(HUGE TW!! Mentions of s/a!!)
(OG POV (Adrian Walsh's):) I sit down at the table in the morning just as Michonne says, "I wish we had some soy milk." As she's pouring her cereal into the bowl.
Carl and I exchange disgusted glances as he says, "Seriously?"
Michonne smiles, "Yes, seriously. Have you ever tried it?"
"My best friend in third grade, he was allergic to dairy." I pour a bowl of cereal for myself as Carl continues talking.
"And every day he would bring this soy stuff to lunch. I tried it-"
"And?" Michonne eagerly asks.
"I threw up!" Carl says, laughing. I giggle as I spoon cereal into my mouth.
Michonne scoffs, "Oh, yeah, right."
"Alright, alright, I almost threw up. But I was like..." Carl fake gags and pretends to almost throw up. Michonne and I laugh as he says, "It was so gross. I mean, literally. I would rather have powdered milk than to drink that stuff again. I would rather have Judith's formula-"
Everybody pauses and our smiles fade. It's silent for a moment before Carl stands up and says, "I'm gonna go finish my book. I have a couple chapters left." He walks out of the dining room and Michonne and I look at each other.
She scoots her chair back and stands up, "I'm gonna go talk to Rick."
I nod and sit back, leaving my bowl of cereal.
Okay, Alyssa was on the bus which means they went east. I can head out tonight and head that way. If nobody wants to come I'll meet up with them here.
I stand up and walk into the living room to look for my dagger in my backpack.
From the living room, I hear Rick say, "I can't be his father and his best friend."
I leave the dagger and walk into the kitchen to see what they're talking about because I'm nosy.
I lean against the doorframe behind Michonne. "What secrets are y'all not lettin' me in on?"
Michonne turns to me, "Carl and I are gonna go from house to house. Look for stuff." I straighten up, "Oh, cool, I'll grab my st-"
"No. Just Carl and I. Someone needs to be on Rick watch till we get back."
I raise an eyebrow, "I'm pretty sure Rick can handle himself. My whip is too dry and has no Walker blood on it, please."
"No. You need to stay here in case there's complications with Rick." I scoff,
"'Complications.'" I mutter.
Michonne smirks and walks past me, "You were complaining about getting no sleep last night." She turns and walks backward. "Now's your chance."
"But shouldn't I be with Rick all hours of the day and have my finger up his ass to check his heart rate?"
"We'll be back by noon!" Her voice comes from the stairs, I can't see her but I can tell she's laughing to herself.
"Adrian." I hear Rick's voice from behind me. I turn around and look at him. He looks like shit.
He's got a cut on his nose and basically everywhere else on his body, a black eye while the other one is swollen shut, and a cut lip. His brown flannel is missing a sleeve and he's covered in dirt and sweat.
"Carl brought something up yesterday." He recalls, his voice is raspy and deep.
I tilt my head in confusion, "And..."
"And I never properly explained your dad's...death." I inhale sharply and nod, putting my hands in my back pockets.
"Don't." I say, shaking my head. "Adrian-" "Don't." This time, I say it more firmly. I take a step closer to Rick. "I'm not gonna say he deserved it but...you did it for a reason. The right reason. He lost it...he was obsessed with Lori." I sigh, "And I know all too well what it feels like for someone to be insanely obsessed with you."
Rick nods in understanding, "He was my best friend. I didn't want to."
"I know, I know. For a while, I was pissed at you. But I was pissed at everything and everyone. I don't think that was..." I pause for a moment.
"Him."
Rick and I went into different bedrooms, he went into the master and I went into the other kid's bedroom.
I've been lying awake for probably an hour and a half.
'Lyss could have been kidnapped by random ass people. She could be bit. She could have never made it out of the prison.
I'm leaving tomorrow morning to find Alyssa. Whether anyone wants to come or not.
I hear commotion downstairs, it sounds like banging.
"The fuck?" I whisper, standing up off the bed and putting my fake foot on quickly before walking to the steps.
A man grunts before saying, "You're a coward." Another man says, "No, I'm sorry." "You're a lying coward. That's all you'll ever be." The same man grunts.
"No, no, I'm sorry. Don't do this, please." There's so much fear in this man's voice that it worries me. His voice is shaky and high-pitched.
"What the hell'd you say to me?" This man's voice is booming, fierce. He's the leader. If there is anyone else, they haven't said anything yet.
"I said don't do this." "No, this isn't your business!" "I'm sorry, man." "Aw, shut up." "I'm so sorry. No, don't." "It's gonna happen."
"We can work this out. Please, don't do this." The scared man continues to plead. "It's gonna happen." The leader repeats.
"No, no, no, please. Please don't. Please!" I want to run down there and help him but I know it's not safe.
THUD
My heart stops as something hits the man and he lets out a scream of agony. I can't tell what happened or who did it or anything like that but the man continues to scream in pain, and the men laugh.
I don't listen anymore, I just try to think of an escape plan.
They're downstairs. My room's windows lead outside so maybe I could...
Rick.
Is he awake? How do I go to wake him up without being seen or heard? What about Michonne and Carl? What time is it?
As I'm trying to think of what to do, Rick walks out of his room and we make eye contact.
A man's voice causes Rick and I to look away from each other and to the stairs. "Y'all stay down there if you want." A man says as he begins walking up the steps.
Rick and I look at each other again before he waves me to hide in my room. I nod quickly and run inside the room, closing the door quietly behind me. I quietly run to the bed and crouch down to hide under it but then cuss silently.
It's the type of bed with built-in cabinets under it. There's no spot for me to hide under it. The safest option is for me to hide in the closet so I quickly run and crouch down behind a few boxes, leaving the closet door cracked open very slightly so I can see what's happening.
My heart pounds in my ears and adrenaline courses through my veins as I grip my gun, ready to fire at any given moment.
The door creaks open and heavy footsteps walk into the room. It's a man in a black jacket, a blue shirt, black ripped jeans, and a machine gun.
He searches through the room before stopping in front of the closet. I cover my mouth to stifle the ragged breaths coming out of my lungs as my hands shake from the adrenaline.
The closet gets ripped open and the man looks around before looking down.
We make eye contact and he smiles a predatory smile. "Why, hello there." His voice is raspy and deep. His hand grips my bicep tightly and he yanks me out of the closet.
"Get your fuckin' hands off me!" I yell. I'm struggling to get out of his grasp as he grabs my gun out of my hand and holds it to my head. I immediately stop moving.
"Walk." I nod and walk out of the room with him. I make wide-eyed-eye contact with Rick as he hides under his bed. I can tell he wants to stand up to help me but it's not safe for him. I don't blame him.
"Joe!" The man holding me yells. "Lookie what I found 'ere!" "Come down and show me your damn self!" The same man who sounded like the leader yells. I assume the man who was talking before was this man, Joe.
"'s go." The man behind me orders, shoving me to walk forward. "I can walk my fuckin' self." I grunt, walking down the steps.
He doesn't respond, he just pushes the gun further into my head.
Once we make it down the steps, the man holding me brings me into a kitchen.
A white-haired man wearing an all-black outfit, minus his jean jacket, turns and looks at us.
"Woah-ho-ho! Look at what we have here!" He exclaims, clapping his hands together.
"And who might you be, lil' lady?" My breathing is heavy and my eyes are narrowed as I spit, "Don't fuckin' call me 'Lil' lady' asshole."
"Woah! We got ourselves a sassy one, don't we!" He puts his hands on his thighs and bends down to be at eye level with me.
My teeth are clenched and my eye contact never wavers from his.
"Why don't you tell us what to call you, then." I feel his hot breath on my face as he speaks. His tone is almost like a warning. Like a "do what he says" type of tone.
"Adrian." I hiss.
"Adrian? Well, what kind of fuckin' name is that?" He looks at the man holding me, "Go check for more." I hear the man behind me grunt and his hand releases from my bicep. I glare at him as he walks away.
I turn back to Joe and stand straight with my chin up, trying to not look nervous.
If I hit him, could I escape without injuries?
I look around at their machine guns and muscles.
No.
"The name you're gonna remember for all the wrong reasons."
"Oo! Even fiestier than I thought!" I look to the left and see a man passed out on the ground. He's beaten brutally and is missing a leg.
Joe follows my gaze to the man. "Oh, you're lookin' at Chris. Well, see now, Chris? He's a liar. That's one of our rules here. Don't lie, and you won't get punished." He straightens up and looks me in the eye, "You're with us now. Got it?"
"Fuck you." Joe chuckles, looking around. "I don't think you heard me correctly." He turns back to me and his face drops, "You are with us now."
"No." Joe scoffs angrily and narrows his eyes. It looks like there's fire in them, I wonder how far he can be pushed.
"What? You think that was a question?" He growls. "You're with us or you're dead. Either one."
I can't find Alyssa if I'm dead.
I clench my jaw in response, and he smirks. "Well, looks like you've finally come on board!" He turns to the man standing next to the passed-out man on the floor. "Clean up your mess, Harley. This'll be our abode for the night."
My blood runs cold.
I have to get them out of here. Rick's here. Michonne and Carl don't even know what's happening.
"There's a bigger house down the street." I suggest. "No. I like this house." Joe turns back to me. "Oh! I almost forgot! The rules. Our group consists of two main rules." He uses his pointer and middle finger to show two.
"One, if you find something you want, you have to yell 'claimed'. Two, you have to be honest at all times. Break these rules..." He clicks his tongue and uppercuts the air. "Even if you're a girl."
"Speaking of which!" He claps his hands together. "You're ours now. Which means, whenever we want you." He takes a step closer. "We can have you." My breath shudders as I feel his hand on my hip.
Without thinking, I quickly bring my hand up and slap him across the cheek. His head turns to the left and his eyes squeeze shut at the force of the slap.
Fuck.
He chuckles angrily, "I don't think I made myself clear." He grabs both of my wrists and pins them above my head up against the wall next to me. "Whenever we want you." His head leans in to whisper in my ear, "We can have you."
My breath shudders and my heart pounds. Rage, fear, and worry rise through my body as his hand tightens on my wrist.
"You underestimate me." I breath. He scoffs, "We'll see about that." His hand releases me and he takes a step back. "Tony, Len, get your asses down here." He yells.
I whimper quietly at the sight of six men staring at me, hungrily.
My hands shake and I push myself up against the wall behind me.
Be scary, not scared.
I straighten up and look at all of them. My hand itches to grab my whip and crack it on their heads though I know I can't do it in time, I'm not even gonna attempt.
Joe grabs a neon yellow tennis ball and bounces it on the hardwood floor, the sound reverberating throughout the house. "Yo, you hear me?" He yells, walking out of the kitchen.
With the absence of Joe, I feel even more vulnerable as all the men stare at me and my body.
Of course, I'm wearing tight, ripped black jeans and a tight army green t-shirt tucked in.
"Claimed." The man closest to me rasps.
My heart stops and my blood runs cold.
"Nick, I don't want to," I say, sitting with my legs hugged to my chest on the bed.
Nick's jaw clenches, "Does it look like I care?" He climbs on the bed, grabs my ankles, and pulls me to where I'm lying down. He climbs on top of me and hovers over me, "I'm the man. You do as I say. I can tie you up if that's what you prefer."
I shake my head, "No, just...go quick."
Dread and panic rise so fast through my body that I go lightheaded for a split second.
The man takes a step closer to me and I push myself further on the wall. "Don't fuckin' touch me." I warn.
He tenses his body forward like he's going to do something and I flinch way harder than I would have liked to.
He chuckles and straightens up, "Yeah. You're not gonna do shit." One of his sand-paper hands grabs ahold of my bicep and he pulls me toward him before walking, pulling me alongside him.
"Get off of me!" I plead, trying to sound a lot scarier than I actually am.
He drags me up the steps and into the room I was found in. Tears form in my eyes as I get thrown onto the bed. The man climbs on the bed and pins me down, his rough hands squeezing my wrists
"No! NO!" I scream through gritted teeth, trying to fight the man off as he tries to strip me. "Stop! Please!" Tears stream down my face as my shaky hands try to shove him off of me.
Two punches land on my cheekbone and eye as he grabs my face with both hands, "CLAIMED!" He screams in my face. I just let out a sob of fear, not even trying to say anything.
"Yo! John, close the damn door!" Joe yells. The door slams shut, leaving me alone with this neanderthal.
The man quickly grabs his knife and slashes my shirt open, revealing my bra to him.
His eyes light up with hunger, his movements become quicker and more fevered.
"Stop. Moving." He grunts. He grabs my right arm and brings it to my left, grabbing both of them with one of his hands and pinning them above my head.
No. This isn't fucking happening.
I muster up all of the strength I have to kick him right between the legs. He grunts in pain but his eyes just fuel with anger. "Fine." He rasps, flipping me over to where I'm on my stomach. He pins my head down as I scream out for help.
If Rick is still here, now's his chance to work up the courage to grab a gun and blast these mother fuckers.
The man's hands scoot under my waist and unbutton my pants. He grips my waistband and slides my pants down below my knees. Cool air washes over my thighs as his hand runs up and down them.
"PLEASE!" I scream, desperately trying to find some sort of humanity in this "man". I'm so scared right now it's the most scared I've ever been. Nick catching me with all of my saved-up cash doesn't even compare. Nothing Nick has ever done compares to what I feel right now.
The back of a gun collides with my skull, "Shut. Up." Pain courses through my head, a whimper escapes my lips at the force of the blow.
I begin crying, losing the strength and energy to try and fight him off.
Eventually, I give up, and allow myself to go fully limp.
I'm sitting on the bed, curled up in a ball with my back to the wall.
The man left the room a few minutes ago, leaving me alone. He barricaded the door from the outside so I can't get out from the door and the windows are rusted shut.
My clothes are back on but I haven't fixed my shirt yet.
I feel nothing,
Empty.
Back to square one, touching people is a no-go.
(Summary:) Adrian stays back with Rick. She gets caught by a group as they invade their home. A man does something terrible to her as he as allowed to since he "claimed" her.