TWD Chapter 16 – Oh no
"Hey! Get up!" The rough voice of Kenny sounded in Olly's ear whilst shaking her violently awake, definitely making yesterdays awakening feel like a road trip. This immediately set her in a bad mood.
"Shove off." Olivia groaned, attempting to pull herself away from the man. After a few seconds of struggle, Kenny let go and stared the stubborn girl down with his hands on his hips.
"I don't have time for this bullshit. I guess we'll figure out who's going to give Luke the radio with out ya." Kenny said, a slight amused tone to his voice as he walked away. His amusement came from the fact that Olivia had shot up from her laying down position at the sound of Luke's name. When Kenny began quietly laughing to himself, this just made her mood worse.
Clambering from the top bunk, she realised that everyone else was already gathered in a circle around some old table that looked as if it would break in half if the slightest bit of weight was placed upon it. She patted down her hair in an attempt to make any sense of it, as it no doubt looked like a pigsty, as she walked over to the group who mostly welcomed her awake with fake smiles.
"Now that we're done waitin' for Ms. Infatuated to get her ass up-"
Olly glowered at him. "Ha. Ha. Ha... Asshole."
"There ain't no time for that. Someone's gotta take that radio to Luke." Rebecca interrupted the duo, who obviously carried a lot of disdain for one another.
"You're right, but we should probably figure out who's doin' what before we—" The sound of the gates opening interrupted the debate, allowing Kenny enough warning to grab the radio and attempt to subtlety hide it behind his back. Olivia just scoffed at him. The man didn't know the meaning of subtlety.
The doors opened to reveal Tavia armed with an assault rifle. "Time to get up. Daylight's burnin'. They let you sleep in, all things considered." My eyes and the crook in my neck disagree with that crap.
Sarah's sad voice cut in for the first time in a long time, and just then it came to Olly's attention that she should really pay more attention to that girl. "Where's my dad?" She must be scared out of her mind being away from Carlos for so long.
"He's where the rest of you are goin'. To work." Tavia replied with obvious aversion. "Rebecca, Nick, Sarah, Jane... if you've gotta take a piss, do it now. The next break won't be for a while. Troy'll be comin' up for the rest of you."
Olly's heart sank. "What? Why just them?! Why can't I come with you?"
Tavia seemed to give a knowing smirk, it didn't scream friendly. "Like I said, Troy's comin' for the rest of you. That's how it goes." The named group promptly left, Tavia with them, and the gates were shut once again. The only people remaining being Clementine, Mike, Kenny and Olivia.
Kenny quickly turned to the rest of the group. "All right, look. If we're gonna to do somethin', we have to do it NOW, and if Luke's all we got, then we pair up with him."
"Finally, he admits it!" Olly spoke, exasperated.
An evident scowl was her only response from the older man, who seemed to be purposely holding his tongue, which admittedly gave her some satisfaction. After a pause of contemplation... he smirked. "Clementine should do it."
Olivia's face quickly dropped. "What?! No! I should do it!"
"Do you guys hear that? I swear I can hear an annoying buzz in my ear." Kenny's smirk grew at the now red faced woman who was trying with all her might to keep herself together.
"It's okay, Olly can do it if she likes."
"No, she can't. She already got in enough trouble yesterday when she went off to rub up against loverboy." Olly's face went an even brighter shade of crimson, more reflecting embarrassment than anger now, knowing that Kenny's insinuation was more accurate than implied.
"I didn't go lookin' for Luke you jackass-"
The gate clattering open rudely interrupted the argument and revealed Olly's most hated sight. Troy the bastard, whose eyes lingered on Olivia a little more than they should have, making even Kenny concerned. "All right little chickens, let's get to peckin'. And don't think today's goin' to be like yesterday. No way. No shenanigans... from anyone!" He glanced back and forth to Clementine and Olivia, giving her the realisation that Kenny's point about her 'getting in to trouble' was full of shit, because Clem had been in trouble too. "This rooster's gonna be surveilling your asses every second of the day, you hear?" It wouldn't surprise me if you did literally mean 'surveilling' our asses, creep. Suddenly. his voice changed tones, when he gazed at the red head, to a more menacing deepness. "It's your lucky day, darlin'. Joel has you all day, but I wouldn't worry about that... he won't be there all the time to save you." The toothy grin he finished his sentence with had the effect he had hoped for. "So, move it!" Olly glanced over to Kenny, who definitely seemed more apologetic to her now, before moving to escape the compound. She was just about to pass Troy before he stepped in to her path. "I'm lookin' forward to our next meetin'... things might get steamier... I have it all planned, don't worry." Nobody but Olly had heard what he had said since he had spoke in the slightest whisper, but it was enough to send her running.
It took less than twenty seconds for her to reach the door of the garage and less than a second for her to start banging on it. It had been impossible to prevent the tears from escaping her eyes and her body was shaking violently, terror destroying her usually tough nature. She felt ashamed that someone could make her that scared.
It didn't take long for the door to be swung open and for her to fall in to her father's arms, he then quickly shut the door behind them at the sight of his daughter, who was now clutching his overalls in an attempt to keep herself upright. "What's the matter?" He ran a soothing hand over her head, his voice portraying a genuine concern that Olivia hadn't heard from her Dad since... forever.
"I'm s-scared." She managed to blubber out in to his chest.
"Let's go sit down and you can talk to me about it..." He had already guessed who this was about and the sitting down part was as much for him than her. He guided her to a couple of pretty worn out looking wooden chairs that he had just finished mending. Once he had placed her in one, he sat on the one opposite, a hand rubbing her knee comfortingly. "What did he do?"
Olly's eyes remained staring at the floor, tears trickling down her cheeks and her breathing uneven as if she she was experiencing a panic attack. "He threatened to..." She shook her head, ashamed.
Joel had heard enough and knew how that sentence would have finished. He got up from his seat and strolled over to his work counter. When he returned, he was holding out a box of tissues to Olly, who took them gratefully. "I'll deal with it." Joel spoke the words with such malice and strength that she genuinely believed them and slowly allowed herself to calm.
"I'm sorry for... crying." Olivia got up from her seat and quickly turned her back on her father, masking the few remaining tears sliding from her eyes.
"No need to apologize." Those words she didn't believe.
It was silent for some time whilst Joel continued his work and Olivia collected her bearings. She appreciated the fact he allowed her this time because she really needed it. But perhaps the moment was for him too? It had been a long time since he had anyone to care for, but all of a sudden, he was thrust back in to his daughter's life and he wanted to keep her safe and love her... the best he could anyway. He was no longer capable of all the mushy shit, but he would do what he could to keep her alive.
"Want me to help? or... do something?" Olly asked gently, popping her father out of his little bubble.
"Er... Not yet. You just take a minute." He then quickly returned to screwing in whatever it was Olly was looking at. It looked like some other machinery... perhaps it malfunctioned?
"I've taken several." she huffed, which he didn't satisfy with a response. Olly's thoughts soon turned to their escape plan and if Clementine had managed to get the walkie talkie to Luke. She hated the thought of Clem putting herself in harm's way once again just to satisfy Kenny, but she also kind of hoped to have been able to see Luke herself. And what about Joel? Would he come with her? The thought of having to leave him behind made her sigh.
"What you thinking about?" He never once stopped working and the tone in which he spoke made him sound disinterested in the answer, but she knew he wouldn't have asked if he didn't want to know.
"Can I trust you?"
The out of the blue, serious question caused Joel to stop exactly what he was doing and turn to look at his daughter. "Still scared I'm gonna hurt you if you do something stupid again?"
She glared at him slightly. "Define 'stupid'."
He groaned to himself. "Stupid like trying to escape. I assume that's where you're going with this?" He crossed his arms tightly and impatiently tapped his foot.
"Would you come with us?" Olly asked, her anxiety threatening to overload.
Joel scoffed. "What if I said no? What then?" Olly thought about this long and hard for the time he allowed before he grew impatient. "Well?"
"I'd still go. Without you." His mouth fell slightly open at the revelation and a tiny bit of sadness filled his eyes. Then he blinked and it had vanished, returning to work. "I want you to come with me. It's gonna happen soon! You'll know when it does and if you stay... you'll be in danger—"
He frowned. "What do you mean it's going to happen soon? Have you-?"
All of a sudden, the garage doors were being yanked open and in strolled Carver, a ferocious expression on his face. "Bring her to the compound, Joel! I'm calling them in... No doubt she's part of the recent events I've just uncovered." Oh no.
"I'll bring her right away." With that said, Carver stormed off. "What did you do?!"
Olly shook her head in disbelief. "I didn't do anything, I've been here! But... I know someone who might've. Look, there's no time for this. Take me to the compound already!" Joel sighed before tugging on her arm to pull her forward and out the garage before turning to shut it.
The compound (the prison) wasn't far and the trip was especially shorter due to their fast stepping. The first thing Olivia noticed about the compound was the bruised and blooded body of Luke, kneeling on the floor. "Luke!" She attempted to sprint for him, but Joel immediately grabbed on to her waist and dragged her back. "Let go of me!" He didn't.
"Ah, here she is. Now we just have to wait for the others to get here." The only one there aside from Luke and Carver was Carlos, who was crouched beside Luke, and Olly was definitely relieved to see him.
"Luke, are you okay?!" It took some effort, but he managed to lift his head and nod ever so slightly. He wasn't fine and Olivia was beyond pissed. "You fucker! I'm goin' to fuckin' end you!" With every word spoken, she struggled against her father in an attempt to break free, but he was far too strong.
Carver just sighed as if this was a complete chore for him. "Joel."
With that said, Joel turned his daughter around and looked her in the eyes and nodded. She knew he would do it, he'd hurt her again. And he did... but she had been ready this time. He gave her enough time to move her head, not really making that much impact but giving the illusion it did.
"L-leave h-her alone." Luke managed to cough out from his position on the floor, but Carver's response was to hit him in the stomach again. Olly whimpered at the sight, but held it together. She knew her father would only have to hit her again.
"We gave you everything. A new community to be a part of, food, water, a place to sleep-" Carver began.
The sound of feet became audible behind them, but the bullshitter had obviously already spotted them, and in came the others, all looking rather sheepish. Clementine especially who was sporting another bruise. That was all the strength she needed to get out of her father's grip and sprint up to the little girl, who was closer to Troy than what she felt comfortable with. She pulled the girl away from him and back towards her father who dipped her head to her discreetly.
"-and how is it that we're repaid for our trust? With treachery...? With deceit...? With theft!" Carver held up one of the stolen walkies in demonstration. "Whatever you were planning is over... it's done. You can't just run from your problems. You can't just up and leave when it gets tough... cause there's nowhere else you can go where it ain't. Tough is all we got, now. Get that through you're fuckin' skulls." Carver had gradually been passing by each person as he spouted his crap and when he reached Olly, she had to gather all her strength not to spit in his vile face.
There was a pause in his bullshit as he made his way back towards where Luke had been left, but then he continued. "Luke here, he can't help you now... you gotta help yourselves... you gotta help me find the strength to forgive you." Unlikely. "Now you can start... by telling me where the other one is." He gestured to the stolen walkie in his hands and Olly realised that the other one hadn't been found... Clem never had to opportunity to give Luke it. She still had it! "I'm gonna count to three. If that radio ain't in my hand by then, we'll have to make things more difficult."A pause. "One." Another pause. "Two."
Olly risked a glance to the little girl who was just pulling her hand out of her pocket before the walkie was snatched out of her hand. "It's right here. I got it." Never before had Olly held Kenny in such high regard, she didn't even think it was possible.
Carver held out his hand, his eyebrows knotted together in a fixed frown and Kenny slowly made his way over to him. Sarita attempted to block his path but he just whispered "it'll be alright." and carried on his way. "Sorry about that... not sure what I was thinking." Then the radio was dropped in the man's hand.
"Three." Kenny's face morphed in to one of slight confusion, before he realised what was about to happen. "...heh. Fucker." All of a sudden, Carver was using the walkie talkie as a means to smash in Kenny's skull, not even flinching as the man he beat fell to the floor, begging for him to stop.
Sarita cried out in terror and ran to try and help, but Carlos held her back. Instinctively, Joel shifted himself in front of his daughter who attempted to bring Clementine with her. However, the little girl had other ideas. Before Olivia could do anything, she had scampered off to help her friend Kenny, not getting very far before Troy's gun threw her to the floor. "You asshole!" Again Olly's Dad had to stop her from hurting someone even though it was obvious he'd happily let her mess him up if there wouldn't be repercussions to them both.
All of a sudden, in came Bonnie. "Bill! That's enough, Bill! There's a breach!"
Carver took a second to look at the woman before giving Kenny one last horrific punch. "All right, everyone come with me. Bonnie, you stick around. Make sure these folks don't get into anymore trouble." They all started to vacate and just before Carver fully left, he turned and addressed the pained group. "No supper for y'all tonight. Maybe an empty stomach'll give you some perspective... then we'll try this again tomorrow."
Then he was gone, they all were. Joel too. Bonnie was the only one left. As she crouched down to Clementine, Olly quickly joined her, nervous she'd try something. She had no reason to worry.
"Do your best with him Carlos. You need to get him able to move, 'cause we're leavin'. Tonight."
I know this chapter is a lot shorter than recent chapters but I thought it was a decent place to end it and the next one will probably be a really long one. Thanks for all your reviews and it's been a pleasure to read them. Try not to worry too much about the ending and let's enjoy the journey :)