Watch the opening minutes of The Walking Dead season 9's return as everyone reacts to *that* death

The Walking Dead season 9 returns on February 10, but you don’t want to wait that long, I get it. Thankfully, you’re in luck: AMC has released the opening minutes of the season’s second half (and ninth episode). It’s not a happy-go-lucky affair, either: Everyone is scrambling to escape after what went down in the mid-season finale – and it sets the tone for what promises to be a dark back eight episodes.

The episode picks up right where we left it, Jesus’ body is still lifeless on the floor (and surprisingly un-eaten) as Daryl, Michonne, Aaron, Eugene, and Magna all try and get the hell out of the shadowy area they found themselves trapped in.

Eventually, they get their bearings, leave Jesus behind (*sob*), and hightail out of the the area, with the Walkers supposedly locked behind a gate. Except, that’s where things take a wild turn. The Whisperers are still apparently among the undead horde and manage to unlock the gate and send the shambling masses after the group, which is where the clip ends.

Even in the opening minutes alone, it’s clear that The Walking Dead season 9 will be every bit as dark and dreary as the episodes that came before. There’s also a focus on not knowing who your foe is. Zombies in The Walking Dead have lacked the fear factor for a while, but finding out one of them could literally stab you in the back if you’re not careful adds an extra dimension to proceedings as the group comes to terms with Jesus’ death. So, yeah, good luck, guys.

You didn’t think it’d be all rainbows and lollipops now, did you?

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