Chapter 60: Kneel
On the other side.
As the sun set, a dozen figures stood outside the metal fence of the Prison. Bathed in the last rays of sunlight, they stared blankly at the facility, a variety of expressions on their faces.
"This is… the Prison?" Maggie couldn't help but take two steps forward. She faced the Prison, her eyes shining.
The same look appeared in the eyes of many of the women in the group, especially those with children. They looked at the Prison as if, in that instant, they could see the future. Their own future, and the future of their children.
Nearby, Rick bent over, his hands resting on his knees. His light-colored shirt was already soaked with sweat, which dripped from his head onto the ground with a 'plop'. But he kept his head held high, his calm, silver-gray eyes fixed on the Prison, unwilling to look away.
A tight metal fence surrounded the perimeter, a large, open, flat piece of land, and a massive living area constructed of concrete. Even every room within the living area had a metal door for protection.
"This… this place could be a second CDC," Rick murmured. The appearance of the Prison had exceeded his expectations. And beyond his expectations was a pleasant surprise.
They could finally have a stable place to settle down. They could live safely in the Prison, no longer having to live in constant fear of walkers day and night.
Suddenly, Rick looked back, glancing at Lori, then at Shane. The three of them could see the joy and surprise in each other's eyes.
"Shawn was right." Hershel walked up, trembling slightly, his mouth agape. It was just as Shawn had said; this place was a fortress of steel, incomparable to the Farm. Even if they encountered a horde, they could deal with it methodically here. Even if the outermost wire fence, the first line of defense, was breached, they could still retreat into the cell blocks to keep everyone safe.
Seeing the happy expressions on his daughters' and employees' faces, Hershel suddenly felt a sense of relief… Relief that he hadn't stubbornly stuck to his own views that night, clinging to the Farm. He was old, but his daughters had just grown up. The Prison was the most suitable place for them to grow. And besides the prison, there were Rick, Shane, Shawn, Daryl… the strong core of the team. As long as they were here, the team would move forward in an orderly fashion toward a better tomorrow!
At this thought, Hershel's bent back couldn't help but straighten a little. The fatigue from the continuous travel vanished, and he suddenly seemed 20 years younger.
The sound of faint sobs was heard. Carol couldn't help but cry, but her flushed face was filled with unstoppable joy. She held Sophia's hand tightly, her heart pounding with an uncontrollable excitement…
For some, their spiritual pillar was their family, their children. But in the hearts of others, only they themselves could be their own spiritual pillar. Originally, everyone's spiritual pillar was different. But at this moment, the Prison had become everyone's spiritual pillar!
Just by looking at it, the gloom in their hearts was swept away, as if they had returned to the civilized world.
For a moment, although the thoughts of the team members were not entirely the same, they were all filled with anticipation and confidence for the future, all fantasizing about the wonderful times that would come after they took the Prison.
But in the next second, silently… a gun barrel was gently pressed against the back of T-Dog's head, who was at the rear of the group. Feeling the cold touch, T-Dog slowly raised his hands. But before he could speak, he heard a deep male voice from behind.
"Who the hell are you?"
'Gasp!'
The sudden voice made the slightly relaxed group's hearts jump! Rick was startled for a moment, then spun around, his hand going to his waist. Shane, behind him, reacted just as quickly.
"Whoa, whoa~~"
But before they could draw their guns, they saw several figures appear behind them. A gun aimed at Lori made Rick and Shane's movements slow.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
The man was about 185 cm tall, with a large frame and reddish patches on his cheeks that weren't too deep. Looking at the clothes the stranger was wearing, Rick continued to discreetly move his hand toward his waist while trying to negotiate. "Are you guards at this prison?"
"There's no need to make the atmosphere so tense. I'm the sheriff of King County. I brought my people here to seek shelter."
"You can put your guns down first. We can sit down and talk slowly…"
'BANG—!'
But before Rick could finish, a bullet hit the ground at his feet, kicking up a cloud of dust.
"Maybe you didn't understand what I meant. GET! ON YOUR KNEES!!"
The tall man in a blood-stained prison guard uniform strode forward and pointed his gun at Lori's head. He looked straight at Rick, his tiger-like eyes fierce. He yanked Carl out of Lori's arms, gripping his small arm tightly.
"OK! OK—"
Seeing Lori and Carl being held, Rick had no choice but to raise his hands, place them behind his head, and kneel stiffly on the ground. He exchanged an imperceptible look with Shane. A vein throbbed on Shane's temple, but Rick gave him a slight shake of the head.
They had arrived in a hurry and had let their guard down for a moment, never expecting there to be other people here. The Prison was clearly filled with walkers; the people inside should have all turned.
"That's more like it."
The man grinned and walked forward, viciously striking Rick with the butt of his pistol. Rick collapsed to the ground, blood pouring from his nose. The man roughly dragged him to the side of the road and pressed the pistol to his forehead.
"Now, tell me what you're doing here!"
Rick struggled out of his daze. The world seemed to be upside down, but he forced himself to speak. "It's the prison… we're not here for you."
"I have old people and children in my group. We need a place with a concrete roof."
"Ho ho—"
Hearing Rick's words, the man couldn't help but laugh and look back at his accomplices. "This sheriff says he's going to lead his people to take the prison!"
His mocking words drew a wave of laughter. The man laughed for a moment, then suddenly his smile vanished. He looked at Rick coldly.
"What kind of joke is that?"
"It takes at least 3 to 5 bullets to kill one walker. There are hundreds, thousands of walkers in the prison. You think you people can take the prison?"
The man felt Rick was just wasting his time. He was a prison guard. If it could be taken, he would have led his remaining men to take it long ago. Would he have waited for Rick and the others to come?
"With knives, with melee weapons. It won't attract their attention. We can still take this place." Rick looked up, directly into the man's eyes.
What the man had just said suddenly made Rick understand… the man before him was a coward. A coward leading a group of cowards. They had probably escaped the prison by abandoning the others. They were sitting on a treasure trove like the Prison but didn't dare to attack. They couldn't even take the yard outside, let alone the inside.
The panic brought on by the apocalypse and the walkers had long since consumed them.
All bark and no bite!
*****
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