Don't look back

Thirty six

"Let me hold her." Maggie cried softly to Merle, looking at Mary, sobbing, sat on the other side of Merle. The man sighed, then grabbed Mary and lifted her over to Maggie. "It's okay now," Maggie soothed, "it'll be okay."
"I want daddy." She sobbed.
"I know. You'll see him soon." Maggie assured, her voice thick with lies.
"Where is Officer Friendly?" Merle asked in a mocking voice. "Still alive?"
"Yeah. Don't talk about him like that. Not with her." Glenn growled suddenly.
"That man is a cold hearted good for nothing..." Merle began.
"I SAID NOT IN FRONT OF HER!" Glenn roared, but Merle just laughed.
"Son, you got nerve. She's got fire," he nodded, nodding to Mary, "I can see it."
As if on que, Mary raised her middle finger. It made Merle laugh and Maggie smile, and even though the wasn't sure what the gesture meant (only having seen Daryl do it a few times) she knew it was rude. She felt happy that she had done it.
When they approached a building, Merle ordered Glenn to stop, and he did. Then he pushed them into a building, and threw Glenn into a room by himself.
"What are you doin'?" Maggie asked shakily.
"No! Glenn!" Mary sobbed.
Then Merle pushed Maggie into a room by herself, and Mary began to scream.
"Shut up. I'm not gonna kill you. Yer a baby." Merle spat impatiently. He opened a door, and pushed Mary in.
"I want my Maggie and Glenn!" Mary sobbed.
"Tough." Merle shrugged. Then he locked her in. The child sat and sobbed, her eyes closed, as she heard talking, and Glenn scream. Then everything went silent for a while. When the door opened again, Mary was curled up in a ball, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Hey," a gentle, charming voice said, "sweetheart, you're okay. Look, I got you something."
Mary lifted her head, and saw a man dressed in smart clothes looking down at her. In his outstretched hands, she saw a bar of chocolate, a cup of water, and a little plastic doll. Mary took the food, and ate it quickly, then gulped the water in two quick mouthfuls, her body weak and tired. It had been so long since she had eaten something as nice as chocolate.
"I want my daddy." Mary whispered.
"You'll see your mommy and daddy soon." The man nodded. "I'm the Governor."
"I want my daddy. Now!" Mary shouted suddenly.
"You can see your daddy. If you tell me where you live."
"No. You're a stranger."
"Yeah. Well, I'm a stranger who's gonna help you. So tell me where you live." The Governor repeated.
"That's what a bad stranger would say. Daddy says..."
"You tell me where you live. Or I'll go into the other room and cut off your daddy's finger." The Governor interrupted harshly.
"Glenn's not my daddy. My daddy is at home." Mary retorted. Home. Mary began to cry softly then, the thought of her family back at the prison.
"Well, I'll find your daddy. And I'll bring you his hand." The man snapped angrily.
"You can't. Because I've not told you where he is." Mary said firmly, scared but confused about how he could do what he said.
"But I'll find him. I'll find him, and if you keep being naughty, I'll kill him. If you keep being naughty, and don't do as I say, he'll not love you," The man whispered psychologically taunting the tiny girl, never taking his eyes off her, "but if you do as I say, you can have this doll, and your daddy will be okay."
"No. I have a monkey. My Maggie got him for me."
"Listen here. You're letting your daddy down. He'll be disappointed. He'll be angry. He won't love you." The Governor hissed.
"Daddy will always love me." Mary insisted. Then she got up, and looked at the Governor. Then she began to punch him in the stomach, with all her might.
"Alright. Let's go have a family meeting." He hissed angrily, wrapping his large hand around Mary's tiny arm, tight enough to bruise. Then he opened the door to Maggie's room, and Mary saw her tearful and scared, with no shirt on.
"Maggie." Mary cried softly.
"It's okay, angel. It'll all be okay." Maggie soothed.
"Move it." The Governor barked, and Maggie walked over to them. A different man opened the door to Glenn's room, and the Governor pushed the two of them in.
"Glenny." Mary sobbed shakily,, seeing the man with blood and bruising all over his face and neck.
As soon as the man saw Maggie topless, and Mary sobbing, Glenn began to lunge at the Governor with a stick of wood. "Drop it." One of the men ordered, and Glenn let it fall to the floor.
"We're through with games," the Governor said firmly, getting his gun out and resting it on the top of Mary's tiny head, "now, one of you is going to give up your camp."
"No. Don't." Maggie sobbed.
"Don't you hurt her! Don't!" Glenn shouted angrily.
"Where's your camp?" The Governor repeated firmly, while Mary howled. Quickly, he walked over to Glenn, and pointed the gun at him.
"Prison." Maggie cried suddenly.
"The one near Newnan?" Merle asked.
"That place is overrun."
"We took it." Maggie insisted.
"How many are you?" The Governor questioned, a gun still to Glenn's head.
"Eleven. We have eleven now." Maggie said shakily.
"Eleven people cleared that whole prison of biters, huh?" The Governor scoffed, lowering his gun.
"Walkers. And there was more." Mary sobbed, glaring at him. Maggie was crying uncontrollably, Glenn stood broken.
"Hey, hey, shhh, the Governor soothed, stroking Maggie's cheek and ignoring Mary, "it's alright." Glenn's face fell, a tear falling down his cheek. "It's alright," The Governor repeated, hugging Maggie tightly, as she tried to pull away, "it's alright."
Finally, the Governor let go of Maggie's sobbing form, and Maggie ran to Glenn. He held her close, her shaking body pressed tightly against his, then the others left, leaving only Glenn, Maggie, and Mary, sobbing on the floor.
He held Maggie for a while longer, then they pulled apart, and Glenn took off his shirt, giving it to Maggie. She put it on quickly, then walked over and picked Mary up, the two of them crying.
"I'm scared." Mary sobbed, as Glenn sank down against the wall in pain.
"It'll all be over soon." Maggie whispered shakily, and she wasn't lying. They would either be shot, or get free. Either way, it'd all be over soon.