Hushed Voices - Daryl Dixon

3. Cage

We pulled in and there were people who immediately shut the gate behind us. I looked around, completely shocked that they managed to have this set up - they had a fence that guarded the whole prison.

"How is this place not run over?" I asked, still in shock by my surroundings.

"It was." The man beside me said with a southern rasp. Niki started signing, causing both men to slightly jump, still not used to her.

"How many of y'all are there?" I spoke for her, earning a response from the man up front.

"Enough." He parked the car, and looked at me before he got out. "Cuff her." I rolled my eyes as the man with the crossbow did as the other said.

I noticed how he didn't disagree with him much and decided that it was something I needed to keep in mind. Rick kept ahold of my sister by her arm. He looked back at me and noticed my glare towards him - letting him know he was fucked if he made the wrong move. The man beside me grab me arm and pulled me in the same direction as Nikki. When we headed into the prison, I surprised by not only the set up they had but also how many other people were here.

"Dad, who are they?" A young man asked in a sheriffs hat as he was unlocking the cell block. Rick looked back at him.

"Don't worry about it, Carl. Go find an open cell we can lock them in." Wait a second.

"Lock us in?" I looked at the man beside me.

"Think y'all gettin' free range? Notta chance." He responded to me with a smirk, like he was amused.

"And our weapons?" I said trying to pull away from him, only for him to pull the chain on the cuffs harder. "Watch it asshole, that hurt."

"They ain't there for comfort." He took the cuffs off as he pushed me into the cell.

Rick slammed it shut, and then the boy, who I'm assuming was his son, locked it back quickly. I sighed, knowing there wasn't much we could do. Nikki started patting the wall, trying to get my attention.

"They have a good set up here." She signed and I looked around, noticing some of the others were watching us. "We should join them." I laughed in response

"Nikki, no. We don't know these people." I signed back to her. "And they put us in a cell for fucks sake."

"You would do the same." I shook my head even though she was right. I would if it meant protecting her, she was the only one I had left.

I went to the wall parallel to the cell doors and slid down into the floor, Nikki followed. I watched as Rick and Daryl talked with a man who perfectly resembled Santa Claus. I knew they were talking about us when they kept glancing in our direction. Part of me wishes they would either let us go or kill us and get it over with - I didn't want to stay here any longer. Soon, the three men began their way towards us.

"Can you guys make yourself useful?" The one with the white beard asked. I didn't respond, until Daryl glared at me.

"You lock us in a cage and then want our help?" I said.

"We have to clear other cell blocks. The more people the better." Rick said. "Y'all didn't survive on luck." I sighed and Nikki joined the conversation.

"We help. We get to join you." I spoke for her, unwillingly.

"Nikki. No." I said out loud as I signed to her.

"Like he said. The more people the better." She signed, but used her voice also which she only did when she serious about something.

I looked up at the men, trying to read their expressions. Daryl wasn't on board, but I could see the other two men considering their options.

"Listen. We don't know you." Rick said, pointing at us. "Show us what you got. We might consider it."

By the time he fished speaking, he had unlocked the cell door. Nikki and I stood up and began walking out of the cell. Daryl let Nikki through, but stopped me by grabbing my arm.

"Don't ya get no ideas, princess." He said as I jerked my arm away from his grip. I rolled my eyes as I made my way toward my sister so we could find a cell of our own.

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