Daryl had relayed to Zeek and Abe everything Benny had told him about the men who had taken the teen. Zeek had informed them that there were three different Native villages within a fifteen-mile radius, and only one of the villages was south of the camp. It seemed that south was the logical place to start, since that is where the men had picked up Benny.
"You think the boy would be up for a little ride? The weather is warmer today and the snow is melting, we might be able to find a clue if he can point out where he was picked up." Abe said.
"I'll ask him, but I think he is more than ready to get out of the cabin my momma is keeping him locked up in." Daryl told them.
Abe then spoke "I've got some shit to do around here to make sure we get the camp cleaned up and the walls re-secured, so do you think you and Zeek can handle this?"
Zeek then spoke "After what these assholes did to my daughter, I am more than able to handle this. When I find them they are going to face a reckoning worse than the fiery pits of Hell."
Daryl nodded in agreement. He wanted these motherfuckers taken care of as much as Zeek. To be honest, he was more than just a little nervous to be leaving Davia for a few hours. With what had happened to Vienna, he wanted her near at all times.
…
While Daryl was meeting with Zeek and Abe, Davia was in the process of seeking out Hershel. She found him in the barn tending to the hogs and goats.
"Hershel, Can I run something by you?" She asked.
"Of course you can darling. Is something wrong?" He asked in a concerned manner.
"No not at all. I wanted to ask you some questions regarding plants. I've been reading a few books on botany and I think we can turn one of the unused cabins into a greenhouse. It would mean constant tending to keep the temperature constant, but it would allow us to start seedlings that will have a better chance of surviving during the growing season, and we could possibly have fresh vegetables year round. I was going to attempt to grow herbs at first in my own cabin, and if that works I was planning on expanding it. Do you think it's a possibility?" She asked.
"Actually Davia, I think it is a great plan. I was interested in doing the same thing, but I wasn't sure if any one else would support the idea. You and I could work on it together. I also think Bethy might be interested too. You know she idolizes you Davia…she always has."
"I think the world of Beth too Hershel. She's like a sister and a best friend rolled into one. How are you handling her being with Brad?" Davia asked.
"If times were different, I wouldn't be too happy with her choice to live with him without the sanctity of marriage, but with things the way they are now, each day is a gift, and if this is what makes Beth happy, then I wish her nothing but the best. Brad is a good man who still holds onto some old fashioned values. He came to me as a man and told me just how much he cared about Beth, but he was concerned about the age difference and what I would think about her staying with him. That went a long way with me and I knew at that point that Brad was a man of honor. You know that Annette was a good twenty years younger than I was, so the age difference wasn't a concern as much as how he would treat Beth. I can rest easier at night knowing both of my girls have a good man to take care of them when I'm not around." He said.
"Don't talk like that Hershel, you will be around for a good long time. I don't want to imagine not having you here with us." She said giving Hershel a hug.
"Davia honey, I'm well into my seventies, even if the world wasn't in the shape it is now, each day when you get to my age is a gift. I feel blessed to be with this group of people. You know, Will talked to me this morning and told me that He and Daryl worked things out. I'm happy for them both. I knew Will when he was not a good man, and knowing how much he has changed his life gives me confidence that everyone is redeemable. He's going to be a good Grandpa to that baby when she is born." Hershel said to her.
"Yeah, I can't wait. I'm excited and scared at the same time. I don't really know much about being a parent, but I know how to love people, and coming up, that was the one thing I felt I missed out on, but now…I feel so much love from just about everyone." She admitted.
"Just about everyone? Who aren't you feeling loved by?" Hershel asked.
"April, Lori…Carol." She told him.
"I think April is starting to come around. Will told me just this morning that she requested Father Gabriel come see her. She feels close to him and I think that is a good thing. Will also said that April has been a good houseguest. She has been cordial and respectful. You might just be surprised Davia. Lori is just lost and doesn't know how to handle what is going on. She was raised as an only child who was spoiled and doted on, and she doesn't know any different. She is jealous of you, so keep that in mind." Hershel said.
"And Carol?" Davia asked.
"I'm not sure about Carol…she seems to be slipping from reality. Whatever Ed did to her and Sophia, it damaged her and instead of getting better, she's getting worse. She's angry and lonely at the same time. I'm keeping my eye on her and you should too." Hershel replied.
"Do you think she is dangerous?" Davia asked him.
"I think she could be. I hope not though. Now why don't you help me finish up in here and we can go take a look at one of those empty cabins." He said smiling at her.
…
Zeek, Daryl, and Benny were riding down the muddy road to see if they could locate clues about Benny's abductors. Zeek had done a good job of pushing down his grief and was now focused on exacting revenge on the men that killed his daughter. To be honest, if Zeek could dig up Shane and kill him again Daryl thought the man would do it. Not that Shane killed Vienna, but his actions did lead to her death.
Zeek was driving (like a normal human being for once) and Benny was instructing him on things he recognized along the way. Daryl's mind had left the conversation that was taking place between his brother and Zeek and wandered back to last night. After purging all of his pent up emotions regarding his father, Daryl returned to the cabin to the waiting arms of Davia. Zeek and Ingrid had retired for the evening after comforting their daughters and getting them settled into the bunkhouse.
It may have seemed like ill timing, but when Daryl climbed in bed with Davia, he felt a feral instinct take over and he and Davia engaged in a very intense and very free love making. She sensed her husband's needs, and was more than willing to satisfy him…his release was both physical and mental. He was certain that Zeek and Ingrid must have heard the couple's cries of passion, but to be honest, he didn't care.
When Daryl awoke this morning he was lying on his stomach, and all the scars of his past exposed, feeling Davia lightly trace his demons on his back. It was if those demons had now been freed and he enjoyed her gentle touches against his marred skin. Daryl loved Davia more than he had ever loved anyone or anything in his entire life. He hadn't known just how much he was capable of loving someone…but now he couldn't imagine not loving her. In the past he always thought love was an overrated thing that he couldn't figure out. But he had indeed figured it out, and he would die before he would sacrifice the intensity of the feeling.
"Right here!" Benny yelled bringing Daryl back to the situation at hand.
"You sure?" Daryl asked.
"Positive. This is where April kicked me out. I recognize the rocky ledges." He said practically jumping out of the vehicle.
"Get back in here Benny. If something happens to you Momma will kill me." Daryl yelled at his younger brother.
Benny huffed and got back in the truck "Now what?"
"You stay in here and keep warm. No offense Benny, but right now I need you for informational purposes only. I can't risk something happening to ya. Here…" Daryl said as he pulled a gun out of the glove box and handed it to Benny.
"What do you want me to do with it?" Benny asked.
"Keep your eyes open while Zeek and I look for your trail. It's pretty muddy, but the snow is gone and I might be able to still pick it up. From there we could trace to where those assholes met up with ya." Daryl informed the young teen.
Zeek and Daryl searched and Daryl found what he thought were Benny's tracks. "Get in the truck and follow me. I'm gonna walk the road until I find where the tracks end." Daryl said.
Zeek nodded and he and Benny followed Daryl for four miles. Daryl was able to locate the place where Benny's tracks ended and at least three other sets of footprints met them. He then spotted tire tracks that were not from Zeek's truck (Which had passed down this road at least three times now) and got into the vehicle.
"Follow those tracks and let's see if we can find where they veered off the road, it had to be before they got to the camp because we would have seen the vehicle." Daryl informed him.
"That's not completely true. There are some cutover trails that lead to a secondary road that takes you North East to Seward. They could have gone that way." Zeek told Daryl.
"Are they mapped?" Daryl asked.
"You're kidding right? The only folks that know about those cut-overs are locals. They traverse the area all over; in fact, one of the cut-overs is close to the camp on the back wall. It hasn't been used in years, but it is still passable. I used it to run the dogs up and down that path since they could go for a good long ways without needing to worry about crossing someone." Zeek informed Daryl.
"So that means these assholes could have passed by the camp and we wouldn't have known it. Shit, that makes the search that much harder." Daryl stated.
"It does, but it doesn't mean it's impossible, just means we gotta think out of the box." Zeek replied.
They followed the tracks for about a mile, but with the snow and the rapid melt that followed, the tracks had washed away. The area was a steeper, and the water flow increased, erasing the clues Daryl had hoped would stay intact.
"Let's take Benny back to camp and check on things. I wanna go to the Village near Homer you were telling me about. Maybe someone knows these guys." Daryl suggested.
"Even if they do, they may not tell us anything. You might want to bring something to trade, specifically liquor. You didn't bring any moonshine with ya from Georgia did ya?" Zeek inquired.
"We've got some liquor that should suffice. A few cartoons of cigarettes too." Daryl said.
"Well, that's a start. You are right though; Benny needs to stay behind. These people aren't for the faint of heart. Poverty and alcoholism has decimated the smaller villages and Benny doesn't need to be exposed to that. Darla wanted to help out with some charitable work before the turn, and she barely returned with her virtue. I had warned her not to go, but her hipster boyfriend talked her into it. Don't repeat this, but I hope the walker's ate his skinny jeans wearing ass. I hated him, but Ingrid told me I had to 'behave' and not say anything for Darla's sake. When I found out what happened I almost killed the motherfucker. Darla didn't talk to me for a week after that night and the scrawny bastard never came to the house again." Zeek told him, fighting back a smile.
"They sound like the type my brother used to run with." Daryl admitted to Zeek.
"I always prayed my girls would bring home someone like you…a good strong man, not some pansy ass like they all seemed to be attracted too. Liesel seemed to have the best taste. She might like the girls, but at least she made decent choices. Tara is a good girl, and I have no qualms with her, but men like Shane…They make me sick." Zeek told Daryl.
Daryl never thought he would hear that someone "wished" they would bring home a man like him. He always assumed that most parents would cringe if a Dixon crossed the threshold into their house. Daryl couldn't help but feel a little proud that Zeek thought so much of him.
When they arrived back at the camp, Benny went and sought out Carl. It was good to seem him socializing again and Daryl was relieved that nothing worse had happened to his brother. Benny had provided the sketches that Daryl had requested, and he hoped that when they went to the village, someone would recognize the men and tell them where they could be located.
Daryl went to find Davia and was surprised to not find her at their cabin. He asked around and Maggie told him that she had seen Davia with Hershel and Will and hour earlier. That peaked Daryl's interest as he continued to search for her. He found her, his father, and Hershel all inside an empty cabin. Hershel was intently explaining something to Davia and she was nodding in understanding.
"So we need to cut panels out of the roof and replace them with glass panes. I wonder where we could get those?" Davia asked.
"We can ask Zeek, he may know…or even have access to some. Plexi glass may work too, just something to let the light in." Hershel told her.
"Hey…what are y'all working on?" Daryl asked the trio.
Will then spoke "Davia has proposed putting in a Greenhouse so we can grow vegetables year round and we can start seedlings prior to the growing season. We are trying to determine what we need to do to make it happen."
"Daryl, are you OK with this?" Davia asked.
Daryl looked at Davia and gave her a rare smile "Of course I am baby girl. I'm proud of you. Does this have to do with those books you have had your nose in each night?" He asked her. He couldn't be any prouder of Davia if he tried. She was taking a rotten situation and trying to make it better. This place, it was now their home, and as shitty as it was, Davia saw the importance of making a permanent life for them. She had gotten over her feelings of inadequacy and was not thriving.
"Yeah, I've been reading a lot about plants, I am going to start growing some herbs in our kitchen, they will help make all those tasty animals you are fond of killing taste better." She teased him.
"Well you already are a damn fine cook, so I can't imagine it being any better, but I trust ya." He told her in a loving manner. God he adored her.
"Son, any luck on your excursion?" Will asked.
"Not really, we did find where they picked up Benny, but we lost the trail. Zeek and I are going to one of the local villages to see if we can find out something. Zeek said they aren't the friendliest of people, so I wanted to drop Benny off before we head back out." Daryl told them.
"Daryl, that sounds dangerous…are you sure you shouldn't take some more people with you?" Davia asked.
"Nah…they might become even more hostile if we show up with a group. Zeek's dealt with them before and I think just the two of us would be the best solution." He told her.
"If you think it's best, but I'm going to be worried about you." She said.
"Don't be, we'll be fine. We are bringing some things to barter with, and if things don't feel right, we'll leave." Daryl assured her.
She gave him a kiss and he slipped away to find Zeek. They needed to leave shortly before it got too late in the day.
…
Zeek had informed Daryl that it would be best that he do the talking. He had a strained relationship at best with the village, and they did not take kindly to outsiders. Zeek had employed a few of the men during the busy season when he was mining, and running a fishing boat. They at least knew him and knew he didn't put up with bullshit.
The village was more like a run down trailer park. Hodge podge houses had yards littered with abandoned cars and broken machinery. Daryl noted it looked a lot like some of the places he had grown up in. Women wandered about the village, eyes downward while dirty-faced children ran around with little supervision.
"This place is a dump" Daryl commented.
"Alcoholism and drug addiction leads to this. Did you see the grow houses on the left when we came in?" Zeek asked.
"I take it they aren't for growing food like Davia is trying to do." Daryl said.
"Not at all…they grow pot and trade it for liquor. They were doing that before the turn, but without any sort of law enforcement I am sure they are building up their operations." Zeek told Daryl.
"I see now why you didn't want your daughter trying to help out here, it seems pretty seedy." Daryl replied.
"Sometimes I think I sheltered those girls too much. I can't help but feel more than a little guilty about my Vienna. I should have made more of an example out of Darla's ordeal down here than I did, but those girls are headstrong and are gonna do what they want. I didn't want to push them away." Zeek said sadly.
"You can't blame yourself. My brother had some serious substance abuse issues and I tried everything in my power to get him to clean up, but he wouldn't listen." Daryl said, offering a small bit about his past to Zeek.
"Is that the reason your brother didn't come with you out here to Alaska? You brought your mother, father, and younger brother…to be honest I didn't know you had another brother." Zeek admitted.
"He passed a few months ago." Daryl then lifted his shirt, exposing the scar on his abdomen. "He gave me this as a parting gift. That's the reason Davia and I are raising April's baby…It's my brother's daughter. As bad as he was, I owe him this, that little girl is blood." Daryl told Zeek.
"And you are gonna love that little one just like she is your own. It's what men like you and me do. It ain't weak to care for your family…it actually shows great strength. In this day and age children are even more precious, because without them there won't be a future. Keep that in mind." Zeek said proudly. Daryl nodded at the man's words of advice.
Zeek pulled up to a house that had seen much better days. "Get out and stay behind me. Leave the crossbow in the truck, but keep a gun hidden. Got it?" Zeek commanded.
"Whose house are we at?" Daryl asked.
"It's the council building. These villages are run by councils…but trust me it's not like a normal city government. It's usually the roughest guys that run the villages. Think of it like the mob." Zeek said.
Daryl and Zeek walked up the rickety porch and then Zeek knocked on the door. An older woman answered the door, opening it ever so slightly. She gave him a slight smile "Mr. Zeek, glad to see you are still in one piece."
"You too Adelaide. Is Ray or any other of the council members in?" He asked.
"Let me tell them you are here. Please wait on the porch." She said before disappearing.
Daryl heard a slight commotion inside and finally a large shirtless man with long black hair and striking features opened the door. "Come in." He said curtly.
"Ray…it's been a while." Zeek commented.
"What do you need." Ray said. He was over six feet tall and Daryl noticed he was covered in scars and tattoos. To say the guy looked intimidating was an under statement. Daryl also picked up the scent of sweat, cigarettes, and booze.
"We're looking for some assholes that raped and killed my daughter. We think you might know who they are and where we could find them." Zeek said bluntly.
"Can't help ya." Ray responded coldly.
"You know something…don't you?" Daryl said, against Zeek's wishes. Daryl then pulled out the sketches Benny made and thrust them in Ray's face.
"I suggest you remove those out from under my nose or I will rip your fucking arm off." Ray said loudly, prompting some men in the other room to now make their way to the hallway where the three men stood.
Daryl reluctantly pulled the drawings away from the man and Zeek raised his hand to Daryl, causing Daryl to cease from speaking.
"Ray, we go back a long way, and have shared more than one drink together. You knew my girls and I need your help to find these fuckers. I also think one of your local girls may have gone missing too. Can you offer me anything?" Zeek pleaded.
"Don't know nothing about anything and neither does anyone else here. Right?" Ray said giving a menacing look to the others in the group around him. Daryl knew they guy was lying, but he had to trust Zeek at this moment or things could go bad in a quick minute.
"Ray…" Zeek said one more time.
"Thanks for stopping by Zeek, if I hear anything I will let you know. Now I think it is best you be leaving." Ray warned.
"We've got some supplies you might be interested in." Daryl offered up, once again drawing an angry look from Zeek.
"Don't need 'em, got plenty." Ray responded. "Now go, we have a counsel meeting I need to attend too." The man said shutting Daryl and Zeek down before either could respond again.
Daryl stormed out of the house with Zeek following. Zeek was angry too, but knew he was dealing with a volatile situation and he didn't want it to go completely off the rails.
When they got in Zeek's truck Daryl let out a stream of obscenities that almost made Zeek laugh "The God Damn Mother Fuckers know where those guys are. Now they are going to tip them off and we are going to be fucking fucked. The son of a bitches are gonna go after us doubly hard now. Shit Shit Shit." Daryl screamed in his tirade.
"Calm the fuck down Daryl. I didn't expect we would get anything out of them to begin with, but at least we know they are somehow involved." Zeek told him.
As they were heading back towards the camp Daryl was brooding and staring out the window. They were about five miles from the camp when Daryl spotted something. "Pull over." He shouted.
Daryl got out of the truck and Zeek followed. Daryl had spotted the dead body of a girl no more than fourteen lying in a ditch, discarded as if she were trash, a bullet hole between her eyes.
"I bet you anything this is the girl Benny heard while he was being held. Do you have a sheet or blanket in the truck?" Daryl asked.
Zeek nodded and quickly returned with an old bed sheet. Daryl carefully wrapped the dead girl up and told Zeek to go back to the village.
"I don't think that is a good idea." Zeek said.
"Just do as I say Zeek, I want to make a point." Daryl said.
Zeek turned the truck around and drove back to the village, slightly annoyed at Daryl's stubbornness. When they were in the middle of the small town, Daryl laid on the horn of the truck, attracting various villagers out of their homes.
Daryl then got out of the truck and pulled the body out of the bed where it was lying. "If y'all want to turn a blind eye to what is going on, then that is on you, but this…" He said. He then placed the body down in the middle of the street "This is beyond any cold blooded thing I could imagine. Take a good look at her, she is just a child, and her blood is on YOUR hands if you don't say anything." Daryl then let out a frustrated grunt as he got back into the truck.
"OK, you can leave now." Daryl said angrily.
Zeek shook his head and was heading down the road when an older model truck approached them from behind, flashing the lights to get their attention. Zeek pulled over.
Surprisingly, it was Adelaide that had flagged them down. "Mr. Zeek, I am truly sorry about your daughter. You know the situation here, and you know I couldn't say anything in front of Ray. Even though he is my boy, he is still a threat to all of us. That body you brought back was a twelve year old orphan girl named Mikayla, she was traded out a week or so ago to a group of men who are providing Ray with liquor, drugs, food, and other items. Please don't let them know I told you. Mikayla's little brother Scottie is missing too, he's about seven. Those men come around about once a month, so they will most likely be back within a few weeks. I have no way to let you know when they are coming, but if you keep an eye on the village, they normally come around midnight. I have to go." She said as she ran to her truck and left.
"They've got another kid with them…if he is even still alive." Daryl said, letting out a breath. Children had a soft spot in Daryl's heart and the thoughts of yet another one being used and beaten like Mikayla, and even Benny sickened him. "Let's head back to camp, but maybe we can go back another way and check out some of those cut-overs." Daryl suggested.
"We can do that. I'm sorry you have to see this side of Alaskan life." Zeek said in a sorrowful manner.
"It ain't only Alaska Zeek, I grew up in this shit." Daryl offered up.
…
Andrea had offered to take up watch, and Rick had reluctantly agreed to let her start off on the back wall. She wasn't thrilled, since it certainly wouldn't offer up much excitement, but she wanted to make her point that she was more than capable of contributing to the group. Milton wasn't happy to have her in a position of defense, but he knew arguing with the headstrong woman was pointless.
To everyone in the group, Milton and Andrea had a strange relationship. That however was far from the truth. Yes, Milton was eccentric and a little aloof, but Andrea understood him. She helped him with his social skills, and in turn, he challenged her mind. He was a shy and caring man, but he had desires just as all men did, and had proven to Andrea to be a tender and satisfying lover. When Andrea lost Amy, it was Milton who gave her the will to live.
Dale had also become a big part of her life. He would often eat dinner with the couple, though Andrea admittedly was a horrible cook, but that actually worked in Dale's favor, as he was a good cook and had taken to showing Andrea the ropes. Milton and Dale would often engage in very deep conversations when Milton wasn't busy to tending to the sick and injured in the group. When Milton discovered that Vienna had turned without being bitten, he had divulged that information to Dale. Dale advised Milton to keep the info to himself, even though he knew Daryl and Zeek both suspected the girl hadn't received a bite from a Walker. Dale's thoughts were that the last thing they wanted to do was cause a panic in the group, but Milton knew the information needed to be relayed sooner than later. It could be dangerous if people weren't aware of the consequences of not destroying the brain.
The virus was both a terrifying, yet intriguing thing to both Milton and Eugene. The men would spend their spare time researching what they could about what caused the virus, and most importantly, what could cure the virus. There was nothing Milton wanted more than to find a cure and return to Georgia, and possibly even start a family with Andrea.
Andrea climbed up to her perch and for the first hour nothing worth mentioning occurred. Then she heard it…a child crying for help. She wasn't sure if one of the children from the camp had some how managed to escape the confines of the wall and gotten into trouble, but she knew the sound of fear in a child's voice. Without thinking she climbed over the wall and left the safety of the camp in search of the voice.
She was about thirty feet away from the camp when she spotted a small dark haired child leaning up against a tree. His face was battered and his clothes were filthy. She approached the little boy "Hey there sweetie, don't be afraid."
"His eyes made contact with hers, and she suddenly felt that something wasn't right." She turned around just in time to see two men come out of the bushes.
"Well, Well, Well…look what we have here. Look's like our bait worked." Andrea didn't have time to respond before the men were quickly on her…her world went black.
…
Davia had been working hard on the greenhouse with the assistance of Beth, Jacqui, Will, and Hershel. Ingrid had stopped by to bring the group lunch and Davia took the opportunity to ask if Zeek had any material around that he could donate.
"We could go and check. I also wanted to get you to go through some of the baby items that I have saved over the years. That little one will be here before you know it and you are going to need things for her. Did you bring anything with you from Georgia?" Ingrid asked.
"We brought formula, and diapers. I have both cloth and disposable, but Lori and April are due around the same time. Daryl said he could make a crib out of some spare wood, and of course we have a few clothing items and baby blankets." Davia told her.
"Oh, that won't do. I have a basement full of things you could use." Ingrid told her.
"Am I hearing talk about baby items?" Beth interrupted.
"Yep, Ingrid says she has some at the house. I would love to go through them." Davia said.
"Oh, me too." Beth squealed "And I know Maggie would too. Maybe seeing the baby things will convince her and Glenn to start a family of their own."
"Beth, what about you and Brad…could you see yourself with kids?" Davia asked.
"Not any time soon. He has to sleep with me first." Beth said.
"You mean you two haven't yet?" Davia asked in disbelief.
Beth blushed after realizing she had divulged entirely too much information. "We've come close, but he is still taking things way too slow. It's about to kill me." She whispered, causing Davia and Ingrid to laugh hysterically.
"Well let's go get Maggie and head over." Ingrid said.
"Should we tell Rick?" Davia asked.
"No, he's been busy with Abraham, and we won't be gone long enough to bother him. We can just cut through the woods and carry a few boxes back for now." Beth said.
Davia was hesitant to leave without saying anything, but the last thing she wanted to do was bother Rick. The man was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders and she didn't want to cause him any undue stress.
The rounded up Maggie and all headed over to the Lindstrom's home. The ladies were in the basement adoring all of the little girl baby clothes that Ingrid had saved over the years. She was telling stories about the trials and tribulations of raising seven daughters and Davia could tell that this was a type of therapy for Ingrid in dealing with Vienna's death. Each of them picked up a box and began to head up stairs when they heard footsteps coming from floor above them.
"Shhh." Davia said.
"Do you think its Zeek and Daryl?" Beth asked.
"No, they haven't been gone long enough. It could be those men that killed Vienna." Davia whispered.
The ladies all held their breath and waited quietly. They heard voices, and then they heard soft female sobs.
"Would you look at this fucking mansion Len?" they heard a man say.
"Claimed." The man Len replied.
"Please, you have to let me go, we can work this out." They heard the female plead, followed by the sound of fists hitting flesh.
"Shut the fuck up bitch. This ain't gonna be your problem soon anyway.
Maggie then whispered "That sounds like Andrea…do you think they got her?"
Panic overtook the group of women "They must have, she had wall duty this afternoon, they must have gotten to her somehow." Beth said.
"You girls wait here and let me handle this." Ingrid said.
"No, that isn't going to happen." Davia said. "What do we have for weapons?"
"I've got a knife and a Glock." Maggie told them.
"I only have a knife…I left my gun at the cabin." Beth said, now realizing how stupid she was for doing such.
"There's a shotgun down here in the basement, but it only has one shot." Ingrid told them.
"Get it." Davia told her. "I have a pistol and a knife. I'm not that good of a shot, but Daryl has been showing me how to use it in our spare time." She told them. Ingrid made her way to the shotgun, but with the low light in the basement, she accidentally knocked over some boxes. The sound was deafening and the women knew it was just a matter of seconds before the men upstairs would be down there.
The door to the basement flew open and a greasy looking man smiled insanely at the women "Well look what we have here Billy…a fucking buffet of cunts." He said.
"No…" They heard Andrea scream. "I told you to shut up bitch." Billy shouted.
"Kill her, we don't need her anymore, we got plenty down here." He said. Andrea began to wail as the man came at her and the sounds of her screaming were suddenly silenced. Davia's eyes filled with tears as she suspected that they had just murdered Andrea.
"That's one bitch that won't scream anymore. I hate screamers." Len joked.
"Come on up ladies, and move nice and slow. I wanna check out your moves." Len instructed them. Beth was terrified and her legs were wobbling, so Davia helped her up the stairs. Maggie held her head high, and Ingrid showed absolutely no fear.
When they were all assembled in the foyer of the house Len instructed them to all stand against the wall. Len and Billy began to fondle each of the women, which sickened Davia. Beth began to cry uncontrollably and Billy told her to shut up or she would join Andrea on the floor. Davia noticed that Billy had slit Andrea's throat and a pool of blood had formed around her head and neck. It was almost too much to bear. Andrea didn't deserve this, and now she feared that they all were going to meet the same fate. No, she wouldn't let that happen. Daryl needed her, and she wasn't going to leave him. She needed a plan, but right now, she couldn't come up with anything.
"Listen boys, let the young ones go and you can have me. I know how to please a man and I will do anything you want me too." Ingrid offered.
"That's very noble of ya lady, but these three beauties are way too good to waste. If you do as you say, I might let you live, but this is a package deal." Len taunted.
They needed a distraction. Right now the men were solely focused on them and they had no way to communicate with each other. They still had their weapons, as the men didn't think to check the ladies boots. Davia scanned the foyer and saw a decorative sword on the wall, if they could somehow get the men focused on something else, then maybe Maggie could fire off a shot and Davia would be able to get to her gun as well.
As if the good Lord above heard her thoughts, Andrea's corpse began to move. Very carefully, Davia pinched Maggie and got her to notice what was going on. Len and Billy were too focused on deciding which woman they were going to take first to notice. Maggie nodded and she subtly nudged Beth.
"I want the little blonde." Billy said.
"Nope, I want the blonde, you take curvy bitch. You always liked 'em with a little meat on their bones." Len said.
"The brunette looks like she has some fight in her, maybe we should wear her out first. The little blonde looks like she might break." And then both men fell into a fit of laughter. Davia was furious at how the men were so casually talking about raping them. They were monsters.
"We'll finish up with the older one, she will be like a fine wine after dinner…" Andrea's corpse began to rise and both men turned to see what was going on. "I thought you killed the bitch…," Len shouted.
The distraction was just what they needed, as Billy and Len were now in a position where they needed to protect themselves from the snarling walker, it allowed Davia to get to the door and open it. "Run!" She shouted at the other three women. Beth and Maggie dragged Ingrid out the door while Davia took a shot, hitting Len in the shoulder.
"The fucking cunt shot me." He screamed as he made his way towards her. Billy got distracted to the point that he didn't notice Andrea as she began to attack him. Her teeth clamped down on the man and she began to rip him to shreds. Len was too angry to notice, and he now had Davia pushed up against the wall. Memories of Ed choking her flooded her mind and she reached behind her and grabbed the sword off the wall. She swung it, clipping Len in the arm, which caused him to release her. She quickly ran for the door and headed down the steps.
Davia saw Maggie, Beth, and Ingrid running towards the woods, but they were suddenly stopped in their tracks as Len began to fire on them. She saw Beth drop, and Ingrid and Maggie quickly stopped, picked up the girl and kept running. Davia now needed to take cover as Len was spraying a cover of bullets down all around everywhere Davia was running.
Davia ran to the back of the house, and saw her escape. There were some trees she could run behind that would provide her enough cover to make it to the tree line and then to the woods that would get her back to camp. She bolted quickly, but suddenly felt a searing pain in her hip. She knew she had just been shot, but she couldn't stop. Len fired again, and this time one of the bullets hit the propane tank, sending up an explosion that sent Davia to the ground. She was dazed and her ears were ringing, but the shots had stopped.
The next thing she knew Maggie, and Ingrid were dragging her up and into the woods, where Beth was laying against a tree, a bullet lodged in her shoulder.
"You're wounded." Maggie said.
"It's just a scratch." Davia said. "Where did the guy go?"
"He ran off after the explosion. Oh Ingrid…your house…" Maggie said, pointing out that the entire house was now engulfed in flames.
"It's just a building…we need to get Beth and Davia to the doc." Ingrid said.
"Oh God, Andrea, how do we tell Milton?" Davia said, still not feeling the pain in her hip. Her adrenaline was still pumping, but she knew she was going to be hurting soon enough.
"I will tell him." Ingrid said.
The four women didn't make it even half way to the camp before they were met in the woods by Rick, Sasha, and Michonne. They had heard the gunfire and the explosion and noticed the women missing. The other's quickly helped Davia and the other girls' back to the camp. Immediately Davia and Beth were rushed to the clinic.
Maggie explained to Rick about Andrea, and Rick went to retrieve Bob. Next to Milton, Bob was their second choice in a medical person. Not being sure of how Milton would take the news, Rick wanted Bob as a back up.
"Daryl's gonna fucking kill me." Rick said.
"No he isn't Rick, he's going to kill me." Davia replied. She was beginning to feel the burning pain in her hip and it was radiating down her leg.
Davia and Beth were lying on gurneys side by side. Beth was sniffling, and Brad had come rushing to her aid. "Bethy Please don't cry. You are gonna be fine." He told her.
"I froze Brad, I fucking froze. I couldn't do anything. I'm weak." She cried.
Davia answered, "No you're not Beth. We all react in different ways, and if it happens again I know you will be prepared. We were all caught off guard." Right now she was wishing more than anything that Daryl was here with her.
…
Zeek and Daryl were just about back at the camp when they saw the orange glow in the sky.
"What the fuck?" Daryl said.
"That's my house." Zeek said, whipping the vehicle in the direction of his home. It was dark, but the glow of the fire lit the area up like daylight.
"Something bad has happened. Get to the camp now." Daryl commanded. Zeek backed out of his driveway, knowing the house was a loss and there wasn't anything more he could do about it.
When they pulled up to the front gate, Rick met them.
"Daryl, there has been an incident. Don't panic, Davia is going to be OK." Rick said, but all Daryl had to hear was Davia's name and he was running as fast as he could to the clinic. He burst through the doors calling out her name.
"Davia, Davia honey…I'm here." He yelled.
Bob met him in the lobby of the clinic "Follow me, she's been asking for you."
Daryl rushed into the room where Davia was convalescing. Davia was hooked up to an IV and had been given a strong dose of pain medication. "Baby what happened?" He asked.
"I'm so sorry Daryl, we went over to get some baby things and we didn't say anything to anyone. They killed Andrea, and they took us by surprise, but we made it out…Beth, she took a bullet in the shoulder, and I took a hit in the hip, but I'm going to be fine. I'm so sorry…it was stupid." She told him.
"Don't apologize Davia, you did good. How are you feeling?" He asked her.
"Better now that you are here. Milton said he wanted to talk to both of us when you got back. I'm probably going to be laid up for a few days." She told him.
"I don't care if it is a few months. I promise I will take care of you Davia. Don't you EVER worry about that. I love you so much baby." He said, fighting back tears that were threatening to fall. When Rick met them at the gate, Daryl feared the worse. Fortunately, he still had his Davia.
Milton came into the room, void of any emotion and addressed Daryl.
"I had to operate on her hip to remove bullet fragments. She has a few lacerations and bruises, but I handled those as well. I think she might have a cracked rib from the impact of the explosion, but she should make a full recovery. As a precaution I x-rayed her hip and pelvic area and I noticed an anomaly." He told them.
"A what?" Daryl asked.
"Davia is pregnant. Just a few weeks, but she is most definitely with child. Congratulations Daryl, you are going to be a father." Milton said, and the just like that he left the room.
...And...? To be honest I wasn't thrilled with the flow of this chapter. I still hope you enjoy and Please Please Please Please Please leave me a review...It will be much appreciated.
Thanks
Missy
XXOO