AS WE WALKED THROUGH the tunnel there was a loud creaking noise that kept intensifying every now and again, making everyone on edge.
"What the hell is that?" Gage asked worriedly. I would've personally told him to politely, get fucked, however I kept my cool. I still despised him yet I wondered the same thing as him.
Alden felt the pipes and looked up, "The storm's pushing air through the pipes, making them groan. It's nothing serious, we're good." He told us and everyone kept moving despite the loud, continuous creaking.
"Know what that noise actually is?" Negan questioned. "That is God, telling us to turn around."
Gabriel frowned and looked at him, "I'm pretty sure he would have ran that by me first."
"Yeah? The Good Lord direct your one eyeball to this?" Negan directed his torch to the wall.
"'Sup with have one eye?" I muttered, my blind eyes noticeable to everyone but I was so used to it I sometimes didn't even realise it.
Negan continued, "Water-line mark. That means this tunnel floods on a regular basis, like when it rains."
More creaking occurred however everyone ignored it. I started to dislike the sound. "It's bad down here. It's worse up there." My dad commented.
"Look, man, all I am saying..." Negan began.
"And it ain't working." Dad snapped.
"Dad maybe he has a point, I mean look at-" I started and looked to the wall with the damp marks all over.
"He's tryin' to run shit, ignore him." Dad interrupted and looked at me, before turning around. "Keep moving. Come on." I sighed as everyone continued, Leigh scoffed before going as well.
But whilst we continued walking we came across something that put us to another halt. There was a bunch of body bags scattered all over the place and blocking our path. My dad brought his hand closer to one and it eventually moved, inside being a silent walker.
"Why didn't it make any sound?" One of the older men asked after my dad killed it.
He cut open the bag and showed the walker which had a long slit on its rotten throat.
"Throat slashed so deep it almost severed his head." Gabriel noticed.
"Ew." I gagged.
"The guys we're going after do this?" Negan asked.
"No." Leigh and Maggie in unison.
Maggie finished, "These people were killed during the fall."
"All of 'em?" Negan then questioned, making Maggie silent. "What? We're walking through a mass grave that could still be in use. So, I am asking you...are you sure all of them were killed during the fall?"
"Take each one out. Clear the path." Maggie ordered, ignoring Negan's thoughts.
"Maggie, hold up..." Alden began.
"We're not stopping." She stated, firmly.
"Mags shouldn't we think about this for a minute-" I made an attempt.
"I said what I said." Maggie bitterly replied.
I didn't bother reacting out loud, only widening my eyes and sharing the same disbelief look with Leigh before we started stabbing the rest of the walkers in the head. It was difficult at first since they were in bags however we just gritted our teeth and dealt with it.
Behind me was Gage and a large walker was creeping up behind him, it wasn't until later when the walker tried to attack him. Gage yelped and tried to fight it off but the walker was too big. It growled at Gage and got ready to bite the boy but Negan came just in time. He pushed the walker against the wall and help it back with his weapon, until the lifting it up and smashing it on the walker's head.
Everyone stared at him in shock.
All Maggie said was, "Pay attention so we don't miss any more."
"Pay attention? That's it?" Negan repeated in shock, making the woman turn around in annoyance. "That's... That's your new big plan? Tell me, Maggie, anything in particular we should be paying attention to?"
Alden sighed and walked up behind Negan, "I'm real close to shoving a gag in your mouth."
"Well, why don't you get up on your little tippy toes and try?"
"Oh my god knock it off will you?" I groaned and rolled my eyes at his immaturity. "None of us wanna be down here either so just shut up and get on with it."
"Well little Dixon, I didn't realise you still have that mouth of yours."
"Cut it out. All of you." My dad interrupted, looking at the three of us.
"This kid almost died." Negan pointed at Gage who was nearly cowering at the wall. "You don't give a shit about that kid. No, she doesn't give a shit."
"Damn he's got me there." I whispered to myself. Leigh was partially confused yet snickered.
Negan continued to ramble, "She has been playing dictator since we left, not listening to me, not listening to him. Hell, not even listening to you." He briefly looked at my dad. "We don't know if this tunnel even has a way out. Whoever or whatever killed these rot bags could still be down here. Has that thought crossed anyone's mind?" Silence. "Exactly. It has. So, then this is a death march, and you are the goddamn pied piper. Now, y'all wanna roll with that shit, that's fine. Knock yourselves out. But not me. Not today. I am out."
"Me, too." Gage admitted.
"What?" Maggie quipped.
"He... He's a dick, but he makes sense."
"Yeah, we shouldn't have come down here." The older man agreed.
"We're not splitting up." Dad stated.
"It ain't up to you. "Buddy"." Negan gave a side eye to my dad.
"Well I certainly ain't one to stop you." I folded my arms. "So can we just get this over with already?"
Agatha whispered to Maggie. "Just let him go. He's supposed to be helping us, but all he's doing is slowing us down."
"We can't." Maggie said.
"Why not?" Duncan asked.
"We need him. He knows the city."
"Oh, is that why I'm here? I-I'm your DC tour guide? What, nobody here know how to read a goddamn map?" Negan questioned and looked towards everyone. "I'll tell you why I'm here, man-tits. She brought me here to die. If we get through this, I'm not coming back. She'll find a way, she'll find a reason, she'll do it herself. Away from the prying eyes of Alexandria. Here in the jungle." Nobody said a word. Negan looked towards my dad and then me. "Man, I really thought y'all were in on it. I did. But see, I can tell from that glazed look in your eyes, y'all didn't have a clue."
He did have a point. "None of you did."
"You're paranoid." Gabriel told him.
"But I'm right." Negan fired back "Look, you all want to put your lives in her hands? Her head isn't even in the game because I'm in her head, living rent-free. So, Maggie, me dying on your terms, it ain't happening. So, what do you say? Let's just get her done. Right here and right now. Because I am not gonna let you drag me through the mud, filth, and slime to put me down like a dog."
"Like Glenn was."
He was then harshly punched in the face by my dad, mostly because he beat me to it.
Maggie angrily stormed over to the fallen man "We're down here because up top is death. We're moving fast because our kids are starving. And I'm calling the shots because that's how everyone voted. As for me killing you..." She got her gun and pointed it at him. "It's always on my mind. I'm not gonna tell you that you're wrong about me, because you aren't. The woman who left six years ago is not the one standing over you now."
"There's a little bit of her left in me, and that little bit is the only thing keeping you breathing. But I don't know how long that's gonna last. So keep pushing me, Negan. Please."
He didn't reply. He daren't breathe.
Maggie put her gun away, "Keep killing these things, then we'll move."
I took out my knife again and got back to stabbing the walkers.
•
After a while of clearing the bags and walkers it appeared as if there weren't that many to go, thankfully. As she killed another one she heard Alden shake his torch as it had ran out.
"Need a battery swap. Gage?" He looked behind him to spot Gage as he had the materials. No response or sign of him. "Gage? Roy? Has anyone seen them?"
"They took our supplies. Ammo clips, rations..." Gabriel realised.
"I knew he was still an asshole but no one listened to me!" I complained, referring to Gage.
"Oh great, that's just great. It's this asshole's fault." Frost growled, pointing at Negan. "He scared them off."
"Sh! Listen." My dad demanded, getting everyone to listen to the awfully familiar sound.
The growling of walkers coming closer to use echoed through the tunnel.
"Do you think they're here for cover from the rain?" I question despite the lack of humor in the place, taking my sword out of its sheath.
"Alright. Cut them off. We'll clear the rest." He then ordered, referring to the torches.
As people went to the end of the tunnel I got ready to kill the walkers. Leigh was next to me with his crowbars. Once the first wave of walkers approached we immediately went straight to killing them in one clean swipe. Blood splattered on my clothes and stained my sword but I didn't care, I just kept killing them.
"Lilia! Fall back!" My dad yelled from the abandoned train cart, whilst I killed another walker.
Leigh killed another walker before running over to me, taking my arm and pulling me away. I ran with him and towards the train cart which was blocked from both sides. Duncan and the others eventually climbed to the top for safety.
My dad lifted Dog to help him up however he barked and ran off, through the gap next to the train.
"Dog! Come here!" My dad yelled, chasing after him and squeezing through the gap.
"Dad!" I called out, watching him try to chase dog.
"Lia go!" He shouted back before I couldn't see him any longer.
"Hurry!" Leigh hurried. I bit my tongue before going back over to them. Leigh gave me a boost by pushing up my thighs, so I could reach the top of the cart. Despite the random butterflys I got from it, I gripped the edge and pulled myself safely up before leaning over and helping Leigh up as well.
We carefully walked along the top of the train before a hatch was open from the others. I dropped down as the last walker was killed on the seat at the front. Frost was trying to open the door but it was no use.
"It's rusted shut. Safe bet that they all are."
I noticed that Negan had just come down too, but no Maggie "Where's Mags?" I asked.
Negan looked up and behind him, "She w... She was right behind me."
Shit.
"We gotta go back and help her." I stated and moved forward but Negan held my shoulder back.
"You go up there, you're dead." He pointed out.
I clenched my fists, "She's my friend I'm not leavin' her to die."
Frost shook his head with a sigh, "She'd be pissed if you tried. She'd want us to keep moving forward."
I looked up at the open hatch and then at the front where Frost was. "Fine, we need to get that door open before these freaks punch the windows in." I pointed to the outside where the walkers were clawing.
Gabriel agreed with a nod, "Alright, we need to get that door open. Then we'll go from car to car until we hit the front of the train. Then we'll hop off. And then we just keep going."
Negan got his crowbar and made his way to the front of the carriage. "Look out, guys." He forced his crowbar between the crack so he could use it to pry open the door. Frost and Duncan took over, I felt a bit useless so I just sat on one of the seats.
Leigh came and sat on the one opposite me, he lifted my head up by brushing his hand under my chin, "You doing okay?" He softly asked.
A sigh, "I don't know right now. I have no idea where my dad is and I just can't shake off the feeling about Maggie. We shouldn't of left her."
"If we all went back then we all would've gotten killed." Leigh started and resting a hand on my leg, sending a strange feeling in my stomach once again, "I get that you've known her way longer than me but I know that she would be hella annoyed if you risked your life to get her."
"I know, it's just that...is it really a coincidence that something happened to Maggie when she was with Negan?" I asked, Leigh tilted his head in thought. "He was with her last, we turned our backs."
"So, you're saying-" He began, but the door then pried open, allowing everyone in the next cart.
We both stood up and stepped onto the next cart. Alden went to open the next one until we suddenly heard more unusual banging.
"Is that the roof?" I questioned and looked up.
"Could be walkers." Negan suggested but was told to shush.
Several knocks in a certain rhythm were heard, "It's below us. It's Morse code." Frost realised.
"It's SOS." Alden stated.
Duncan and Frost bent down to open a hatch where the noise was coming from. When I got a look I instantly saw Maggie pulling herself up, so I quickly went over to help her up. I felt relieved, however she was angry and glared at Negan.
"I slipped. He saw, and he left me to die."
"Yeah. Okay. So what?" Negan asked, not a care about his actions.
"You're just admitting it?" Gabriel was in shock.
"What kind of sick bastard are you today?" I furrowed my brows, hovering my hand over my knives in my belt.
Alden walked forward with a yell, "You tried to kill her!"
"No, she was in trouble, and I didn't help. There is a big difference." Negan pointed out before Duncan grabbed him and shoved him against the wall with ease.
"Okay, so who's gonna help you now? Who here has got your back?" Duncan seethed.
Frost scoffed, "Yeah, you don't need fingers to count that number."
"She was just talking about murdering me, sooner rather than later, and yet somehow, I'm the big, old asshоlе 'cause I didn't risk my nuts for her?" Negan mentioned. "I have been a golden goddamn asset for every single one of you."
"Yeah, burning Hilltop, that helped, huh?" Alden remembered. I was still angry about that moment. The fear everyone felt. How much fire and deaths there were. The worry we went through because we got split up from the kids.
"I killed Alpha, right? So, yeah, I was helpful." Negan shot back. "'Cause if I hadn't done that, every person you know, their skull would be on a spike."
"My friends were on those spikes!" I raged, shoving forward, but Alden stopped me despite the anger he was feeling too.
"I did what needed to be done, alright? I am trying."
"You didn't do a very good job of it, people still died with your help!"
"Yeah, okay. I'm not buying a word of it." Frost spoke up.
"Same." Duncan agreed.
"Y'know, a few months ago I actually thought I could trust you." I admitted, looking at Negan's confused expression. "But god, I was dead wrong."
Agatha had her weapon on standby, "Nod and it happens. We can get through the city without him."
Before Maggie could make a decision we heard banging coming from the door. "HELP! HELP ME!" We all turned to see Gage pounding on the door.
"Gage?! What happened?!" Maggie frantically asked as everyone ran to the door.
Gage panicked and pounded on the door even more, "We got lost in the tunnels! Walkers are everywhere, they... they might have..."
"How'd you get in there?" Negan asked.
"I-I got a door open on the far end."
"Did you close it?" Alden questioned. If he didn't then that means...
"Uh..."
"Gage?"
Negan was fiddling with the screws so he could get the door open, "Hey, this one seems a bit looser. Sasquatch, gimme a hand."
"We open that, they'll all get in." Maggie pointed to the walkers which had now climbed into the cart.
"It's too risky." I added.
"He's right there!" Alden yelled, obviously hating the immediate idea of leaving Gage for the walkers.
"I know he is." Maggie replied without remorse for the boy.
"To hell with you." He replied and ran to the door to try and get it open.
"Alden?!" Maggie exclaimed. I held Alden back from moving to the door.
"Lia! We have to help him!" Alden desperately stated, clutching my shoulders.
"We can't, you know we can't." I admitted. The walkers were getting closer and closer to Gage.
Gage started to beg, "Look, I'm sorry, okay?! I'm sorry..." he started to cry in regret. "I made... I made a mistake, and I'm sorry, but I just...I want another chance. Okay? I won't do it again. I won't do it again. I'll do better. Please, I... Please."
"We have time. We can get that door open!" Alden pointed out.
"The walkers are getting too close, I don't know man..." Leigh nodded at the groaning walkers.
"Please...please..." Gage cried out.
"I'm sorry, I can't." Maggie said and broke eye contact with Gage.
"Lilia! Please!" Gage turned to me, bad choice.
"If you think I'm helpin' an asshole like you then you've got another thing comin'." I scoffed.
"I'm sorry, okay? For everything! Just...help me!"
"We don't have the ammo. Besides, I wouldn't waste it on you even if we did."
Alden looked at me in disbelief. "Lia!"
Gage's face scrunched up in anger and he stopped banging. "Liars." He then got his two knives out of his pocket and held them up in front of him. Before we knew it, he was stabbing himself in the chest. The snarling walkers got close enough to smell the blood and desperately naw their rotten teeth into his flesh.
Everyone looked away as his body was being eaten in front of them.
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merry christmas and happy new year everyone!