Thank you Caitlyn for 3 kofi's! You're amazing!

Eve glanced at the watch on her wrist, staring at it tick as the minutes went by one after another; the silence filled only with the morning lights of a cold dawn nipping at her warm skin and the sounds of voices through her walkie talkie interspersing the static sound of one of their many stolen radios.

Her fingers found a tiny riveted knob on the side and turned it slowly, winding the watch, just how she used to watch Dale doing. It seems you're never more aware of time than when you're waiting.

She sighed and turned her eyes from the time peace to the yard from the tower above; looking down with watchful eyes as the group worked together. A handful of them drove the cars out one by one and led away most of the walkers filling the field like dogs chasing treats. Quickly followed by more of them reopening the gate and rushing the field to deal with the rest and protect the others while they dragged hand-made tire spiker boards — built from nothing but old wooden boards, nails, and some barbed wire fence painstakingly taken from the top of the fences in the inner yards, where it wasn't needed anymore — and various other traps into the yard to prevent their opposition from driving trucks straight into the heart of their home.

While she listened to Woodbury's radio she couldn't help pitying the people of Woodbury; still using their compromised radio channels unaware — despite having every opportunity to realize — that the prison has gotten a hold of them, and has several in their possession.

The range of these things is incredible. Much better than the prison's own walkies which were just found in the local area, unlike these military grade radios. She's a little envious.

The man beside her shifted, sniffling the cold air and the crossbow in his hands softly clunked as he shifted it around, repeatedly moving the scope back and forth over the tree line.

Eve's not technically on watch and neither was Daryl. The others were very insistent this morning after the two of them only slept for a few hours that the two of them leave the heavier workload to those who got more than 4 hours of sleep; so they swapped jobs with Tiny and T-Dog for the morning.

She was fine with that. Eve wanted to stay with Daryl a little longer anyway, and it's easy enough to coordinate from the tower using the walkie talkie. Better, to be honest. She's got a bird's eye view of the whole place, and as she watched the traps being built and the yard filling with things, it really started to feel like a tower defense game.

Speaking of which — she stole a glance at her wrist — they should vacate the tower soon.

After what happened before with Woodbury's sniper making it into the other watchtower without them even noticing until he was shooting up the yard, Eve declared that the towers aren't secure enough to use for the assault.

Plus, they're kind of obvious targets when you think about it.

With the potential for a 50 caliber, military grade machine gun rolling up on their doorstep, it'd be stupid to use these.

Artillery like that can turn concrete into swiss cheese at 50 yards. So, you can bet your Granny's chicken pot pie that they won't be here to receive it.

A few minutes went by and everyone went back inside, except for Eve and Daryl who descended the tower and went inside, only to come back out with two rifles.

Rick, Glenn, Maggie, and Merle followed them out to the gate and Maggie passed both some gut-covered blankets, made fresh that morning.

"Watch yourselves out there." Rick set his hand on Eve's shoulder.

He isn't completely comfortable with this plan, it's risky, but if anyone can pull it off its these two, and this could be their last chance.

The pair nodded and Daryl replied in a gruff voice, "You too. Don't take any more chances than you gotta."

Rick nodded.

"Hey, if all goes well, after today, this'll all be over." Glenn smiled and Eve's heart lightened. It's been a long time since she's seen that smile. The one that's warm like sunlight, shining with optimism and makes her want to ruffle his hair and tease him because it reminds her of the pizza boy she once knew.

Eve smiled and patted his shoulder before she and Daryl nodded and set off, letting the others shut the gate behind them and return inside as the two of them put on their respective walker-repelling cloaks and followed the path down, moving slowly.

Walkers slowly shambled towards them, sniffing the air as they began to fill the yard once again through the destroyed gate, some tripping over the traps meant for cars and crawling through the dead dry grass for a few feet before staggering their way back to their feet. It's funny how some of them are capable of understanding their body's position and are more in touch with their motor skills than others, but as curious as it was, Eve paid it no more than a few thoughts, following Daryl outside the gate.

The pair of hunters moved slowly until they neared the tree line and split towards either side of the dirt and gravel road, hiking off of it until the dying underbrush and trees concealed them from the road; taking up their pre-discussed positions to get down on their stomachs, set up their rifles and lay their dead-camouflaging cloaks over their backs to make sure the walkers passed them by and didn't reveal their locations.

Eve clutched the walkie talkie in her hand, the radio lying beside her with a barely salvaged earbud cord from Beth attached to her ear as they hunkered down to wait in the shadows.

The moment the walkie talkie on Rick's waist made the slightest noise, a stampede of footsteps erupted the silence like a reenactment of Pompeii and the entire group ran like a live grenade had skidded into the center of the room.

People were throwing things at each other from impressive distances, — ammo clips, armor, guns, bags — over the tops of heads and around bodies and some pausing only to suit up before running out of the room in all different directions, going for every exit like a nest of startled rats, but the majority funneled into two distinct groups: Those who fled towards the tombs with bags and car keys, and other gear that wasn't already loaded up the night before; and those who were going to be part of the assault, strapping on riot gear and other armaments, grabbing guns and clips and other weapons or gear, and booking it to their scattered hiding places in small teams to different parts of the prison.

Both groups shared one thing in common though, they all weaved through their mazes of traps and corridors, jumping over tripwires and calling out to each other to watch certain traps just in case anyone had forgotten, especially the more concealed and sensitive arrangements; those supporting Randall and helping Hershel were naturally slower and more likely to accidentally trip something, so the calls were much appreciated.

It was like Home Alone in here and soon, a dark door at the back of the prison popped out survivors like a BB gun, sending them in a straight continuous line into the forest, like ants from a flushed nest.

By the time they reached the cars hidden in the woods, gunfire could be heard cracking through the air.

Eve ducked down as gravel flew from the road, the trucks speeding past straight into the yard.

A guard tower exploded as Martinez used a grenade launcher and Eve's eardrums pounded as the foretold 50 caliber gun began battering the prison walls like a cannon.

Another tower exploded before Eve heard the loud pops of tires though it paled in comparison to the gunfire around it.

She ducked down as people started getting off the trucks and the quieter the sounds became, the more she dared to raise her head again and watch them from underneath her rotted blanket as they went up to the gates and finally she had to look through the scope of her rifle to see them go inside, but the entire time, her view of the Governor was blocked by those who moved behind him. She wouldn't have been able to take a shot even if she'd seen him.

Eve glanced over at Daryl and feeling her gaze, he looked over and shook his head. He didn't get a shot either.

Eve's breath fanned the side of the rifle, fogging part of the black metal. I guess we're waiting then.

Thanks for reading and I'll see you next chp!

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Xhak

Jessica Taylor

Tessasgoat

Jupiter /Enis