Roxi was finally able to break off from the group 2 miles down the road. A few of the others had protested, Aaron leading them strong and firm. In the end, Rick agreed to let her go- on the condition that she stay close.
"If- No, when we're ready to fight, we'll need you there. Your knowledge Roxi... We're going to need it. Take some time, but keep close. We'll find you when we're ready."
"Grapette..." Aaron was disappointed, he'd told Eric he'd try his hardest to bring Roxi home.
"Just tell Eric I'll see him soon. I'll see you all soon. I just need to lay low for now." She wrapped him in a hug.
She agreed with Rick and walked off into the woods with a final wave to everyone. She barely knew them and yet, she had come to care for these people. Especially Daryl. And she felt about Aaron and Eric as she had for Lucille. Were they now her brothers by circumstance, just as Rick and Daryl seemed to be? Were they all her family now? She'd tried and failed so hard to close off her heart from others since the loss of her twin...
She stayed closer to the Kingdom without realizing it, just walking at random through the woods. When the trees began to thin out as though reaching the edge, or a clearing, she pivoted on her feet and went in another direction. Walkers weren't prominent here, but she did take out a few lone ones.
As night began to fall, Roxi worried about where she'd sleep when she came upon a camper, hidden well within the trees and shrubbery. She drew her gun and knocked on the door. When no one answered, she considered going inside. Finally deciding against it, she walked around the side to where a ladder led up to the roof. Knowing it'd be better than sleeping out in the open, she quietly climbed up. If anyone was living inside the camper, she couldn't risk being heard.
The final rays of sunlight had disappeared and she settled herself over a bed of moss. It had been a long day. She'd seen two people she hadn't thought of since the start of the apocalypse. She'd seen a live tiger. And, she had knowingly kissed Daryl, and in front of people! She smiled at the memory. She liked this man, and felt it was safe to think he liked her back. In a way, she had her father to thank. He had set all of this in motion.
Roxi drifted off to sleep at the memory of his lips on hers, and how it made her feel. She thought she'd never experience butterflies in her stomach ever again.
"Roxi!" Lucille yelled.
"Over here!" Roxi ran toward her sister. Everywhere they looked, people seemed distorted, their faces peeling and eyes a milky white. Their limbs were moving in jerky, sudden motions and their teeth snapped open and shut as they tried to grab at them.
"Where are Mara and Denae?" Roxi asked as the two began running down the boardwalk, dodging the disfigured people.
"I don't know!" Lucille wailed through her tears. Her voice had rose a few octaves and she was on the verge of a full panic. "Roxi, what is happening!"
"RUN!" Roxi pushed her twin in front of her as a crowd came around a corner on their left. They were almost at the end of the boardwalk where the parking lot was. As long as they made it to their car, they could get home.
The grotesque creatures were gaining on them and Lucille began to whimper in fear. Roxi was every bit as terrified, but she masked it well in an attempt to soothe her sister. Finally, they reached the SUV they'd rented for their trip and piled in through the trunk, closing it just as something grabbed hold of Lucille's leg. Roxi slammed it down hard and the arm was left sitting between the two girls, flapping uselessly before the fingers went limp.
"What is happening?" Lucille repeated as they climbed into the front two seats. She took the drivers side while Roxi took the passenger seat. "What are those things?"
"They almost look like... Zombies. I don't know..." Roxi muttered.
"What are we going to do? Should we wait for Mara and Denae?"
Roxi couldn't think straight, should they wait? Those things had been trying to kill them. Was it smart to stay in the car and wait for two people that could be anywhere along the boardwalk? Her questions were answered as one of the things banged on the driver side window so forcefully that it cracked in one corner. With a second hit, the crack began to snake its way across the glass. It was desperate to reach the girls and Roxi didn't want to find out what it was after.
"We can't stay here. Drive." Roxi watched as her sister fumbled with the keys and dropped them between the seat and center console. She started to hyperventilate as the crack grew even longer against the windowpane. "Lucy?"
"I- I- I- I-" Lucille stammered through her words, thoughts running rampant. She felt like she was in a bad horror movie. Death was seconds away.
Acting quickly, Roxi lowered the visor above her sister, pulling out a spare key. She put it into ignition and the SUV roared to life.
"Lucy, DRIVE!"
Lucille floored it just as the glass shattered and a hand reached for her throat. Screaming herself hoarse, she sped out of the parking lot and the hand slipped away. A crunching sound was heard as the hands owner became victim to the SUV's wheels.
The scene changed. They were now in a vehicle with Negan and Stella, speeding off, only stopping as they reached an abandoned warehouse. They were joined by Simon, Dwight and Sherri, who'd been in a vehicle behind them. The three men ventured into the warehouse while the women stood between the two vehicles. Simon returned, giving them the all clear to move in for the night.
A scream sounded around them. Roxi whipped her head around to see Stella being pulled back by her hair by one of the dead.
"Mom!" Lucille ran up next to her mother as more of the dead staggered around the vehicle.
Roxi watched on in disgust as a chunk of Stella's shoulder was bit off. Yet another of the dead had fallen in its haste to grab hold, and was biting and clawing at her legs. Stella was yelling in pain and fear, unable to comprehend exactly what was happening.
"Lucy, get back!" Roxi tried to pull Lucille back, fighting one of the dead for possession of her twin.
"Mom! Where's mom!?" Lucille was screaming over and over as the two watched a group of the dead feasting on their now silent mother.
A shot rang out from behind them. Roxi was finally able to pull Lucille free from the dead and they stumbled backwards.
"Come on. Luce, come on!" Roxi coaxed her to her feet.
"Where's mom? Where's mom?" It had become a chant.
The images became distorted, before the scene changed again. They were now leaving the warehouse after a fitful night. Both girls were shocked at the loss of their mother and Lucille could still be heard whispering to herself, asking about Stella's whereabouts. If Negan was upset, he hid it well.
A few stray walkers were on the road as they began to get into the vehicles. Roxi was in the backseat with the door open and waiting for Lucille. But she wasn't there. Negan was looking at a map with Simon and Dwight, while Sherri looked over their shoulders.
"Lucy?" Roxi got out of the car and looked around. Lucille was feet away from one of the walking dead and Roxi began to panic. "Lucy!"
Lucille looked back with a smile on her face.
"Roxi, I found Mom! She's fine. See?" Lucille pointed to the reanimated corpse as it shuffled closer to her, it's arms outstretched. It was not Stella, but a random lone corpse.
"Lucille!" Negan said. He and the others had just realized what was happening. "Lucille, come here sweetheart."
"But why Daddy? It's mom. She's okay! She wants to come with us!" Lucille laughed maniacally.
"That is not your mother." Negan tried to break through her insanity without making her panic further. "Stella is going to meet us in town. Come on sweetheart, let's go."
"I don't want to go with you Daddy, I want to be with Mom!" The corpse had reached Lucille.
"Lucy, move away!" Roxi screamed and ran toward her sister.
Simon pulled out his gun and shot, nailing the corpse right in its head and sending it spread eagle on the ground, but not before it had bit Lucille.
"Oh..." She brought a hand to her neck and pulled it away, looking at the blood. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she slumped to her knees.
"Lucy?" Roxi reached her and shook her by the shoulders.
Lucille opened her eyes again and looked at Roxi. The others had gathered around them and Negan pulled both his daughters in his arms as Lucille's blood flowed freely from the bite.
"You have to.... In the head.... Seems like it's the only way..." Simon muttered.
"NO!" Negan said as Roxi turned to glare at Simon. How could he say such a thing?
"Dad, Roxi." Lucille said through her hysterical laughter that had started up again. "I just want to be with mom."
Negan looked at his eldest twin. He was confused, angry, upset. He started to cry.
"I can't. Sweetheart, I can't."
"Roxi?" She shook her head and Lucille looked up at her, begging with her eyes. "Please Rox... It hurts. I'd do it for you. I just want to be with mom. I just want to be with mom..."
Roxi wailed and started to cry. Neither she or Negan could seem to let go of Lucille as her life ebbed away. Her breathing stopped. If what they'd heard over the radio waves was true, she would turn into one of those walking dead corpses in a matter of seconds and attack them.
"Dad?" Roxi backed away from Lucille's body but Negan didn't move. She called to him again but he shook his head and continued to cry. The others didn't know what to do.
Roxi saw a hunting knife hanging from the jeans of the dead that had attacked Lucille. She pulled it off of the decaying body and looked at Simon.
"The skull..." He pointed at Lucille.
Roxi knelt down beside her twin and whispered her apology before plunging the knife into Lucille's head.
Roxi woke with a small yell of fear, before realizing she'd had a nightmare. Try as she might to get back to sleep, the look on Negan's face came to her minds eye, as clearly as if he was standing in front of her just now. His face, void of anything but hatred gave a whole new meaning to the expression "If looks could kill". It was in that moment that Roxi knew things would never be the same. That look had led them to this point.