Chapter 13: Escape

The street was definitely quiet now as I made my way towards the area. My breath kept catching in my chest though, I was breathing too fast and it was making my head spin but I couldn't help it, I felt like a lamb being lead to the slaughter house. Behind me I could hear their footsteps behind me, Daryl following peacefully and I knew that this was my fault. I glanced over my shoulder to them, the tallest man holding the shotgun up to Daryl's head this time, nudging with his head for me to keep going. The whole time I was hoping someone was looking through their window at us, maybe they would run down and question what was happening but no one came.

As we drew closer to the arena, I could hear the Governors booming voice, shouting about a traitor and how everyone was betrayed. We walked up closer and I realised now why the streets were so empty, so many people were standing in a circle, the Governor in the centre with a flood light on him and I wanted so badly to lunge at him, to choke the life from him but I was grabbed by another man standing close by.
"Daryl," I said, unable to hold the panic in my voice and he turned, trying to get to me but the two men grabbed him by the arms, forcing him towards the centre of the arena. My heart was in my throat as I watched him struggle and I tried my best as well but what the hell could I do? There were so many people here, all it took was for them to see me in handcuffs and they would believe I was one of these traitors, then again I guess I was.

Shoved forward I looked at all the faces standing around, trying to find Vincent but instead I saw Merle, stripped of his weapons and looking pissed as the Governor jabbed a finger at him, slowly turning to point to Daryl who was still struggling in the captives hands.
"This," the Governor spoke, "is one of the terrorists," Grabbing him and ripping the cover off Daryl's head, "Merles own brother. What shall we do with them, huh?" The Governor asked and the crowd was silent for a moment, as if too shocked to do anything until someone shouted.
"Kill 'em!"
The crowd erupted with shouts, children and even the elderly were pointing and crying out, their aggression astounding and shook my head, fearing that the Governors henchmen would do just that with their guns.
"Kill them!"
"Kill them now!"

"No!" I screamed, rushing forward to try and do something but arms grabbed my around my waist, lifting me off the ground as I tried to kick myself free.
"Let me go you prick!" I yelled but it was hard to hear anything over the ruckus and shouts of the civilians starving for blood. I tried to slap the hands away, my feet touching the ground but I tripped on the sand, the man behind me grabbing a bunch of my hair and holding something sharp to my face.
"Just fucking sit here like a good little girl and be quiet."
I battled for my breath, staring at the Governor who had a bandage wrapped around his head, simply standing there, listening to the people screaming. It all drowned into noise as I looked between the circling Governor and the Dixon brothers in the middle. Andrea tried to speak to the Governor but he wasn't hearing anything else, only the demands of the people.

"Fight to the death!"
"No!" I cried again, some people looking to me but none of them doing anything and I saw Andrea look at me, surprised but I couldn't keep looking at her as Merle talked back to the crowd; he was going to kill his own brother.
"Daryl!" I screamed but as he turned in my direction, Merle landed a hard blow, Daryl dropping to the ground and I got to my feet, completely ready to run forward but the man grabbed me, putting a hand over my mouth.
"Just shut up!" he hissed savagely into my ear and I wriggled, managing to get my teeth around his finger and bit down hard. The cries for violence became cheers and I could hear them fighting and even the sound of walkers being led towards them but the man cried out in pain, dragging me back away from the fights.
"You little bitch," he growled, his harsh face wrinkled into something ugly as he went to strike me and I closed my eyes.

When it didn't come, I opened my eyes in time to see him drop to the ground, Vincent holding the butt of his axe up.
"We need to go, now!" he said, pulling a key from his pocket, unlocking my handcuffs but the second they were free I turned back to the crowd, to the scene before me. Trix was beside Vincent, who grabbed my hand and tried to tug me away but I held firm.
"I can't leave, we have to do something!"
Vincent stood in front of me, keeping me out of view and looked to the two men fighting, walkers lined up around them to keep them from getting any ideas and then slowly looked back to me.
"This the guy you fell in love with?"
I managed to drag my eyes off Daryl and to Vincent, nodding quickly and Vincent groaned.

It was barbaric to watch and I longed for something to shoot with, noticing Vincent had my bow and quiver on him, his belt with two guns holstered on it but he didn't make a move to use them. I reached out for it when I watched Merle lean over Daryl, pinning him to the ground but Vincent grabbed my wrist.
"Jasmine please, trust me. Merle came to me, he gave me the key to unlock your cuffs, see? He wants to do the right thing, they can get out themselves?"
"How?" I hissed back, staring at my brothers face as he searched for an answer and I managed to rip one of the guns free and aim it towards the Governor when a gunshot startled me.

Three people and a walker dropped to the ground, blood spilling onto the sand and I took the chance and used the confusion to shoot some of the other men holding guns. I didn't know who shot first but when a smoke bomb rolled out, I knew they had to be friendlies. Guns took out the lights, the area dark now and even harder to see as the smoke filled the area. People were screaming, running in every direction and I turned to Vincent and Trix, making sure they were close behind me as I ran out. I heard someone scream out Daryls name and I was ready to run in that direction when Vincent called mine. Turning around, there were too many people and I reached out for him, Vincent trying to grab mine but we barely touched before the smoke engulfed us and I couldn't see him.
"Vincent?" I called over the screams and gun fire, ready to search for him, I couldn't lose another brother but a snarl of a walker brought me around.

It fell in at me and I shoved the gun to its mouth, pulling the trigger. With the smoke in the air it was even difficult to breathe and I glared at all the people rushing past me; they wanted blood and violence, they had it now. These people were like spoilt brats and I frowned at them all, they deserved what they got. Something grabbed my arm and I was so sick of being touched; I lifted the gun up, slamming it on the chest in front of me but when they didn't put up a fight, I looked up and realised it was Daryl staring back.
"God, I'm sorry Daryl,"
"Come on," he yelled, and I looked over his shoulder to see Merle hiding behind a skip bin, Rick and Maggie there as well but I twisted my arm out of his grip, holding his hand to stop him for a moment.
"Vincent,"
"Ain't no time Jas!"
As I was dragged forward I looked over my shoulder, calling Vincent's name and relief came over me like a wave as he ran out of the smoke, Trix limping behind him.
"Vince! Come on, this way!"
He looked up, seeing me and patted his leg for Trix to follow but I watched in horror as the smoke parted and like something from a horror movie, the Governor stalked forward, stabbing something into Vincent.

He cried out in pain but still ran forward and I broke free from Daryl, shooting at the Governor but my hand was trembling so violently, I missed each time. He simply stood there as if none of this bothered him and I glared at him until Vincent reached me.
"Come on!" Rick called and I looked behind my brother, ripped out the knife that was still buried there, apologising to him for causing him pain.
Daryl was beside me in a second and without me having to ask he lifted one of Vincent's arms over his shoulders, making sure he kept up with the small group as we ran down the street until we got to the back of Woodbury. It was sealed up and I couldn't see a way out but Merle seemed to know. Daryl passed my brother to me and I helped hold him upright, his face grimacing as his wound bled. I put my hand over it, quivering as the blood poured over my hand.
"I'll be alright, I can still move."
"You are not coming with us! And you," Rick said, eyes boring into me and then to Vincent but he was cut off before he could continue by Merle.
"You really wanna do this now?" He yelled before he started kicking at the metal fence.

Daryl and Maggie stood beside Rick, weapons ready and eyes peeled as gun shots echoed down the street, probably not aimed at anything but letting us know that they were looking for us.
"Come on man," Daryl urged his brother, looking to him before making sure I was alright. I nodded, suddenly realising that Trix was hurt. I knelt down, touching the paw he refused to put weight on and he growled, going to bite me before he stopped, licking my hand with a weak whimper. It felt broken but before I could do anything, Merle had managed to kick a sheet loose enough for us to get through and we did quickly.
Walkers were out there to greet us, Merle yelling for help as they stalked forward. Daryl was already running with Merle, lifting Vincent's arm up to support him and I stood there, sharing a look with Rick and Maggie who seemed anxious but we soon followed. Shooting a walker, I watched them as they ran up the footpath and I looked down at Trix, expecting him to refuse to walk but he was running as best as he could and I gave a sigh of relief, following.

It seemed as though we ran all night, but really it was already close to dawn. Before we knew it the sun was up and we were darting between the trees like escaped convicts. Even now the air was still warm and I wiped sweat from my forehead, jogging to keep up but Rick dropped back behind us, watching me sharply.
"We're you working for the Governor?"
"No, I had nothing to do with any of this," I knew I had no way of proving my innocence, to find some way for Rick to trust me again but as he stared long and hard at me, he gave a nod.
"And the man? Your brother?"
"He never killed anyone," I replied and prayed that Rick would take me and my brother in. I didn't get a verbal answer but he nodded his head quickly and walked quickly back to the front and I knew that meant I at least had the chance to prove my worth again.

"Glen!" Rick called out and it was a nice sight to see the road again, Glen rushing forward to meet us along with the lady I remember seeing in Woodbury, Andrea's friend.
"Now we got a problem here, I need you to back up."
Daryl quickly left me to take Vincent and I watched as the lady drew a sword, Glen pointing a gun as they realised Merle was with us. Everyone was tense, Daryl stepping between Glens gun and his brother as words flew, Merle not doing anything to help. Vincent groaned on my shoulder and I leant him up against a tree, checking the wound that had slowed in bleeding but it was still deep and I checked his face, patting it slightly for him to open his eyes.
As everyone spoke behind me, I felt my heart skip a beat when Vincent didn't open his eyes. Slowly they did, rolling around uselessly and I looked over my shoulder in time to see Rick knock Merle out, Daryl looking disappointedly down at him before turning his attention to me.

"It probably is just fatigue," I said, hoping that someone would confirm it. Daryl gently touched my shoulder, lifting Vincent from the tree and carrying him towards the car. The lady, Michonne, opened it up and helped as best she could to settle him into the boot. He groaned, rolling onto his uninjured side and I leant in to him.
"How you feeling?" I asked, noticing Maggie, Glen and Rick walk past us. Michonne leant against the car, her face bloodied and bruised and I wondered who she got into a fight with.
"Sore, tired." He fell back, eyes closed and I tried to make him comfortable, moving the bags out of the way and propping one beneath his head. Beside me Trix sat, still nursing his broken paw and I knelt to give him a cuddle. Daryl joined the others as they spoke, out of ear shot and I stood beside Michonne. This was our judgement, we would find out here and now if we were welcomed into the group.
"I'm Jasmine." I said, feeling awkward standing beside her and she gave me a disinterested shrug.
"Michonne."

Off amongst the trees Merle, groaned as he stood up but my attention was brought back to the group as Glen called out Daryl, Daryl marching towards the car, Rick talking in hushed tones to him.
"We started something last night you know that right?"
"No him no me." Daryl replied and my chest became tight as Daryl moved past us and to the boot, carefully taking out his bag from next to Vincent. "It's all I can say."
He was leaving and I stepped backwards, not believing my rotten luck. I watched as he spoke to Rick, pressing the back of my hand to my mouth, my breathing becoming shallow as I raced with my thoughts. As he swung the bag over his shoulder, he turned to me, walking slowly and I huffed out a breath as he stopped in front of me. Looking over his shoulder I saw Rick standing still, disbelieving and I turned back to Vincent.
"You can come with us."
"I can't." I forced out, thinking of my brother in the car. "And I'm not going to ask you to leave Merle, so please don't ask me to leave Vince."
Daryl nodded, looking back slightly at his brother who was watching us and I shrugged my shoulders, "See you next time." Even though I knew there would not be a next time, I had found him three times now, fate had never been this friendly to me.

Daryl chewed on his bottom lip and I stepped into him, my arms wrapping around him and he dropped his bag, doing the same thing.
"Please be careful."
"You to, loo' after the group."
He leant back, his hand touching my face gently before he kissed me. I never wanted it to end, I clung to him but I had to pull away, I had to put a few arms reaches between us and Daryl scooped up the bag and with one last longing look, he turned and walked towards Merle. Wiping an angry tear from my eye I watched as he left, Merle blowing me a kiss before draping his arm over Daryl's shoulders.
Each time I saw his back, every time I saw Daryl walking away, and even as I dropped my gaze to the ground, walking back to the others, I tried to convince myself I would be fine, I didn't need him but I couldn't help but fall more and more in love with him.

"Jasmine." Rick said, calling me back to reality and I looked up, wiping my eyes again and Rick lowered slightly to my level, touching my elbow gently.
"If you come back this time,"
"I won't be going anywhere else. Besides, now that Daryl's gone you're going to need me." I said, no one else knew how to track or hunt like I did and Rick nodded, looking down at Trix before he lifted my dog up into the boot beside Vincent. I climbed in as well, Rick giving a nod as the others got into their seats. I sat down, disturbing Vincent only long enough to put his head in my lap.

The car trip was a cramped one, I barely had any room to move my legs and Trix made himself comfortable over Vincent's legs. No one spoke in the car and I didn't mind, it meant I could hear Vincent's breathing. We drove for a few minutes, Glen stopping the car and everyone got out except Michonne and myself, keeping Vincent as still as I could. I could hear shouting outside as they cleared the car but I didn't care, I had my own worries and thoughts to deal with.
"How is he?"
I looked over the back seat and to Michonne who seemed to be asking just to make conversation, her face hard with the lack of emotion but the blood still seeping from her lip did prove that she was human. I rubbed a bit of dark hair from his sweaty forehead, willing him to be alright.
"I don't know, I just hope it didn't hit anything important."
"They have a doctor, used to be a vet I think." She said, looking over at me properly now and I tried to smile up at her as she peered down at my Vincent.
"We need all the good guys we can get." She looked at me, dark brown eyes unblinking before she turned around to the front, the others getting back into the car and things seemed even tenser.
We drove again for a little while, the road relatively straight the whole way and I wondered just where they had found when the sun cast odd shadows over my skin, the pattern that of a fence with sharp edges and I looked up, gasping as the prison tower loomed over us.

Thanks for reading, hope you are enjoying it so far :)

Silver Kirin xXx