Chapter 9: Plans and Promises

After her lunch break Beth returned to the kitchen to resume her dish duty. She had no idea how many people lived at this place but judging by the dishes they had just fed an entire army. The funny thing was she didn't see any of them carry any type of weapon. Back at the prison if they didn't carry some sort of gun they always had a knife, just in case, but here no one was concerned. She had kept an eye on everyone around her just to see how they behaved in this odd environment. They seemed to be watching her as well but they didn't seem evil, they weren't going to harm her. She was new to their home but they welcomed her with open arms.

As she soaked a few plates she noticed someone approaching her out of the corner of her eye. To her surprise a woman she had seen earlier that day but hadn't met began to help her wash everything up. She had to be in her late twenties with auburn hair and big green eyes. Around her neck was a cross necklace making Beth frown. On some level this woman reminded her of her sister. "Thank you," Beth whispered ringing out her wash cloth.

"Its nothing, Christian tells us to help everyone out." She smiled. "I'm Laura by the way."

"Beth."

"I know, word travels fast around here." Laura sighed. "So you might want to steer clear of Nicole and April."

That made Beth stop her movements. "What? Why?"

Laura shrugged. "They're not team players."

"But...they do their job like everyone else."

"The wall wasn't originally their job. They were in here with us but they fucked it up." Laura explained but stopped when she heard her name being called.

In the doorway of the kitchen stood Christian. "Just be mindful of who your friends are." She told Beth as she dried her hands and left hanging onto Christian's arm.

Cringing Beth was beginning to see how things worked around here. Newcomers work in the kitchen and Christian takes them 'under his wing' as she had heard multiple people say. Nicole and April must have fought back so instead of just backing off he assigned them to one of the toughest jobs on the property.

Gripping onto the sink she fought the urge to walk out and find the other girls and put their escape plan into action but she knew it was a terrible idea. If they were going to make it out it would have to be at the perfect time.

When she finished the dishes she told Greta she needed to take a bathroom break. Avoiding lingering stares she walked down the familiar hallway to the restroom. She remembered a window just big enough for her to see the front entrance in the woman's bathroom. Closing the door behind her she quietly locked it just in case anyone came in to check on her. Outside she saw a two men standing at the entrance with only pistols at their side along with a knife. Beth saw a walker coming towards them. Instead of shooting it one of the men calmly stepped towards it and stabbed it right between the eyes. Once it was on the ground the other man whistled signaling three teenage boys to run out and drag the body away. It was a system but it told Beth not only did they have two guards at the front there were others around, more eyes to see them if they tried to leave that way. 'That's not gonna work.' Beth thought sighing in frustration.

Rick hadn't been in a church since their search for Sophia began. The thought brought back too many bad memories. Thinking back he remembered Carol's prayer, how desperate she was to find her little girl. He could only pray they wouldn't find Beth the same way. "So...can you tell us anything else about this guy?" He asked Gabriel wanting to take his mind off of Sophia.

"I only know what I already told you. I wish it was more but..." He frowned. "You're more than welcome to stay here the night to collect yourselves."

"Thank you," Rick mumbled sitting down on a pew with Carl right beside him.

"What are we planning on doin'?" Daryl asked. "Just bust down the walls, guns blazin'?"

Honestly Rick wasn't sure what to do. He didn't know what kind of leader he was dealing with. It could be another Woodbury situation for all he knew. It was impossible to know how much ammunition they had and Rick couldn't take that many chances if he wanted everyone to come out alive. They needed someone on the inside to give them a clear idea of what exactly they were dealing with.

It was about dusk when Beth returned to the train car. Nicole and April were already inside when she opened the heavy door. Beth frowned seeing their filthy clothes and scraped hands. "Hey, y'all ok?" She asked sitting on her cot which had been moved closer to the others.

"Peachy," Nicole scoffed. "So how was your first day? Christian take you into his office?"

"No," Beth shook her head.

"Good, his dick is probably gonna rot off sometime soon with how many girls he's been with." She whispered.

"Nicole!" April exclaimed covering her ears.

Rolling her eyes Nicole stripped her T shirt off. "Sorry April, I know you don't like to hear anything like that."

Shaking her head April's curly hair fell into her eyes. Looking at the young girl Beth felt sorry for her. She could tell something had happened to her and it deeply affected her. "Well...if we're gonna get outta here it wont't be out of the front." Beth announced hoping a subject change will make April feel more comfortable.

"Yeah, the front would never work." April pointed out.

"The only way we're getting out is to go over the wall. There's about thirty yards separating us and the woods. Even if they follow us there will be more cover. At least it'll give us a chance." Nicole explained.

"What about weapons? We can't just scale a wall and then have nothing to protect ourselves." Beth interjected.

"That's where you come in." Nicole smirked. "Now that we have someone in the kitchen you can sneak some knives. They're not a lot but its better than nothing."

"Ok, I'll see what I can do."

"All right, then tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? Don't you think we need more time to plan?"

"Beth, you don't understand, we've been here long enough. The longer we stay here the less likely we'll be able to get out. Winter will be here soon and we'll freeze to death out there. At least now we have a little time to find shelter."

"Don't you want to find Rick?" April questioned.

Hearing his name made Beth stop. Of course she wanted to find him. When she told April about him she couldn't help but smile. Just talking about him made everything feel a little better. "Yeah, yes I want to find him."

"Well you won't find him sitting here." Nicole sighed. "Tomorrow, you get the knives, we'll handle the rest. We're getting the hell out of here."

Sitting outside on the church steps Rick listened for walkers or anything that could pose a threat. He wished Beth would just walk out of the bushes. A smile on her face and her big blue eyes staring at him. It was wrong, to want her around for his own selfish reasons but she made him better. Her just overall presence seemed to calm him down.

"Dad?" He heard Carl whisper from behind him.

"Carl? Why aren't you asleep?" Rick asked as his son sat down beside him.

"I tried, I couldn't." Carl explained. "Do you think we're going to get Beth back?"

"I don't know," His father sighed. "But we're sure as hell gonna try."

Nodding Rick noticed a small smirk on the boy's face. "Do you...like Beth?"

"What are you talking about?" His son's question came out of nowhere and took him by surprise. Rick wasn't sure how to answer.

"I'm just wondering...so do you?"

"She's family, Carl, we've lost too many family members and I ain't about to lose another."

"Ok." Carl nodded rising from his seat and going back into the church.

Even after his son went back inside Rick was still processing their conversation. He had been trying to come up with a reasonable explanation why he was so hell bent on getting her back, she was a member of their group. She had been there through their toughest moments and when all hope seemed lost she was still able to sing. Her singing always did make everyone feel lighter, it made them feel like not everything in this new world was horrible.

Could he have more than familial feelings for her? He shouldn't let himself feel that way, she was Hershel's youngest daughter for God's sake. All these thoughts were confusing him. In this world Rick was sure of one thing, how to survive. Anything else was complicated and figuring out how he felt about a girl was the last thing he should be worrying about.

Running a hand through his hair Rick concentrated on his watch. Anything else he could think about later but in his head he could hear Beth's sweet singing and it brought a small smile to his face.

In the early morning hours Beth could swear she could hear her own heartbeat it was pumping so fast. Today was the day she, Nicole and April were going to make their escape. She was terrified. If something went wrong she didn't know how they would be punished. Going over the wall would be their best shot but none of them knew just what was waiting for them on the other side.

Hearing one of her roommates start to move around made Beth sit up in her cot. Smiling she saw April tiptoe closer to her. "Morning, how did you sleep?" Beth asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Ok, I'm a little nervous," April admitted.

"Me too, its ok though, we're gonna get out of here."

"I hope so," April frowned. "I don't want to be here anymore. I want to find my family."

"I thought Nicole was your family?"

"No, no, we only came here at the same time and decided to stick together because...because we didn't like how Christian was."

A question had plagued Beth ever since she saw Laura go off with Christian the previous day. "April...you don't have to answer this but...did Christian ever hurt you?"

Beth saw April's eyes glaze over with tears and she had her answer. "He...tried. He talks to you and tries to make you feel good but if you don't do what you're asked you get punished."

"You don't have to talk about that," Beth told the young girl, holding her hands with her own. "And you don't have to worry about him anymore. I'm going to get you out of here."

Beth never made promises she didn't keep. She was going to get April and Nicole out of this place. Even if she didn't make it she would happily take whatever punishment Christian dished out if it meant they got away.

Ok so the thing that happened in the MSF never happened, I'm in denial. Honestly I'm still mad about it and will probably never get over it.