So it seems that Glenn and Maggie have been taken hostage by some crazy loon who calls himself The Governor; at least that what this new person told us. Apparently she was staying at a camp that they called Woodbury, she described the place as more of a bordered up town with at least seventy-two survivors inside.
"So why didn't you stay?" I asked, applying a cool rag on the girl's bullet wound. She flinched away from my touch but seemed thankful for the cooling relief from her pain.
"It wasn't safe. That man isn't safe."
"That man? The Governor?"
"Yeah, him." She almost seemed to spit out his name and brown eyes turned a coal like black when he was mentioned.
"Why do you say that?"
"He kept his daughter locked up, she was in chains and had a bag over her head."
"You mean he kept his daughter in a cage?"
"Oh no, she wasn't his daughter anymore. She turned." I almost dropped the rag but the woman grabbed it before it fell from my fingertips.
"That's insane, who would do that?" If this man has Glenn and Maggie and his Splicer daughter in a cage he was as insane as Lilliann's father.
"I don't know why but I know I was the only one in that town to see it. Not even Andrea followed me."
"Andrea? A girl with blonde hair?" I grabbed the towel from the woman as she agreed and described Andrea in more depth. I opened a first aid kit and grabbed more bandages as she described how they survived the winter together.
"It was a cold winter and Andrea was getting sick, I wasn't sure she would make it."
"Was there anyone else in your group? Another girl a little shorter than me with red hair? She's blind." I turned and applied the bandages to the already clotted wound. I looked into her eyes and was ready to hear her answer when Rick entered the room followed by Daryl and a prisoner.
"We are going to need you to get us to Woodbury. Amber can you stay here and watch over the prison?"
"Sure thing Rick." Rick nodded in agreement, a small amount of relief in his eyes as they began to move out. The woman gave me a quick glance as they vanished into the night scenery.
Lilliann and Andrea were with Milton as the smoke rose high into the sky, the body of the dead research patient burning to ashes in front of them. It was almost peaceful, just the three of them standing behind the walls knowing they were protected from the harm on the outside.
"It's going to be night soon, we should leave." Milton muttered out looking up at the sky, Andrea put a hand on Lilliann's back and led her back towards the town.
"Andrea you don't have to lead me everywhere like a stray puppy." Lilliann gave her friend a light smile as a cool breeze whisked through their hair. The warmth of Andrea's hand left Lilliann's shoulders and she silently apologized.
"Well get a goodnight's rest Lilliann." Lilliann gave the two a wave goodbye as they parted ways. Lilliann was putting on her pajamas when the first gun shot echoed through the town. Everyone was outside, shouting and demanding answers from their leader. Lilliann quickly found Andrea next the man.
"Andrea, what's going on?" she asked, looking around wildly.
"Lilliann, I have no idea. Can you try and see if there are any walkers in the town?"
"Splicers? How would Splicers get in?"
"Sometimes the gates can get breached, if you're able to sense them that would be mighty helpful." A big hand rested on Lilliann's shoulder and she quickly shoved it off. Closing her eyes she felt the entire town pulse and vibrate. She could see at least five people near the edge of the wall, they weren't Splicers they moved differently. Their bodies were low to the ground and they huddled together for protection.
"There aren't any Splicers in the town, they're just people maybe we can reason with them." Lilliann tried to confront The Governor but he wasn't going to have any peaceful talks with them; he wanted blood.
"Alright, everyone go back to your houses and lock your doors. Lilliann, Andrea follow me and we can deal with these terrorists." The Governor quickly led them towards a hideout; he shoved them behind the doors where three other men joined them.
"What's little miss Blindy doing here?" the slurry voice of Merle was the first person to speak.
"She can help us find the terrorists, she needs to stay back though; don't want to risk her getting shot." he placed another hand on her shoulder and Lilliann felt her lip twitch with anger, she didn't like him touching her. The others in the room quickly agreed and began to load their weapons. Andrea and The Governor had a minor falling out before they all exited the room.
Gun shots rang through the area and Lilliann held her nose in the palm of her hand to help her breath through all the smoke that clung in the air. This was a complete war zone and Lilliann found herself huddled behind a brick wall as bullets flew over her head. She clutched her knees to her chest and tried to pin point where the bullets were coming from.
"Well little lady can you help us find the terrorists?" Merle was huddled over Lilliann and she quickly shook her head.
"There's too much going on, I can't figure out where they are. Plus they keep moving along with everyone else in the town."
"Well that's just dandy." Merle's body lifted from above Lilliann's as he shot off round after round towards the people. Lilliann stayed huddled behind the wall until most of the gun fire was gone. Smoke still clung to the air but the town was now silent. Lilliann could feel the people come from their houses, slowly clutching on to each other for safety and stability. Slowly, Lilliann got to her feet and walked down the hill, trying to find Andrea or Milton. Her mind was fuzzy and she had a hard time walking, her legs felt numb and she had no idea why.
"Lilliann, are you alright?" Two hand grabbed onto her shoulders and turned her around, it was Milton's voice. Lilliann nodded her head, a little too slow for Milton and quickly placed a hand on her forehead.
"I'm fine, Milton but what's going on?"
"They escaped but we were able to capture one, everyone is gathering in the circle. Follow me and stay close, I think you might've sprained your ankle."
"How could I sprain my ankle? I was hunched over the entire time." Milton took one of Lilliann's arm and drapped it over his shoulder, trying to take most of her weight off her left foot.
"You might've slipped when you crouched down or you sat on it wrong." Milton assured the small girl that she was going to be fine and he helped her towards the ring. She could hear everyone shouting, all of the people in town wanting blood.
"They're thirsty for blood, but why?" Lilliann pushed Milton away, her ankle already feeling better. She twisted her foot in circles, waking it up slowly.
"We were attacked, one of them personally attacked The Governor. He was injured pretty badly and these people just want revenge."
"No this is more than revenge, this is complete thirst for blood that won't go away with just the attackers." Lilliann's insides twisted in fear as the people grew angrier and angrier as the two drew closer and closer; these people were mad if they had just a tiny bit of Adam in their veins they'd be one step away from becoming Splicers.
"So who were they able to capture?" Lilliann tried to look around to sense who was all around but the towns people kept jumping and shouting, disorienting the blind girl; also the smoke was still clouding her senses. Finally the people quieted down as The Governor walked out into the middle of the ring.
He gave a tiny speech, walking around and trying to give everyone a false sense of security. He told about his failed promises of safety and how he was afraid of what tomorrow might bring. He's afraid of the terrorists and that they want they have. He then singled out Merle, calling the man a terrorist; a traitor. Merle was pushed into the center of the ring as another body was dragged into the area next to Merle.
"This is Merle's brother, a terrorist!" The people rallied with anger, demanding blood and the death of the terrorists. Lilliann's eyes widened as her nose picked up the scent of dirt and blood that clung to only one person she knew. It clung to the person who protected her and took care of her during the time on the farm.
"No, Daryl, no!" Lilliann tried to take a step closer the two men in the circle but arms wrapped around her waist and held her back. She could hear Andrea close by screaming at The Governor to let them go.
"These people are not terrorists their my friends!" Andrea called out trying to get the leaders attention but he just ignored her; claiming he had no power here. Tears burned behind Lilliann's eyes as The Governor said one sentence only.
"Brother against brother in a fight TO THE DEATH!" Merle then stood up and claimed that he was loyal only to this town. Daryl's body dropped to the ground and Lilliann felt her voice break as she cried out, the arms still holding her back. The two brothers wrestled on the ground until Merle lifted Daryl up and they began to fight side by side. Andrea and Lilliannn both cried out for this to stop, there didn't need to be any more blood.
The yelling soon turned into screams as a bullet lodged itself into skull of a woman. Smoke clouded the room and the arms that wrapped around Lilliann's waist let go and she sprinted towards the circle. Daryl and Merle were already running towards the wall and Lilliann tried her hardest to catch up.
Finally the small group stopped beside the wall, looking around as Merle bended the metal to make a small opening.
"Daryl!" Lilliann called out as she ran towards them. His arms wrapped around her in a warm hug as she smothered her face against his chest, taking in his scent.
"Come on now, they're right behind us." Merle and Rick pushed everyone on the other side of the wall and they all sprinted down the street, fighting off Splicers as they fled farther into the woods. Daryl grabbed onto Lilliann's hand and steered her through the trees and they regrouped on the side of the road. The hand around Lilliann's wrist dropped as a fight broke out at the sight of Merle. Glenn was the first attack and Michonne was the other voice that broke out. They all tried to calm down and Lilliann felt herself drawing farther away from the group as they all began to yell when Merle opened his mouth.
The words he said made a pit of disgust land in Lilliann's stomach and everyone, even Daryl, told him to shut up but Merle didn't listen he just kept talking until his body fell to the ground with a thud. Lilliann walked over to the group as they slowly calmed down and tried to figure out a plan.
"What's the big problem with this man?" she asked joining the conversation at last.
"He attacked Glenn and Maggie, almost had them executed. If Merle comes back then he'll just anger everyone in the prison." The voices began to slur together and Lilliann was unsure what was going to happen. Daryl claimed that Merle was blood and that it was just going to be him and Merle; they can fend for themselves.
"Daryl you can't leave!" Lilliann chased after the man as he walked away from the group. She grabbed onto his hand and tried to pull him back.
"I'm sorry Lil but he's my brother, I can't just leave him out here." Daryl spun around and placed his hands on Lilliann's shoulders.
"You can't just leave like this and if you are then I'll follow you." tears streamed down her cheeks and she tried to stop the sobs that would soon follow.
"Lil, you can't do that. I can't ask you to do that."
"Why not?"
"Because I can't protect you! You need to go back to the prison where you'll be safe!" Daryl's voice was growing angry and Lilliann's tears dried up.
"Fine," her voice grew cold and she smacked Daryl's hands away. He tried to reach out to her but she turned and walked away. She heard him curse under his breath but the anger that swelled in her throat as Maggie walked towards her. Daryl shut the trunk of the car and walked off with his brother in the woods as everyone else gathered inside the vehicle. Lilliann's head leaned on the window as a few stray tears fell down her cheeks.
"Don't worry Lilliann, Daryl will come back." Maggie tried to comfort the girl with soothing words as she placed her hand on top of Lilliann's. All Lilliann could do was nod and brush off Maggie's hand, her anger still wasn't subsiding. Lilliann felt her eyes slowly close and she fell into an angry, dreamless sleep on the drive back to the prison.
"Lilliann!" Amber's voice was the first one to break through Lilliann's sleep as Amber threw her arms around Lilliann.
"Hi Amber." Lilliann lifted one of her arms and tried to give her friend the best hug she could manage.
"Lilliann, what's wrong?" Amber drew her closer, her voice holding concern.
"Daryl left, I just want to go to sleep right now." Lilliann tried to get out of the car but stumbled out and fell on her hands and knees. Amber lifted her friend up and lead her towards the cells, both of them walking in silence.
Lilliann walking into a tiny cell and plopped down onto the bottom bunk. She curled into herself on the mattress and slowly fell asleep, tears streaming down her cheeks.