𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐒.
chapter twenty; Solitary Confinement
" Would you just— just let me take care o' you? "
RICK WAS SHOCKED, to say the least when he and Daryl approached Vex for help clearing out the yard of corpses and bringing vehicles inside the fences, and she denied.
Not once in the nearly year that they'd been on the road had Vex ever disagreed with Rick, and even if she did, she still respected the calls he made.
"What do you mean 'no'?"
"I mean, while I was out there with you, helping some inmates clear a cell block," Vex said, standing, "My daughter was running out to the infirmary with your kid. Killing walkers, looting the place."
Rick swallowed thickly.
"Our deal has always been if you want me and my brother to go out; hunting, scouting, killing, clearing," She listed, "That my kid is taken care of at camp. She wasn't. So Dean or I are staying back from now on."
"Vex, I'm sorry, but we--"
"There is no but, Rick," Vex stressed, "I'm not leaving my kid when I know she won't be watched properly-- not today, not tomorrow."
"Bring her out with us today," Rick said calmly, "When it's somethin' dangerous, we'll have another conversation then."
"I'm not leaving my kid to wander off and get killed," Vex argued, "I've done everything else, I won't do that."
Vex looked between Rick and Daryl, before departing.
Vex mulled it over for a long while. Most of the group had gone out to help already, but her anger for the better of her.
Until she thought about it.
Vex departed to her daughter's cell, whistling once, making Zeppelin jolt out of bed.
"Come on," Vex said, resting her hands on her hips as Carl watched the interaction, "You wanna be involved, you're gettin' involved."
Zeppelin pulled her baseball hat onto her head, scurrying to follow her mother to the yard.
"Wanna drive Uncle Dean's truck?" Vex questioned as they approached the group at the gate.
"Really?" Zeppelin questioned with wide eyes.
"If you can reach the pedals," Vex teased.
Rick and Daryl watched the interaction closely, as Vex approached her brother, clapping her hands on his shoulders.
She seemed in high spirits considering she'd chewed Rick out shortly before.
"Keys please," Vex grinned, "Zep's gonna move the truck."
Dean's eyes widened, looking between his sister and niece.
"You sure?"
"Hell, I was driving at 13, Dean-- and that was when laws mattered."
He breathed out a laugh, shaking his head as he passed his keys to Vex.
The woman exited the gate, opening the truck and ushering Zeppelin into the driver's seat. The girl nervously placed her hands on the wheel, grinning as her mother climbed into the truck beside her.
"Alright, turn it over," Vex pointed, passing the key to Zeppelin.
She obeyed, her smile widening as the truck rumbled to like.
"Okay," Vex smiled, "Put your foot on the brake-- pedal on the left. You're gonna put it in drive, and slowly let your foot off-- the gas doesn't exist right now."
Zeppelin nodded, pressing the brake down before grabbing the knob by the steering wheel, pulling it until a 'D' appeared on the dash. She lifted her foot slowly, the truck crawling forward slowly.
"Turn the wheel as far left as you can," Vex said, watching her daughter do this, "Now you're gonna put your foot on the gas gently."
Zeppelin lowered her foot, making the truck lurch forward. Vex only laughed as her daughter slammed on the brake, before trying again.
"You'll get used to it in a little bit," Vex nodded as the girl successfully turned the truck around, "Now we're goin' through this gate, but I don't want you to think about the sides of the truck at all. Focus your eyes on where you wanna go, and that's where it'll follow."
Zeppelin nodded, her nerves rising as she approached the gate Glenn and Dean stood at. She stared right ahead to the field, where her mother pointed she'd be parking the truck. The girl drove slowly, creeping along the grass, listening to her mother instruct her as she turned the wheel, before putting the truck in park.
Vex held her hand out, her daughter hitting it in a proud high-five.
"Help Uncle Dean, get some firewood," Vex smiled lazily, "I have a surprise for you inside."
"What?"
"Well, do you wanna know, or you wanna be surprised?"
Zeppelin thought over it for a moment.
"I wanna know."
"I found a bow a couple houses back," Vex admitted, "Nice one. I was thinkin' you might learn how to shoot it."
Zeppelin could barely contain herself.
"Get that firewood; once the yard is cleaned out, we'll do some practice."
The girl nodded eagerly, nearly stumbling out of the vehicle as her mother headed back toward the prison.
Zeppelin ran quickly toward her uncle, who was accompanied by Glenn, Rick, and Daryl at the fence they'd cut open.
"Whatcha' doin' out here, kid?"
"Mom told me to help get firewood," Zeppelin grinned as she skidded to a halt in front of the men, "She's gonna teach me how to shoot a bow once we're done."
They couldn't help but smile.
"I'll be like Daryl," Zeppelin grinned, mocking the movement of firing an arrow, "Won't it be so cool?"
"D'ya hear that, Dixon, it'll be so cool?" Dean laughed, turning to the man.
Daryl only scoffed, but the ghost of a smile on his face said otherwise.
Glenn began undoing the tie that kept the fence closed as Zeppelin chattered on about the bow; Daryl and Rick ducked outside to collect wood and returned fairly quickly.
"Hey, look," Zeppelin smiled, looking back to the prison, "It's Hershel."
The group turned, watching Hershel emerge from the building on crutches. He had company, most of the group in the courtyard; even Vex was standing beside him with a grin on her face and a compact bow in her hand.
Dean couldn't hide his relief if he tried. He'd been terrified Hershel wouldn't wake up, and even if he did, that it'd be no way for a man to survive in the world as it was.
But with fences and gates around them, with Hershel already up and moving, Dean had faith everything would be okay.
Until he saw the swarm of walkers approaching the group.
"No!"
🗡
Vex Williams was shooting. She calmed only slightly once she saw Maggie, Carl, and Lori escape the yard, and Hershel and Beth had locked themselves behind a fence.
"The gate's open!"
"Come on, on me!" Vex yelled to T-Dog and Carol, "T, I'll cover you, close the gate--"
"Cover Carol," T-Dog disagreed as they ran to the fence, "I'll be fine!"
Vex hesitated, but obeyed, stopping with Carol at a door, and turning to shoot oncoming walkers as Carol worked to open the prison.
The woman holstered her pistol, retrieving her bowie knife to save the most ammo she could. Vex had her rifle slung over her shoulder, the bow long forgotten on the ground, but wanted to save this for when she needed it most.
"No!"
Vex craned her neck, her heart dropping as she spotted a large wound on T-Dog's shoulder.
Walkers were closing in on them, both Carol and Vex shouting for T-Dog-- he shot the walker that had bitten him before hurrying after the women through the door.
Daryl felt his heart climb into his throat as he looked around the courtyard once he, Rick, Glenn, Daryl, and Zeppelin finally made their way inside.
"Vex!" He yelled roughly, "Vex!"
He plucked off walkers easily, backing away from the grouping of them.
"She went with Carol and T-Dog-- he was bit," Dean informed, rushing to join Daryl.
"Alright," Daryl mumbled, taking out another walker
"I have to go—" Zeppelin said shakily, tears in her eyes.
"No," He said quickly, "I'm goin', you stay with Dean."
"But Daryl—"
"Hey, I promise you, kid," Daryl said, "I'm bringing your mom outta there."
🗡
"There's a set of double doors that'll lead to a corridor that'll get you back to our cell block. Vex knows the way, she'll be able to get you--"
"No, you should stop--"
"I'm getting y'all as far as I can--!"
"You should stop!"
T-Dog halted, leaning up against a wall, one hand covering his wound as he stared at the two women before him, an alarm blaring through the building.
"Why? Sit here and wait to die?"
"We won't let you turn, T," Vex said quietly.
"I can't ask that."
"It's the pact, remember?" Carol said as T-Dog began moving again.
"This is God's plan," T-Dog said, "He'll take care of me. Always has. He's gonna help me lead you outta these tunnels."
The women continued after T-Dog, despite their arguments.
"T--"
"I'm getting you back," He said, looking to Vex, "You gotta daughter that needs you alive."
She pursed her lips, swallowing the thought, and continuing on.
Until they heard the familiar groans of walkers.
"We have to turn back," Vex said, grabbing Carol's hand, "T, we have to go back--"
"No," He said as two walkers turned the corner, "We're close."
Vex moved to help the man as he charged the walkers, pushing them against a wall.
"Go!" He ordered, "Go! I'm dead."
Vex felt a rush of panic as one bit T-Dog's arm, only jolted into motion as Carol moved, opening a door and continuing running despite her tears.
"This way," Vex said quickly, hearing walkers shuffling ahead of them, "Come on, Carol!"
The women ran, hand in hand, further and deeper into the prison-- but there were more. Too many. At every turn, there was another one-- Vex and Carol could only take so many, and now, with how far they'd go, Vex lost all sense of direction.
"Here, go in here," Vex said, opening a closet, "I'll clear the hallway--"
"Vex, no--"
The woman turned, seeing a grouping of them approach.
"You're out of bullets, you're out of energy," Vex said, "I'll come get you when it's clear, Carol, just--!"
Carol's tears started again as Vex urged the woman into the small cell, unable to fight back.
They'd run for too long. Fought for too long. Vex had practice running on empty, but Carol hadn't yet, and she felt a wave of guilt as Vex closed the door on her, before she kept on running.
🗡
It had been two days. Two days where Zeppelin cried with Beth Greene, two days where Dean's anger made its first display, two days where Daryl wouldn't talk.
It was heavy air, alongside the new child and Lori's death, and the possibility of Vex and Carol's lives were falling slimmer and slimmer.
Daryl went out, yet again. Dean had, too, but he'd denied the very idea of anyone joining him.
He wanted to have hope. That he'd find Vex and Carol alive and well, especially after finding Carol's knife lodged into the throat of a walker. But the hope felt so familiar to the same feeling he'd had looking for Sophia, and this alone was hard to ignore.
🗡
Vex Williams was at least half sure she was going to die.
Granted, she'd thought this many times before and lived life right past those moments— today felt even bleaker.
She'd managed to get Carol into a safe hiding spot, so at least Vex could live with herself if she did have to die— but she didn't exactly love the idea of leaving Zeppelin in the care of her brother; they were far too alike.
Vex swung around the corner, quickly taking down three walkers with quick, silent shots, before ducking into a new room.
It had been hours. Maybe even days.
She tried to clear the hall, and every time she thought she had, four more came out of nowhere.
Vex plunged a knife into the skull of one lone walker in the room, before blockading the door with a desk. She began to search for another exit, knowing the one she came from meant almost certain death.
If she died, Dean would let Zeppelin stay up every night and eat ice cream for breakfast. He'd let her meet any new stranger she wanted, and tell them her entire life story.
The woman cursed loudly as she found nothing. No food, no exit-- no hope.
But, Dean wouldn't make Zeppelin do homework. And she needed someone to make her do her homework. She needed someone more careful, more cautious— just as much as Vex needed someone as wild and free as her daughter.
There was no choice, Vex thought, she had to make it out.
For her daughter. For Carol.
Vex counted out the remainder of her bullets, thankful for her crazy brother for once.
The woman reloaded her rifle, along with the pistol strapped to her thigh, and ensured she'd actually kept the damn bowie knife.
And then she cracked the door open, eyeing the number of walkers outside.
Vex plucked off a couple while staying mostly behind the door, she searched the hallway wildly for an exit before ducking back into the room when the swarm grew too heavy.
There wasn't anything in sight, so she'd have to make a run for it if she had any hope of escaping.
It was starve or die fighting.
Vex sighed in frustration, taking a deep sigh as she pulled the chain of her dog tags, tugging them out of her shirt.
She ran the metal between her fingers, as if for good luck.
As if they had ever given her any luck. As if they were something other than a token of her trauma, a hanging reminder of the friends she'd watched die long before the world fell apart, and the months she spent away from her child.
She held them as if they meant something.
And then she wrenched the desk out of the way, pulled the door open, and unloaded on the swarm of walkers.
Daryl heard gunshots.
A steady stream, and then they stopped.
But he knew it was her, as the sound of bodies hitting the floor continued.
He started running, carelessly taking out walkers as they approached him— he was focused only on one thing.
Daryl turned a corner quickly, finally spotting the mass of the walkers surrounding Vex Williams.
She was covered in blood, the color of her face barely visible beneath the red of it all. Vex moved like a machine— stationed at the end of the hall as if it were her final stand, picking off walkers like it was her life's purpose.
The man went into motion instantly, starting his takedown of the back half, matching her pace almost perfectly.
And when Vex ran out of bullets, she pulled out her knife, carelessly slaughtering the remainder until the last one fell.
Until she saw another, and she lunged without hesitation.
"Vex, it's me!"
Daryl struggled, holding the woman's wrist, her knife inches away from his face.
He could tell she was not entirely present. That two days of isolation in a life-or-death headspace with PTSD didn't do great things for her mind.
But he wasn't going to give up after coming this far.
"Vex," He tried again, "It's me, come on!"
Daryl groaned in frustration, squeezing his wrist to force her to drop the knife.
She thrashed like a wild animal as he attempted to cage her in his arms, the woman never giving up as he did.
"It's me, Vex, it's Daryl," He continued, trying to restrain the woman, "Come on!"
Her strength faltered but didn't halt.
"Vex, it's me," He repeated like it was a mantra— a fucking prayer to a God he didn't believe in.
Daryl grabbed her face in both hands, forcing her eyes to his, attempting to wipe at least some of the blood from her skin.
"Vex, you with me?" He questioned, "You here? You're safe. You're good."
Vex's breathing slowed, her eyes never leaving Daryl's as he continued his weak attempt at cleaning the blood from her face.
"You hurt?" He asked.
Vex shook her head slowly, only just realizing her hands were squeezing Daryl's arms that kept her steady.
"It's not my blood," Vex croaked.
"Good," Daryl said.
"Carol," Vex realized, "You— you have to get Carol, she's in a solitary cell—"
"I'm gettin' you right now," Daryl cut off, "I'll get her next."
"But she's not safe— I didn't— I left her. . . I thought it was safer. . . She needs food. . ."
Vex blinked slowly, exhaustion setting in as her knees buckled beneath her.
"Okay," Daryl said, catching the woman, "You did good, Vex."
He shifted, slinging his crossbow over his shoulder before looping in arm under her knees, picking the woman up.
She let him, her body failing where her mind didn't. Her legs were tingling, arms burning, begging for rest— but her mind raced.
Carol— where was Carol? And what about Zeppelin, had she been saved? Was Dean with her? Where was Beth? Carl and Lori? Who was safe?
"Daryl. . ."
He looked down at the whisper, walking carefully toward the door he'd entered.
"My daughter?" Vex managed quietly, through the lump in her throat.
"She safe," Daryl said quietly, "With your brother."
"How. . . about Beth?"
"Would you just—" Daryl grumbled, kicking the door open, "Just let me take care o' you?"
Vex squinted in the blinding sun, letting her head rest against the man's chest.
"Just. . . this one time."
WORD COUNT : 2928