AN: There was good reason for the delayed update. I had taken down chapter 28 due to some anxiety, but it's back up. I had to take some time off to gather my thoughts and build up the courage to continue. Now, understand again that my original plans for some of this changed because I wanted to try this out...A suggestive 'dark' theme ahead. The rating changes from here because I'm paranoid...I hope you enjoy it.
Chapter 29
"Don," Harper said his voice shaking a bit.
Don had been shifting from one foot to another uneasily. He didn't know why he was worried, he trusted Logan not to hurt Lily, but he knew Logan was pretty heartless as well. "What?" Don replied still staring off in the direction Lily had left in.
"Where's mom?" Mason asked.
"She'll be back in a few minutes," Don said.
Harper moved closer to Don and whispered in his ear, "You have to go get her. My money says Logan won't hesitate to kill her."
Don whipped around and faced the guard who took a step back. "What the hell are you talking about?" He seethed.
Harper explained how Logan kept walkers in shed for interrogation purposes mostly. "Sometimes the guys he kicks out of the group get fed to the land brains and sometimes the guards make bets on how far a guy can get with some land brains after him. They usually give the land brains the advantage by like cutting off a guy's leg or something."
By now Don's eyes were wide and his jaw fell open as he tried to process this. He knew Logan could be pretty ruthless but to keep walkers and feed people to them was something else entirely. "How does he get them?" Don asked.
"During a lockdown. That's why the guards make sure everyone's inside so they don't see the others gathering the land brains."
"I…" He felt the world spin for a moment. "Here," he said moving Mason to stand by Harper. "Keep an eye on him. Where's it at?"
As soon as Harper finished giving him directions he sprinted as fast as he could.
"Turn here," Shane said to Rick in the driver's seat.
In the back Daryl had his crossbow ready to go. During most of the trip he tried to shake his mind of thoughts of what might be happening to Lily. Rick had tried consoling him but Daryl only snorted and said, "Just drive."
He at one point distracted himself with listening to Rick and Shane discuss what they might find at Randall's camp. They went through different procedures of how to save Lily and ways to approach whatever situations they might face.
Suddenly Rick slammed on the brakes sending everyone forward.
"The hell was that?" Shane asked.
Rick stared wide eyed at a guy in front of the car limping back. "He just ran in front of me. I think I hit him," he said before getting off.
"Watch where the fuck you're going!" The guy shouted.
"Are you alright?" Rick asked, but the man began limping away. "Hey!"
"Fuck off!" He said.
"Where you think he's going?" Shane asked as he walked up next to Rick.
"I don't know, but I'm sure-"
A faint scream rang out making the man stop in his tracks for a moment before speeding up towards his destination.
"You don't think…" Shane said letting his voice trail off.
Daryl, upon hearing the scream and instantly recognizing the voice, got out of the car and said, "That's Lily."
He slung his crossbow over his shoulder and began following the man. "Stay with the car," Rick said to Shane before following Daryl.
Lily screamed as she felt a walker grab onto her leg. She shook it off and kicked its head sending it stumbling back.
Mark pulled on the chain lifting Lily up and away from the walkers.
"I don't want to have to ask again," Logan said walking to the edge of the platform. "Trust me, this isn't all I can do to you."
He smirked as she scowled. With fury boiling inside her she spat in his face. "Fuck you," she growled.
Logan glared at her and backhanded her across the face so hard she cried out in pain. "Something tells me you won't be talking any time soon," he said. "The least I can do is make your life hell until you do."
Lily looked over to see Steve chuckle with a mischievous smirk.
Logan turned to Mark and said, "Make sure to keep this one alive this time."
With that said Logan turned and left the shed and began making his way back to the camp.
Don cursed as he limped his way to where the shed was. He was sure that he was being followed by two others but they kept their distance from him. What did they want anyways? Before Don could answer that question he spotted Logan walking with a sense of purpose. He stopped, but this made Logan turn towards him with a raised brow. Don cursed as Logan stepped forward. "Shouldn't you be getting ready to go scouting again?" Logan asked.
"Where's Lily?" Don asked bluntly.
Logan pretended not to hear his question and instead asked, "What happened to you?"
"Where is she?!"
"She's back at the camp," Logan replied with a genuine smile.
Don felt relief wash over him, but as fast as it came it went away. According to what Harper told him, Logan wasn't to be trusted. Don had always found him to be trustworthy though. He was honest and straightforward.
"C'mon," Logan said patting him on the back and gesturing to his leg. "We'll have her take a look at your leg."
"Do we follow them?" Daryl asked as the two walked away.
"I don't know. One was headed over there and the other just came from there," Rick replied.
"We should see where that guy was headed," Daryl said.
Rick nodded in agreement.
The pair made their way around Don and Logan unseen and continued on their way.
Lily was thrown onto the ground still tied up. She violently moved about trying to break free of her bonds. The cuffs began cutting into her skin, but she paid it no mind.
"Been awhile since I've had any fun," Steve said as he stood by Lily. He looked down at her and laughed as he watched her struggle.
"Hurry up. I get a turn too ya know, Mark said before leaving.
Steve knelt by Lily and grabbed onto her leg and pulled her to him. She went to kick him where she knew it would hurt, but he quickly straddled her and pinned her arms above her head. He quickly used one hand to begin unbuckling his belt and undoing his fly.
Lily's thoughts were running a mile a minute. This shouldn't be happening. Why was this happening? It didn't matter, because it was happening. But I can't let it happen, she told herself. Too many times she nearly ended up in situations like this, but she always pulled through. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if it ever happened. But it wasn't just her now.
It was Mason and Daryl. She had them to think about. She needed to see them again.
Steve let his free hand force her mouth open and roughly kissed her. As soon as Lily felt his tongue invade her mouth she bit down on it as hard as she could. Steve howled in pain and tried pulling away.
Rick and Daryl had just reached the shed when they heard the screams coming from within it. "There!" Rick said running to the staircase. Daryl followed and the two rushed up the stairs and Rick kicked open the door.
Steve grabbed hold of Lily's shoulders and began pushing her back, but she wasn't letting go easily. She let go and hit her head against his sending him backwards. Just as she did the door had been kicked open and she turned and saw Rick and Daryl staring at the scene with wide eyes.
"Fucking bitch!" Steve shouted almost incoherently due to his injured tongue. He fumbled around his belt for where he had his gun holstered. As soon as he pulled it out Daryl took aim with his crossbow and shot an arrow right between his eyes.
"What the hell is going on?" Rick said as he quickly made his way to Lily. He eyed the blood around her mouth and on her shirt. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," she said. "Untie me."
Rick quickly undid the cable ties and cursed when he got to the cuffs. "Keys," he said.
"Check him," Lily said gesturing to Steve's body. Rick did as he was told and Daryl knelt next to Lily and worriedly looked her over.
"What did they do to ya? Ya alright?" He asked worriedly.
She nodded. "I'm fine."
With all the shouting gone, Rick and Daryl could hear the walkers beneath them. "Not them too," Daryl mumbled. "The hell's got people thinkin' walkers make good pets?"
Lily couldn't help but chuckle. It soon turned into a sob.
"Hey," Daryl said. "Don't cry, we're here."
"They tried feeding me to the walkers down there," she sniffled.
Rick knelt by her and removed the cuffs. "C'mon, we gotta go," he said.
"Wait," Lily said as Daryl helped her stand. "They have my son."
"He's here?" Rick asked.
She nodded. "He's back at the camp. I'm not leaving without him."
Rick cursed and paced for a few moments. "You got a pistol?" He asked Daryl.
He nodded.
"Alright, here's the plan then," Rick said. "Real simple. Daryl, go with Lily into the camp to get her son then ya'll walk right on out. Shoot at anyone who gets in your way. I'll go tell Shane to have the car ready to move."
"This way," Lily said taking Daryl's hand.
"Wait," he said.
She raised her brow as he walked over to Steve's body.
He looked down at it with a scowl and took back his arrow before kicking the lifeless body. Lily bit her lip sensing his anger. It wasn't hard to figure out what would've happened to her. Steve's body had moved to the edge of the platform and with one final kick it was sent over the edge to the walkers below. Daryl watched them greedily eat the still warm flesh.
"Let's go," Lily said softly taking Daryl's hand and leading the way out. She didn't want to stay there any longer than needed. All she wanted to do was get her son and leave the awful place behind.
AN: I hope you enjoyed this chapter..
