KL2000- So, it has been a very long time since I uploaded, over a year! A lot has happened. I managed to mostly get over my depression and anxiety after splitting with my useless ex, started university doing a social work course and have fallen in love, even though it's not really come to anything and I'm keeping my eyes open. A friend of mine reminded me how much I used to love writing so here goes!

Chapter 5

Willows Perspective

It was a walk she knew all too well. A terrible walk. And again, she did it unarmed and scared, though she would never admit that to anyone. The inside of the compound had always reminded her of a mad house. The kinds of ones where insane criminals were kept. After a while, the treatment they received turned them mad, cruel or suicidal. Only the very few were able to stand it and still keep their cool. She had been one of them, but this walk that she vaguely remembered was occurring, seemed to shake that foundation of cool and collectiveness.

As they came upon room 17, she could hear a difference. The older the room, the quieter the girls. They had surrendered themselves to this life, as many had been in it for years. It was enough to make you cry…

As the steel door was creaking open, it shook her from her thoughts. Yumi gently ushered her inside.

She recognised a few of the girls. All the girls used the same bathrooms so it was easy to know most of them. They all looked towards the door, some recognised her and the look of pity appeared. When someone escaped, everyone hoped they would never come back. That's the one kind thing all the girls have in common. The other girls in the room simply looked curious and sad. Willow had her bunk pointed out to her and went to it, lying down to sleep.

Normal POV

They had just barely avoided a scout party of despicable men. Willow had explained that lots of the buys that were raped to adulthood stayed on as the perpetrators. She also reminded me that not all do that. Some ran, some killed themselves or just became janitors, protectors, tailors… The women hadn't got that chance… he could hear the words she had spoken to him. The only reason the nurse was allowed a proper job was because she had the training to do so. The women were meat, except Yumi. Carl felt agitated. It was getting dark. Her first night back in that awful place… He wished he could save her from this… Make it so they wouldn't touch her. He'd caught her crying the n9ght before going back. He could hear Carol soothing her. Willow had always been so strong. Even when she injured herself, pretty bad as well, she would just grin and bear the pain without so much as a noise or a tear. Hearing her had been the reason he went to her to convince her to not go.

A noise behind them jolted Carl from his inner ramblings. It was a walker. Rick dispatched him quickly and quietly as Carl silently mused… Who's safer? Us? Or them?

Daryl's POV

He hadn't felt this uncomfortable and slimy since he had to run round with his brother that one time in Kansas. Walking by the rooms on the tour, he could see the fear in the girl's eyes as he passed. Fear at him, specifically. Of course, these girls would know the appetites and ways of the paedophiles and rapists already there but not this new stranger. He passed 17, looked in and recognised Willow as she lay sleeping on a cot in the middle right of the room.

He knew there would be some kind of initiation. Willow had already told him that this happens each time. Either he would have to kill on the of the youngest, rape one of the women, or the boys. Luckily, all these happened in the private room.

He was taken to the mess hall. There, was a table with a much bigger, comfier chair. This chair held what Daryl assumed, was the leader of the depraved heart group. The man looked up from what seemed to be a meeting.

The large brute of a guy next to him nodded to the brute behind Daryl.

"This one wants to take Arnie's place, brought us an old initiate too, so we don't even have to break her in" The man said, smiling. All yellow crooked teeth.

The leader, looked towards the brute "An which of our old students is this, Bartholomew?"

Bartholomew walked closer to the leader "The Irish one, blue eyes, long hair… Name like a plant?"

The leader had a moment of contemplation. He consulted a chart. He went back a couple years and found what he was looking for. Daryl decided to look harder. It was a list of descriptions, the one he could see clearly was

Agatha

5'3"

Chubby

Black

Hazel eyes

Black short hair

Age 14

Claimed age 13

Escaped/Day start- Escaped

DECEASED

The last part made Daryl feel even more sick.

He looked at Willows. Her age and age of claiming was wrong of course, and the description was a little off, as she had filled out, grown a lot taller and was still alive. They must have assumed she had died after their guards didn't make it either.

"Willow! Ah, I remember that one. Bartered for her mother to be let free also. I thought she had been swept up in a herd? Least, that's what you said James?" The leader looked to a slightly scared man.

"I heard her screaming and the men screaming, and moans and groans so I guessed that's what happened…" he said sheepishly, looking at the ground, rather intent on concentrating his laces to tie it seemed. "Sorry Caine… I didn't want to die too".

Caine… that was his name. Seemed fitting from biblical times as a murderer. And Daryl realised, that they would want to question her. Whether it was before or after his initiation he did not know, but he was suddenly fearful for the girl. He treated her like a little sister, like Beth… Which was why he couldn't strike her, even to save her life.

As he was thinking this, his inner qualm was answered.

"Sit um, Daryl? Yes, sit here and we shall ask your quarry together how she was able to survive to become safe in your um…" He paused for a slight evil chuckle "Hands". He waved to Bartholomew.

Willows POV

She was awoken from her sleep by the slight shrieks of the others in the room. She opened her eyes to a great big ugly beastly man leering over her. She, of course, expected to be called to see Caine. She always was his favourite toy. The man picked her up. When she saw the tattoo on his back she recognised him.

"Barty?" She questioned. He gave her that toothy grin again. Barty had always been nice to her. HE used to say she was funny. He never hurt her, she knew the other girls were afraid of him due to his size, but it was obvious that he was not into them. Or the buys for that matter. Willow had always though him to be autistic. Just following his big brother. They were almost at the mess hall. She asked to be put down and Barty obliged. She always knew how to talk to him. She walked through the double doors with her head held high but the moment she saw him, she damn near fainted. It was a lot to process. Seeing her old torturer again. It would have been easier if he had hurt her so much but he hadn't. He'd been gentle. Which made it all the worse for seeing him, and made her want to rip out his heart right there and then.

Barty pointed to a chair that had been pulled in front of the "Monster Council" (least that's what her and the other prisoners had called them). She sat down heavily, which showed just how dizzy she was becoming from the whole ordeal. She tried to look each of the Heart council in the eye, but shied away from Caine's rock hard gaze.

He gave her a once over and started to speak "Why! Willow, back so soon? It's been years but I still recognise those beautiful eyes" as he said it, he leaned over and brushed her cheek. She stiffened as if someone had electrocuted her. He pulled back.

"So dear little- well, not so little anymore! Legal now aren't we?" She nodded her head solemnly.

"Well, how did you survive that which my guards didn't?"

She looked to the other monsters sat there and her gaze ran over Daryl. The other men here probably thought he was impatient but she knew different. He was trying to not jump across the table to kill Caine.

She cleared her throat. "As we were running, we fell into a ravine. Your men found us but on their way down, their talking had attracted a bunch of dead ones. Me and my mother use to climb a lot so we snagged a root and started to climb. The dead fell in with your living and ate them. We kept climbing. We lived alone for a while but she died…" She trailed off, hoping that the story would be good enough. The men discussed amongst themselves and seemed to come up with and answer.

Caine looked at Willow…

"Oh" He breathed. "What to do with you Willow dearest…?"

And that's it! First chappy in over a year! Tell me if my writing style has changed much guys? Like, review and favourite if you wanna!