©JRF2016
I woke up in some kind of little school yard, maybe. The glow of a campfire illuminating the silhouettes standing around it somewhat. I looked down at my burning wrists to see them bound by a sturdy piece of rope. I slid a finger under the rope and tugged as it slid down just a little I saw the red marks it was leaving on my wrists and I knew now why they burned. I wasn't real close to that fire but I felt the heat coming off of it. Tonight was a chilly night and that warmth was the only comfort I was going to get until I was back in Shane's arms. I heard growls and a pounding behind me as I jumped and turned my head to look. There was a mass of walkers gathering like moths to that flame and they were pounding on the glass. I found myself wondering just how long that glass could hold against their weight. "Ah, your up," Gareth spoke, "Sorry for the bump on the noggin sweetie, and the rope. I really do hate to see you in bondage, well this kind of bondage anyhow." He winked at me before continuing, "I couldn't chance you running away from me again." My head turned back around and I looked up at the slender man in front of me. Had we met outside the apocalypse I may have had some feelings for him. Truth be told he is exactly the kind of guy I'd go for, before this world went to shit. I couldn't stop these thoughts that crept into my mind, what his kiss tasted like, the feel of his lips against mine, the caress of his hands as they explored my body. I shivered as I pushed those thoughts out of my mind and replaced them with the muscular form of Shane's chiseled chest, his touch, his kiss. These thoughts caused my face to heat up. "Aww, babe you're blushing? Hope those are thoughts of me." He squatted down in front of me and brought his free hand up to my cheek, caressing it. He leaned down and lightly brushed his lips across mine in a tender kiss. I could feel myself almost get lost in it but I pulled away as I heard a loud thud against the glass behind me. I swung my head around to see a bohemeth of a dead man had just fallen into that window. "It will hold, at least for tonight. We'll be moving on in the morning." I turned around and my blue eyes locked with his dark brown ones. I finally noticed his other hand. He had meat. Where did they get meat? It's been getting scarce, even more so since we've been out here on the road. My mouth was beginning to water at the thought of having actual meat for a meal. He followed my gaze down to the meat in his hand and smiled. "Forgive me for not offering sooner. You must be hungry." He held out the meat bringing it in closer to my mouth. I hesitated not wanting to take anything from this guy. I didn't want to end up owing him anything buy eating their food. The meat grazed my lips when someone yelled, "Gareth!" He turned around to see the person and I was just about to take a big bite when he stood up pulling the savory piece of heaven away from my lips. "He's waking up." Bob. I had forgotten about Bob. Gareth took another bite and turned to me as he chewed, "When I get through I'll bring you a big plate all to yourself." He smiled at me. "I want to see Bob," I told him, "Let me talk to Bob." He looked down at me surprised, "You speak English? Well, that's a nice turn of events, I thought I was going to have to find a translator." My eyes pleaded with him and he pursed his lips together, "I don't think that's a good idea."
"Please, these people are my family." He didn't sway at all as he turned and walked away from me. I watched him walk over to where Bob was and I struggled to stand. With much effort I finally made it to my feet and walked slowly over to them. Gareth was making a speech about how it wasn't like this all the time, they had to become this way to survive, how we could have been part of their group. "You're either the cattle, or the butcher." He said causing me to be a little confused by that statement. He didn't even notice me behind him. He took a bite of the meat he still had in his hand and smiled at Bob. "You Taste better than I thought you would." I felt bile rising in my throat. I almost ate a piece of Bob! He proceeded to tell Bob that he preferred women, they generally had a much sweeter taste. I couldn't hold it down any longer and I puked. Gareth finally noticed my presence with the sound of the vomit sloshing on the ground. I stood up wiping the vomit from my chin. My eyes met Gareth's and I couldn't help but notice the softness in them when he looked at me. "Si cazzo malato!" {You sick fuck!} I screamed at him. He stood up walking over to me and cupped my face in his hand. "I can tell you're upset. I don't want you to be distressed." I stared into his eyes. "Let Bob go. Send him back to the family and I'll stay here. With you. If you let him go." I accented that last statement one more time. He seemed like he was really considering my offer when Bob started laughing uncontrollably. We all looked down at him. "He's lost his mind," one of the men said to Gareth. "You stupid jerk!" Bob yelled up at Gareth when he regained his composure. He reached for his shirt collar and yanked it down revealing a decaying bite wound. "I've been bit you sorry pricks! I'm tainted meat!" He screamed it again as I looked around and these awful people now spitting out their dinner on the ground. Everyone was starting to panic but Gareth stood calm. I had to hand it to myself, the man has a charisma about him, he was a leader. "It's fine." He said trying to calm his people, "We cooked it, it will be fine." He turned to me and I couldn't get that stupid grin off my face. "This is funny to you?" He asked rhetorically and I caught a glimpse of hurt in his eyes. He walked passed me slamming his shoulder into mine as he did almost knocking me to the ground. "I guess your wish is granted now. Bob gets to go back to the family in that cramped up church. And when he turns he'll kill them all." They hoisted Bob up and carried him away. I was left there with Mary keeping watch over me. She kept her distance and kept silent.
/////////////////////////////////
I was starting to panic. It has been two hours since Izzy went outside and this red-haired asshole is arguing about heading to Washington D.C. tonight. On top of Izzy going missing Bob, Daryl, and Carol were gone. "We're not leaving without our people," Rick sneered at Abraham as he got up into his face. I was right behind him, ready to jump in and have my brother's back as always. Glenn, being the only man in the room not filled with testosterone infused rage, jumped in between the three of us. "Just give us one night," he pleaded with Abraham, "One night, help us find our people and we'll leave with you in the morning, no matter what. Me and Maggie." Glenn looked back at her and she gave him an approving nod. Tara stepped in and offered to go as well. I threw my hands up in the air and growled. "Great," I said in frustration, "That's half our manpower." Rick placed a hand on my shoulder to calm me down. We were just standing there staring at each other when we heard noises outside. We eased open the door, peeking outside. Rick and I had our pistols ready when we saw Bob lying on the ground with a leg missing. We hurried up and shuffled him inside while Rick kept his gun raised and watched for anyone to jump out while we were distracted, but we were safe. We got Bob to the back room. He told us that this was the Terminians and they still had Isabella. He also informed was that he was bitten when they went on the run to the food bank. We all hung our heads as we said our last goodbyes, and we just waited. We had all left the room and went back into the church, except Rick. He stayed back with Judith to talk to Bob a minute.
We forged our plan to go rescue my Izzy. Rick, Abraham, Michonne, and I walked outside that church and started down to this small school. We had gotten the distance and direction from Gabriel before we left.
///////////////////////////////////////////
We watched from the woods as Rick and the other three walked back to the schoolyard we were camped at. I slowly opened the door looking around the darkened church. "We know you're in here," I called out in the dark, "We watched Rick leave with the other two and the Samurai. So that leaves Carl, Maggie, and Judith. Bob, unless you've put him out of his misery already." I softened as I said that last part. Nothing. "This place isn't very big. We'll find you." Still nothing but silence. "We outnumber you and we've got more than enough ammo to blast this place apart." I was getting impatient now. There were two doors at the back of the church. Half of us pointed our weapons at the door on the left and the other half pointed our weapons at the one on the right. Suddenly we heard a little cry from behind the door on the right. "I'm starting to like this kid, maybe we'll keep her." I chuckled as I glanced over at Martin and we steadied our guns on that door. "Put your weapons down," Rick's stern voice came loud and clear through the darkness. I turned to see the four had returned, well they had only pretended to leave apparently. "You're outnumbered and outgunned," I said not showing any fear of these four when a shot rang through the church and my hand began to sting. I felt a warm liquid slide down my hand as I looked at it in shock. This part seemed to be moving in slow motion as I fell to my knees and Rick walked up to me. I pleaded with him to let us go, tears stinging my eyes from the pain in my hand. He had taken off two of my fingers with that shot. "We'll leave, never cross your path again." Rick's head tilted to the side. "But you'd do this to someone else, anybody else," he stated more than asked, "Besides, I already made you a promise." Before I even knew what was happening that red handled machete he threatened me with was coming down on my head.
////////////////////////////////////////////////
I stood there with my hands still bound and watched as them carry Bob away. I started to run after them when I was knocked to the ground. Through blurred vision I blinked my eyes and tried to focus on the figure standing above me. I noticed it was Mary as I lay there still trying to focus on her but swaying back and forth as stars danced around my head. "You're gonna pay for that bitch." I uttered those words before falling backward hitting the hard ground.
I don't know how long I was out but when I came to Mary was sitting across from me with a hard stare locked in on me. I sat up the best I could with my hands still bound and swiped at my face with the backs of them. I could feel the stickiness of the dried blood all over my face. I sat myself straight up and propped my elbows on my knees staring at the older lady. "I did tell you that you were going to pay for this right?" I pointed my thumb back up toward my face as Mary smiled and nodded. "You did, but I don't see how you are going to do anything." She looked down at me feet causing me to look down as well. Damn. She had tied my feet up while I was past out. I shrugged. "It's just an extra challenge. I'll get out of it." I sat there wondering just how I was going to get out of this and trying not to show her that I really had no clue. I finally remember Papá's knife. I took it from him when I buried him and I kept it in my boot. I felt a tear start to slip down my cheek and I quickly swiped at it before she could see. When she turned her back I pulled the knife out of my boot and dropped it on the ground behind my feet just as she turned back to face me. She apparently gave up talking to me because she just sat there staring. I let my elbows fall off my knees landing my hands on the ground on top of my knife. I was waiting for her to move closer so I could stab her. I couldn't cut the rope without her knowing that I was doing it and she still had the shovel beside her. Finally I decided to speak and see if I could get her riled up enough to come over to me. "Your son ain't back yet. It's been a while, you think Rick and our people killed him?" I could see anger growing in her face and I couldn't help the small smile on mine. 'Bingo!' I thought, 'Momma's got a soft spot when it comes to her boy and death.'
"Yep, Rick and my boys are probably standing over his rotting corpse right now, laughing at his dumb ass."
"Gareth isn't stupid. It's your people that are dead right now." I laughed at the absurd thought. I mean, she could very well be right, but at the same time I know Rick and Shane and they are going to do whatever it takes to keep Judith and Carl safe. "You keep tellin' yourself that, if it makes ya feel better. It ain't the truth, that ain't how it's gonna go down. Your boys ain't no match for my boys." I looked down at my hands hovering over my Papá's blade. I was actually proud of myself and I knew Papáwould be proud too. I couldn't let up, he wouldn't. She'll make a move for me soon and I can do what I need to do to get out of here. The smile on my face grew wider as I thought of how my Papáwould handle this and how proud he would be of me and the way I was handling it. "Yep, he's probably layin' in a pool of blood right now. That is if my boys left any part of him to bleed." I barely glanced up when she lunged for me screaming, "You think this is funny? You think this is a game?" She startled me and the blade slipped through my fingers as she knocked me on my back. She was kneeling over me and her hands were moving for my throat. I quickly moved my folded hands up and plunged them into her face as hard as I could. I didn't give her time to recover from the first blow before I hit her again, and again and again. She finally fell backward off me and I flipped over running my hands along the dirt trying to find my Papá's knife. I was on my hands and knees facing her when she finally gained enough composure to start at me again, this time not as quick though. As she moved to me I rolled on the ground causing her to fall forward and almost landing on her face. From my knees I spun around and jumped on her back throwing my arms over the back on her head and pulling back against her neck. Tightening my grip harder and harder until she gasped her last breath and her limp body fell to the ground with me still latched onto her. As I went forward I flipped myself over her and back onto my knees. "That's what happens when you fuck with a Dixon, bitch." Now that I had plenty of time to look I scanned the ground for Papá's knife, no way I was leaving without it. I finally saw the glint in the dim firelight and I crawled my way over to it and started sawing at my rope bonds.
About the time I got the ropes cut free from my wrists and ankles Mary began to twitch and groan. "Shit," I mumbled, "She's turning already." I grabbed Papá's knife by the blade and flipped it up so that the handle came back down and landed in my palm. I stood up and walked over to Mary's freshly reanimated corpse and dropped the blade down piercing her skull and then ripping it back out. I stood to my feet just as I heard the crash of glass shattering all over the sidewalk. My head shot over to the building as walkers poured in through that small window. "Gotta run," I said to myself as I turned and tried to make my way back to that little church and Shane's big, strong arms.