Ch.54
After several miles, the car stops outside some town. "Home, sweet, home." Merle says stepping out of the car. "Now no funny business, alright? Gotta go talk to the boss. I'll show you to your rooms and you can stay there till I get back." he says dragging us to two separate rooms and tying us to chairs.
There wasn't enough single rooms, so Merle decided to put me and Maggie together in one room while Glenn is left alone in the other. I stare at our surroundings. There's nothing but a table and chairs in the middle of the room.
"Wait! Don't do this!" Maggie pleas getting Merle's attention. "Oh, don't worry, darling. I'll be back to play." he laughs walking back out the door. That bastard. I always knew he would do something like this.
"What are we going to do, Mae?" Maggie asks me in a low voice. "I don't know. The guys must be worried sick." I respond looking for a way to free myself. "I hope Glenn's alright." she says worried.
"They'll find us, right?" I ask Maggie refering to our group. "They will come. I just hope they find us soon before something bad happens." she answers staring sadly at the surrounding metal walls. "Me, too. Better sooner than later." I agree letting out a sigh.
A single tear rolls down my face at our luck. I can't believe what we've gotten ourselves into. We can't get one break. Something bad always happens one after another. It's amazing how long we have survived with all the bad shit going on in the world.
At times I wish I didn't even have to live in this world, but then I wouldn't be surrounded by such wonderful people and find love. "Daryl, please hurry." I softly say as if wishing on a star.
We can hear Merle through the wall taunting and threatening Glenn. We both just stay quiet as we listen to the torture going on. Maggie begins to tear up listening to all this. I can't blame her, though. I feel like crying, too.
It's been about an hour and I can't believe Glenn's still going. He's still got a lot of fight left in him. Thank you, Glenn. You're my motivation right now to keep it all together. You're really taking one for the team.
Maggie's crying hysterically now. It's not like I can tell her not to worry or that it's gonna be okay. The fact is, it's not okay. We're being held hostage and tortured for no reason. I don't understand why we're even here.
I hear the door in the next room open and I freeze thinking it's our turn now, but no one came. Merle must have come back holding a walker to taunt Glenn. I hear it snarling and shuffling its feet.
I open my mouth at the extent of torture that Merle is willing to do. Then we hear a commotion on the other side of the wall. The bastard must have set the walker loose after Glenn. This is not good.
"Glenn?! Glenn!" I yell throwing my voice at the wall hoping he can hear me. Maggie just bursts out crying. "Glenn, what's happening?! Glenn?!" I panic as I listen to him screaming.
"I can't take this anymore. I can't." Maggie repeats out loud. "Maggs, you have to pull yourself together. For Glenn. For everybody. Can you do that?" I ask her staring directly into her face. "Maggs, can you do that?" I call out to her again.
"Yeah." Maggie answers pumping herself up. "Are you sure?" I ask her sympathetic and she nods at me. After a few seconds the snarling stops and we hear Glenn let out a horendous roar. God, I hope he's okay.
"Maggs, remember, we're strong and we'll get through this." I say to boost our confidence. Yeah, you're right. Bring it on." she states in a confident mood now. You go, girl. Show them that you're not afraid.
A second later, a man we've never seen before walks through the door and cuts us loose. We watch him ask permission to take a seat across from us. He seems awful nice about this whole situation, though. It doesn't add up. It's not what I expected from someone who holds people hostage.
"Ladies, how are you doing? I'm sorry about this. We'll take you back to your people and tell them it was all a misunderstanding. You tell us where they are, and we'll drive you back." the man says explaining that this was all a mistake.
"No. I don't trust you." I say glaring at the man in front of us. "I wanna talk to Glenn." Maggie states putting on a brave face. "I'm afraid I can't allow that. Your people..." he says shrugging before I interrupt him.
"Why not?" I huff at the man. "As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, your people are dangerous." he begins again. "What?! You don't even know us!" I interrupt again shouting in his face.
"I don't have to know you. People are generally dangerous until reason. Also, you handcuffed my man to a rooftop, forced him to amputate his own hand. So there's that." the man states with anger in his voice.
"I don't know anything about that." Maggie states when the man stares at her for an answer. "What about you?" he asks me snarky. "We went back for him, but he was already gone. Ask Glenn. He'll tell you the same thing." I backtalk crossing my arms.
The man sighs at my attitude towards him. "Just tell us where they are and we'll bring them here. You'll be safe. I promise." he tells us. "See, now you're changing your story. First, you want to take us to them. Now, you want to bring them here?" I scoff placing both hands on the table.
"I'm not telling you shit. Now let us go." I demand tightening my grip on the edge of the table in front of me. "Hm. I'm going to have to separate you two aren't I? Do each interrogation separate. You're making this a bit hard." the man says eying me.
"Actually, let's try something before you go. You guys will answer my question, okay? Every time you backtalk, she gets punished." the man says with a smile and pointing at Maggie. I look at him confused for a second.
"Shall we try this again?" the man asks with a fake smile that makes me want to punch him. "We're done listening to you hound us for answers." I say backing up again. "I figured you might say something like that." he sighs getting more comfortable.
"Hm. What shall I do? I know. Stand us, please." the man says with that same wicked smile. "Maggie, don't do as he says. He's toying with us." I snarl glaring at this strange man. "Stand up now!" he leans forward mirroring my glare.
"You can't make us do anything." I state trying to keep it all in. "You got some spunk, don't you? I'll tell you what. I bet the solitary will do you some good." the man states while walking over to the door and knocking on it.
Merle pops his head through the door to check on us. "Whatcha need, boss?" he asks glancing to me. "I need you to take this rowdy one for a bit while I talk to the other. Isolate her if you have to." bossman commands looking me up and down.
"Yes, sir." Merle grins in my direction. "No! You're not taking me anywhere else! I'm staying right here!" I yell stomping my feet like a little kid. "Come on. I got a special place for you." he continues grinning as he walks towards me."
"Don't come near me! I mean it!" I scream backing up as Merle walks up to me briefly and drags me by the arm. "Come on, doll face, it's your bedtime." he laughs at me struggling against him.
"Let me go, you asshole!" I yell before turning to the man left in the room. "You better not do anything to her! You hear me!" I scream at the boss as Merle picks me up once again to carry me out the door.
Instead of trying to reason with me, Merle just brings me back to the car. "You bastard! Let go of me!" I scream as he sits me down in the backseat. "Easy. I could have taken you somewhere else to have some fun, but I didn't. Unless you want me to." he says wiggling his eyebrows.
"You disgust me." I state turning my face in the other direction. "You sure you don't want some company? It can get a little lonely by yourself. You be good and I'll...let you have it good." Merle laughs rubbing his fingers down my cheek and across my lips.
The next second, I bite down hard on Merle's fingers. He lets out a scream as he tears his fingers away from my mouth. "You bitch! You're gonna pay!" he says choking me. I gasp for air as I claw at his hand.
"It's time to go night-night." Merle smiles after ducktaping my hands back together and my mouth shut. Then he hits me as hard as he can across my face with his metal hand. Before I know it, I'm knocked out cold.
