Chapter 8

We had formed a plan, and thank goodness for that because writing notes back and forth with Daryl was getting tedious. The man was caring, kind, independent, but holy shit he was a horrible writer; he got his point across most of the time, however. We did manage to come up with a course of action good enough to hopefully get us out of here sans discovery; or at least for a while. We had agreed not to go back Alexandria right off the bat, but instead head in the opposite direction. Perhaps go to Hilltop, but I wasn't so sure that would be a good idea either. The Saviors could always look for us there, too, and it was a possibility they could find us accidentally while on a supply run.

The thing was that we really had nowhere to go. Any new settlement we might find would not be loyal to us, they wouldn't even know us to be able to be in the first place, and there was no guarantee that they weren't a tributary state for the Sanctuary already. They might sell us out as soon as we walked within their sights with no questions asked; it would be to anyone's benefit to do so, and I can't say I could blame anyone otherwise. Regardless, we had a plan which fit Daryl more than me, and it was to live off the land like wayfarers, circling south and then east to eventually journey back around toward Alexandria. I couldn't say I was too excited about it; he liked being errant, drifting from place to place, while I personally enjoyed the comfort of something more permanent, but it would sure as hell beat living here. We just had to steam out a few minor details and then we'd be set.

It's been almost three damn weeks, I thought in agitation.

It was for the best though. Three weeks had given Daryl and me plenty of time to heal and regain our strength. It also provided us with plenty of study time, learning the ins and outs of this place. Granted, our ventures within the Sanctuary walls were limited; we weren't the most trustworthy people here in the eyes of the Saviors, but we had discovered enough to get what we needed.

Our plan was fairly simple, really. We would wait until nightfall and, using the darkness to our advantage, we'd sneak outside separately to a meeting spot near the southern-most watch post. By the time I would get there, Daryl will have already incapacitated the guarding Saviors, taking their weapons. I wasn't sure how he was going to do it, but his experience as a tracker and hunter ensured his stealth; I fervently hoped he could take a couple Saviors out discreetly and quickly as well. Also, within this particular post were an abundance of weapons; Daryl had caught more than one glance of them during his time outside as walker herder. We both cheekily thanked Negan for that.

It was getting outside of the fence that encircled the compound that was going to be the hardest part in my opinion. There was only one way out to the world beyond which was so heavily watched that we'd have no chance going through there, so we're going to have to make our own way and cut a hole in the fence somewhere. It didn't help, either, that the entire factory was surrounded by shackled walkers. Negan might be a psychotic fuck, but he was smart enough to fortify his dwelling place with the best possible security he could get his hands on. Not only did it certify that any invaders would have a difficult time trespassing onto the property, it also ensured that the walking dead, solitary or as a herd, wouldn't come sniffing around too closely. It worked to eliminate human error as well; all the walkers had to do was snarl and hiss like a damn ringing bell to alert the guards someone was nearby. Negan had really built an empire here. I could only wonder what would be the catalyst to help bring it down; if it could be brought down at all.

We can make it, though, I chanted in my head. We have to. We have to.

Only one more night and we would be out of here. My heart leapt in excited uneasiness every time I thought about it. It was so brazen and dangerous, yet I felt such a strong sense of…capability. It was like I finally had a say on what happened in my life after weeks of other people making decisions for me and telling me what to do, what to eat, when to sleep, when to bathe myself... I was getting my life back and nothing was going to keep me from it any longer. Keep us from it any longer.

"Hey, you," an unfamiliar voice called from behind me.

I turned my head to see a man slightly younger than me. Sunlight blended in with his golden locks and his gray eyes were like ice. I hadn't seen him before, but he carried a gun and his clothes looked new or, at the very least, gently used.

"Uh, yeah?" I asked.

"What're you doing over here?" He said, taking a look at my setup. I had various items placed on the floor around me, sorting them by item, usefulness and priority.

"I'm just…doing my job," I said unsurely. My process had only been questioned once before when I first started, but typically the Saviors would leave me to it unless they were feeling particularly prickly. I guess this was one of those times.

"It looks like you're making a fucking mess," he responded haughtily. He took a stride forward to swipe at all the carefully organized items with his foot, scattering them all across the floor around me. He quirked his lips up while mine turned down into a scowl. "Seems to me like you'll be working some overtime tonight. I wouldn't be expecting any extra points for it, either. Think of it as character building. Now back to work, peon."

He kicked a bottle of soap across the floor to skim deep underneath a block of shelves and walked off with a laugh. With a sigh, I threw down the pen and paper in my hand and crawled over to where the bottle went. I had to get down on my stomach to see it and it was too far away for me to reach, my shoulder digging into the metal as I strained for it.

"Fucking brilliant, you frat boy fuck," I whispered to myself angrily and slapped my hand against the concrete floor.

"Hold on!" I heard a voice say from across the shelf. Next thing, a broom shot under the opposite side of the shelves, pushing the bottle up to my hand. "There you go."

"Oh, thanks," I said surprised. I pulled the bottle out and sat up to look across the shelves at the only true savior present in this room. It was an older woman, one I had seen many times around here and in the common area, but had never spoken to before. She smiled kindly at me.

"No worries, honey. We degenerates gotta stick together here if we're gonna keep our wits about us. I'm Suzanne."

"Everly," I said as I calculated her. She had to be in her sixties and she was a bit portly, but clearly agile for her age and weight.

"I can help you get all that stuff back together. It shouldn't be too hard since you've marked most of that stuff down, right?" She asked and I answered with a nod.

I stood up as she made her way around the shelves and met her at the spot I was at before. Without a word, she began to sweep the items back into my area and I sat down to set them all back up. Pretty soon, she was down next to me, organizing and checking my list as she did so. I gave her a heedful look.

"You're awfully helpful to someone you don't even know," I said, placing a can of sweet corn in a pile.

"And you're awfully accepting of the help of someone you don't even know," she retorted with a sweet smile. I snorted at her response and raised my eyebrows in agreement.

"Can't disagree with that," I replied, "but why? What do you get out of it but extra time in here?"

"The company of someone who desperately needed it just as much as me," she placed an armful of items to her right, straightening them up neatly. "It gets rather lonely and boring in here, talking to no one and doing the same damn thing day in and day out."

I nodded, once again finding nothing wrong with her logic. Why hadn't we talked sooner? She seemed kind and normal even if I still didn't trust her as far as I could throw her. Then again, I didn't trust anyone in this shithole.

"Well, I appreciate the help even if it wasn't entirely a selfless sacrifice on your part," I said with a small laugh.

"Eh," she said with light titter and a shrug, "you remind me of a granddaughter a bit. I might not would have cared otherwise, but you seem okay enough for me to like. You held your own well against that Savior; you played it smart. Much like Alyssa would have."

"Is she here with you?" I asked absentmindedly.

"Oh, no," she shook her head, the smile falling from her face. "She didn't make it very far after the outbreak."

"Oh…" I let my hand drop to my lap, feeling like an idiot. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I've come to accept it. It's only me here," she finished. The wrinkles in her face became deeper as the genuine humor she had before faded away.

"Well, it doesn't have to be just you. I can be okay, most of the time, and my friend Daryl is an okay guy, but he mostly just grunts a lot."

She looked up at me with a start and laughed, her features brightening up again. I joined her even though I felt bad for lying; we wouldn't have any time to get to know each other more. A Savior behind us cleared his throat and we stopped the best we could, a few chuckles trailing out here and there.

"I'm glad I could help you out, Everly," she said as she stacked the last of the scattered items on her side. She was quick. "And don't worry about baby kiss ass over there. He's only acting like a tough guy because he just got "promoted" as a Savior."

"I knew I hadn't seen him around before or at least not patrolling."

"It was just a week ago that he was in the common room with us. He hasn't been here that long, so I guess you could say he's moving on up pretty quickly," she said as she smoothed out her shirt and rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, well, at least he didn't hit on me. He's got that going for him, I suppose," I said as I fiddled with a can of shaving cream.

"I'd say enjoy it while it lasts, but…" she trailed off and shrugged her shoulders. I knew what she meant. It wasn't as fun to get hit on when every person who did so was an absolute creep. "But just so you know, I've noticed him around you a lot, watching you. I don't know if you have, but I thought you should be aware. I've been here long enough to get that most of the men here aren't pushy, but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened before. Just be careful."

I took in her advice, trying to remember if I had ever seen him before and where. Had he been following and watching me? I couldn't recall. He hadn't seemed familiar earlier, but now that I thought more about it he sorted seemed to be. I needed to be more alert, especially in light of what was happening tomorrow night.

"Thank you, Suzanne. I will," I smiled at her.

She patted my shoulder, using it to help her stand up.

"Old knees," she whispered to me with a wink and smiled as she walked off.

I looked over my shoulder, searching for the asshole frat boy. I spotted him across the far side of the room, leaning against the wall and staring at me. I sat straight up, not expecting him to be looking right at me despite Suzanne's warning.

Dammit, I thought as I quickly looked away from him. She was right, and I needed to let Daryl know. Escaping tomorrow night suddenly became a whole lot trickier.

I didn't see Daryl in the common area when I finally made it back. I only had to work an extra hour more than usual which I considered a feat after frat boy's snarky comment to me earlier. He kept an eye on me the entire evening, sauntering over to bend over me as I worked, but not say anything else to me. He must've been bored or was trying to distract me from my work, but either way I got shit done. I was going to give him a cheeky smile to boot as I left, but I couldn't spot him anywhere as I made my way out.

I decided I needed a shower badly, but first I wanted to check if Daryl had left me a note. I walked over to my cot, sitting down as I ran a hand through my hair. I leaned back, feigning exhaustion, and let out a wide yawn as my hand slipped under my pillow. There! I felt it and crushed it in my hand.

I shoved my hands in my pockets as I stood up and cast my eyes around as I began to leave the room. My roaming eyes caught a svelte woman on a walkway above, her shoulder length, brown hair covering her face as she observed us all below. I had stopped walking with a jolt, thinking at first it was Negan, and anxiety coursed through me like the thumping of a drum as I began to relax. I had nearly pissed my pants.

I squinted my eyes, trying to see her face more clearly. I hadn't seen her around here before, and she was nicely dressed. She had to be higher rank, but who was she? She turned her head, seeming to be searching for someone, her brow furrowed in concentration. I wondered who she was looking for when her eyes met mine and she stopped, her hand gripping onto the railing in front of her tightly.

Oh shit, this can't be a coincidence, can it? I asked myself as I dropped her gaze and continued briskly out of the room. Why was I being sought after so much? Was Daryl experiencing the same thing? Had anyone found out about the notes? My eyes widened at the idea, but no. We would've been hamburger meat by now, as Simon had so eloquently put it before, if that were the case. No. We were getting out of here.

But what is going on? I continued to wonder.

Who cares? The dismissive side of me wanted to argue. You won't be here much longer for it to matter anyway.

Right, I tried to reassure myself. Right…?

This is pretty much a filler chapter, so I wanted to get it out of the way. The next few chapters are going to be ACTION PACKED *background explosion noises* so I thought, "Why not get it out of the way!?" So here ya go! (This chapter does hold a little bit of significance, even if it's not that exciting.)