The journey to the prison took longer than expected.
Beth wound up having to hide out in an old shed for two days, staying silent and hardly moving, because a herd of walkers suddenly started pouring from the woods around her and blocked her path. Naturally, she ran until she found a place to hide. And when the groans continued for more than two hours, she knew she was going to be stuck for a while.
When those two days passed, having stayed an extra day just to be cautious, Beth continued her trek to the prison, fighting the exhaustion that she felt in her bones. She had checked the map before leaving the shed, but she'd been in such a hurry to escape the herd, she had no idea where she was. So, she walked to the first street or highway sign she could find, then tried again. Luckily, she was able to locate the prison and her location, and guessed she was about five miles away. If she had a car, she could be there in a few minutes. Alas, her own two feet would have to suffice, and she'd reach the fences before nightfall.
While she walked, knife in her boot and axe in her hand, Beth let her mind wander to her family.
She had no idea if or when she'd find them, but she knew she would never give up. She remembered telling Daryl that it wouldn't kill him to have a little faith, and she wasn't about to go back on her own words. She knew they all thought she was dead. By all logic, she should be…and yet, she was breathing and standing on her own two feet. Still, Beth didn't blame them for leaving her behind. According to the officers at Grady, who had watched the whole event unfold, Daryl had carried her body out, sobbing. And when Maggie had spotted her lifeless form, she collapsed on the ground in hysterics. Unfortunately, her family couldn't give her a proper burial. Walkers from the within the city had heard the commotion and started gathering at the hospital, and they were forced to hide her body in the trunk of a nearby car, before fighting their way out of the city limits.
It was Officer Shepherd who had ordered some of the officers to go and retrieve her body, wanting to at least give Beth a proper burial, since her family hadn't had the chance. And it's fortunate for her that they didn't, because when they pried open the trunk of the car, instead of the telltale sign of decomposition, they were greeted by the sight of Beth's body covered in sweat, her skin deathly pale, but she was somehow breathing. Immediately they lifted her from the trunk and carried her in, shouting for Dr. Edwards. After months of recovery and rehabilitation, Beth was almost normal.
The snarls are what pulled her back to reality, and Beth turned around, noticing a small group of walkers trailing her. She counted seven, which was more than she was comfortable with having at her back. Deciding to deal with it now, she dropped her packs on the road and strode towards the first one, swinging the axe at its skull and hitting her target. She managed to take down four with her axe, but the fifth one must have been more recently turned than the others, because the axe got lodged in its head and she couldn't pull it out. The second to last walker grabbed her arm, and Beth panicked, only for a moment, before kicking it away with as much muscle power as she could. Reaching for her knife, she left the axe and stabbed the remaining walkers in the eye sockets, wrenching the knife free both times.
When she finished, she was panting for breath. Hunched over, hands on her knees, she examined her forearm where the walker had grabbed hold of her, checking for any scratches or injuries. Breathing a sigh of relief when she found none, Beth walked on wobbly feet back to her axe, still embedded in the skull of one of the walkers. Gripping the handle, she tugged as hard as she could, almost falling on her ass when it dislodged. She wiped the blood off on the walker's ratty shirt, doing the same with her knife before putting it back into her boot, careful not to press the blade into her skin.
Standing up straight, Beth looked up to the sky and tried to slow her breathing. Taking down seven walkers used a lot of energy that she didn't have to spare. She unzipped one of her packs and grabbed her water bottle, taking a couple swigs and then twisted the cap back on, putting it back in her pack. Gathering up her gear, she took a glance around her, listening for anything. Hearing nothing but the cicadas and some birds, she turned and started walking again, hoping if she kept a good and steady pace, she'd still reach the prison before night.
Luck was on her side for once. She walked off the main road leading up to the prison and into the woods surrounding it. Beth reached the edge of the tree line and crouched down, hyper-aware of her surroundings. She peeked through the bushes, looking at the old prison yard, taking note of the damage and disarray. She could see walkers everywhere, but not as many that had been there when the prison fell. Although, that didn't count whatever had managed to make its way behind the walls.
Beth knew there would be plenty of supplies in there, and she knew that any strangers who happened to pass by and saw all the walkers, wouldn't have risked trying to get in. But Beth wasn't a stranger, and she needed anything she could find. Hearing a groan from a few feet to her right, she turned her head and saw a walker shambling towards the prison, completely unaware Beth nearby. An idea came to her then, one that was disgusting and made bile rise up her throat, but she knew it would work. Taking a deep breath, Beth stood and let out a low whistle, drawing the walker's attention. It turned towards the sound, and seeing food, started heading for her, arms stretched towards her. Instead of using her axe, Beth grabbed the knife from her boot and stabbed the rotting corpse in the temple, holding onto its shirt to slow down its fall. When the walker was down, she grabbed it by the feet and drug the body back to her small hiding spot.
Beth knelt beside the body, inhaling a few breaths to brace herself for what she was about to do. Holding up her bloodied knife, she glanced at the milky eyes of the corpse, that was once a living person.
"Sorry…" She whispered, more to herself than anything. Taking her knife, she stabbed the torso of the walker, dragging the blade down and ripping it open. As if the smell of a walker wasn't bad enough, the smell of its innards had Beth gagging, and she crawled a few feet away, retching into the grass, what little food she had in her belly now gone. Giving herself a moment to recoup, she pulled her pack off her back and dug around, knowing she had a spare shirt inside. When she found the article of clothing, she ripped it as hard as she could, making a thick strip of fabric, long enough to tie around her face, covering her mouth and nose. Not enough to totally avoid the smell, but enough to make it bearable.
Steeling herself for more, she crawled back to the walker corpse and got back to work, cutting open its chest and stomach, fighting the urge to gag again. When she had enough flesh carved away, Beth said a silent prayer to whatever God was listening, before sinking her hands into the walker's belly. Grabbing handfuls of intestines and guts, she began smearing them all over her clothing, careful not to cover any open wounds she may have. She moved to stand, spreading the blackened blood on her jeans, hating the way it seeped through and she could feel it on her flesh. She did this for a few more minutes, making sure to get some on her exposed arms, before deciding it was more than enough.
Beth grabbed her bags again and wielded her axe, heading to the entrance of the fence. She walked slowly, careful to not draw attention to herself when she passed through the gate. Her plan seemed to be working, the walkers were passing by her, ignorant of her presence. Hurray for small miracles, I suppose.
She had made it to the second gate at the top of the yard, and she crept through the opening, avoiding walkers that were wandering in and out. She didn't want them getting too close, just in case. The door they used as the main entrance to the prison was cracked open, but she was going to have to push it open to get inside, potentially drawing attention to herself. Luckily the door still had a cage around it, so she could close it behind her, preventing anything from outside getting in. Beth moved silently, axe at the ready, reaching the cage door and slipping inside of it, pulling it shut behind her, latching it as quietly as she could. Turning, she hopped up the short staircase and peeked into the crack in the door. She couldn't see nor hear anything, but that didn't mean it was clear.
Beth turned to face the prison yard once more, taking mental notes of where the walkers grouped together most, so she'd have some semblance of an escape plan, if worst comes to worst. Facing the door once again, she wedged her body between the door and the frame, using her body weight to push it open. She cringed at the loud metallic screech, but knew there was nothing to be done about it now, she just needed to get on the other side of the door. Finally, it opened wide enough for her to fit through, and she pushed it shut almost the entire way, leaving a small crack so she didn't somehow lock herself in.
Axe held level with her head, Beth steadily made her way into the prison, ready to attack anything that jumped out at her. She made it to C block, where she and her family all had resided, before she let her guard down some. Walking in, she could see a set of prison keys hanging on a hook, right where Rick would usually leave them. Plucking them off the hook, she walked to the cell door and unlocked it, closing it behind her.
If Beth had thought her childhood home was hard to be in, this was somehow worse. So much worse. Everything was in disarray, the walls crumbling, a large hole in the wall where it met the ceiling, a beam of light pouring in. Before she walked any further, she knocked the blade of her axe against the metal of the cell door, the clang echoing throughout the small space, but nothing came out of the shadows, and no other noises were made. She was, without a doubt, alone.
Beth walked further into C block, glancing at all of the rooms. Deciding to start with her own, she pulled the old sheet hanging in the doorway aside, stepping into the small space. Some of her old things were strewn about, probably from whatever caused that hole in the ceiling. She started pulling open the drawers of the old filing cabinets she'd used as storage, breathing a sigh of relief at seeing some fresh clothes. She wondered if she showers would still work? Beth doubted they would, without someone to maintain them, but it was a nice thought. Dropping her packs onto the bottom bunk where she used to sleep, Beth dug out her half-empty water bottle and the shirt she had ripped earlier to make her mask. Pouring some water on the torn cloth, she wiped off her arms, trying to remove as much of the blood and grime as she could. She peeled off her ruined clothes, adding more water to the cloth and wiping her legs, feeling a little better each time the walker blood became more diluted. Feeling more normal than she had all day, Beth grabbed a fresh pair of denim jeans and pulled them up her legs, then pulled on a green t-shirt that was a few sizes too big, but it was extremely breathable and one of her favorites.
Raiding her old stuff after she'd dressed, Beth was annoyed with herself for not being a bit more prepared for a horrible scenario; a crazy man with a tank, for example. But the past was the past, and all she could do was move forward. Pulling on her boots, she left her bags where they sat and headed into the surrounding cells, going through each one and throwing whatever she thought would be useful out of the door, making a note to pick it all up on her way back. She had finished with the lower half of the cell block, and was half-way through the upper half when she reached one cell that she had rarely ever entered, never had a reason to be there.
Daryl's.
Beth paused in the doorway, looking around the scarce space and feeling a sad, bittersweet smile form on her face. Of course, Daryl wouldn't leave a bunch of things laying around, wouldn't collect bits and bobs of junk from runs. She took a deep breath and stepped into the room, almost feeling like she was intruding on the abandoned space. Glancing at his bunk, she noticed the top bunk held all of his clothes, which wasn't very much. She reached up and grabbed a handful of his clothes, sitting on the bottom bunk and holding them near her. Laying them out, she pulled a long-sleeved, dark grey flannel from the pile and held it to her nose. Breathing in, she could still faintly smell him, a mix of sweat and earth, dust and soap, something so completely Daryl that Beth felt her eyes start to water and her nostrils start to burn, fighting them back.
She would not cry. She was stronger than this. Daryl saw that, saw it before anybody else in her family had. He knew she was strong, and that gave Beth enough motivation to dry her eyes and stand up, taking the flannel and one of his old shirts with her.
With renewed determination, Beth finished raiding the cells and headed back for hers, packing away everything she'd found into her duffel bag with the weapons from Grady, before gathering her things and going back up to Daryl's cell. She tossed her stuff down and put her axe along the side of the bed, sitting on the edge of the bottom bunk. She pulled out the flannel that belonged to Daryl and put her arms through the sleeves, letting the scratchy fabric bring her a sense of comfort she hadn't felt in a long time. Laying back, she closed her eyes, the faded scent of Daryl enveloping her and lulling her to sleep.
She knew he wouldn't mind.
"There ain't no way in hell yer comin' with us." Daryl growled out, facing Beth. Despite the fact that she had helped them, helped him, against her own people, he was being a jackass about her joining them to go to another community.
Alexandria, he called it.
"Daryl, please," she heard Lydia plead, stepping between her and Daryl, "-Delta is my only friend. She saved Henry's life, please don't just leave her behind!" Lydia was on the verge of hysterics, which Beth had rarely seen happen. Deciding to speak up, Beth put a comforting hand on the young girl's shoulder, stepping around her to stand toe-to-toe with Daryl. She knew she was going to have to speak to him, but for fear of him recognizing her voice, she decided to continue speaking softly.
"I don't blame you for not trusting me," she began, glancing back at Lydia, before turning back towards Daryl and putting her hands on her hips, "-but you need to realize, I can't go back to my people now. Not without Beta, and certainly not without Lydia." She was simply stating facts, having grown blunt over the years.
"She ain't goin' with you!" Beth sighed and rolled her eyes; even after all these years, Daryl was still bullheaded and stubborn.
"I'm not saying she is. You didn't let me finish." She pauses, waiting to see if he'll interrupt again. When he's silent and glaring at her, Beth continues. "I can't go back to Alpha empty-handed. If I do, she'll kill me. I was already on thin ice with her, bringing Henry to our camp and then allowing him and Lydia to escape." She gestured towards Henry and Lydia, who had moved back towards the desk where Henry was sitting, resting his injured leg. "You have no idea what Alpha is capable of…if you did, you wouldn't have come to our camp the way you did, bringing the dead in and getting people killed." She's not trying to blame him or anything for her problems, she's just trying to make him understand the position she's in. She can't go back, not without something to show for it. That's just how they work. If she had Beta to go with her, then maybe she could do something…but that's not the case.
"Why tha hell shoul' I trust anythin' comin' from yer mouth?" Daryl asked, staring down at her, looking into her blue eyes, the eyes that were too alive to be behind that rotted flesh. Nothing this woman did made any sense to him, and he was damn sick and tired of it. He wanted answers, and he wanted them now.
"Because I haven't lied to you about anything." Even as she said it, Beth felt guilt pooling in her gut, but she ignored it. Hiding who her identity wasn't necessarily a lie, it was just withholding information. Daryl regarded her, thinking to himself for a moment.
"If yer bein' so honest, take off tha' mask." Beth's blood ran cold. How the fuck was she supposed to do that without him realizing who she was? Even though a part of her wanted so badly to tell him everything, she knew it wasn't time. She wasn't ready for that, not yet.
"I can't." Daryl snorted in disbelief, completely unsurprised that she refused.
"Why not? Ya ugly 'r sumthin'?" Beth felt her lip quirk in a small smile, hidden by the mask. Daryl trying to piss her off was doing the opposite, instead it was humorous.
"Or something." She replied, dropping her hands from her hips, turning away from Daryl and walking back towards Lydia. She pulled her off to the side and began speaking to her in hushed tones, Daryl was only catching snippets of their conversation, but he didn't really care because Connie had walked up to him, tablet in hand.
We need to get moving.
Daryl nodded his head, agreeing with her. They'd wasted too much time here, they should've left as soon as Daryl had finished off Beta, but instead they got distracted, trying to decide what to do about Delta. He was torn, even though he didn't want to bring her along, he also didn't think it'd be wise to just leave her behind, free to go back and report everything to Alpha, despite what she'd said previously.
"A'right," He said, loud enough for everyone in the room to turn and face him, minus Connie, who had already been looking his way. "-she's comin' with us." Lydia looked instantly relieved, but Daryl wasn't finished speaking. "Gonna hafta tie you up tho'. Sorry, but I ain't takin' no chances." He spoke directly to Delta, and her body language told him that she was indifferent to his decision, like she understood his caution. Good.
"And how long am I gonna be your prisoner?"
"It ain't like tha'." Delta snorted while striding towards him, before turning around and putting her hands behind her back, offering herself willingly. She looked at him over her shoulder, and her blue eyes felt like they were burning a hole into his soul.
"Got another word for it? I'm all ears." Daryl ignored her, instead using an old telephone cable he found laying on the ground to bind her wrists behind her. He pushed her sleeves out of the way, and froze for a millisecond, eyes zeroing-in on the thick, faded scar across her left wrist. He'd seen a scar like that before, and he knew then that Delta had been through some shit. He made a mental note of it to ask later, but right now, they had to get moving.
Once he finished, he stepped away from her, and she turned back towards him.
"Might wanna take my weapon. Not really a good thing for your hostage to be armed." Daryl rolled his eyes at her, reaching for her hip and unclipping her knife and holster.
"Got any others?" She shook her head negative, and Daryl nodded at Connie, who walked out onto the balcony, shooting out car windows to guide away the walkers on the lower level, giving them an easier escape. Daryl walked over to Henry, helping the boy off the desk and throwing an arm around him, supporting his weight. Lydia grabbed his other side, and Delta walked behind them, Connie bringing up the rear as they made their way out of the building.
While they walked, Beth's mind was moving a million miles a minute. She had to seriously consider her options now, because once they got to this community, Alexandria, something told her that she wouldn't have the mask on for much longer. And that meant she would have to tell Daryl everything, and if by some miracle he didn't hate her by the end of it, she'd be shocked.
Fuck.
Beta groaned as he slowly made his way to his feet, roaring in pain when he tried to put his weight on his left leg. He was almost impressed, that bastard had managed to push him down an elevator shaft. Mind you, he was still seething, and he'd most likely kill the man when he saw him again, but that wasn't his main concern at the moment.
Where the fuck was Delta?
He thought back to her loud interruption earlier, when he was about to shove the man's throat into the sawblade. It had irritated him and confused him as well. It wasn't like Delta to interfere, and she'd never had a problem with doing what needed to be done in the past. Was it because of Lydia that she was becoming soft? Alpha wouldn't be happy about this, not at all.
Beta looked up, and noticed an elevator door cracked open within his reach. He limped his way over, and started to pry it open, just enough so he could pull himself out of the elevator shaft. Once he'd managed that, he stood up and ambled over to a window, instantly spotting them. They hadn't gotten far, a few dozen yards away at the most. He squinted his eyes, noticing an extra person with them, and he realized it was Delta, with her hands tied behind her back.
How the fuck had she managed to get captured?
Beta became more enraged as he watched them walk away, and even though every fiber of his being was shouting to go after them and finish the job, he knew the better option would be to go back to Alpha and tell her what's happened, then to come up with a new plan.
Alpha definitely would not like this. Not. One. Bit.
A/N: I'm back! Needed a few days to get over some writer's block, but now I have a ton of fresh ideas and will be busy writing them out! Reviews are always welcome! And thank you to everybody who has been reading and reviewing, you all seriously make my day!
-Taylor Catherine