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Stars of the Dead

Hallway of Hell

Chapter 23 – Hallway of Hell

Rick and the others darted to us, Carl closing the door behind them.

“What happened to you?” Maggie asked in a hushed tone, her eyes were streaming with tears.

She, very lightly, caressed the side of my face as she took in the rest of my body; she looked at me from head to toe.

Rick looked at me, intensely, in the eye. “I’m so sorry.”

“Ain’t I glad to see your Korean face!” Daryl joked with Glen who smiled weakly in return.

The four of them were stunned, they were shocked and couldn’t find anything to say about the state or position we were in.

We were against the wall and beside the mental wall Daryl bent out of shape to get to my side. I was laid against Daryl; my head was resting on his shoulder and into his neck. His good arm was wrapped around and over me so he could reach my hand. The rest of my body, my torso and legs, were flailed out in a position I found comfortable for my ribs.

“Where’s Carol?” Carl asked innocently.

Realisation hit Rick, Carol wasn’t with us. “Where is Carol?”

I closed my eyes and shook my head lightly, “She’s gone.”

The four of them lowered their heads and looked to the ground, they thought that had lost another to the hands of The Governor when in fact it was Bella and I needed revenge on her.. Just I couldn’t right now. She had won this round.

It took me much longer than it should have to re-open my eyes, but I managed it.

“I’m sorry.” Rick looked to Daryl.

Daryl nodded once, it wasn’t Rick’s fault after all but I know he would somehow find a way to blame himself.

“We’ve got to get them out of here now.” Glen said urgently, and he was right, we were wasting time although I felt like I was in a dream and we had all the time in the world.

This was going to be incredible painful for both me and Daryl. We hadn’t moved in hours and with the tenderness of our bodies at the moment, even slight movement would be painful and cause us to ache but it had to be done. I could endure a bit more pain for my freedom.

Rick looked to Glen, “Help Daryl, I’ve got Lily.”

Glen nodded and Daryl pulled his arm from around me. He adjusted my position so I didn’t fall straight on my side once he got up fully.

“Argh,” Daryl moaned as Glen helped him to his feet.

Rick was couched to my level, “Now what hurts?” he asked.

“My ribs,” my voice was slightly louder than a whisper.

“I don’t think there’s gonna be a pain freeway of carryin’ ya,” he said remorsefully.

“Just do it, I want to get out of here.”

I took a deep breath and Rick put his arm under my legs, then slid his other between me and the wall. I winced when I leaned forward, the pressure on my broken ribs.

He counted down to lift me up, letting me prepare myself. “1, 2.. 3.”

“Ah!” I cried as Rick pulled both him and me to his feet.

Maggie watched our attempts to move with her hand over her mouth, the tears still flowing. Carl didn’t have much to say about the matter, he meant business just like his dad.

“Let’s go.” He said.

Carl and Maggie were out of the door first, followed by Glen who had Daryl’s arm draped over his shoulder for support and then it was Rick and I.

“Where’s Uncle Pete going? What’s he doing? And where’s Michonne?” I suddenly realised her absence.

Rick’s voice stayed level even though he must be struggle to carry me and walk in a rush, also added fear and nerves. “Gone to distract The Governor and the girl, he’s buying us time. Michonne’s gone with him; she’s following to make sure he stays safe.”

I felt a bit better about Pete’s safety, he had a guardian angel in the form of Michonne and I couldn’t think of anyone better who would protect him from The Governor and Bella who she would soon meet.

We hurried down the corridor, the opposite Uncle Pete, The Gov and Bella went, and came to a trap door and step ladder than led us underground, in the dark and cold.

“Watch your step.” Maggie called to both Glen and Rick, she was already down with Carl.

Glen awkwardly helped Daryl down the stairs, he was slow and groaning because of his injuries. I pulled my head closer to Rick’s chest to see if he could carry me down the steps through the trap door that wasn’t too wide. Rick altered his stance and walked down the stairs sideways with me in his arms so we could both fit.

“I think we should hurry up Dad,” Carl said, his sentence echoing slightly.

This passage way wasn’t as dark as I first thought, towards the end of this tunnel like space I saw light, a dim light of what must be candles on the wall. We were headed towards the light.

The further in the passage way we got, the stronger the smell of the dead became. I would have probably have vomited but there was next to nothing in my stomach.

“Mind the walkers on the floor,” Maggie warned us.

Glen helped Daryl hope them then Rick carefully stepped over them, this action jostled me about and I had to bit my lip to hold back cries. These walkers must have been in the passage way when Rick and the rescue team first came through, as a trap maybe destined for them.

I closed my eyes tightly to try and block out the pain throbbing in my torso and at the back of my head and concentrated on the sound of the footsteps but I imagined that they were the pitter patter of rain drops falling on my windowsill at him, in the normal world, not walkers, no tragic deaths, the real world.

This day dream seemed to work for a while, I know I had been fighting hard to keep my eyes open but instead I was keeping my mind and imagination awake, it would hold off the darkness for now.

My bright, happy day dream was going well; I was sat on my bed by the window sill, I was reading my favourite book series but something wasn’t right. There was shouting and loud footsteps. My Uncle Pete ran up my staircase and through the open door to my bedroom, he screamed, “Run!”

I opened my eyes abruptly and turned my head to behind us, far behind was Michonne and my Uncle Pete carrying some carton.

“Run!” They both shouted.

“Fuck,” Rick said under his breath.

Pete and Michonne were very loud and clear with what they wanted us to do, even Maggie and Carl at the front could hear them; their pace picked up.
Glen turned round for a glance of what was happening behind us, his face was full of panic as his struggled to help Daryl go any quicker.

That’s when I realised what he was scared of. Even over the sound of Rick’s heavy breath, the stampede of feet and the shouting from Michonne and Pete, I could hear his voice.

“Get back here!” The Governor roared.

He was on to us, he was chasing us down the passage way and he wouldn’t let us get away too easy.

Michonne and Pete were a lot closer to us now, even in the poor light I could make out what Uncle Pete was doing with that large blue carton. He was pouring some liquid out of it and splashing it all down the corridor and occasionally throwing it up the walls.

What was he doing? Greasing up the place in the hope that The Governor slips? This isn’t a cartoon.

The fear was present in all of us, I could practically hear Rick’s heart beating through his chest. Daryl was dragging his feet as fast as he could go, he through his head back in pain but Glen pulled him along.

“Come on! Come on!” Maggie shouted.

This must have been driving her insane knowing The Governor was on our tail.

“Walker body!” Carl shouted loudly, “Watch it!”

I looked ahead and saw both Carl and Maggie leap over this single walker, when it came up to Daryl and Glen, Glen practically picked Daryl up to get him over it. Rick took a large leap that really shook me about.

Tears spilled over, “Fuck,” I let out a short cry.

We were now well into the candle lit half of the passage way, we had a much clearer view of where we were going and what was behind us.

I turned my head to see Michonne charging behind us, she was only two meters behind Rick and I. Uncle Pete was quite a few behind her, and then there was The Governor, running with all his might to get hold of at least one of us. The closest to grab right now was Pete and he was still messing on with his blue carton.

The Governor’s face was lit up from the candle light and I could see the craziness and anger upon it. He was running pretty strange, his arms weren’t by his sides like they usually would be for someone running, they were pressed to his chest. One hand had hold of the other and was pressing it tightly.

I tried look closer and understand what was up with him, I squinted my eyes. His face was smeared with blood and the whole chest part of his shirt was red. Then I realised, his hand was missing.

My bet was it was Michonne and that bloody sword of hers that took his hand clean off.

I looked forward once again to see where we were and I caught sight of Carl being lifted up out of the passage way by Maggie, there were no steps and we were running out of time.

Maggie grabbed hold of the edge and pulled herself up and out of danger. Next to be hauled up was Daryl.

“Can you stand?” Rick asked as we quickly got closer to Glen and Daryl.

“Yeah,” I answered, but I wasn’t so sure.

We got to them seconds after, Rick put me back on my own two feet and I was incredibly wobbly but I had to stand on my own while Rick help Glen get Daryl out of here.

“I’m comin’ for ya Rick. Michonne too!” The Governor shouted, his voice was amplified by echoes and he genuinely sounded like a crazy person who belonged in a mental ward.

Rick and Glen each took a foot of Daryl’s and he sat on their shoulder to be lifted upwards. He used his one good arm to grab hold of the ledge and pull himself up, Maggie and Carl above helped him to the surface.

Glen quickly and almost effortlessly swung and pulled himself up, while he did so Michonne had completely caught up with us and stopped by our side panting.

“Your turn,” Rick said and quickly pulled me to under the open door above me.

The same technique was used, but this time it was Rick and Michonne who grabbed a leg each and lifted me up so high that from my shoulders up wards were above ground once again. Glen and Maggie greeted me at the top, they grabbed an arm each and pulled me completely out of the passage way. I screamed out in pain when they did so, then collapsed just beside the open trap door.

Michonne popped out of it next, then Rick. I waited a few moments for Uncle Pete.

Pete? Where was he? Why was he taking so long?!

Rick lowered his head down the trap door, “Pete!!” he called.

Rick was nearly punched in the face by a fist holding a candle, “Take hold of that, do not drop it!” Uncle Pete ordered.

With both hands over the edge, Uncle Pete hauled himself up over. I craned my neck over to glance down the trap door. Pete took the candle from Rick and dropped it down. Almost instantly, that passageway lit up into flames.

Over the roars, I could hear the screams of The Governor who was burning alive down there.

Notes

FINALLY, the death of The Governor and it wasn't a nice way to go. That's karma for you.

This is a long chapter, hope you liked the detail I provided! Comment what you thought of this chapter, I'd love to hear it!

Are you happy with Michonne chopping off The Gov's hand? What do you think of Uncle Pete's idea of setting fire to the passage way? Also, who didn't feature in this one? Are you wondering where they is? Comment your thoughts!! Also it would mean a lot if you gave me an honest rating!

Thank you for reading x

Comments

@jenniferemmadixon
Thank you!
walkingrosie walkingrosie
10/23/13
That's great! !!
@Mortisse
No no! Haven't upset me, just putting it out there hahaha
walkingrosie walkingrosie
9/6/13
@walkingrosie
I hope I am not upsetting you, I was trying to make it constructive criticism, if I didn't truly enjoy it I wouldn't bother to comment at all I would have stopped after the first chaptee. :D
Mortisse Mortisse
9/6/13
@Mortisse
Well it's only the case for the first chapter or so, this is my first ever fanfiction
walkingrosie walkingrosie
9/5/13