Stranger [The Walking Dead]

14 ; The Sanctuary

I was locked away. I was in nothing but my bra and pants. I was in some stupid broom closet of sorts. I couldn't get out. I didn't want to, not with the lack of clothes I had on.

Simon would come and give me dog food in a sandwich. He'd look at me, barely clothed, and I felt like shoving the dog food down his throat and make him choke on it. I tried once, but I ended up bruised and bloody.

The door opened, and I was blinded by light again. The food was thrown onto the floor on its shitty plastic plate. I didn't raise my gaze as I reached for it, blood stained fingers holding the bread.

"That's right, bitch. Eat," Simon said, and I ignored the way he said it. I was just sat there, curled up, hoping he wouldn't let his eyes roam.

I tried to avoid the dog food. It tasted bad and I hated it, but it was better than starving.

Simon always watched me eating. It was weird and uncomfortable, and I guessed it was because he was a creeper. Once I had finished up the stupid shitty sandwich, Simon laughed a little.

"W'so funny?" I asked, daring to speak but not daring to look at anything other than his ugly shoes.

"Stand up."

Rather not, perv, I thought to myself. After a moment of hesitation, he slammed his hand into the door.

"I'm not fucking around, kid. Get the fuck up."

Imagining the several different ways I could decapitate Simon, I got to my feet. I kept my gaze on his shirt, not daring to look any further.

Simon stepped into the room with me. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. Oh, god, was he going to do what I thought he was?

"How old are you?" he asked, voice quiet and disgusting.

"Fifteen," I lied. I was either sixteen or seventeen at this point, but he didn't know. With my height, I could pass for younger. He didn't need to know I was technically nearly legal. Not that that kind of thing mattered now. But if he had any morals, maybe me pretending to be less than a quarter of his age had to do something.

"You're pretty fine for fifteen. It's a damn shame you were stuck with those guys. What had you sticking with them?"

Think fast. "Abraham was my dad. I get my looks from my mom. She died at the start."

"Sorry to hear that. It's gotta be tough to lose your mom. To lose your dad like you did. How'd you lose your mom?"

"She had cancer. Was gettin' treated but when everything happened, she couldn't get any help, meds. Cancer got her in the end."

"Cancer. OK, right. Not walkers?"

"No, sir. Walkers never got near her. Like I said," I felt my eyes burning with tears as I made myself think about Abraham, what happened to him to Glenn. I had to make it believable, "Cancer got her. Hospitals got blown up, shut us out. She died while we were on the road. Cancer made it hard for her to do anything. She ... she didn't wake up one day. We had to-to put her down."

Maybe that stutter would work on him.

Simon sighed, putting a hand on my face. I kept thinking of horrific things, making the tears continue. He had to believe this shit I was feeding him. "You're here now. You just gotta obey our rules. Listen to what Negan says. You'll get a nice room to yourself, get food, clothes, and maybe a nice boy will come along, and you'll get a happily ever after."

"Maybe," I said, sniffling a little. Jesus, Simon was too close and he smelled worse than a dead skunk. He got closer to me, and I tried not to tense up.