over his head. Bending down he checked the mans pockets finally producing a wallet.
Once the wallet was open he read the guys license, "Wayne Dunlap. Georgia license. Born nineteen-seventy-nine," he told the group before taking out the man's license and handing it to Glenn. "He had twenty-eight dollars in his pocket when he died and a picture of a pretty girl. With love from Rachel," he smiled as he turned the picture over reading the text on the back. "He used to be like us. Worryin about bills or the rent or the Superbowl. If I ever find my family I am gonna tell them about Wayne," he finished before putting Wayne's wallet back inside of his pocket.
Standing back up he put the guard back over his face and went to grab the axe again.
"One more thing," Glenn cut in as he watched Rick. "He was an organ donor," he informed everyone.
It was after Glenn spoke that Zac took a breath watching as Rick raised the axe and swung it down on the dead body. On Wayne Dunlap. It was also that action that made his stomach churn again as he watched the contents of the man come out some. He was also feeling glad that he wasn't the only one in the room who seemed to find this disgusting though because from the sounds the others were making they too found this as nasty as him.
As Rick kept hitting the man over and over Zac had to eventually look away and try to think of other things like Kate and the band and the music they had been working on but would never finish.
"Keep chopping," Rick said after awhile, taking the face guard off and handing both it and the axe to Morales.
Bending down Glenn looked down at the floor, "I am so gonna hurl."
"Later," Zac spoke knowing that if he saw Glenn get sick he too would probably have to give in to that urge.
Watching Morales as he kept chopping up the man Rick eventually looked at the rest of the group, "Everybody got gloves?" he asked before taking note that they did. "Don't get any on your skin or in your eyes," he warned them before bending down to grab some of the guts. Guts that would soon be on him.
Zac who bent down as well stood up once he had some of the guts in his hands. Walking to Glenn he began to lather some into the coat Glenn had on much to the boy's protest.
"Oh this is bad," Glenn spoke as he tried to hide his disgust from the smell. "This is really bad."
"Think about something else. Puppies and kittens," Rick suggested trying to get Glenn's mind off of things.
Keeping his expression calm T-Dog voiced the first thoughts in his head, "Dead puppies and kittens."
Glaring at T-Dog some Zac closed his eyes as he watched Glenn turn around to get sick on the floor. It was all he could do to keep from being sick himself now. "That is just evil. What is wrong with you?" he asked eventually as he opened his eyes to look at T-Dog.
Jacqui who was standing beside Rick looked at the officer, "Next time let the cracker beat his ass."
"I'm sorry," T-Dog apologized as he looked around the room.
"Do we smell like them?" Rick asked curiously. He was hoping they did. Maybe then they'd pass for walkers out on the streets.
Andrea nodded as she made a face, "Oh yeah," she replied before taking her gun out. "Glenn," she muttered trying to get his attention as she held the gun out to him. "Just in case."
"If we make it back be ready," Rick nodded before hearing T-Dog ask about Merle Dixon. Finding the keys to the handcuffs in his pocket he handed the keys to T-Dog.
Taking the keys T-Dog quickly left the backroom, heading to the roof where Merle was.
"Give me the axe," Rick said to Morales who handed it back to him. "We need more guts."
Zac groaned but made a face. He wasn't sure how much more guts they eventually put on Rick and Glenn but before he knew it Rick and Glenn were headed outside into the streets while everyone else headed up to the roof. It was when they made it that he heard Morales ask T-Dog to try the cb again.
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Avery who had left Jessica's tent a bit ago sat out beside the RV. Kate was on one side of her while Zoe sat on the other. Zoe and Kate were just gossiping mostly about things of the past and she, well she was enjoying listening to them. It was a nice break and it helped bring back good memories especially after her chat with Jessica had brought about bad ones.
Coming out of her thoughts though she turned her head watching as Amy paced back and forth. She was complaining about how it was late and that the group in Atlanta should have been back by now.
"Worrying won't make it better," Dale spoke as he worked on his RV. Lately it seemed the old thing just kept having more and more issues.
Smiling when Dale spoke Avery relaxed again knowing that Dale had a point and she was also glad that for now it seemed to silence Amy. While she loved the girl like a best friend she didn't need to worry about the group in Atlanta and she knew Kate really didn't need to worry about them.
Hearing the cb crackle Avery looked towards it making a face as she heard T-Dog's voice come through. Watching as Dale got on top of the RV to get to the cb she stood up and brushed the dirt off her pants seeing that Lori and Shane had also came closer.
"Is that them?" Lori asked as she put her hands on her hips looking up at Dale. The reception on this end wasn't that great so it was hard to tell.
When T-Dog's voice came through again Avery felt her breath catch as she heard the words trapped in a department store. Looking over at Zoe and Kate she knew they too had heard it. Zoe looked to the point of tears and Kate's face had lost all color it had in it.
"He say they were trapped?" Shane asked as he ran a hand through his hair.
Not answering Shane, Dale heard T-Dog speak again though it still didn't come through well. "T-Dog repeat that last. Repeat?" he asked.
"He said the department store," Lori spoke as the cb seemed to go silent again. Something that Dale confirmed he had heard as well. "Shane," she said as she stepped closer to him.
Looking at Lori, Shane stopped her before she could even finish, "No way. We do not go after them. We do not risk the rest of the group. Ya'll know that," he said as he looked down feeling a bit of guilt.
"So we're just gonna leave her there?" Amy asked referring to her sister.
Shane looked up at Amy and stepped closer to the blonde, "Look Amy I know that this is not easy."
"She volunteered to go," Amy spoke feeling her anger and panic at the thought of losing Andrea start to sit in. "To help the rest of us."
Nodding Shane knew Amy was right. "I know," he admitted as he shrugged. "She knew the risks right?" he asked her as he raised an eyebrow. "She's trapped. She's gone," he said as he shook his head. "So we just have to deal with that. There's nothing we can do."
Amy stood there not believing what Shane was telling her. How he could be so heartless as to just say they needed to deal and there was nothing they could do. "She's my sister you son of a bitch," she spat before walking away from him and heading into the woods.
Watching Amy leave Avery was going to go after her but she watched as Lori went instead. Turning to find Kate she found her gone as well and that's when she set her sights on Shane. She had never thought anyone could piss her off more than Merle Dixon but Shane Walsh had sure done it.
Walking over to him before he could go to Carl she grabbed his wrist, "She's right you are a son of a bitch," she spat as she locked eyes with the officer. "My brother is out there too. The brother who has a pregnant wife here at camp. You could have been a bit nicer."
Shane was surprised at Avery's outburst and the pure anger he saw flash in her eyes. Anger that made him shiver some. "Would you have liked me to play dumb and let them believe we could go and get them?" he asked as he locked eyes with the girl feeling a little unnerved by her right now.
"No. I would have liked it if you had kept your mouth shut. Do what you do best and go fuck Lori," Avery lashed out though she kept her voice so only he could hear her.
Being surprised at Avery's words Shane moved his wrist away from her, "You know about that?" he asked as he eyed her. The way she said it had seemed so sure and he couldn't see himself denying her words.
"I saw you two going at it on one of the first days here," Avery informed him. "Anyway it's not like you two don't make it hard to come to conclusions anyway," she shrugged before turning away from him and going to find Kate. She needed to comfort the other woman.
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Standing on the roof Zac had just handed the binoculars back to Morales when he felt rain drops on him. Looking up as the rain got worse he sighed. He really hoped this rain didn't cause the guts to wash off of Glenn and Rick especially since they were now in the middle of the walkers down there on the street.
"Oh man," Morales muttered as he too looked up holding his hand out some before looking through the binoculars. Rick and Glenn were getting closer to the construction site. "It's just a cloud burst. We get them all the time. It will pass real quick."
At that moment in time Zac didn't care what it was. All he cared about was Glenn and Rick's safety and the possibility of getting back to camp where his family was.
Andrea who had been watching from beside Morales watched as Rick and Glenn finally made it and eventually she saw one of the trucks burst through the gate though it didn't seem to come to the department store. "They're leaving us," she stated really hoping she was wrong.
"No. No," Zac muttered refusing to believe Glenn would just leave them behind or even the new guy. He seemed nice enough.
Before he could panic for too long Zac felt a sense of relief come over him when he heard Glenn's voice on the cb. He told them to get to the roll up at the front of the store facing the street. Not even thinking about it he grabbed a few things and took off with everyone else. All he wanted to do was get the hell out of there.
As they got to the bottom where the store was Zac paused only briefly. Long enough to see the second door was about to go at any moment. It had just enough cracks in it now.
Making it to the roll up Zac waited trying to be patient but it was hard. It was hard to be patient when he knew they were getting out and that he'd be getting to go back to Kate. He wasn't dying like he thought he would. Looking around as they waited he chewed his lip not seeing T-Dog or Morales.
"What is that?" Andrea asked as she heard a siren wailing in the distance.
Zac shrugged at Andrea's question and eventually he looked up when he heard someone coming in the room. Seeing T-Dog he smiled some but before anything could be said a knock sounded on the roll up and Zac reached out to help open it along with the others.
Once it was open he helped put stuff into the back of one of the trucks before climbing on. Before taking a seat he helped Morales shut the truck's back end as Rick took off. The walkers apparently had broken through the second glass by now because as they shut the truck's back end Zac watched walkers coming out of the place where he had stood moments before.
Taking a seat beside T-Dog, Zac couldn't help but notice that they were missing Merle. A fact that others too must have noticed because he watched as everyone came to stare at T-Dog questioningly.
"I dropped the damn key," T-Dog admitted feeling guilty for the fact that Merle Dixon was handcuffed to the top of a roof because of him. Though he had, had sense enough to padlock the doors. There was no way a walker could get to him.
"Where's Glenn?" Andrea asked finally noticing that he too was gone.
Zac though couldn't help but zone out at the thoughts of Merle. Jessica was going to freak out when he didn't come back to camp. Jessica was going to blame him for not keeping Merle safe like he had promised to do but he hadn't been the one who had the key. This wasn't on him and anyway it had been Merle's stupid ass that got himself handcuffed anyway.