I heard the muted sound of people talking on the other side of the truck door. Everyone was quite. No one could bring themselves to say anything, the defeat of the losing lives and being taken by Carver weighed heavy on everyone. The door slid open and Clem and Sarah awkwardly dropped themselves down on the floor; their hands bound in front of them like the rest of us. Clem sat herself down next to me, she looked sad and defeated. Kenny started shouting something as Troy closed the door once again. He thought Troy hurt her. He didn't, if he had there would be a much different look on her face. We all sat in silence as Clem rested her head agents my shoulder, I rested my head on top of her's giving her any comfort I could. Everyone was so tired and hurt. I felt this hollow empty feeling in my chest, I wanted to be mad or sad but I felt numb. There was no point in getting mad it would do nothing and sadness would only earn me pity from the others. I didn't want or need that. What we needed was a way out when there wasn't one.
"All right, we gotta do something. Come on. Anyone got anything sharp? Anything?" Kenny said trying to rally the group of broken souls. "We need to get these bindings off! Hey! Clem, help me find something to get these off. Anything sharp that could cut these…" Clem picked her head up from my shoulder and looked at Kenny hopelessly as he bickered with Rebecca.
"Hey! Are you listening to me? What's the matter with you?" Kenny shouted and now my gaze lifted from the floor to him.
"It's pointless, Kenny. We're not getting out of this."
"We're in a fuckin' precarious position here. We gotta do something about that!"
"Settle down, Kenny. They took everything. We have to keep a level head." Carlos said trying to calm the angry man.
"He's right. You don't know Bill like we do." Rebecca added, she was right. Carver was a danger Kenny didn't fully understand.
"Bill? This while times it's Carver, Carver, Carver, now he's fuckin' Bill?" Kenny shouted at Rebecca who hung her head in shame, she didn't need this from him. She had been through enough.
"Oh, I see what it is. Y'all are just gettin' a ride home. Aren't ya? That's what's goin' on here."
"Shut up, Kenny! You don't know you're fucking talking about!" I snapped.
"I know you're god damn brother helped kidnap us."
"That man is not my brother!" I shouted this seemed to hush everyone in the truck. "Not anymore," I whispered dropping my head down to look at my bound hands.
"You have no idea what you're dealing with!" Carlos shouted trying to get the point through to Kenny.
"Oh, he gave me a pretty good goddamn idea back at the lodge, and I don't intend to sit around here and let that happen to the rest of us! I'm tryin' to help!"
"I'm sure Walter really appreciated your help," Carlos said and I was even surprised at the harsh words. Kenny dropped his head in shame.
"That's not fair! You're blaming him for the actions of a madman."
Sarita defended.
"I am pointing out that, regardless of the intent, there are consequence to rash actions. Something that he seems to be misreading as capitulation." I could guarantee no one knew what Carlos was shouting but it seemed to get Kenny going again. This was all so pointless.
"I dunno what the fuck you're saying, but I know it's bullshit! We have to do something."
"You can't reason with him," Rebecca said, she was right. There was no getting through to Willam Carver, he was the worst person I had even met in my entire life.
"Oh shit. Jackpot!" Kenny exclaimed as he crawled to his feet and over to the truck wall.
"Sit the fuck down, Kenny," I growled watching the man crossed the truck and being to work away at his bindings.
"Y'all don't know what you're talking about. We get copped up in some kennel like a buncha fuckin' dog, it's over."
"Kenny's right… we have to do something. We can't just sit here." Clem said,
"How is it the kid is the only one that sees what's goin' on here?" I looked down at Clem with surprises. She didn't know. She didn't know how bad this really was and what we would come to face. That's why she and Kenny were so hopeful they didn't know we had already lost everything.
"All right, no we're talkin'" Kenny rejoiced at his newly freed wrists.
"Carver will be on the other side of that door with ten people," Carlos informed before he was distracted by the quiet weeping of his daughter. Rebecca soothed the frightened girl.
"At this point, Luke is the only hope we have." He continued I looked at him with surprise of another kind. How could he put all this hope on a figment of a possibility? Luke was probably dead, I had spent the most of our ride trying to beat the hope of him being alive out of my head. But when Carlos and the other fought so strongly for the idea that sliver remained.
"Luke will help us," Clem said and I looked at her as if her saying it made it true. As if there was no doubt in his being alive and being able to save us. Even if he was alive, even if he managed to follow us, how would he get in? And more importantly, how would we all get out? It was an impossible task set upon one man. He was a good man and one I could claim was my friend but he was not capable of the impossible.
"Oh, yeah? When? After that crazy fuck's killed us all?"
"Kenny." I scolded the man at seeing the fear he put in Clementine.
"Hey. Look, Clem…" He was cut off by heavy bouncing of the truck. The fear didn't quite hit me until then.
"We're close," Carlos informed everyone. I felt my chest get tight and a rock dropped into my stomach.
"Okay, let's do this."
"They have guns. What exactly do you expect to do?" Rebecca asked.
"I'm gonna punch the first son of a bitch I see. Then I'm gonna take his gun and use it to shoot the next son of a bitch I see."
"Just sit down!" Carlos begged. He was afraid, everyone was and Kenny had no idea what he was going up against.
"Shut up, Doc! This ain't your call." It was his either. Kenny shifted his gaze to young Clementine who sat close to me. "Hey, just… if something happens, just help out, okay? Don't you know, get yourself hurt or nothin', but any help'd be good. Hey, Clem. Look at me. You trust me, right?" He looked at her with large pleading eyes. And I felt my pulse being to race as the truck started backing up.
"Yeah, okay… I trust you. I'll… I'll do what I can." She said she sounded unsure. Good after so much time apart this might not have been the same man she once knew. Kenny was off, he got angry too easily.
"All right. It's okay to be a little scared. But we gotta do this. All right…everybody re-" He was cut off when his smacked his head hard against, the top of the door. Sarita jumped to his aid and put her bound hands on his chest as she frantically looked him over. After a moment he began talking. He was fine just as suspected.
"It's probably for the best," Carlos said I couldn't help but agree. But as the paralyzing realization that we had stopped settled over me, I found myself at a loss for words. I heard Troy's hick accent first then the rumble of wheels as the door to the truck was thrown open. The back of the truck filled with light and it burned. I took a second to adjust before looking at those who stood on the other side of the door. Bonnie, Octavia, and Troy. They stared at us like we were caged animals.
"All right, up and at 'em," Octavia announced. I watched everyone in the truck slowly get up around me. When Clem clambered to her feet I did the same, not wanting to be even a foot away from her in this place. Kenny was then scolded by Troy about his lack of retrains. Troy tied him back up then followed behind me, I made sure Clem was away from him. He was a mean son of a bitch. As we began to walk through the large building images flashed Through my head. Horrible images and memories. Then when Carver's voice snapped through the frigate air I found it hard to keep breathing. He talked as if he owned everyone there and that was mostly true. Most people really didn't seem to mind so long as they got food and a warm bed, those who did were much less fortune. We walked into the main part of the building, men on top of shelves watched us with caution, guns held close.
"Look how much food they have…" Clem said was she passed an overflowing shelf of cans in awe.
"Yeah, they have a lot," I said my voice low, they likely stole this from someone who needed it.
"I hope you aren't saying what I think you're saying," Kenny said from in front of her. As we neared the end of one shelf Troy took Carlos and Alvin away without a debate. Clem, Sarah and I stopped to see where Carlos was led. Sarah lit up in fear and stammered.
"I need him. I need my dad. I can't…he's…he looks after me." I put one of my bound hands on her shoulder.
"It's alright, Sarah. I look after you until you dad gets back." I told her and I felt her slightly trembling as her father left her sight. Troy came back and marched us forward with the persuasive presence of his large gun and dark scowl. I walked behind the girls as they talked among themselves. Clem continued to reassure Sarah that her dad would come back. He was probably sent to go take care of a few people. This place wouldn't have run so smoothly without its doctor. We came to a large grated door at the back of the store. Probably once an outdoor garden area where people could buy flowers and other things for gardens. I use to love coming to stores like theses as a kid. I would run around the gardens like they were rainforests, looking at all the colorful flowers and weird plants I had never seen before.
"Make sure y'all stay off the fence. Bill can see if you're messin' with it." Bonnie informed as she looked back to the large glass window of Carver's office. He leaned into the window watching us as he spoke. Bastards. Bonnie open the door and ushered everyone inside. I hoped we wouldn't be able to hear Carver and this bullshit spew once inside. But the speakers inside brought the message loud and clear. There was a single burning fire in the center of the cleared out garden center, many poorly kept lawn chairs circled it. There were a few bare bunk beds off to one end of the center.
"Y'all best get some rest, 'cause there ain't gonna be much for you tomorrow. You're gonna be workin' hard." Troy said as he untied Clem's hands then proceeded to free me from the rough and splintered rope digging into my skin.
"That's for you," Bonnie said pointing Rebecca to a mattress to the left of where we stood.
"Yeah, it would be. Fuckin' Bill. Keeps me out in the cold but at least I'll be comfortable." Rebecca muttered crossly as she stared at the mattress.
"Hey, guys." I tired voice greeted. Every turned at once to look at the man who had spoken.
"Reggie?!" Rebecca cheered. I remembered him from before, he was one of the few people I remembered from this place that wasn't an enemy. He and I both aided the group in escaping but unlike me, he didn't follow. Rebecca rushed to hug the now one-armed man and the rest of the group gathered closer to him. I had to admit I was glad to see him alive, but he didn't look so well. He went on telling us about how he lost his arm when Troy cut in telling him to keep things orderly and he would get back in. He walked out and Rebecca thought to finally introduce Reggie to the new members of our group. Clementine greeted him warmly, I smiled down at the girl putting on hand on her shoulder. Reggie looked to me excepting an introduction then it clicked. His face shifted from warm greetings to surprise and shock.
"Reggie, have you met Scarlett?" Rebecca asked kindly.
"Shit, yeah. I didn't even recognize you in the dark. I thought you were dead." He said with a chuckled. "Looks like you did meet up with them after all." I chuckled and looked over to the others.
"Kinda, a lot later than intended."
"You mean you haven't been with them since you left?"
"Nope, Scarlett found us about a week ago," Rebecca said with a warm smile. So much different from that day I met her outside the cabin, it felt like it was a lifetime ago.
"Oh," Reggie turned back to Rebecca. "Better late than never I suppose." He said and further asked about Carlos, then Pete. No one cared to explain. A man laying under a trap shouted at us to be quiet and Reggie further told us about how he was the man who saved his life. It wasn't until it got quiet that Clem finally spoke. She asked about a woman little ways off. I noticed her once or twice staring at us.
"Oh, yeah, right. Okay, so she's fuckin' weird. They found her sneaking around outside of the camp covered in guts and just like, the grossest shit." That made sense.
"To keep the walkers off," I said and everyone looked at me confused.
"What?" Reggie asked slightly disgusted.
"Yeah, you cover yourself in their smell and the walkers leave you alone. Like camouflage."
"Okay then…" Reggie said like he didn't believe me. "I know how it must look, but it's really not that bad here." He got a disapproving looking from Rebecca. "No, I'm serious. Where else are you going to find food like we have. We've got the canned stuff and now with the greenhouses coming along we've got fresh food. The building's getting more and more secure all the time… mostly through forced labor, but that's only temporary. They've even got the solar panels working.. when was the last time you had electricity, huh?"
"Well, we just came from a lodge with a wind turbine an-" Sarah began before she was cut off by Reggie.
"It's not a competition. I'm just saying, it's not as bad as you think. We're building something great here, guys. A real community. Bill is making it happen."
"It feels more like a prison," Clem said, damn right. This place was not a community. People didn't have to work to be fed in a community, people could come and go as they pleased in a community.
"Well, that is a very negative attitude," Reggie said to her, looks like I was rubbing off on her a little too much.
"She's right, Reggie." Rebecca scolded.
"Listen, I'm really close to getting let back into the group. Once that happens, I can of a lot more to help you guys be more comfortable." Reggie tried appealing to us with promises of comfort.
"Comfortable? What do you think this is?"
"I just don't want you to mess things up for me. I've worked really hard to get to this point. Will you please just try not to cause any trouble."
"We won't get you in trouble," Clem said with a comforting smile. She was being so kind and understanding, I was really close to telling Reggie to go fuck himself.
"They're expecting me to keep things in line out here."
"Well, if Carver's such a 'great guy', I sure you've got nothin' to worry about," Kenny said adding to the conversation where he hadn't done so yet. We were just missing some loud repulsive comment.
"We can at least talk about it more in the morning. Just have a quiet night and chat again tomorrow."
"I can't believe what I'm hearing."
"Look, the fact is, Bill had every reason to kill me when I helped you guys…but he didn't. Obviously, I don't know what happened while you all were gone but he's given me a second chance and I know he'd do the same for you."
"Reggie, I don't want a second chance," Rebecca said and jumped to clutched her stomach. "I need to sit down."
"Yeah, come on. Sarah? Can you go see if there's something for her to drink?" Sarita said jumping to the distressed Rebecca.
"Okay," Sarah said I watched as Rebecca was brought toward the fire and sat down in one of the weak chairs. I looked at Clem.
"You okay if I go help out?" I asked her and she nodded, I gave a warning look to Kenny then rushed off after Sarah to find some water. Sarah was just done filling the cup when I reached her, then the two of us headed over to Rebecca and gave her the water. She was so strong for being able to get through this but it must have taken its toll. With a baby, she was responsible for not just her life and this was no the place for this baby to be born. Not that anywhere in this world was. Sarah took a seat in the chair next to Rebecca and Sarita kneeled beside her.
"How are you doing, Rebecca?" I asked she looked up at me with a weak smile.
"I'm okay, I'm just, I'm worried about Alvin." I wanted to tell her that he would be back and he would be okay. I didn't believe he would.
"I'm gonna go check on the others," I said looking around at Clem as she walked the lengths of the pen. I checked out the bunks where Nick lay flat.
"Hey, Nick," I said leaning against the wall beside him.
"Hey," He said, not looking up, or moving. He must have been exhausted, it had been two days since anyone had slept.
"Do you think he's even alive?" I didn't need to ask who he was talking about, it was pretty obvious.
"I sure as hell hope so," I said hanging my head low. "None of Carver's men mentioned him so chances are he got away."
"Then where the hell is he?"
"I don't know but, I do know Luke; if he's alive he's trying to help us no doubt in my mind."
"You're right. If he's anything it's stubborn." I saw how worried he was and I didn't know how to comfort him, I was never very good at this sorta thing.
"Things are different without him, it's weird," I said and Nick chuckled.
"Yeah, if he were here he'd probably be plotting our escape, even against the impossible odds."
"I'm worried about him," I said knowing if he wasn't already dead, he wouldn't make it much further.
"He'd be happy to hear that," Nick said with another chuckle. I looked at him confused and he turned his head to see my expression and laughed again.
"You don't know?"
"Know what?"
"Nothing." He said brushing it off as he turned to look at the bottom of the bunk above him again.
"What aren't you telling?" I pressed. He turned and looked at me again, I no longer leaned against the wall but came to stand beside him.
"You really don't know?"
"I wouldn't be pestering you if I did." He sighed and looked back at the other bunk.
"Luke's got a bit of hard-on for you." I propelled myself back looking at him further confused and partially disgusted. He looked over and laughed a real hardy laugh. I was about to protest or scold him I wasn't sure which when the gate opened again and Carlos was shoved in.
"Wheres Alvin?" Rebecca asked but Troy just shouted for everyone to go to sleep. After Sarah jumped and hugged her dad everyone came to the bucks where I stood next to the almost sleeping Nick. Clem came over and yawned.
"Where are we sleeping?" She asked I looked around, seeing most of the other cots were taken I nodded to the one below Nick.
"How about that one?"
"Okay." She said and the two of us crawled onto the ground and made ourselves as comfortable as possible on the cold floor. I gave Clem the pillow and slept on my arm. This was totally barbaric, people should not be treated this way. I looked over at Rebecca who was curled up tight with herself, she was so worried about Alvin. They didn't let him come back, what had Carver done to him? Would he do it to the rest of us? Pushing the dark thoughts to the back of my mind I tried to close my eyes and go to sleep.
AN: Sorry it's been so long since I last updated. I hope you all like this chapter and share your feelings in the reviews.