Between the Thorns

Chapter 50

Jean was finally out from under Negan's control. She felt like she ought to feel like a weight had been lifted. She should feel free. She should feel good. But in reality, she wasn't even sure if her situation had improved. At least in the Sanctuary, she had friends. People there knew her. Liked her. They didn't keep a watchful suspicious eye on her when all she was doing was sitting at a picnic table letting Gracie play in the shade on a blanket.

"It's not right how they have everyone locked up like that," Rose huffed, her eyes scanning across to the large stockade that held this community's prisoners. "We've got to do something," she urged. Jean wrapped her arm around her oldest daughter. Rose's confidence had grown exponentially since Daryl took her on as his apprentice. She was no longer the cowering little girl that wanted to hide in the apartment so people wouldn't see her bruises. But with the increase in self reliance came an increase in her desire for autonomy. She wanted to do what she thought was right. She didn't want to listen to her mother. Or anyone else. Especially when it meant leaving her friends behind a wire fence with no shelter and very little food.

"Daryl's coming back soon," Jean promised. "He'll sort it out."

Rose nodded. But she also rose from the bench, letting her mother's arm slip away from her shoulders. Jean felt a jolt of panic when Rose began moving quickly in the direction of the large corral. But when Lily took off after her, Jean realized they weren't heading for the prisoners but for a familiar face.

"Carl!" Rose called, waving as she hurried towards the boy. With Lily gone, Gracie started to fuss. And Jean lifted the little girl into her arms, shading her eyes to watch the interaction between her daughters and the boy they met after he tried to assassinate Negan. Rose wrapped her arms around him and Carl hugged her back, lifting her off her feet. They held onto each other longer than Jean expected. She smiled, happy that her daughter's attack hadn't scared her off boys completely.

There was another girl around the same age as Rose and Carl standing off to the side. Her face darkened as she watched them embrace. Teenage hormones didn't stop with the end of that world, Jean thought with a shake of her head.

When Carl let Rose go, Lily moved in for a hug of her own. Once she got it, she turned and came running back to Jean. Rose stayed. From the animated conversation she and Carl looked to be having, Jean guessed they were catching each other up on everything that happened since they last met.

Rose took Carl's hand and began leading him back towards her mother. But before they got halfway, a loud commotion from inside the holding area stopped them. Jean hurried towards them, balancing Gracie on her hip. Her eyes widened. One of the Hilltop's people was inside the holding area. From the looks of what was scattered on the ground around him, Jean guessed he had entered the space to bring in food and water. One of the prisoners grabbed him and was holding a knife against his throat, demanding to be released. After a bit of a struggle, the man was eventually subdued. But the guard he grabbed suffered a deep cut to the side of his neck.

"Where did he get a knife?," one of the other guards asked.

Jean noticed several people immediately glanced at her and her girls.

"It had to be them," someone else hollered, pointing in her direction. "They ought to be locked up with the rest of the saviors. I don't care who she's sleeping with!"

"They're crazy," Jean said under her breath, "...we didn't do that."

"Actually," Rose whispered. "We sort of did. And that knife has my name burned into the handle."

Jean's eyes widened as she took in the guilty look on her daughter's face. Then she turned her attention to the angry crowd that was starting to gather. They needed to get the hell out of this place. Now. Shifting Gracie onto her other hip, Jean grabbed Lily's hand and began hauling ass for the trailer they were staying in. She set the baby down in her playpen, grabbing a bag and tossing everything she could fit into it as fast as she could.

"Hurry," Carl urged. Jean glanced up. She didn't even realize he'd followed them back to the trailer until she heard him speaking to her from the doorway. "I know somewhere we can go." Jean nodded. Heading into the woods alone with a group of children did not seem like a good idea. But if her choices were between that and being separated from her daughters and locked in a cage, she would take her chances in the wild.

"How are we going to get out?," Jean asked, rushing down the steps of the trailer. The straps of her backpack were already digging into her shoulder. She was worried about making bottles for Gracie and probably packed too much water. But she put that worry aside for now. The angry crowd was gathered near the large gate. If they tried to leave that way, they would be stopped.

"I know a way."

The girl that Jean recognized from earlier was standing outside her trailer. She didn't know her name. Or if she could trust her. But Carl was quick to follow in the direction she was leading them. And that was enough for her.

There was a trap door under a pile of firewood. From its location, it was obvious that the tunnel below would lead them outside Hilltop's high walls. Carl went down first. Jean sent Rose and Lily down next. She handed her heavy bag down next, climbing down slowly and carefully with baby Gracie in her arms. Jean handed the baby to Rose as she strapped the bag back on. Carl took her place at the bottom of the ladder.
"Thanks Enid," he said. The girl nodded, telling Carl to be careful before she shut the trap door behind them. As they picked their way down the dim dirt tunnel, Jean whispered to Carl, asking him where they were going.

"We're going home," he whispered back, "...to Alexandria."