AUTHOR'S NOTE – This is about Sherry in the Walking Dead comic books. I may take some liberties (in fact, be prepared for a LOT of liberties) because the comic books have only really mentioned her a handful of times. So far, she is a very underrated character. So instead of wallowing in pity and I wish Robert Kirkman would do (he's a very busy guy, after all), I went to FanFiction to fill the void. I hope you enjoy this. This will cross in between what has happened in the comic books but what has also happened in the show (so Daryl, Beth, and whomever is not in the comics will appear in this fanfiction eventually).
In this first "novel," you will get to know Sherry. My version of Sherry. Forewarning! She could be very different from the comics, but how can you know because you don't really know much about her (personality wise). So the world is my oyster on this one! There will be lots of Negan for those who love that sadistic character. If you love him, what the hell is wrong with you?
Here goes nothing. I hope you enjoy what I have to offer in TWD FanFiction universe. First time writing FanFiction. Again, here goes nothing!
Act 1
Chapter 1
Present Day
October 9, 2010
Unknown Location
The fire crackled in the darkness as smoke drifted up to the starry sky beyond the branches above. It should have been a peaceful setting while resting in the forest and listening to crickets in the distance.
It used to be.
Before the dead walked the earth.
Gazing at the flames as they danced with the wind, Sherry stayed a safe distance near its warmth against the brisk fall air. Her limbs felt beyond dead from the amount of walking they had done. It had been six months since the world seemed to break right before her eyes. Throughout that time and to the present, her misfit group had spent a lot of time aimlessly wandering in order to survive. It was in the quiet moments that they were able to recoup and gather more strength or motivation to go on with their prosaic lives.
It had been six months since Sherry had lost everything. Glancing up from the fire, she stared at the others in their survival company. Each member had lost so much in that short amount of time. Homes were abandoned. Cars had died. Beloved family members and dear friends became lost in the midst of all the confusion.
Miles uncharted, Sherry didn't even know where they were in comparison to where they began. With the focus being primarily on survival, they hardly paid attention to which state or what county they took shelter in. What was the point? Sherry thought to herself. Territories didn't have a purpose anymore.
Taking her attention away from her group, she went back to looking at the fire in solemnity. The quiet moments gave her time to ponder the joyful life she had before. It only made her more depressed to know those days would only serve as a faded memory.
The last time she spoke with her parents was on her phone. With herself moving to Athens, Georgia for school and her parents living in Chicago, it made the possibility of seeing them ever again a crushing unlikelihood. Sherry didn't even get a chance to say goodbye to her mom. Not even a final 'I love you.'
Replaying their last conversation, she continued to stare at the campfire as it swept about with ebb and flow.
Six Months Ago
April 26, 2010
Athens Georgia
"Sweetie, we have a plan," her dad, Vincent, offered, "Once everything dies down, we will call you and come find you. Keep your phone battery charged. I heard that power is going out in a lot of places. We think we'll be safe at Grandma Malloy's house in Michigan. People are in a panic over here. We can't stay in Chicago. I just can't believe how screwed up everything is right now."
Sherry glimpsed her surroundings and watched as everyone in the parking lot hurriedly put all of their essential items in their individual cars. She did the same one-handedly while holding her phone and forced herself not to overreact. "Dad, I'll be fine," she assured with some underlying doubt, "A couple of my friends and I are going camping outside of the bigger cities until everything clears up. We'll give it a couple of weeks and see how everything is. I'm sure by then there won't be a need to come find me." She closed the trunk of her car and raced back to her college apartment.
"Sher," Vincent began, "I don't know how bad it is in Georgia. But people aren't themselves at home. Uncle Benny and I had to board up the Moritz' place because they went insane. They ate their dog for Christ sake, honey."
She briefly paused from what she heard and thought about her neighbors in her hometown. The Moritz family had lived next door to them since her family moved into that particular house when she was five.
"They kept on making these strange noises," Vincent continued, "We tried calling the hospital to get some EMT's to come pick them up but the line was busy all day. I had to keep your mom safe. So we boarded their house up with the Moritz' still inside. Like animals."
Everything seemed to be very disconcerting for Sherry. When previous disasters hit around the world before, it was always something that occurred at one particular place and to only one group of people. Whatever was materializing now was a global phenomenon and a personal hit to Sherry's comfort zone. Earlier that day, more than half of her classmates were absent from their mutual business class. The professor divulged that his morning was spent replying to dozens of emails from students complaining of a bad fever.
After that class, Sherry sat in her apartment eating breakfast and received an email stating that all other classes for the duration of that week were cancelled due to too many teachers calling in sick. Peering at the closed doors that belonged to her roommates, a shiver ran down her spine when she didn't hear activity in their rooms while only presuming they slept in. No hair dryers, stereo systems, alarm clocks, or morning chatter erupted. Instead her apartment seemed eerily quiet and claustrophobic.
Sherry left her roommates alone for the whole day and hoped that they would pull through. She didn't know how lucky she had been to be unscathed of whatever illness that befell them. However, if they didn't get better soon, she would be camping in the woods all by herself.
Feeling a sense of loyalty, Sherry wanted to take care of them and help them get over whatever had a hold on them. Unfortunately, she was unsure if tending to them would solve anything other than killing herself. From the sound of what her dad just said, people were becoming unnaturally inhumane.
"Honey, this thing has me worried," Vincent finally confessed, "Your mother and I are already in the car on the way to Marquette. Uncle Ben and Aunt Gina are in their cars with their families following behind. I think everyone is having the same idea of leaving the city though. We've been in the same spot for hours, haven't we?"
Assuming that he was asking her mom a direct question, she heard a muffled reply that gave a distressed answer. Sherry usually didn't worry when it came to things but when her dad showed signs of apprehension, it made her terrified. He was always the brave retired police officer. No one messed with her dad.
"I have a bad feeling that this thing isn't going to be only a couple of weeks long, Sherry," Vincent said with a final tone. Sherry's heart dropped as his voice left no underlying emphasis of hope. One thing about her dad was his uncanny talent of observation and how it hardly ever failed him. For him to say such a thing with such certitude made Sherry's skin crawl. His predictions were irrevocable.
Sherry's apartment complex was a scene of uproar. Everyone quickly tried to leave their homes or find things to barricade doors to wait everything out from the inside. When Sherry reached her own apartment door, she could hear banging and scratching from the other side. Panicked that something was wrong, she fumbled with her keys to free her roommates of any imminent danger. Whatever caused them to get out of bed, had to be an emergency.
More alarm blared in her head like sirens when another college girl purposefully put an arm between Sherry and the doorway. Looking to be quite unnerved, the other girl stared at Sherry with wide pleading eyes. The disoriented feeling that Sherry once felt subsided as annoyance took its place from being blocked from her apartment.
"Hang on one second, Dad," Sherry said quickly and stared the girl down, "What the hell are you doing? This is my place."
"Trust me," the girl stammered with caution, "You do not want to open that door. My roommate had a fever yesterday and this morning I woke up to her biting my arm. All of my roommates? I left them in my apartment. They are doing the same thing to my door."
"But I was just in there a couple of minutes ago," Sherry whispered to herself. She didn't know what to think.
While pondering what the girl revealed, Sherry eyed the girl's arm that barred her from entering her small home. It looked to be bandaged with poor attention but Sherry could see the bleeding that seeped through the white cloth effortlessly. Just above her forearm, deadly red veins crept upwards in alarming fashion.
"You need to get that thing checked," Sherry advised, "It looks really bad."
"I have tried to call emergency services but no one is picking up," the girl disclosed calmly, "Listen, I don't know who you are but I just wanted to warn you. Do what you want. But until a doctor checks on them, I think you're safer outside."
The banging and scratching continued. Sherry could feel the shock of their present situation but shook it away to remain present and alert. "Okay, I won't go in my apartment," she assured to let the girl know her prompt fell on listening ears, "I'm just going to sit right here until I can think of a new game plan."
The girl appeared relieved but quickly rushed to help others. Sherry leaned against the wall next to her door and sank to the ground. With one hand on her forehead, she placed the phone back to her ear. "You said the Moritz' ate their dog?" She asked her dad.
"Yeah," Vincent replied, "What's going on, Sher?"
Sherry quickly relayed the story to her dad while her new reality started to sink in. Things were unraveling fast and she didn't know what the future held for her or anyone else on their entire planet.
Hearing her father breathe slowly, she knew he was thinking of a solution for her but was also keeping his fear at bay. "I need you to leave your apartment right now," Vincent urged, "You are to get out of that city with or without your friends."
Just then she heard screaming from the other side of the complex followed by barbarous snarling and wailing. Girls started running in the opposite direction as one even tripped over Sherry to clear the area. Sherry recovered quickly and stood up to bolt out of the complex and towards her car. Whatever last minute items she needed to get from her apartment had to be abandoned. Adrenaline was telling her to run for her life as hell started to break loose.
"Sweetheart! What is going on?" Her dad yelled multiple times.
"I don't know what's happening!" Sherry shouted into the phone. She reached her car and unlocked the door with a trembling hand but upon opening it, someone lightly grabbed her shoulder. Screaming from the unexpected physical contact, she whipped around to see two men who she recognized from a mutual class that they took together. Knowing their English was broken and their primary language being Japanese, they stood before her with panic clearly evident as they stared at their surroundings in bewilderment.
"Take us to the airport?" The shorter one nearly begged.
Sherry swallowed the fear she had while hearing shrieks in the distance. "Yeah," she finally obliged in a fluster as she also heard her father shouting expletives from the phone speaker, "But I'm leaving right now! If you have things to pack from your apartment, we're not getting them."
"We have what we need," the taller one affirmed, "We can go now."
"Good!" Sherry exclaimed, "Hop in!" She jumped into the driver's seat and turned on the ignition. Both of the men sat in the back while she put her dad on speaker.
"What the fuck is going on?!" He shouted as his voice broke with emotion.
"I'm fine," Sherry stressed as she rushed out of the driveway. Cars were already blocking the exit so she went over the curb to beat the traffic. "We just got in the car."
"We?" He questioned with some authority.
Sherry knew he hated having no control with what was happening to his only child. She could tell he had been crying out of fear that Sherry's lack of response was a fatal result.
"Two guys that are in one of my classes," Sherry made clear, "They are from Japan and just asked me to take them to the airport so they can get back home." Sherry guessed their destination but knew it was a good assumption.
"Sweetie," Vincent said slowly, "Airplanes have been grounded. All airports are closed."
The men - who were quietly talking in Japanese with each other - stopped what they were doing when they overheard her dad announce the dreadful news. Looking to each other in horror, Sherry could only imagine the emptiness that they felt with their last hope being unachievable and futile to pursue.
"Sher," Vincent said delicately, "we need to preserve our phone batteries. I'm going to hand the phone to your mother so you get the chance to say goodbye."
Sherry swerved the car because of a bloodied body that was strewn in several places on the road. She couldn't believe the sights around her as she drove. Houses on fire, raids with windows shattered, and the sight of one man eating a fallen person made Sherry want to puke. Everything seemed bizarre and not like the world she used to know. Whether they were permanent fixtures or temporary setbacks, she didn't know.
On top of that, her dad sounded as if it would be the last time that she ever spoke to him. It was a voice filled with grief and misery which tugged at her heartstrings while she continued to drive amidst the chaos. "Okay… Um…" Sherry silently shed tears almost knowing that it was going to be the very last time that she ever heard his voice, "I love you, Dad. I'll see you in two weeks tops, okay?"
There was a long pause. She could hear her father weeping while trying to collect himself. Sherry couldn't recall ever hearing him cry openly like that before. "I love you too, Sher," he lamented, "You will always be my everything and the most important person in the world to me. Please be safe. No matter how long this thing lasts, you promise me that you stay safe."
Sherry openly wept not caring about what the guys in the back of her car thought.
"Sher, honey, it's your Momma!" She heard her mom, Annie, say.
The tears kept on pouring as she tried concentrating on the road. "Mom!" She sobbed, "You'll be safe. You are going to make it to Grandma Malloy's house and be okay. As long as you are far away from the city, you will be fine. You have Dad with you."
"But what about my little girl?" Annie asked with heartbreak, "It's killing me that I'm not going to know where you are or if you are still alive!" Her mother sobbed loudly letting all of her emotions take over. Sherry did the same.
"I'll be okay," Sherry said comfortingly, "I can survive all of this. Dad taught me what I need to know."
There was complete silence on the other line. She knew her mother just wanted to hear words of reassurance so she decided to continue. "We are going to head towards the outskirts of town and wait everything out. We'll stay away from other people and keep low until we hear good news."
There was still no sound. Not even a weep. Sherry then looked at the screen then cried in anguish as it read, "Service lost. Phone call disconnected."
Present Day
October 9, 2010
Unknown Location
Sherry blinked away the tears and looked somewhere other than the fire. Taking a deep sigh, she forced the memory to the back of her head and didn't want to think about it any longer. Yet she thought of it often and wondered if she would ever see her parents again.
She observed their campsite to see Haruki and Takuya both sleeping beside a tree. They asked for a ride to the airport in what seemed like ages ago. Little did she know that they would end up becoming her companions in a dystopian world. Sherry applauded both of them for acclimating to their surroundings as much as they did. Even though they both spent several years in America for schooling, they never thought it would be a permanent residence. In the six months of being amongst the group, their English improved and each became great assets to the people around them.
Their group numbers grew quickly as more survivors melded with them along the way. Within their first month, their party reached fourteen members as they fought day and night to keep everyone from harm. Unfortunately, they weren't always without casualties and lost two souls from walkers. Sherry hoped that their numbers didn't continue to dwindle.
Each group member slept soundly except for Dwight who stood watch with rifle in hand. Sherry subtly eyed him as he sat on a log fifteen feet away but then felt the small amount of shame riddle within her. It had been awhile since she last spoke to him. Out of all the people in their group, they were the ones that formed a close relationship. However, when something perilous occurred, Sherry felt herself pull away for fear that she could lose what she considered to be her most devoted friend. She hoped that if she created distance between them, it would make it less difficult if the day ever came when he would no longer be around.
Dwight slowly scanned the forest when briefly his eyes rested on her. Both locking glances for a split second, he quickly turned away and went back to business as usual while she continued studying him from afar. Sherry could see the slight embarrassment that he had for being caught staring as she sighed in resignation realizing her silent treatment should finally meet its end. Knowing that she wouldn't be able to rest on the hard forest floor for the night, she stood up and walked away from the fire towards him.
He heard her footsteps then gazed at her quizzically. "Can't sleep?" Dwight questioned.
"Do you blame me?" Sherry countered as he seemed taken aback that she replied to him at all, "I pray that we find a hotel that isn't overrun by walkers. I just want to sleep on a mattress. I'm so tired of sleeping in the dirt."
"And before the world went to shit, I was praying that the pizza delivery guy would arrive on time," Dwight teased with a smirk.
"Funny how our priorities change when we don't have the small things to worry about," Sherry stated as she took a seat beside him on the log.
Dwight watched her with a small smile. Sherry already felt it was a bad idea to talk to him in the first place. Admittedly, she did feel an overwhelming attraction for him and knew if something were to happen to him, she wouldn't take it well. Dwight easily became one of the most valuable of survivors with brains, charm, and loyalty to back up that claim. He was the reason why a lot of members in their group merged forward and fought to live another day. He set an example and was able to cope with their new life in a way that no one else could.
He was ideal for any person and someone that her mom would consider a 'good catch.' A big problem for Sherry was that she knew Dwight had strong feelings for her in return.
"You've been avoiding me for a while," Dwight commented while quickly pointing out the elephant in the room. His statement held a small sense of understanding but it made Sherry feel guilty all the same.
Interlacing her fingers, she drew in a deep sigh as her shoulders slouched in remorse. "Sorry," Sherry confessed, "I've just been thinking about a lot of stuff. I think the reality has finally sunk in."
"Which part of our reality?" Dwight asked.
"Everything," Sherry exaggerated.
"Oh, yeah. That existential crisis," Dwight quipped but then abruptly switched gears as any supportive friend would, "If you ever need to talk, I'm a good listener."
"I don't know if that would help," Sherry admitted. The more she spoke to him, the more she felt her bubble of comfortable isolation begin to pop.
He looked at the sleeping group and then scanned the forest in thought. One thing Sherry noticed about Dwight was that he made other's problems become his own personal obstacle and liked to fix things for the people around him. Sherry thought it a good trait but sometimes wanted to wallow in her own self-pity.
"For the sake of small talk, tell me about yourself," Dwight offered lightly while again changing the tone of their conversation.
Sherry grimaced at the invitation while her thoughts suddenly gave an image of her parents crying over the phone. "It's been a long day," she complained, "I don't really want to go down memory lane right now."
Dwight looked at her and grinned while adjusting his seat on the log to face her. "How about this?" He began, "I ask you a question and you give me a one word answer. That way it's just facts. Not that emotional stuff. How does that sound?"
Sherry exhaled while slowly standing up to walk away. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the sliver of disappointment from Dwight as he thought their conversation was over completely. Instead, she grabbed her shotgun and quickly returned to scout alongside Dwight. "It sounds a lot better than sleeping," Sherry gave in knowing she needed to rebuild a bridge with him anyways.
Smiling triumphantly, Dwight pursed his lips and rubbed his hands together. "Okay then," Dwight said and looked up to the sky in thought, "Where are you from?" Despite their close friendship, she never spoke much about her past life. They mostly discussed the durability of their group and how to fortify in a world hell-bent on their destruction. For obvious reasons, Sherry never spoke about anything beyond that. Now she basically gave Dwight permission to dig.
"You don't sound like a Southern Belle," Dwight continued, "So I can conclude you didn't grow up in Georgia like I did."
"What are you? A detective?" Sherry teased before answering his question with a huff, "Chicago."
"Did you live there your whole life?" Dwight questioned further.
"No," Sherry replied.
"Where else have you lived?" Dwight asked.
Sherry made a swivel motion with her hand that gestured around them. "Wherever we are right now," Sherry joked then tried to stifle a laugh at her own sense of humor that seemed dormant for the past six months.
Dwight chuckled at her playful banter with admiration in his eyes. "Smart ass," he commented but then proceeded with more questions, "Okay, if you could describe something that you find attractive in a guy with just one word, what word would that be?"
Sherry's eyes narrowed as he gave a sheepish smile in return. "Dwight…" she started.
"No harm in answering the question," Dwight said with a shrug, "I'm not asking on behalf of myself… I'm asking for a friend…"
"Yeah, okay," Sherry mumbled but smiled in spite of herself. Not giving the question much thought, she thought of the first thing that came to her head and rolled with it. "I like guys with beards, I guess," Sherry confessed but immediately regretted it as Dwight's eyebrows raised with a boyish grin emerging past his own disheveled beard that he sported.
"You like 'em bearded, eh?" Dwight exclaimed with a wink, "Man, you must feel like you're in heaven talking to someone like me right now."
Sherry laughed openly as she thought it was the first time that she appeared happy in a long while. "Yeah, that's exactly how I would describe my current predicament."
"Were you always this beautiful?" She then heard him ask in passing. It was slightly quieter as if he wasn't sure if he should actually say it but it took over his entire thought process regardless.
Her laughing stopped quickly as she looked surprised by his boldness. She turned to see if anyone else heard but they were still sound asleep. Sherry wished that she didn't have her long dark brown hair in a ponytail as she wanted to hide behind it. It would have been better if she could find a large boulder so she could crawl underneath it.
"Did I embarrass you?" He asked after an awkward amount of silence passed by.
"No," Sherry lied, "I just haven't really thought of myself as attractive since everything went down."
Dwight looked confused by her statement as if he couldn't fathom anyone thinking she was anything less than what he proclaimed. "Why?"
"Oh, because it's been months since I wore lipstick or a nice black dress," Sherry lightly complained, "You know, the girly stuff."
"You don't need those things, Sher," Dwight encouraged.
Sherry smiled politely as his compliment only filled her with a sadness that she forcefully burdened herself with. "Well, thanks," she responded and stood up, "On that note, I think I am going to try and sleep."
"You're done playing games with me?" Dwight asked as she started walking away. Sherry didn't know what game he was referring to: the one-worded answer game or the fact that she feigned indifference to his constant flirtations.
"Yes, I'm done," Sherry stated to end their conversation but turned around to end his chances of trying anything in the future, "I would… be lying if I said I don't feel anything for you. But I have a rule against relationships right now. So as nice as the attention is, it's making it really hard to stay friends."
"Well, if it's that difficult to stay friends, then why don't we at least try to be something more?" Dwight argued, "What can it hurt?"
Sherry was slightly annoyed that he seemed entertained by their conversation. She was trying to create more distance and discourage him. "We can't be more than friends."
Immediately his smile faded from her abrupt and negative response. "Why not?"
"Until I know how to deal with this new life, I don't really want to become attached to someone who could die tomorrow," Sherry declared but looked desperately in his dark eyes to try and make him understand.
Silence ensued between the both of them as her statement seemed to get through to him. Unfortunately for her, the victorious feeling started to vanish as Dwight slowly stood and walked up to meet her toe-to-toe. Sherry wanted to disappear from the entire situation; she wanted to ignore him. However, as much as she tried, she couldn't break his purposeful gaze.
Sherry watched his eyes scan what seemed like every part of her face. Feeling her ears burn with unease, she tried to get her guard back up to let him know his attentiveness was unwarranted. Yet he continued to stare at her as she in turn took the opportunity to see him for who he was. Not being the tallest person in the world, standing at five-foot-three, she craned her neck up to stand her ground. Yet as she pretended the vulnerability wasn't there, she instead accidentally opened a door to let him in.
"Well…" Dwight started while breaking the quiet, "with that logic, you just said that life is short. Don't you want to enjoy it as much as you can?"
Sherry let his question deepen. It had been a long time since she considered her life enjoyable; only because she kept her distance away from the group. They had all formed bonds with each other and invited her to do the same. She only wished to contribute in any way that she could and keep them safe. Her emotional attachments were maintained at a minimum. However, it still didn't hold the sadness at bay when a member of their group passed on from her shortcomings as their protector.
Gazing at Dwight, he continued to watch her with a hope evident in his demeanor. She was about to say that she could try and make more of an effort and follow his suggestion. Maybe she could take a chance on Dwight. She knew that he could make her happy. But the thought of him being a big part of her existence - only to be taken away without warning - scared her to death. She then realized that he already was the most indispensable person in her life.
With a deep sigh, she moved closer to him in resignation but her heart felt elated from the personal achievement all the same. She was about to say that she would take a chance. As if expecting the good news, Dwight breathed with a smile forming.
But then she stopped and heard something faint in the distance. Dwight's grin faded away, no longer looking to Sherry but to the woods instead.
They were not alone.
Both raising their guns towards the darkness, they waited for a follow-up noise to present itself. Sherry had a terrible feeling that whatever was hiding in the shadows, wasn't a walker. An undead being would have emerged upon their camp without thinking of strategies to ensnare its prey. Whatever it was had to be lethal.
Looking in the direction where they last heard the shudder of leaves, another noise sounded directly behind them. To their surprise, they both turned to see a man. He wasn't undead – exactly what Sherry predicted before - and looked healthy. Putting both of his hands up in surrender to show he meant no harm, Dwight and Sherry placed their guns down in unison as if to mirror his sign of peace. Sherry still held her gun tightly while she scrutinized their newcomer with distrust. Something already felt off.
Dwight motioned for the man to come sit on the log with him. The man graciously complied and rubbed his hands together while taking advantage of the warm air around the campfire. This was one of the first times that they had run into another living human being in nearly a month. Other survivors were rare but also sometimes dangerous. They were fortunate to never run into men that were power hungry or greedy.
Something about their new friend gave Sherry the chills. He was almost as tall as Dwight and Sherry couldn't help but find him slightly handsome with his rugged features and friendly disposition. Her gun wasn't raised however her guard wasn't down. She wondered why she felt so uneasy about the man. Whether it be his entrance onto the camp or something else, his presence was incredibly off-putting.
Sherry opened up a can of soup for the man who sat on the log beside Dwight. When her eyes were off him, she could feel his eyes on her. Not knowing someone made her anxious. Perhaps he was harmless. She still anticipated more information about him only to read him better and hoped that that would put her more at ease.
"What's your name?" Dwight questioned the stranger.
The man smiled at Dwight and shook his head in disbelief. "It's nice to hear another person talk for once," the man said. Sherry noticed how he avoided the question with a comment.
Dwight smiled and stuck his hand out in greeting as the man accepted the gesture with a firm shake. "You been alone for long?" Dwight inquired.
"A very long time," the man responded with an over exaggerated voice, "I saw your bonfire and decided to make myself known." The man then turned to Sherry and nodded his head. "I apologize for scaring you, ma'am."
Sherry smiled politely in his direction and poured the can of soup in a pot that sat beside the fire. The man appeared kind but Sherry couldn't shake the unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach. She wanted to run for the hills. "You didn't," she practically challenged him to counter the fear she felt in that moment.
Looking him up and down and knowing a small amount of his back story, Sherry could see that it didn't match up with his appearance. All he said was that he had been alone for a long period of time however, his guise seemed too well-kept. Outwardly, his clothes were unstained from sweat, blood, and dirt unlike the survivors in her group. His chummy behavior was also a red flag as Sherry would imagine being alone would prevent such social skills. With only a sheath for a small blade, he had no other belongings on his person. It wasn't just a hunch. Sherry knew he was a potential endangerment to her group.
He smiled and it revealed his deep dimples from underneath his five o'clock shadow. "What's your name, sweetheart?" He questioned in a deep voice.
"Sherry," she responded shortly, "I don't remember you saying your name though."
He looked down at his hands and turned to Dwight as if she didn't say anything. "How many people do you have here?"
"We have twelve people," Dwight answered slowly and looked to Sherry as if picking up on her apprehension, "We have just been travelling from place to place since the outbreak began. Just trying to find the right spot to settle down." Dwight sounded less friendly to the stranger as Negan looked back to Sherry with a look that seemed hungry.
"Can I join your group?" The man seemed to ask Dwight but still had his gaze fixed on Sherry.
Sherry looked up from tending to the soup and stared him down. "We don't know who you are," she stated as sternly as she could. "We need to know more about you. If you can't give us answers then you can start walking in the other direction."
The man looked at Sherry with amazement. "Tell it like it is, don't you?"
"We have a decent amount of people in our group. More than most. But that doesn't mean that we have been without trouble in the past six months," she warned, "I would like to know that you are the right fit for this group before we let you in."
He stood up and moved closer to her as she remained tall to meet his questioning gaze. Dwight straightened up on full alert as the man stood nose to nose with Sherry while avoiding any sense of personal space. "You in charge?"
Sherry looked to Dwight and noticed his finger was already on the trigger of his rifle. "We all contribute," Dwight said in a harsh voice as the air was quickly escalating onto dangerous ground, "No one is in charge."
The man put his hands up in surrender again and let out a chuckle. "Your group is awfully skittish."
Sherry made sure not to break eye contact with the man. "How many people are with you?" She finally asked.
He looked baffled by her question and almost guffawed at her accusation.
She continued, "There were two noises before you entered our camp. They came from opposite directions. How many men are with you?"
The next few moments played out seemingly in slow motion as the stranger grabbed Sherry's middle and turned her around. She tried to point her gun at him but felt his small blade already at her throat. Elbowing him in the stomach, he groaned slightly at her resistance but pressed the knife further onto her skin as blood began to seep down to her shirt. The stranger relented slightly but still kept the weapon close to let her know he would do it again if necessary. Although she doubted his next violation would be a mere warning.
Men quickly began emerging out of the forest and poking their guns menacingly at the sleeping group. Instantly, sounds of confusion turned into fear while they each awoke to a helpless situation.
"Drop your fucking weapon, sweetheart," the stranger cautioned while Sherry could feel his lips on her ear. On instinct, and with equal repulsion, she tried to squirm away from his grasp. The knife then settled in on already pierced skin which gave her no choice but to practically lean her head back on his shoulder to make the pain stop.
Dwight kept his aim on the stranger but also had dozens of gun barrels pointed in his direction. He stood tall but Sherry prayed he wouldn't shoot their aggressor as it would only determine his own inevitable death. Sherry's shotgun remained in her gripped hands while mentally unable to part with the only source of security that she had.
The man kept one arm around her waist as his other hand held the knife to her neck. "Your friend is right, Sherry," he said almost in a playful voice, "You are a fucking sight to see. It really would be such a goddamn shame to see you be put down. Fucking waste with a body like this, wouldn't it be boys?" His men vocalized their leader's sentiments while his fingers dug into her middle. Sherry inhaled sharply as he shushed her to be quiet once more. "I'm a nice guy. To prove that, I'll make you a deal. If you drop your gun, I spare your life, easy as that. But if you don't do as I ask…" He stopped while letting the alternative option be open for interpretation, "You wouldn't be the first woman that I had to shoot in the face because she was being too motherfucking stupid."
Sherry clutched onto her gun and breathed sharply thinking it could possibly be her time to go. Looking at Dwight, who only had sights on the man, she realized that this moment was bigger than herself. If the stranger killed Sherry, Dwight would surely kill him in return before her body hit the ground and would set a complete battle between the man's group and hers. Worry started to swarm her entire being as full realization came into play; keeping her gun affected a lot more than just herself.
As if the man read her mind, his body began facing each individual person in her group while they all stared back at him in horror. "Okay, obviously you don't value your life as much as I thought you did," he muttered before clearing his throat, "Eenie, Meanie, Miney, Moe…" Sherry's heart raced and wondered what psychotic game he was playing at. Not able to see his eyes, Sherry still saw which person he was looking at from the expression on each of her friend's faces when his gaze landed on them. Even the kids weren't excluded from his childish chant that he mumbled under his breath.
"…And…you…are…it," he proclaimed as Sherry watched Hannah's face sink in complete despair. Hannah was the matriarch of their group. An older woman, she made sure that everyone had been fed and that they all received enough sleep. With his hand that held the knife, the man pointed with his index finger toward Hannah. Many people in their group began to sob as they knew what her fate potentially was while some stared at Sherry in desperation.
"What about her life?" The man questioned.
Sherry immediately tossed the shotgun as it landed to the wayside. Everything seemed quiet for several seconds with their group waiting for the man to deliberate what his next action would be. His grip eased but before Sherry could breathe a sigh of relief, he shoved her to the ground as she landed on her knees. Thrusting his foot onto her back, she laid onto her stomach at the same time she saw Dwight attempt to step forward only to be blocked by several burly guys who worked for the menacing stranger.
The man motioned to Hannah and then glanced towards the men at his command, "Kill her."
"No!" Sherry yelled while trying to sit up, "I did what you asked! I put my gun down!"
The man then grabbed Sherry by her ponytail and yanked her upright. Screaming in pain and sorrow, the tears started streaming down Sherry's face as the peril of their situation seemed less likely to have a good resolution. He crouched down and put his mouth to her ear once more when a sob broke through her mouth.
"You are coming with us," the man spat in a forced whisper. Standing up straight, he surveyed the rest of the group – all of which were now on their knees beside Dwight. Hannah sat while crying openly. The rest looked on in helplessness.
"You are all coming with us!" The man exclaimed with enthusiasm, "Sherry will not be your leader anymore. Your new leader will be me! Sherry has made a bad mistake. She didn't do as I asked the first time that I asked her to do it." The man let go of Sherry's hair and stepped over to Hannah who shut her eyes while silently muttering a prayer.
"So…" The ruthless leader continued as he stood right behind Hannah and patted her gray hair, "On behalf of your old leader, I apologize, ma'am." In seconds, he lodged the knife into her neck as blood spewed everywhere. Shaking with disbelief and complete terror, Sherry had to look away. The small McCoy family huddled together as their mom tried to cover her children's eyes from the traumatic sight in front of them. The young girl named Jenna screamed as her adopted mother, Yolanda, hugged her close. The group member, Dean, looked on in shock as he watched his dear friend perish.
Hannah's body fell to the forest floor. Sherry could hear the others in her group screaming as if they sounded further away in the distance. In her anger, Sherry impulsively stood on her feet and stormed towards the man. Without a second thought, she slapped him across the face while feeling the sting on her palm. Not waiting for him to retaliate, she pushed at his chest while he was still recovering from her previous hit.
A force bashed the back of her head sharply as she stumbled a bit with a cold sweat breaking through every pore. In her stagger, she nearly ran into her assailant but tried to steady herself and stay focused on killing him for what he did to Hannah. However, her eyes started seeing black dots while images played out in brief flashes. The man grabbed for her before she fell to the ground. There were branches and stars above her as the feeling of floating kicked into effect. Screams continued with an echo but began to fade away. The last distinct thing she heard was Dwight call her name one more time.
And then she passed out.
…
Present Day
October 11, 2010
Unknown Location
Sherry awoke while crying in complete anguish. She wished that whatever hit her on the back of the head had been fatal. Hannah's death was her responsibility and she no longer wanted to live with herself or the crushing guilt. I could've just listened, Sherry lamented to herself. Refusing to open her eyes, she just laid in fetal position and wept uncontrollably.
As she cried, she became aware of her surroundings before daring to open her eyes. Underneath her, she felt a mattress. Around her were several blankets that cocooned her nicely. When she turned her head, bandages would crinkle from the wound she received before passing out. Curiosity getting the better of her, she opened her eyes and saw that she was in a bedroom.
Where are we? She thought while gazing around the room. The light fixture beside the door was in working condition which left Sherry a little surprised. In the past six months, they lived like Neanderthals where the existence of electricity seemed impossible. The sight made her even wonder if she was no longer alive and was perhaps in a paradisiacal afterlife. However, reality slipped back when she felt the throbbing pain on the back of her scalp and decided to take her moves very slow knowing she was very much a human being who still had mortal wounds.
The questions continued to swarm around her. Did her group escape the men that attacked their bonfire? Did Dwight carry her to safety? Where were her friends? Did more people die after Hannah?
Seeing the light made her wonder if they had finally discovered a safe zone. Allowing herself to stay in bed, she thought of her next move. Despite the unanswered questions, she could admit it was easy to fall for the illusion of safety. Regardless of the outcome, she decided to enjoy the time of peace whether it was a farce or not.
The content feeling wore off quickly when the door opened. Still laying down, she saw Dwight warily step into the room. He avoided eye contact as the rotten feeling in the pit of her stomach increased. Regardless, she stood up and rushed toward him in relief that he was alive. Already feeling dizzy from jolting out of bed, she held him close for support and comfort. More caution flags were raised when Dwight didn't immediately hug her back. Something was off about how he usually carried himself.
"Where are we?" She asked as she broke away from him.
Sherry noticed his crossbow that was strapped to his back. A couple of months ago, he had to abandon his old crossbow when a herd of walkers came upon their group suddenly. There wasn't any time for getting personal belongings. Sherry remembered losing her cell phone that same night and cried herself to sleep for weeks. It was her only assurance that she could one day contact her parents again. Or that they would be able to contact her. Now she wasn't sure how or if there would ever be an opportunity to do so.
"We're in a place called Sanctuary," Dwight answered in a low voice, "You've been out for nearly two days."
"Two days?" She stammered in disbelief. Looking down, she saw she was wearing a black tank top and shorts. Two items that she had never possessed in her small backpack while on the road.
Dwight noticed her questioning stare and clarified. "It was all I could find that looked comfortable to sleep in."
Her eyes looked confused while attempting to process each piece of information that Dwight gave. "Sanctuary? Is this a safe zone? Who dressed me?"
Dwight straightened defensively at her last question. "Yolanda dressed you," he explained, "I wouldn't touch you like…" His voice drifted off as he took a deep breath with exhaustion evident on his face. "Sher, what I'm about to tell you… You need to know that I didn't have a choice."
"Whose camp is this?" She immediately asked knowing that they didn't reach a safe zone of any kind.
"Sanctuary belongs to the man that attacked our group the other night," Dwight began and sat on her bed. He rubbed both hands to his forehead before continuing then took another exhale. "They dragged us all back to their base."
Sherry stayed still while the information finally hit her. Stepping backwards, she then made her way to the window in the bedroom. With frustration, she flung the drapes open and pulled the blinds up to see outside. On the second floor of a brick building, she looked outside to see a cleaned up street that had been rid of any signs of an apocalypse.
"Where's our group?" She asked and started walking towards the door.
Dwight quickly got up from the bed and stood in front of the doorway to block Sherry from leaving. "Sherry, I'm sorry," Dwight said quietly with shame, "You can't leave this room. That was his orders."
Sherry tried to read what was going on in Dwight's head and felt his reaction was spurred from something that occurred when she was unconscious. "Dwight," she started with desperation in her voice, "What the hell is wrong with you? We can't stay with these people."
"We don't have any other choice!" Dwight confessed with helplessness and put both of his hands on her shoulders. He stared into her eyes as Sherry held onto his forearms to steady herself. Her head injury and his revelation made her head feel light.
"Negan wants to talk with you," Dwight grimaced and looked to the floor.
"Negan?" Sherry echoed as she thought of the man who came to their camp, "The guy who killed Hannah?! Dwight, I don't understand what is going on! Why are you listening to anything he has to say?"
"Sherry, if you knew all of the details, you would have done everything he asked you to do," Dwight defended as his fingers tensed when he said it, "I'm trying to keep everyone safe."
"What does he want from us?" Sherry asked fearfully, "Our group has nothing to give him."
"It's not that easy to tell you," Dwight deplored with a melancholy that she had never heard from him before. He looked down to the floor unable to form the words that Sherry immediately understood carried some weight.
Seconds passed as he stared up at her again with longing. "One day," Dwight started, "I promise to make things better for you, Sherry. I promise. We're in a fucked up situation right now."
"Dwight?" She whispered with her voice shaking. She reached her hand up to the side of his face as she saw how tormented he was at the news which he was forced to tell her. Whatever the news was, it affected him as much as it affected her. "Please tell me what that man wants."
"He wants you," Dwight revealed in a tone that sounded completely deflated and depressed, "He said that if you don't comply with his every request, he will kill our whole group. Every single one of us. He also said… He also said that he'll save you and you would have to do what he said anyways. If I knew a way around this, I would try and get you out of it. I am so sorry."
Sherry blinked several times and when she opened her mouth to speak, no sound followed. She was in complete shock. Dwight eased his grip on her as she walked to the window again and tried to focus on what his words even meant.
Negan wanted her. The words immediately gave her a discomfort as it sank in. Unsure of what his request actually entailed, she could only imagine the worst case scenario and closed her eyes at the thought. She then paced the bedroom while Dwight watched her intently. Chewing on her bottom lip, she tried to formulate a plan. There had to be something that could get them out of their situation.
Minutes later, she glanced up to Dwight. "Where are our people?"
"They are in another part of the building," Dwight responded, "He is holding them hostage until you reach a decision."
"And if I said no, he was going to kill them all just like that?" She asked knowing how much that piece of information veered her decision making, "Why aren't you with them?"
Dwight stirred in place as his nose flared. "Negan thought it appropriate for me to give you the message before he talked to you himself." He stopped and shook the anger off. "He's a messed up motherfucker."
"No chance of escape?" She asked.
"Sher, Negan has hundreds of men out there," Dwight disclosed, "I would say the odds of escape are very slim."
"Shit," Sherry whispered as their new existence rushed to her brain like a broken dam, "I can't believe this is happening to me." She sat on her bed as Dwight sat down beside her. Moments passed while she thought of her circumstance. Their lives were not short of despair since the virus took over the world. But this seemed to top all of the tragedies that ensued in six months' time. She thought of all the members of her group. Among them were three young children. They were innocent of the evils of the new world. They didn't deserve to die because she decided against being whatever Negan wanted her to be. And regardless of her answer, she would still reach the same outcome. But if she put up a fight, there would be blood on her hands.
Shock and denial blanketed a reaction that would have made her weep for days. The facts were the only thing that resided within her while she forced the emotions to stay behind for another day. "There really isn't another way out of this," she said quietly.
Dwight looked at her and she looked at him. "I'm sorry," he mumbled, "At least not yet." If there was a way to get out of her gruesome future, he would try and find it. Sherry knew him to be trustworthy, loyal, and morally just. He was the opposite of Negan in every way.
Sherry lifted her face up and wiped at the tears on her cheeks. "I'll do it," she stated bravely.
Dwight put one arm around her in comfort as she sank into his embrace. He kissed her forehead tenderly. "I wish I could have provided for you, Sherry," he stated coarsely while trying to hide emotion, "I wish this was a better world for us to live in."
She looked at him and put her face close to his in much needed comfort. Instantly, he closed the distance between them and kissed her on the lips. Sherry was surprised at first but became soothed by the act and returned the gesture. He put his arms around her waist as more tears erupted from her eyes in complete and utter sorrow. She remembered him saying that life was too short. Now she understood and wished she had taken the opportunity to be more than friends with him sooner. She didn't know when she was ever going to receive another loving human interaction like the one she was sharing with Dwight. She savored in the moment thinking it was going to be one of the last sweet memories of her life. Their kiss slowed as he broke away but still held the small of her back with his hand.
"I wish it didn't have to be this way," he said regretfully.
"You and I both, Dwight," Sherry responded wholeheartedly.
"I'm getting you out…" Dwight started but was cut off from the doorknob turning.
The door opened as Dwight quickly put distance between themselves as if their interaction didn't happen. A man emerged from the doorway whom she didn't recognize and stared at Dwight. "Orlich, you're needed elsewhere," he ordered sternly as if it weren't up for discussion.
Dwight looked at her once more and stared back at the man with hidden indignation. "Do what you gotta do, Sher," he said to her and left.
…
Sherry stared at the door with no desire to see what was on the other side. She sat on the bed until sundown while deliberating what her next move would be. Her head ached with too many thoughts running through her mind. As much as she wanted to find a way out of her situation, she couldn't think of a single solution.
Being the de factor leader along with Dwight, her group relied on her to protect them. It was her quick decision making that led her people to safety more than once. Rarely did she show any signs of vulnerability only to be strong for them. She had nothing else as her own life was of little importance to her. Surviving for others gave her a higher purpose in their fragile existence.
Nevertheless, accepting the offer was a painful choice.
I never let my people down before, she thought to herself while staring at the wooden door. It served as her barrier from the unknown world that threatened to swallow her whole. Drawing in a deep breath she refused to let Negan's offer fully hit her. Not wanting to know all the details to his request, she decided to accept it blindly. If she thought too much about it, it would only take away from her fast-thinking in the future. Getting her group out of Sanctuary took precedence.
Six months maximum, Sherry thought, His guard will be down and our people will go free. I'll slit his throat in the middle of the night. Like he slit Hannah's throat. Eye for an eye. She quickly felt guilt for relishing in someone's death. Justifying herself, she knew he was no ordinary man. He was a murderer. Negan – as Dwight called him – was a killer. Already she could tell he reveled in showing off the control he had to the ones who couldn't physically stop him. She hoped one day that would change.
Steps drew closer to the door from the outside. Her heart stopped when hearing the noise stop as shadows of two feet could be seen from the floorboards. Sherry slowly made her way off the bed and walked towards the door to finally get rid of the suspense. Six months max, she reminded herself, then we're gone.
The figure hadn't yet knocked on the door as Sherry just opened it herself. The entrance to the outside world was blocked by Negan who had one hand up as if to make himself known with the door that was no longer there. He smiled at the humor in the situation but it made Sherry feel repulsed. Regardless, she stepped to the side to let him in her room.
He strode slowly into the small space as he eyed every part of her body. Folding her arms over her middle for extra cover, she equally scrutinized him up and down to size him up. It made it more troubling for her to see that physically, he was easy on the eyes. But the actions he partook of a couple of nights before had forever tainted her view of him.
"So Dwight tells me that you came to a decision," Negan said while breaking the silence.
"I did," Sherry answered boldly, "But I would like to know what it is you want me to do. Whatever it is, I agree to it. I don't really have a choice. But I still would like to know."
Negan looked around the room and chuckled as if admiring her naïveté. He then nodded towards the bed and sat down while waiting for her to accept the seat beside him. Sherry followed him slowly but sat several feet away. He scooted closer and greatly minimized the distance between them then brought a hand to stroke her hair that rested on her back. Shivers crept up her spine and her body tensed as she dreaded what he was about to say. She thought perhaps he wanted her to be one of his fighters. Perhaps he would ask her to be a mindless soldier under his name.
His body language said contrary.
"This is fucking proposal, ma'am," Negan exclaimed proudly as Sherry winced from his booming voice, "Congratu-fucking-lations! You are to be Mrs. Negan. Just do everything I say and your group will be safe in Sanctuary. They are going to have to pull their own weight though. If they don't, my rules will override whatever deal we have between us. The men will be armed and trained to be in my army. The women will do laundry and other shit gals do to make our jobs easier. I'm sorry I am not down on one knee to make this fucking more romantic but I personally don't give a fuck about that shit."
He clapped his hands together to indicate that he finished what he needed to say. Sherry appeared dumbfounded at all of his words as she stared at him with wide eyes. "You want me to be your wife?!"
"Fuck yeah, look at you," Negan marveled with a wink, "I can't wait for our time together."
Sherry closed her eyes and dropped her head as the concreteness of her decision felt like a slap across the face. She was signing her soul, her body, and her mind to him. And she despised him for blackmailing her into something so sick and blatantly cruel. He had all the control in her future and treated it with no respect or remorse. Instead, it was filled with mockery towards her position and where they both stood.
As if he read her thoughts, he took both of her hands in his then rested them on his chest. "Sherry," he started with a surprisingly different tone then before. "If you love me and take care of me, I will treat you like a queen. That's all I ask." He raised one of her hands to his face as the sincerity in his tone was evident by his demeanor.
Sherry leaned away from him and blocked herself from thinking of his proposal any further. She had already made up her mind and needed to move on before she considered slitting her wrists. "Okay," she whispered but heard her voice break.
Negan put his hands on both sides of her jaw and kissed her fiercely. She didn't expect the passion that came from behind the kiss or the actual kiss at all. In comparison to the sweet kiss that Dwight gave her earlier, Negan's affection didn't hold the same weight for her. It only made her detest Negan more than she already did.
"I need to see my group," Sherry blurted while breaking their lock, "I need to know that they are okay." Angry tears stung her eyes as she quickly blinked them away. It isn't about me anymore, she reminded herself once again.
Negan nodded and pointed at the door. "After you."
He waited for her to step out of the room as Sherry did so with trepidation. Crossing into the unknown scared her beyond imagination. She didn't know what the future held for her or for the people she cared about. She could only pray for the best.