Chapter 40
Moments after leaving Dwight's room, Daryl found himself striding through the musky halls aimlessly. He was trying to burn off steam, his head pounding as he wound around each corner perilously. He thrust open a door leading to a stairwell and took the steps down three at a time, plunging himself deeper into the underbelly of the Sanctuary. He wasn't sure where he was heading until he found himself in front of the doors that opened into the hideaway. He didn't think he'd find much here at this time of day, but he pushed on the bar handle and went inside.
Just as he assumed, the typical hang out for the Sanctuary dwellers was empty save for a few random ones here and there. No music played and the cue balls on the pool tables lay motionless, abandoned. Only a scattering of anonymous voices and the rattling glasses marked the air. He scanned the few bodies that did occupy the room, but didn't see the one he wanted, and he wasn't sure where to find her. So, he turned around and left, thinking maybe he could locate Roxanne at a different time; perhaps tonight. He needed to speak with her and now would be better than later, but he had no clue where else to search for her.
He hit the stairs again, leaping three or four stairs at a time as he went up. It helped being physical. It released some of the tension, worry, and agony he'd felt for the past week. Not knowing where Everly was or if she was safe, searching high and low for Dr. Carson in a ghost town, and then watching him and his brother be beaten had left Daryl anxious. He hated the feeling. It reminded him too much of his upbringing and made him expect the worst.
His conversation with Dwight hadn't been of much help either, proving to set him closer to the edge. It was news he'd been waiting for, sure. It was what he'd been chasing after since he had been caught in the woods and shot by the scarred asshole, but it all seemed lackluster now. He didn't believe in it. Not until he was actually outside of these imprisoning walls and his breath mingled with the fresh air as Everly ran by his side. He'd believe it then when he was with her, free.
Daryl wasn't sure it was right to trust in Dwight's word. He'd done nothing but prove himself an adversary since the fateful day he'd met him hiding in the woods with Sherry and her sister. He could forgive him for that initial exchange. Dwight was just trying to keep himself and his family alive. That all changed the day he killed Denise using Daryl's own crossbow. He'd gone running back to the enemy knowing full well what he was getting into - survival or not - and sacrificed everything. He was a rat, a coward…but he was all Daryl had.
There was one other person Daryl could talk to. Someone he had a spare amount of trust for. Sherry seemed sincere if not compliant, which was surely coerced, and Daryl knew where to find her. Negan had made it a point to showcase his wives to him when he'd first arrived, trying desperately to show Daryl how good he could make it for him if he'd give in and comply. Daryl had found it all contrived and deplorable. He felt sorry for all the women who had to give up everything to not be bottom feeders anymore, and Daryl was of the opinion that the exchange wasn't worth it, but he didn't fault them for their decisions.
He kept climbing the stairs, ignoring the door that opened to the hallway his room belonged to. He could go to his shack of a room and sleep but that would be counterproductive. While Dwight had given him enough booze to help him in the counting sheep department, the farther up Daryl went, the more his courage built. Sherry might know things. She could maybe help him trust Dwight more and provide some tidbits on Negan. She, of course, did sleep with the enemy.
What worried Daryl the most was how he and Everly would execute Dwight's plan. He said he'd been working on it for himself and Sherry for months yet they were still here. He found it more puzzling that Dwight had been sitting on that loaded gun but never shot it. Was he scared to leave again? Scared Sherry would wind up like her sister, Tina? Or did Sherry not want to leave? Daryl figured she held those answers and he was determined to hear them.
He made it to the floor Negan and his wives lived on. There would assumedly be guards posted on this hall but Daryl found the corridors empty when he exited the stairwell. He didn't take a second to look around, but strode up to the double doors of the lounge room Negan's wives spent their days in and knocked on the door.
A short brunette answered, blinking up at him curiously.
"Sherry here?" Daryl spoke first.
"Who are you?" The brunette asked, looking Daryl up and down in suspicion.
A small, tan hand shot out and gripped the door, pulling in farther open. Sherry stood by the other woman, giving Daryl an intense stare. She turned to her sister wife.
"It's okay, Tanya. I got it."
The brunette gave Daryl one last look before nodding to Sherry and left. Sherry poked her head out looking up and down the hall before grabbing him by the shirt and tugging him inside.
"Are you trying to get into trouble?" Sherry questioned him as soon as she shut the door.
Daryl mumbled a 'no' as he gazed around at Negan's wives. They all stared at him from various spots in the room apprehensively, a look of worry marking each of their faces. Daryl looked to Sherry who sighed and grabbed his hand.
"Come with me."
She took him to another door and ushered him inside before closing it to give them privacy. Sherry faced the door for a moment while Daryl glanced around the room sparingly. He settled his attention on her as she slowly turned to face him.
"What are you doing here, Daryl?"
"I just spoke with Dwight," Daryl started. He gestured to the door. "He told me somethin' I never thought I'd hear come out of his mouth."
Sherry crossed her arms and set a steady gaze on Daryl. He got the sense she knew what he was talking about and when she didn't respond, he kept talking.
"He told me there was a cabin thirty miles west of here in the woods…by the Potomac River. He said Everly and I could escape and…go there."
Daryl stopped then, wanting to see and hear Sherry's reaction before going further. She nodded her head, a small looking of disappointment rising to the surface under the vacant mask she always wore.
"You should go," Sherry conceded.
"You don't want to?" Daryl questioned. This was the answer he wanted most. If Sherry didn't want to leave when it was obvious how trapped she felt, how miserable she was, then he knew Dwight was baiting him.
"I can't," she whispered, looking away from him then.
"Why?" Daryl demanded, his voice deepening as he stepped toward her.
"Because I have other matters to take care of here." Sherry shot him a reproachful gaze. She uncrossed her arms and began to pace the small room. "I have plans that…aren't complete yet. I can't leave until I finish them."
"Then why not do that and leave?"
"That's not how it works, Daryl," Sherry shook her head and continued to pace.
"Then explain it to me because I'm havin' a hard time trustin' your ex-husband."
Sherry stopped her oscillating motion and wrung her hands together. She closed her eyes at his usage of the term 'ex-husband' and took a deep breath before replying.
"You are the plan Daryl." She turned to face him then and looked him square in the eyes. "You and Everly both. I wanted to leave and I almost did, but there is too much left here that's unfinished. You need to make it back to Alexandria, the Hilltop, somewhere that isn't here so we can win this thing."
Daryl took a moment to process her words. Dwight hadn't mentioned any of this. He only told Daryl how to make it the fuck out of here and to this alleged safe haven after he and Everly managed to flee. The mode on how they were going to get out was a challenge. It was suspended up in the air, dangling just out of reach, but Dwight said he was working on figuring that out. Daryl resolved to keep breathing until he brought him a solution. Sherry must have seen the cranks working in his brain because she began speaking before Daryl could form another thought.
"Dwight and I haven't totally agreed on the best course of action yet, but this one is mine and I want you to take it. We could go but…it would only be an echo of what happened before. I'm not making that mistake again," Sherry's voice was almost desperate now as she walked up to him and took his hands. "Dwight has been giving information to Alexandria but it's becoming more and more dangerous. If he's ever found out, all of this is over. That's why you need to make it out. You know this place and the people who live in it. You know its weaknesses and the driving force behind the Saviors.
"You need to exploit their weaknesses on the outside while we manipulate it on the inside. Together, we can tear this place down brick by brick and send it up in flames. Please trust us. I know it's a lot to ask, but please."
Sherry's hands were clamped on his and their strength surprised him. They studied each other, Sherry pleading and expectant while Daryl gradually felt himself believing in her aim. It made more sense to him now, and he found that he was ready to take part of their plan.
"What will you do here?" Daryl questioned. He wanted to know as much of the picture as possible.
Sherry let go of him, taking a step back and breathing in deeply. "There is a small group of us waiting… We're waiting for something to happen so we can strike. We want to kill Negan, but we have to abide by the rules until the right time or it'll all be lost. Is any of this making sense to you?"
"Yeah," Daryl held up a forgiving hand. "I just wanna know the details if I'm the one who's riskin' my life by runnin' away. Not to mention, Everly's too."
"But it's what you want, right?" Sherry seemed unsure now.
"It is, but now that I've seen it from the Savior side, I understand the wagers. They ain't great."
"And that's just it!" Sherry was getting excited now. "You do know how it works. You've been the one to search and find someone. You're an expert at tracking… I bet you're an expert at hiding, too."
Daryl was intrigued. She was right. He was good at hiding his footsteps, leaving no trace of when he came and went. The only problem would be Everly. She wasn't as keen as him in that sense and she was clumsy as hell. It would be harder with her, but worth it, and Daryl accepted he could get her out of here and safely to the cabin without a trail.
"Tell Dwight he needs to work on a way to get us out. I tried that once and it didn't go so well."
"I know," Sherry smiled sadly. "We're already figuring something out. There's going to be another outing soon. A growing gang of the dead ones are up North, not far from where Negan is at now. It's becoming almost too much for the patrol posts to handle on their own. I'm thinking that'll be a good time to cut loose and run."
"You think he'll let Everly go on that?" Daryl questioned.
"I'm not sure, but she's going regardless. Don't worry about that."
Daryl nodded, his confidence growing. He was glad he thought to come up and talk to Sherry. It had all the fighting instincts in him calming. Then he thought about the five other women in the room beyond.
"Do they know?" Daryl pointed to the door.
"Somewhat," Sherry nodded, but her voice became more hushed. "They want out just as much as I do, but they aren't cognizant of everything. Just in case one of them accidentally slips up, Dwight and I decided to keep things low key until the time gets closer."
"When will you know?"
"When you bring death to Negan's door."
I walked behind Kia and rubbed my thumbs against my fingers. My hands were beginning to sweat and the moisture made my skin slick, smooth. I was hoping that was how I would be able to pull this next stunt off. Remain slick and smooth while Negan scoured me with one of his menacing glares. I was letting Kai rat me out, but I was also going to attempt to talk my way out of any repercussions. Negan would be hard to convince, though. If he believed I had been acting innocently, he'd probably castigate me anyway for the fun of it.
Kai led me to the same door I had been eavesdropping by earlier. He strode through the doorway and I reluctantly slunk in behind him, flitting my eyes over the room sheepishly. I'd put out the naiveté first and pretend to be unaware of any wrongdoing, but I was ready to flip over to nonchalance in a second.
Deny, deny, deny was my mantra. I wouldn't admit anything.
Negan gave me a speculative look when I came into the room and squinted his eyes in suspicion at me. He moved them to Kai, raising his eyebrows in question, but remained sitting in a highback leather swivel chair, his head resting in his left hand.
"What the fuck is going on here?" Negan asked.
"Found her sniffin' around like a little mouse looking for some crumbs," Kai glanced at me, his expression hard. "Seems like she found some."
"Seems like?" Negan asked him with a small smile.
"Did and discovered," Kai corrected. "She was in the security room, studyin' the security monitors. She got an eye full."
"Is that so?" Negan gave me his full attention now. His smirk was still present but I could clearly see the irritation behind it. He rubbed his gloved fingers together, the leather squeaking with the pressure.
Slick and smooth, I whispered in my head.
"I-I didn't mean to…," I began and stopped. I took a deep breath and swallowed. "I was just looking around. I was bored and curious. I wasn't looking for anything in particular. I just happened to stumble across the security room and it grabbed my attention."
When Negan didn't say anything, I shifted on my feet, trying to find comfort somewhere. My legs hurt, and I was subconsciously straining even muscle in my body no matter how hard I tried to relax. I glanced to my right, fully observing the woman who must be Tricia watching me with an impenetrable expression. She was older, around Negan's age, and she looked like a straight out bitch.
"You just happened," Negan finally spoke. He stated the words like he was tasting them, rolling them around on his tongue like he was trying to figure them out. "You just happened?"
I nodded, not wanting to give a further explanation until I could think of a plausible one. I heard Tricia give out a snort of derision and I let my eyes fall to my feet. I felt chastised and childish and barely anything had happened yet. I hoped that it showed on my face because that was exactly what I was going for.
I heard the straining squeak of leather as Negan began to move. He took a few steps to close the distance between us until I could see his boots and shins in my field of view; Lucille's barbed head suspended in the air by his legs. Kai remained silent and stoic to my left, his hands folded in front of himself, and I could feel his eyes on me. I could feel everyone's eyes on me. When the silence lengthened, I reluctantly lifted my head and locked eyes with Negan. He did not look happy.
"Would you give us the room?"
Tricia strode out so quickly it was like she'd never even been there. Kai took his time, though, and I glanced over to see him smirking down at me. It looked mocking, and maybe it was supposed to be, but I tried to tell myself he was on my side – for now, at least. It wasn't much of a leap for Kai to turn me in. Whether he had kept his mouth shut or not, he was getting something out of it, and I had lied when I said I would trust him if he ratted me out; I never would. But he had listened to me and done what I'd asked. Still, it was like playing with matches and gasoline to rely on his honor, or lack thereof, to follow through with the other half of my request.
"Trish and I will be waitin' in the hall," he told Negan. He bent down next to me, splitting his face into a wide grin. He gave me a wink and sauntered out of the door, pulling it shut behind him.
I turned back to Negan, tugging on the bottom of my jacket. It was my nervous tick of the morning, I supposed, and no wonder. The way Negan was looking at me, it was hard to feel anything but apprehensive.
"I swear," I promised, and Negan scowled down at me. "You never said I couldn't leave the room."
"You did swear," he reminded me.
"Yes," I nodded, "and I didn't break it."
Negan said nothing again, but he started to walk past my left side while tapping Lucille against his leg. He came around to my right all the while glaring down at me, and Lucille whined, thwap, thwap, thwap, as she hit his calf repeatedly like a pendulum.
"What do you think I should do with you?" He asked.
"Nothing," I answered readily. "I did nothing wrong."
THWAP!
Lucille bit into the wood of the conference table. She left shallow scars in the varnish and my fingernails sunk into the fabric of my jacket. I tried to steady myself as I began to shake slightly, but I held my ground.
"Do not lie to me," Negan demanded, each word enunciated precisely.
"I'm not," I whispered, and Negan fastened his fingers in my hair.
He wasn't gentle, but he wasn't brutal either. He pulled my head back, forcing me to gaze up at him. I swallowed noisily, my throat straining uncomfortably as I did so, and I held his disappointed stare.
"I didn't mean to cause trouble."
And that was the truth because I hadn't intended for there to be any. I just happen to be unlucky and stupid enough to get caught. But what did he have on me, really? I thought. Sure, I was found in the security room studying the resort grounds, but Negan virtually kept me under lock and key. In his mind, there should be no way for me to use what I gleaned from the security room. I had no one to work with but Daryl, and how far had we gotten before? We were barely on speaking terms now… Negan had absolutely nothing to go on.
"I saw things, yes," I reasoned with him. "I know more things now that I did an hour ago, but that doesn't mean anything. If I'm going to work for you, be a soldier for your army, don't you think I would learn about these things eventually?"
"That doesn't negate the fact that you were up to no fucking good," Negan retorted.
"I wasn-"
"You were!" Negan roared. The tip of his nose was touching mine now. "You disobeyed me…again."
"Why is it always this way with you?" I yelled back and shoved his chest. He stayed plastered against me. "I can't do anything without it being suspicious! If you want me to trust you, Negan, you have to trust me, too! It can't be one-fucking-sided or else we'll be doing this shit until one of us kills the other!"
He pushed me then, against the table like he had the first time I met him in his office. And just like then, he was on me, and Lucille was discarded in a chair. His hand was still in my hair and he used his other one to grab hold of my collar as he pressed against me. His mouth covered mine, and I flinched back, shocked, but we didn't break apart.
He tried to get me to open to him as his tongue brushed against my lips, but I protested with an earnest hum and pushed against his shoulders as he continued to hold me close. His grip slackened enough then for me to move away, but I stayed rigid and he didn't back away either. His lips still held mine and they moved slowly, allowing me the room to move away if I wanted.
But I didn't.
Why? I didn't dwell on the reason and tried not to feel guilty.
Negan let go of my jacket, sliding his gloved hand down to cradle my waist. The movement startled me and I pulled from the kiss. I was confused and suddenly shy. I wanted to run back up to the room and hide under the covers until the sun went down. I couldn't explain myself and I wasn't sure that I wanted to.
You liked it, my inner self-loathing seemed to whisper.
Shut up! I screamed back. That wasn't what happened, and as I convinced myself of such, Daryl pushed his way into my mind. I bit my lip to distract myself.
I blinked up at Negan and searched his face for an explanation. I thought he was angry with me, not getting all hot and bothered. He was like a switch; flipped one way and the next second, the other. And as I thought more about it, my ire began to grow. He promised he wouldn't do something like this again. Not without my consent.
I attempted to stand on my own and push away from the table, away from him, but he wouldn't let me back away. He hugged me close to his chest, and the hand that had nested in my hair began to move to my face, caressing it.
"I'll trust you, Everly, when you stop fighting against me," Negan said, his voice husky.
"Negan," I started to argue, but sighed when an appropriate response failed me.
A smile grew on his face, and he bent his head down again as if to kiss me. He stopped right before touching my lips, the whiskers of his newly growing beard and mustache tickling me.
"If I catch you nosing around without my permission again I'll bend you over my knee and spank the seven shades of hell out of your bare ass," he whispered and let out a quick laugh. "Who knows? You might fucking enjoy it."
"Let go of me," I demanded.
"If you ask nicely," Negan replied as the corners of his mouth dimpled his cheeks.
"Please, let go of me before I scream," I tried again.
"That's a little better, but not great," he said and dropped his hands from me, backing off a couple of steps.
He ran a hand on Lucille's hilt as he watched me adjust myself, and I glared up at him.
"You know, I tell you to stop giving me that fucking stink eye, but I'll be honest," the tip of his tongue massaged the corner of his lip, "it has fuckin' grown on me."
"You know," I mocked him, placing a hand on my hip, "you promised me that you wouldn't pull the shit you just did again unless I welcomed it."
"You weren't welcome to it?" Negan began to frown with concern. His arms went limp and his fingers dangled loosely on Lucille's end. "I know I came onto you mighty strong, but I gave you the chance to move away…"
I crossed my arms and gave a slight eye roll as he began to smile. He was trying to corner me.
"You shocked me. I had a delayed reaction."
"Uh huh," he muttered, stepping up close to me again. He pulled on one of my loose curls. "You let me linger long enough to tell me that not everything between us is one-fucking-sided."
My face grew hot. I could feel it burning me up.
"Were you even really mad at me?" I demanded, practically yelling. "Or does the sight of me submissive and intimidated make you hard?"
"Quite fucking so. Why don't you feel for yourself?" Negan asked and grabbed my hand. I yanked it away from him quickly and side stepped him.
"Don't play with me, Negan," I cautioned.
"Aw, but it's so much fun," he smiled with a laugh.
I leaned over to him and looked him dead in the eye. "You make my life a fucking nightmare."
"Everly," he called with a playful sigh as I went to the door. I heard his footsteps behind me and he followed as I opened the door and stomped out into the hallway.
Kai perked up when we appeared, and he gave me a devilish grin as I marched near him.
"I don't see any shiners on ya. That mouth of yours must be pretty convincin'."
I sneered at him as I passed and he gave me a wink in return. I heard Negan address Kai and Tricia behind me, but I soon heard his rapidly approaching footsteps. I dashed into the stairwell and bounded up the stairs two at a time despite my screaming muscles, trying vainly to lose him. It didn't take long for Negan to catch up, however. He grabbed me by the shoulder and twisted me around.
"Be careful!" I scolded as I almost lost my balance on the steps. He steadied me with the solidity of his hand.
"Listen," he said, gazing at me with a coltish grin, "I love these sexy little impromptu meetings we've been having in this stairwell, but you don't get to walk away from me with the last damn word. You know me fucking better than that."
"Then spew out whatever shit that's been clogged up in your mouth and be done with it. I have a wall to stare at." I shrugged his hand off of me.
"Everly," he said with a breathy, short laugh, "you're making this really hard for me. Or rather, you're making it…really hard for me."
I scoffed at him, balling my right hand into a fist. I was readying to punch him square in the nose, and he must have been able to tell because the smirk on his face bloomed into full a blown, cheek-splitting smile. I started up the stairs once more at my original pace, and like before, Negan followed but silently this time.
When I reached our door, I went for the handle, wanting to slid inside and lock it before he could follow, but it was currently locked. I tried it again, somehow hoping for a different result regardless of knowing there wouldn't be one. Negan strolled up behind me, his boots dragging on the carpet noisily to let me know he was there. Out of sheer impulse, I punched the door and immediately regretted it.
"Fucking… Shit!" I bent over my hand, cradling it against my chest while feeling like an idiot.
Negan leaned on the wall by me with his arms folded in front of him. He was enjoying the show and Lucille seemed to be too as she lounged beside him in a similar manner. The glints off of her wires looked like laughter.
"Stop. Fucking. Smiling at me."
I was done with this game and I was done with him. He chose not to oblige me and remained in place with the same bemused expression.
"I was mad at you… At first, anyway, but you did make a good point when you brought up our status with trust. And you're right," Negan shrugged lightheartedly. "I've got to cut you loose sometime. Let your little baby bird wings flap until you fly or break them while trying, right?"
I didn't answer him. I was still seething up at him through the hair that had fallen in my face with my asinine outburst. He pushed off the wall and stood before me, planting each foot hip width apart. He put his hands behind his back and gazed down at me with a cocky smirk.
"Hit me," he said, and surprise temporarily replaced the anger I felt and the throbbing pain in my knuckles.
"Hit you?" I asked.
"I know you want to," he teased.
My brows twitched as I considered what he meant. Surely he didn't want me to actually hit him, but he stood there, hands out of the way, his head held back, and waiting. I looked around briefly, thinking maybe some of his men would pop out behind the waiting doors like jack-in-the-boxes but they would possess knives instead of a chuckle.
"Just…punch you?" I confirmed.
"Just punch me," he clarified, but hastily added, "You only get one, though. So make it count."
"Okay," I agreed impulsively, and without hesitation, I reared back the hand I just smashed against the door and landed it on the side of Negan's jaw.
We both stumbled back in pain. Negan held the side of his face and I fell to my knees, clutching my hand in agony. We'd both made grunts of discomfort upon impact, but I think mine might have been more of a scream.
"Mercy me, that was fucking loaded," Negan exclaimed and laughed. He rubbed his jaw while moving it back and forth. "Shit."
"Where's Simon?" I asked truly curious because he was going to be next.
This made Negan laugh again. It was a genuine, deep-from-the-belly laugh, and he came to me to help me up, taking my battered hand in his and rubbing it, almost lovingly, as he held it to his chest.
"Marry me," he said.
"Excuse me?" I exclaimed.
"I want you to marry me, Everly," he repeated more seriously.
"No," I shook my head and pulled my hand away from him. "I love Daryl."
He scoffed casually but I could tell my refusal stung his ego a bit.
"That's fine," he said with a small lift of his lips. "I can't get in the way of that, but if you change your mind-"
"I won't."
"Okay," he grinned. "When Daryl changes your mind because he will fuck up again. That is inevitable."
"Fuck you," I whispered.
"I'll be more than goddamn happy to do that," he retorted. "After, you can take my offer to marry me if you'd like, but I will say it does expire. So don't take too damn long to consider it because by then I might've moved on and into someone else, and you'll be left with shit."
"Better that than you," I spat at him. "Open the door."
"Sure thing, sweetheart," he replied sweetly.
He went to the door and slipped a key inside the knob, but the next moment he was facing me and his arm found a way around my hip. He gripped the back of my upper thigh tightly, squeezing the sore muscle cruelly. I gasped in pain and struggled to push him away, but he pulled me into him in a troubled embrace.
"No matter our status," he whispered through his teeth, "this will always belong to me. You don't get away with the shit you've been pullin' when you work for me, so take this trip as a lesson and apply what you've learned to everyday life because it counts now. It counts for you and it counts for anyone else you know. Anyone."
I knew what he meant. If I ever betrayed him and used what I'd learned against him, he'd killed anyone who helped me, anyone who I cared about, and then, if he was feeling merciful, he would kill me.
Edited by lolasskicker.
Everly managed to talk her way out of trouble. Do you think Negan will start trusting her now or no? I say only time will tell, but knowing Everly, she'll let her true intentions be known soon enough. ;)
Sorry you guys had to wait a couple of extra days to get this one. I was going to wait until tomorrow to post it, but I figured this chapter was already done and waiting. My new schedule for updates will be Monday evenings from now on. With school starting back soon, I think it'll be best for me while I try to get back into the groove of things (and waking up early again, UGH!). That way, I'll have time to sleep, rest up, and be more coherent when I write.
Thank you Bluemoon and guest for your reviews. I meant to thank you in my last chapter, but it totally slipped my mind. So, thanks you!
Also, just a heads up for everyone, the next chapter will include connotations of rape. I'm not sure how detailed it will be yet; I'm not super comfortable with writing stuff like that, so it won't be overly graphic. Normally, I wouldn't warn readers on stuff like this because you guys know what this story is by now, but with the way things are today, I'll just save my ass the displeasure of being bitched out by an unsuspecting reader. If you're asking yourself why I'm even bothering with writing it if I don't exactly feel comfortable with it, my answer is this: Rape is real. It happens. It's a brutal and unfortunate part of life, and my aim isn't to traumatize readers or get a reaction of you. It's to tell a story that involves real-world happenings. This story is based on the apocalypse where hardly anything is held sacred anymore. The rules of a composed society no longer exist; only chaos. Bad things happen to the innocent, but the people who do those bad things aren't immune to the world's evil either. The events that happen in the next chapter are for a purpose and not for fetishizing. But just like all the other violence that has happened in my story, and in TWD in general, it doesn't need a reason to exist because it just does.
So with that, you get to choose what you read as a reader. I will post another warning at the beginning of the next chapter to remind you. It should be obvious as you read when it'll come up so you can skim it or skip ahead. It also won't be a long, drawn out thing either.
Anyway, I hope you guys had a great weekend and are rested for the week ahead!