✓ᴋɪʟʟᴇʀ'ꜱ ᴇʏᴇꜱ ¦¦ ₜₕₑ Wₐₗₖᵢₙg Dₑₐd

chapter eighteen.

THE UPCOMING MORNING, Lydia and Isla discovered that Negan had escaped, as the news broke over the community. Some felt relieved that they no longer had to worry about him anymore, but Lydia felt guilty for it. She felt guilty she would carry herself down to his cellar and shut herself inside. 

Isla only discovered she was doing that a few days later, as she went to the infirmary to check on her. When she was told Lydia wasn't there, she suddenly went all over the place to look for her. The last place she expected to find Lydia was in the cold cell, which smelt like sweat and had mold on the cot.

Lydia froze for a second when she heard someone coming down the steps, her body felt like it turned to stone and she dropped the pencil onto the book, which was propped up by a chair. Although, once she realised Isla had found her she relaxed, going back to doodling in her book.

"I was looking all over for you." Isla broke the silence, walking over to the bars. She noticed that the door wasn't locked, but it was still shut. It was as if she was trying to punish herself with the little she had, probably why she left the infirmary early without telling anyone. "Why you down here?"

The pencil scratching on the page was all the girls could hear for a moment, until Lydia shrugged and hummed, "It's quiet, and away from others." She replied quietly, looking up for a moment but deciding against it, as she stared back at the page. "It's better."

"Better?"

"As long as I'm away from everyone else then we'll be fine, right? Gage can't get anyone else to hurt us if he has no one to pick on."

"Gage or his freaks won't hurt you. Okay?" Isla fired back, clenching her fists at the mention of the boy's name. "I said they aren't getting away with this, and they won't."

"Isla, just don't-"

The creak of the door opening interrupted them. Isla turned her head around to see Daryl entering. "Come on. Get out. We need the cell."

Behind him was Carol, who was pushing a blindfolded man into the cell. Lydia quickly rushed out the cell, going to the entrance and looking at the man. Isla instantly recognised him as one of the watchers of the horde, but why would they bring him here? They must've gone over the border.

Lydia went up the steps and outside to get away from the man, Isla decided to follow. She sat down next to Lydia on a strange bench, and before they could process anything, Carol came up to them.

"You know him?" Carol asked us.

"He's one that watches the Guardians." Lydia answered, before shaking her head at the word. "I mean, the walkers." 

Carol nodded, "So he knows where your mother's horde is?"

"He should do." Isla then stated. "I used to order him and some others to guard the old walkers, circle them and stuff."

Carol hummed in response, probably about to say something else if it wasn't for Gabriel running over to them in anger. "You've put us all at risk!"

The older woman scoffed, "We have to find that horde before it shows up at our gates." 

Isla agreed silently for a moment, "Alpha won't stop until you're all dead. Even if it means sacrificing all them walkers on this place."

Gabriel gave a hard glare at them, "So you decide for all of us? Knowing what it could mean?"

Daryl came up behind him, standing nearby, "Doesn't matter anymore. We still gotta find them."

Gabriel looked at everyone before laying his eyes on Carol, pointing at her, "I'm gonna be in there with you, and Siddiq is gonna treat his wounds first."