THE UPCOMING MORNING, Lydia and Isla discovered that Negan had escaped, as the news broke over the community. Some felt relieved that they no longer had to worry about him anymore, but Lydia felt guilty for it. She felt guilty she would carry herself down to his cellar and shut herself inside.
Isla only discovered she was doing that a few days later, as she went to the infirmary to check on her. When she was told Lydia wasn't there, she suddenly went all over the place to look for her. The last place she expected to find Lydia was in the cold cell, which smelt like sweat and had mold on the cot.
Lydia froze for a second when she heard someone coming down the steps, her body felt like it turned to stone and she dropped the pencil onto the book, which was propped up by a chair. Although, once she realised Isla had found her she relaxed, going back to doodling in her book.
"I was looking all over for you." Isla broke the silence, walking over to the bars. She noticed that the door wasn't locked, but it was still shut. It was as if she was trying to punish herself with the little she had, probably why she left the infirmary early without telling anyone. "Why you down here?"
The pencil scratching on the page was all the girls could hear for a moment, until Lydia shrugged and hummed, "It's quiet, and away from others." She replied quietly, looking up for a moment but deciding against it, as she stared back at the page. "It's better."
"Better?"
"As long as I'm away from everyone else then we'll be fine, right? Gage can't get anyone else to hurt us if he has no one to pick on."
"Gage or his freaks won't hurt you. Okay?" Isla fired back, clenching her fists at the mention of the boy's name. "I said they aren't getting away with this, and they won't."
"Isla, just don't-"
The creak of the door opening interrupted them. Isla turned her head around to see Daryl entering. "Come on. Get out. We need the cell."
Behind him was Carol, who was pushing a blindfolded man into the cell. Lydia quickly rushed out the cell, going to the entrance and looking at the man. Isla instantly recognised him as one of the watchers of the horde, but why would they bring him here? They must've gone over the border.
Lydia went up the steps and outside to get away from the man, Isla decided to follow. She sat down next to Lydia on a strange bench, and before they could process anything, Carol came up to them.
"You know him?" Carol asked us.
"He's one that watches the Guardians." Lydia answered, before shaking her head at the word. "I mean, the walkers."
Carol nodded, "So he knows where your mother's horde is?"
"He should do." Isla then stated. "I used to order him and some others to guard the old walkers, circle them and stuff."
Carol hummed in response, probably about to say something else if it wasn't for Gabriel running over to them in anger. "You've put us all at risk!"
The older woman scoffed, "We have to find that horde before it shows up at our gates."
Isla agreed silently for a moment, "Alpha won't stop until you're all dead. Even if it means sacrificing all them walkers on this place."
Gabriel gave a hard glare at them, "So you decide for all of us? Knowing what it could mean?"
Daryl came up behind him, standing nearby, "Doesn't matter anymore. We still gotta find them."
Gabriel looked at everyone before laying his eyes on Carol, pointing at her, "I'm gonna be in there with you, and Siddiq is gonna treat his wounds first."
"He bleeds until he answers." Carol firmly argued back.
"That's not your call. None of this is." Gabriel stated. "You did what you did, but I'm not gonna let it go from bad to worse, and I think the council would agree. Including Michonne."
Carol looked at the ground in defeat, gritting her teeth before looking at the girls. "Come on. You both can stay with me." Lydia stood up, gesturing Isla to come as well. Carol led them to her house, the door opening with a creak as they stepped inside. "You can go on up."
They both went all the way to the top, where the balcony that overlooked Alexandria was. In the distance was a building with large words saying 'SILENCE THE WHISPERERS' in blue paint. After a while of suffocating silence, Carol came up to ask what they knew about the Whisperer. They were honest, saying that he would never betray Alpha, however getting him to see what the community was like might get him to fold.
Carol thanked them for the information and left the two girls alone for a while. Isla could hear the groans of the man from the balcony, Lydia didn't as she went back inside. There was a long and dreading silence until the gate creaked of rapidly, footsteps climbing up the steps.
Isla peered over to see Daryl and Carol muttering to each other, he was saying that 'she shouldn't get the kids involved'. Involved in what?
Once Carol came back up she briefly explained to the girls that she wanted them to see the man. But that was all she said. Isla could sense something off about her, as if she was hiding something, but neither of them questioned her as they went back to the cell.
But something was strange as they went back down, Isla could hear the man grunting in pain until it suddenly stopped. When they walked into the cell they were immediately told to go back out by Daryl. The last thing Isla saw before they were told to leave was the Whisperer dead on the floor, Siddiq and the other oddly familiar doctor, Dante, was surrounding him.
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It felt like a random occurrence right after a Whisperer's death, but neither of them questioned the woman until they were later on the road. Carol had made up an excuse to get the girls to come with her somewhere as they galloped along the road. Lydia had her stick, Carol had her bow and Isla had her usual machete.
Lydia caught on first, "We're not going hunting, are we?" She questioned from behind Carol, who was guiding the horse. Isla was lucky enough to already know how to ride from her childhood, so instead of cramping on one horse and hurting the poor animal, she galloped behind them.
"Where are we going?" Isla asked wondered.
"You guys still wanna help?" Carol then replied.
"Yeah." Both girls admitted in unison.
"Good."
They continued to ride on their horses until it got darker, tying them loosely to a tree before they began to silently walk. Isla kept her machete in front of her, securely in her hand but on guard. As they peered through some bushes, Isla recognised where they were. They were near one of the small bridges that marked the border. Why did Carol take them there?
She recognised one of the people from Alexandria, Aaron, was being held at knifepoint. The female Whisperer behind Aaron was demanding answers about the community, but he wouldn't give in as his hand secretly went to his knife on his leg.
Carol then armed her bow and exposed herself, standing out with it raised at the Whisperer.
"Let him go." Carol demanded, watching the Whisperer's knife. "Let him go."
Lydia then tugged on Isla's arm, signalling that they should help. Isla thought it was a bad idea for them to do so, but she obliged anyway. They both stood out of the bush and near Carol, making the Whisperer falter.
They gasped, "No. No..." The Whisperer repeated, looking at Lydia and Isla. She started to walk back, Isla could see the tears in her eyes. "No." Then she ran away.
Lydia looked confused as she stepped onto the bridge, looking at Isla who was also the same. They looked at Carol who appeared fine.
"Your mother, Alpha, told her people that she killed you both." Carol calmly told them, looking between the girls and ending on Isla. "The man said she told everyone she...she put you on the spikes with the rest."
Isla didn't know how to feel, in a way it didn't feel like a surprise since Alpha stabbed her and threatened her in front of many Whisperers. Maybe the ones who saw it assumed she just died that day too. Lydia, however, felt distraught. Upset about her mother's carelessness, but also that Carol didn't tell them the truth.
"You said you wanted our help." Lydia croaked out, backing away and closer to the marked border.
"I did." Carol replied.
"You used us. What- just to prove...to prove what?" Isla snapped, glaring at Carol and walking closer to Lydia, who was crying.
"Lydia, Isla, I'm sorry." Carol weakly apologised, but Isla didn't think she meant it.
Lydia angrily shook her head, "You're just like her."
Isla didn't know what to say. They were welcomed into the community with open arms, with this just felt like a stab in the back. They were used, their feelings forgotten. She clearly didn't think about how it would impact the girls. What did Carol think was going to happen?
"You said you wanted me to choose a side?" Lydia asked, stepping onto the marked line.
"Lyd..." Isla warned, she didn't know what was past the darkness of the trees. Anyone could be out there waiting to pounce on them. As much as Isla wanted to get out of the situation, she didn't want to risk going over the border and be killed.
Lydia looked at Isla and then towards Carol, "I choose mine."
"Lydia, don't."
"You can't go out there." Carol told her, stepping forward. "It's too dangerous."
"You don't know who's out there Lyd, just, come back." Isla also tried.
Lydia snarled at Carol, her face turned into a grimace. "You can't stop me." Lydia started firmly, but Carol tried to move forward again. Lydia lifted up her stick, smacking Carol's stomach harshly, which made the woman groan.
Isla then saw Lydia run, past the barriers and into the darkness of Alpha's land. "Lydia!" She made an attempt to run after her, but Aaron caught her before she could. He grabbed her arm, putting his securely around her torso.
"Get off me! Lydia!" Isla yelled again.
"Sorry kid." Aaron muttered to her.