So I've come to the end of the story. Lots of violent description in this chapter. As always, thank you so much for reading this. Let me know what you think.
She ran through the room lined with people and walkers. Without knowing how much time she had, she quickly killed the walkers and cut through their ties. She ripped off the gag of the nearest prisoner. "I don't have a key!"
"Thank you." he gasped.
"You're on your own but there are people out there who will come and help you."
"Go." he said and began to struggle with the collar, she hesitated, "Go!" he shouted.
She paused in front of the painting only for a moment, she knew this would be the last time she saw it.
Behind the painting, covered by a threadbare sheet, was a door. She tested the handle but it was locked tight; she had nothing to pick the lock with and no time to find anything. She kicked it but it was reinforced from the other side, she slid down the front and put her head on her knees; that was it, she'd be dead before he'd come out, she'd lost.
Suddenly the door opened and she was dragged through. Luka put his boot on her neck and slammed the door, locking it again. He then swallowed the key, Essie couldn't believe it, he swallowed the fucking key. He grabbed the front of her vest and pulled her up.
"You fucking bitch! You fucking murderous bitch." and he began to choke her. She clawed at his hands around her neck but he was strong in his rage; she was stronger. She kicked him in the stomach and he recoiled back, releasing her. He ran to a chest of drawers and scrabbled to open it. She gripped her machete and moved towards him but before she got to him, he aimed a revolver at her and fired.
Rick and the others ran down the corridor, the fire was burning out of control and spreading fast. 2 men came down the other way but Rick used the last of the pistol's bullets. Michonne kicked open the door to the armory and they grabbed what they needed, she was gratified to see her sword and Daryl grabbed his bow. They heard shouts and the sound of lots of people coming from all directions, some were trying to put out the fire, others were searching for Essie. Rick looked at each of the others and nodded. They burst out of the armory and the real battle began.
The impact of the bullet made Essie fall back. She put her hand to her waist and looked at it coated with blood. The pain was terrible and filled her whole body but she was used to pain, she could control pain, she could use pain. She straightened up and advanced on Luka. He fired again but nothing happened, he fired again and again but the barrel was empty.
"You had one shot and you blew it." she said. He dropped the gun and scrabbled in the drawer again but she was behind him like an avenging angel. She raised the machete and embedded it in his thigh, he dropped to the ground where he lay screaming.
They were fighting from all directions. There seemed to be an endless supply of men coming at them. They fought their way down and through the double doors into the pen-lined courtyard. Rick, Michonne and Tara were fighting hand to hand; Carol, Abraham and Maggie were taking out the shooters up on the roof that was belching out smoke, flames were already licking up through the smashed out windows. Rick looked over to see Daryl fighting to get back into the building but there were too many of them.
"Glen! Daryl needs help!" he shouted. More of the men came out from the side of the building, they were being stretched too thin.
"Fall back!" he shouted and they regrouped and ran into the warehouse behind them, they barred the door but it wouldn't hold for long.
She knelt down beside him as he screamed and put her fingers on his lips.
"Ssshhh, no one can hear you. No one is coming, it's you and me." he stopped screaming and stared at her.
"All my life, people have tried to control me, punish me for things that were not my fault, change me. None of them succeeded. Do you know why?" he looked like he was about to pass out so she grabbed his thigh and squeezed, he screamed again.
"I said do you know why?" and he shook his head.
"Because nobody really knew who I was."
"I'll kill you, you bitch!" he mumbled through bleeding lips, she laughed.
"My aunt tried that when I was thirteen. She locked me in a cellar and sent everyone away. She was going to wait until I died of thirst. Every morning and night for 3 days, she would come to the door and tell me how I was going to hell and it was what I deserved. She didn't know that I'd been in hell for the past 5 years and I'd survived. So I waited and I waited, all the time searching for a way out. There was a sealed up coal chute and I clawed and dug until I was able to open the hatch. Can you imagine Luka, a thirteen year old girl surviving that? But I didn't stop there. I climbed out and it was night, I remember it was a half moon. Half in shadow and half in light just like me. I could have run, I could have got to the town and told someone, asked someone for help but I knew I had to help myself. I went back into that house where I had been beaten, starved, burned and I locked the room she was in. I piled papers and books around the door whilst she hammered and shouted to let her out and then I threw a lighted match at the pile and watched it burn. I stayed in that burning building until I couldn't hear her screams anymore. I stayed and listened to her die! And that was when I was thirteen. Imagine what vengeance I will wreak on you and yours now."
Luka had almost stopped breathing as he listened, her eyes never leaving his. He had thought she would have broken easily, he knew he could break her; he'd never doubted it, until he looked into her eyes. Now he truly understood what he had unleashed when he had taken her. The Woman after The Rapture was not a weak woman to be used however the world chose; she was The Survivor. She was the Judgement.
"I'm nearly out!" shouted Tara.
"Me too." shouted Maggie.
Rick looked around; there was nothing he could do. The door began to give way and Daryl and the others jammed themselves against it but it wasn't going to last. Suddenly they heard automatic weapon fire and the door stopped moving. They unbarred it and ran out. The prisoners Essie had freed were firing into the men, fighting them hand to hand. Rick's group joined them; they now had a chance.
"For a while, I thought I had found a safe place. I fucked up a few times of course. But there were some people there, you met them, you tried to use them. They made me part of their family even after they knew what I was. I'm sure you know all of this but what you don't know is that you died the moment you put them in danger. You killed my brother and sealed your fate but I think I also have to thank you." His eyes widened with surprise.
"Yes, you heard. I have to thank you because you cut the last of my ties to my past when you ripped a hole in his chest. The death of the brother I truly loved set me free. There is a man who lives in the town; a man who I could have loved forever; he always reminds me of Pablo Neruda's poetry. The very real and instinctive way that he lives and loves gave me hope for a while. He's a good man. He's not like you or I, he's a good man and he would have killed you if I couldn't. Neruda wrote 'But the hour of vengeance falls and I love you.' So now that hour has come."
Luka's head lolled onto his chest so Essie slapped him but he didn't move. She moved closer to check he was still alive. Suddenly he grabbed her arms and shoved her down, banging her head on the concrete floor. He dragged himself until he was leaning over her, pinning her arms to the ground. He began to slam her into the ground again and again. Neither of them noticed the smoke that had begun to seep under the door.
"I'm going to kill you." he shouted as he punched her. She stretched her arms and grabbed his injured thigh, digging her fingers into the open wound. He screamed and rolled over, kicking out at her. She felt his boot connect with her side where the bullet hole was bleeding and the pain nearly ripped her apart but she didn't stop. She grabbed the machete and swung herself over him, kneeling on his chest as he continued to scream.
"You killed my brother, you nearly killed my family and now you've killed me but you know what? You'll die first." and she raised her machete.
"No! Please! No!" screamed Luka but she brought the machete down and he stopped screaming, forever.
With the reinforcements the battle was over quickly. Most of the men were dead but some had scattered.
"This way out." shouted one of the prisoners and ran through the warehouse doors.
Rick and the others went to follow but Carol looked back to see Daryl running back into the building that was fast becoming an inferno.
"She's in the room behind the painting!" the prisoner shouted and Daryl nodded and opened the doors.
"Go with the others!" Rick shouted to Carol and followed Daryl.
They were immediately blinded by the thick, choking smoke and the heat was almost unbearable. They stepped over the bodies, shielding themselves from the flames as best they could. They burst through the door and were nearly beaten back by the flames but managed to get through to the room behind. The flames were less fierce but they didn't have long.
Essie grasped her side and leant against the floor trying to stay conscious. She had one last job to do. She picked up the machete that dripped with his blood and sliced him open; she pushed her hands inside and found the key. She pulled her hands out of the man that had nearly killed her and wiped away the carnage. She stepped over him but stopped.
"I don't want you coming back." she said and plunged the machete into his skull. She unlocked the door and pulled it open.
Rick and Daryl were nearly at the other end of the room when the building gave a great groan. Just in time Rick pulled Daryl back as the ceiling caved in blocking their way with a huge pile of burning wood and rubble.
"We've got to go! I'm sorry." shouted Rick but Daryl wasn't moving.
"Come on!" he yelled, pulling him. Daryl tried to shake him off but Rick wasn't going to leave him. He half carried, half dragged him away. As they reached the door Daryl saw, through the flames, a huge painting, seemingly untouched. It was Essie but at the same time it wasn't. As the flames began to scorch and blister the canvas, he saw the face char until it was as black as the sky behind but then Rick pulled him away.
As they reached the tree line they heard a huge explosion and saw the building collapse in on itself. Daryl fell to the ground, his head in his hands. Carol ran over and cradled him in her arms for a long time.
They made it back to Alexandria, bringing the surviving prisoners with them. Deanna opened the gate and many of the townspeople ran out to meet them. Reg pushed his way through the crowd and grabbed Rick's arm.
"Essie?" he asked.
"She'd gone." Rick answered, exhaustion palpably written on his face. Jessie put her hand over her mouth and began to sob.
"Is the town safe?" Deanna asked.
"Yeah it's safe." he replied, "She saved it."
2 days later, Abraham hammered a wooden cross into the ground. Essie and Lawrence's names were carved into it. The whole town had gathered in the makeshift graveyard. Eric had read a Dylan Thomas poem and now they were all to go back to Deanna's house for a wake.
Jessie walked out onto the porch and found Carol sitting on the swing, looking out over the town.
"She would have hated this." she said sitting down. Carol smiled but said nothing.
"I'm going to miss her." Jessie said as her eyes filled with tears.
"We all are." Carol said impassively.
"Will he be ok?" asked Jessie, wiping her face.
"No." said Carol and looked over to behind the church.
Daryl sat on the flat roof and pulled the last cigarette out of the packet. He lit it and took a deep drag. The wind disturbed the red and gold of the leaves in the trees. He stared into the distance. Faintly, so faintly, carried on the breeze, was the sound of an old Nina Simone song playing far away.
