ILLICIT AFFAIRS || 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒅

𝟢𝟷 || 𝙰

I could've survived on my own. I have for months.

All my sorrow shattered into fear as I felt a hand lurking onto my shoulder. My eyes shot open as I kicked the monster behind me.

"Whoa!"

"Hey!"

I threw my fists out and went into the best fighting stance I could muster as I saw a rather large group of individuals emerge from the shadows. There were a good number of them too. Eight to be exact.

Their clothing was nothing but tatters and their hair was no better. A sinking feeling hit my stomach as the question came, how long had these people been in here?

A woman with long hair went immediately to the man I kicked to the floor's side while the others seemed to be on guard, "Are you alright?" The woman checked over the man.

"I'm fine. I'm fine," he reassured her before I watched him turn to me.

I kept my lips shut and raised my fists even higher as the group all stared at me as if I were their next meal.

The man on the ground slowly lifted himself up, with both hands raised in surrender, "Hey. Hey we aren't gonna hurt you," he slowly walked towards me as I stepped back.

The man kept an arm raised as he brought his other to his chest, "My name is Glenn. Glenn Rhee," he gave a light smile and waited for a response.

I didn't. Instead I steadied my breathing as I kept my guard up. I didn't know how long these people had been here, I didn't know why they were put in here. For all I knew they could have been put in this cage for a reason.

The man, Glenn, noticed my gaze wasn't focused on him and sighed, "Don't worry, none of them are going to hurt you. They're with me."

"This is my wife Maggie," he gestured to the woman next to him. "Over there are our friends Tara, Sasha, Bob, Rosita, Aberham and Eugene."

I watched as a few members gave a brief hi while others just nodded or waved.

"You followed the signs didn't you?" He asked, "We all did as well. We all are on the same side here."

I pressed my lips together and slowly lowered my fists, "Juliet," I muttered.

"Huh?"

"Juliet," I repeated myself, a little louder this time. "My name is Juliet. Juliet Capulet."

"Like the Shakespeare character?" The broody redhead near the back asked.

My face flushed at the comparison, but I nodded.

"Well, little lady, welcome to Terminus," the redhead sarcastically greeted me.

°˖✧✿✧˖°

I've always feared death. Even before the dead came back to walk the earth. I found it almost ironic at times that my mother named me after an omen of death. Named after the girl who embraced it to be forever with her lover. What a joke.

I feared every part of it. I feared the pain, the suffering, the people who had to grieve and the unknown. I think the unknowing of what comes after death feared me the most.