It Comes With The Name

Chapter 29: These Ties That Bind

TRIGGER WARNING: Mentions/implications of SA. nothing too graphic but it could be triggering so just be warned.

Groans of pain could be heard coming from the inside of the old barn.

"I told you..." The young man whined.

"You ain't told me shit!" Daryl's voice shouted in response. Lauren flinched when the barn doors rattled with the impact of someone being thrown against the wall. After Rick and Shane's (and surprisingly Randall's) return yesterday, it was decided that they all needed more information before deciding how to handle the situation. Unfortunately, that meant Daryl was tasked with getting said information.

Lauren sat outside the barn with her back against the rough wood, listening to the interrogation happening on the other side. It was hard to listen to, but she needed to hear straight from the source what they were dealing with.

"I barely knew those guys. I met 'em' on the road." Randall groaned in agony.

"How many in your group?"

It was silent for a moment and then she heard movement and the sudden sound of a knife being stabbed into wood as Daryl repeated the question. "How many?"

Randall yelped. "Uh- 30. 30."

He avoided a few more questions but finally caved after Daryl started talking about the boy's wounds, no doubt irritating them as he spoke.

"Okay, okay-" Randall stuttered. "They have weapons. Heavy stuff, automatics." His voice then broke into another whine. "But I- I didn't do anything."

"Your boys shot at my boys, shot at our girl, tried to take this farm," Daryl growled. "You just went along for the ride? You're trying to tell me you're innocent?"

"Yes! These-- these people took me in. Not just guys-- A whole group of 'em. Men and women, kids too-- Just like you people. Thought I'd have a better chance with them, you know?"

Lauren felt a pang of sympathy; this kid was only trying to survive. But then he continued.

"But... We'd go out and scavenge, just the men. One night, we...we found this little campsite. A man and his two daughters... Teenagers, you know? Real young. Real cute." Lauren had to strain to hear as he recounted. "Their daddy had to watch while these guys... they... And they didn't even kill him afterward. They just...They just made him watch as his daughters... They jus-just left him there."

Any small bit of sympathy Lauren harbored for the young hostage was replaced with utter disgust. She felt sick to her stomach. She didn't want to hear anymore. Pushing off of the wood planks of the farm walls, she took off. She didn't know where she was going, she just knew that she needed to get away. Get as far away as possible from the sound of fists hitting flesh, from Randall's cries, and the resurfaced memory in her mind.

~~~

After filling Rick in on the information Randall had given, Daryl headed off towards his tent, leaving Rick and Shane to discuss the boy's fate. As much as he hated to admit it, Daryl agreed with Shane on the matter. He didn't want this kid or his group anywhere near their people, especially Lauren. To his surprise, when he reached his tent, he found her inside. She was lying on her back staring at the sky, a bottle of rubbing alcohol and gauze in her hands.

"Hey." He greeted, climbing in and settling himself a few feet away from Lauren. She gave him a small smile, though it was apparent that her mind was elsewhere. "Y'aight?"

She gave a not-so-reassuring nod. "Are you?"

He gave her a puzzled look before she looked at his hands pointedly. Looking down, he noticed the blood beginning to dry on his hands and a few gashes on his knuckles.