Chasing Amy (Daryl Dixon/The Walking Dead)

Chapter 14 - Owing

We walked past a red brick building, Randall still in Rick's grip. I held the knife in my shaking hands. I'd already killed someone today, and now I was going to be a part of another death.

I saved Rick's life, and that was a good thing, but somehow my mind just wouldn't be satisfied with the action.

I noticed a pile of what looked to be charcoal. As we neared it, it became clear to me that they weren't logs of burnt wood, they were human beings.

Whatever happened at this school must've been catastrophic. There were bodies lying beside the walkways, none covered with any kind of blanket. They gathered flies, in hordes of black spots that buzzed in the distance.

Rick continued pulling Randall along, who was stumbling on his sore leg. The whole place was a haunting reminder of how long we'd been alive.

Under the shade of another tree, were two men. They were dressed in police uniform, lying beside each other. On the floor in front of them was a utility belt, which again reminded me of Shane, who was probably still in the bus.

"Stay there," Rick ordered to Randall, letting go of his shirt. He obviously knew that if he let Randall go, he'd make a run for it. I, however, was planning on staying with Rick. It was strange that I was safest at the place where I have never felt so... unsafe.

Rick grabbed Shane's belt, and began digging through the many pockets. In one was a handgun, which he pulled out. Of course his revolver was flush out of ammunition, so he needed another weapon.

After standing back to his feet, he looked down at the decomposing police officers. One wore a sheriff's deputy badge.

I couldn't see the significance of this, but Rick looked like he was remembering something important.

Maybe the policeman reminded him of his humanity, as these men would've gone down protecting innocent children from the creatures that they themselves soon became.

An image of the small boy flashed to mind, holding the dark green sheriff's hat.

Randall jumped on his feet impatiently, waiting for Rick's little episode to end.

Almost as soon as he regained his composure, Rick pulled Randall ahead without a word. I stayed behind, and although I was beginning to feel faint from the smell emanating from the two, I held back the urge to run.

"I'm sorry," I whispered to the corpses, apologising for what had happened to them. It seemed totally normal to me inside my head, but after the words left my lips and echoed in the silence of the school, I felt slightly insane.

The entire space around me was dead quiet, and I had just apologised to a dead man.

I chased after Rick and Randall, lightly running, even though I felt like I was going to pass out at any moment. They were standing at the grey car again, Rick shoving Randall into the driver's seat.

"Get in," He called to me. When I reached the backseat, I pulled the door open with both hands and forced myself inside. I tried not to step on the petrol cans on the floor, as I inched myself behind Randall.

What was Rick thinking, letting Randall drive?

Randall started the car as soon as Rick was inside, the keys still in the ignition. There was a silence as Rick looked out the window, towards a fence gate that was half-open.

"You drive through that fence, you hear me?" Rick ordered, his breathing picking up speed. I knew then what he was planning to do. From the backseat, I could see through the fence and to the dusty yellow bus where Shane was.