The rustle of leaves, and dragging feet in fast pursuit, the familiar sound of gnashing teeth, and guttural monstrous cries from decaying lips, drawn back to show the blackened teeth of the hungry, just out of reach. She ran, and ran, and no matter how fast she moved, they gained on her.
The stench of rot turned her stomach, even in her nightmare, and it was with a sinking feeling of realization, she began to fall. Knowing the outcome, before she even saw the twisted roots of a fallen tree in her path, that caught the front of her boot, and she screamed as she struggled to catch herself, so she could get up and away quickly, before the growing horde devoured her.
A hand tightened around hers, and pulled her to her feet, and Maggie gazed up in relief to see Glenn's face. His lips brushed hers, but only for a moment, as he gripped her hand, breaking the kiss to whisper. "Run." And with him, they ran through the dense forest, every moment, putting more space between them, and their undead marathon companions.
She relaxed, gasping for breath when they got to a clearing, bending, her hands moving to rest on the tense muscles of her sweat and denim clad thighs. Managing between gasps. "Glenn, do you see the cabin?" She pointed at a log cabin, painted bright red. He nodded, and grabbed her hand again, murmuring. "Night's falling. It's our best bet."
And they ran toward it. The sounds at the edge of the forest, from the trees, reminding them that they were far from alone. Glenn tried the door first, reaching it. Frowning when it didn't open. He threw his body at the wood of the door, his shoulder cracking and splintering where he had made impact. A large splintered piece of redwood lodged deep in his shoulder. She ran to remove it, wincing at the cry of pain that escaped his lips as she struggled to dislodge the jagged piece of wood impaling the man that she loved.
CLICK.
The sound was louder then it should have been. Echoing above the sounds of any of the Walkers, or of the cries of agony from Glenn. Now unlocked, the door swung open, and standing in the frame was the imposing figure of the Governor. Darkness began to fill in, like the sands in an hourglass, until she could see nothing.
The screams that woke her didn't sound like her own, but she realized as she gasped for breath and the sound stopped that the source had been within her throat.
She struggled for air, her eyes scanning the room wildly, sitting up and realizing she wasn't bound to the bed. Instantly on her feet to find something to defend herself with, and kill the Monster that held her.
"Tsk. Tsk."
She froze and turned to face the breathing creature in the armchair, armed, and shaking his head, and murmuring.
"You've failed another test, Margaret."
She swallowed, sitting back down on the bed, more delicately then she had rose. Her body ached, everywhere. The ribs were doing far worse today after the painful encounters of last night. Raising her eyes to his and managing. "I have to use the bathroom."
He smiled and rose, holstering his weapon, and moving to guide her again to her feet. "Of course." And he shoved her toward the bathroom. She stumbled, but he was there to make sure she continued into the little room with pink and white tiles, and a flat mirror that covered the majority of the wall behind the sink. She didn't have long to take in the scenery, before he was removing the expensive aqua blue satin lingerie he had made her sleep in.
Jaw tight, she watched the fabric pool at her feet, and glanced down mutely at the marks all over her flesh. Ugly marks where he had bit her. Hickeys that were darker, and more painful then any she had received from the stumbling attempts of her high school beaus. No, he knew how to deliver pain. Other things too, but she didn't want to consider those. She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath to steady herself.
"I thought you had to use the toilet." He reminded her, lifting the toilet cover and moving to push her now nude body down on the toilet. She shuddered, and watched him. Giving it a shot. "I can't while you watch."
He laughed, shaking his head. "Then you don't need to go."
She frowned, and sat on the cold porcelain, lowering her eyes as she focused on relieving herself of her full bladder. Unable to relax enough to urinate in front of him. He watched her placidly, moving to sit across from her on the side of the tub. Reaching over to begin to fill the tub, slipping the metal cork into place to keep the water in, murmuring.
"We have heated water. You were unconscious for your last bath. After last night, you've earned a nice bath. Maybe I'll even let you have bubbles."
Maggie was quiet as the sound of the water encouraged her bladder to empty, and she exhaled, relieved as the pressure that had been building from her kidneys eased and disappeared along with the need to pee out the wine of the night before. She wiped, keeping her eyes averted from his.
The Governor kept his eyes on her, enjoying every second of her discomfort. Enjoying debasing her, she was his his prisoner, and he had big plans for her. He added the bubbles to the filling water, murmuring. "Hot water. The generators provide. " His hand moving to stroke down her cheek, continuing quietly. "I provide for my people." His voice had a level of ferocity that left her as uncomfortable as his observation of her relieving herself. The man was unwell, and she was his current favorite play thing. She rose, slowly, to flush the toilet, and was about to wash her hands, when he tugged her, lifting her with ease, as if she were a feather, and setting her in the tub, his rough hands exploring her body as he set her in the scalding water.
Gasping at the feeling of it, and attempting to protect herself, and her bare flesh from his continued assaults. Her eyes widened, at the hot of the water, gasping.
"It burns. "
A smile slowly rerouted it's way along his lips below his mustache, the steam rising around her, his hands holding her as still as possible, as she thrashed, the heat from the water causing her skin to redden in the water. Tears of pain and terror flooded her eyes, as she watched the strange way her skin brightened with the heat under the obscuring bubbles of the bubblegum scented childrens bubble bath he had poured in the water. After she could take it no longer, she begged, gasping for breath.
" Please! Please, enough! What do you want!? WHY!? I did everything you wanted last night!"
Shuddering at the memory and the bile that rose in her throat, she had bruises all over her hips and thighs, from where he had gripped her, in addition to the bite marks and hickeys he had marked her with. The memory of the cruelty he had shown her, refreshing her reserves of tears.
His smile widened, and he turned the hot water off after another moment. Enjoying watching her pain, and her desperation. Turning the opposite faucet to let the cold water in. She pushed herself to that side of the tub, trembling as the cold water hit her flesh. Blinking back tears, and doing her best to catch her breath, before raising accusatory eyes to him, Repeating her earlier question, her voice raw.
"Why?!"
A dark chuckle was her response, as he watched her anger, and the way the water and bubbles filled around her body, obscuring the marks he had made on her flesh the night before. He gazed over them, enjoying his handiwork before responding simply.
"Why not?"
She blinked, shaking her head a little. It wasn't an answer. She lowered her eyes to the bubbles, doing her best to catch her breath, and let her body relax, now that the hot water had been tempered from scolding to comfortable, but her body still smarted from the burn, on top of the other injuries he had caused her.
There was a knock on the door in the main hallway, and the Governor took out a pocket watch from the front of his shirt that was reminiscent of her Father's. She frowned, swallowing hard, and staring blankly at the dial. Calling to the door. "Enter." Shooting a conspiratorial smile to Maggie. "Right on time."
Rising to open the bathroom door, the Governor made it in three steps, and her eyes followed him as he stepped aside, and in walked Merle, holding up a terribly battered man, his eyes both nearly swollen shut, lacerations covering his face, and bruises in every color on the wheel of new and faded. She paled when she saw him, tears filling her eyes, whispering her prayer. "Glenn."
Struggling to see her through the swelling of his eyes, and the concussion that blurred his vision further, he managed, his voice raw and desperate.
"Maggie? Maggie, is that you?!" And his tears spilled down his cheeks, and he ignored the salty burn of them in his wounds, struggling blindly to try and get to his beloved.
Rolling his eyes, the Governor broke the moment, by slapping him hard across the face.
"NO!" Maggie's voice matched the sound, and Merle gave her a withering look to silence her. Warning there. She withdrew her demand, adding only another plea. It had worked earlier. "Please."
The Governor paused in his attack, gazing between the two love birds and murmuring. "An hour. Merle'll be with you, so don't try anything that'll make me want to hurt you more then I all ready do." His voice smooth as he moved past the door, giving them the one hour he had promised. His word was worth something, it seemed, if he was able to hurt her in the process. None of it mattered. All that mattered was that Glenn was alive. And with her. She reached for his hand, and he knelt next to the tub, holding on to her hand tightly, kissing every inch of her fingers, knuckles, palms and wrists.
" Maggie. I love you. I never thought I'd see you again. " He coughed, then. A shaking sound, liquid in his lungs, and she tightened her hand on his.
"I love you, Glenn. I'm sorry. God, I'm sorry."
"Are you okay?! Did he hurt you?!"
Maggie didn't respond. What could she say? How could she tell the man she loved all that had happened. She sunk further into the water, the bubbles beginning to diminish and pop. By the time the hour was up, all of her bruises would be visible. She had to hope his eyesight wouldn't be good enough to see. She lied, shaking her head and murmuring.
"No. I'm fine. He didn't hurt me." Her voice quavered with the lie. " I'm fine. I'm sorry they hurt you. I love you, Glenn. It's all going to be all right. "
Merle snorted in the corner, adding his two cents.
"No bruises like that show a good time, Farm-Girl. I've left plenty in my time. No good lying."
She glared at Merle. Clearly it was the Governor's decree that Glenn know what had happened to her. She wouldn't be able to spare him of the horrors she had endured, but she would do her best. She grimaced, and closed her eyes as the terror in Glenn's voice nearly broke her heart.
"Maggie, what bruises? What did he do to you!? " His hands moved to either side of her cheeks, unwittingly mirroring a motion The Governor had done several times through her time bend held her. It was all she could take, and she began to bend. The horrors of what had happened to him. To her. To her sense of security. To their happy future. And she began to sob. Her body sagging. He climbed in, clothing and all, to hold her in the tub. Their tears salting the bathwater, as they held on to each other. All words of comfort falling flatter then they should, but at least there was some peace in each others arms.
A brief respite in this never ending nightmare.
