The Ruins

Chapter 26

Mal went into her own space as her friends fussed about what to do. It's past twenty minutes and Mal has this idea that she had spoken to her friends a long time ago. Maybe it would be the perfect time to tell.

She doesn't believe a word of Charlie, it's a confusing explanation. The menacing grudge on Negan relates to the KillGames and Charlie, probably nothing against the Tradepost. You don't see the Saviors going over the place every day, forcing people to give what they want. Charlie can be wrong on the numbers of Negan; maybe there's thousands of them. To point out something else the Infected Card did say people call themselves Negan and with that how can you be so sure it's actually him. Charlie is going to create a war then the Tradepost is doomed.

Although, Mal isn't thinking on the Tradepost safety. It's her she's worrying. She can't even possibly stand around any longer to be living, to sleep with day and night with him. Survivors could survive without the Tradepost, even a few years after the Black Night, without the Flyer Frontiers. The Elevens Towns might be a fallout although Bounty Hunters can deal their issues.

Mal had enough of this place. The suggestion she told them was Mal being a fidgeting crazed madman who wanted to leave the place, she was so frantic out of her mind she screamed Vix's head off, trying not to let her painful tears pour down her face, wanting the groping hands away, the heat against her neck, and the taunting laughters echoing into her weak soul. They told her to rest from the injuries inflicted and were brought out once in a blue moon but never fully decided to act upon Mal's desperate suggestion.

She muttered out her suggestion and all went dead silent.

"We could leave this place," she repeats it, "I told you guys before. I know I wasn't in the right set of mind. But this is different now. Charlie is gonna make a war if we attack the Saviors compound. Those Calvary Boys will kill and won't stop, we don't know how many there is, where they are, and who is the real Negan. Charlie is forcing us to something we won't want to do. We don't need this place, we can survive without, the kids can handle the Ruins. I just... it's all your choice to choose to leave or stay. But I will not stay one more day."

They nodded, understanding the paranoia of killing, what's to come to prevent a war. Mal looked around at them, waiting for their agreement, and she got it with solemn, curt nods. She smiled with satisfaction.

"Who needs Charlie." Lalon said, frowning. "He gets worse and worse for the past seasons and now has stupid balls to fight against the toughest group ever. Nope. I ain't staying."

"If we are leaving, where will we go?"

Lugh did had a good point but Mal doesn't care where to go, she needed to get out of this place. She grabs a map from the kitchen cabinet, flattening on the table, investigating the routes of the map.

"The Calvary Boys will leave the southeast wing so we can take the northwest wing into the city, go around until we head up north."

"We could go to the one of the Eleven Town," Lugh suggested, pointing to a place, "There's one closest to the Tradepost. It's about two hundred eight-six miles away. Takes us like a day or so depending on our stops."

"It's a nice idea but the Calvary Boys can find us quickly once we leave."

"Mal," Vix implored. "Do you really think the boys would chase us."

Mal frowned and bit her lip. "Charlie doesn't want us to leave and without notifying him, he will definitely hunt us down."

"Well we could go up north, maybe to the east." Lalon points to the road which lead to a country. "Heard rumours that a community lives there but unsure where, like maybe the Saviors. Could rest on Jackson, Wyoming, maybe even convince Negan- if he does live there- let us in and if all ends well, report it to him of Charlie's accusations."