Dead Man Walking | Rick Grimes

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This is a trigger warning: This chapter contains a sensitive topic matter as attempted sexual assault. Please read at your own discretion. 

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The woods around me went unnoticed as I pushed forward, my arms pumping violently to keep me going. The pain in my shoulder was almost nonexistent as adrenaline floored me. The creek was long behind me, and I had shed my tears, but I couldn't let myself feel. At least not now. The walkers were no longer in sight, but I was too scared to stop running in case more popped up behind the trees. The sun was setting, painting the sky with hues of oranges and pinks, telling me it was time to find somewhere to sleep in for the night. I slowed into a jog and emerged from the woods, recognizing the streets around me. I was at least five miles from the nearest town, but with darkness quickly approaching, I wouldn't make it in time to set up shelter. Scanning the area around me, I located a red, beat-up Honda Civic and slowly approached it. Opting for my knife instead of my pistol, I circled the vehicle and peeked inside. The windows were dirty with dirt and dried blood, obscuring the view inside and making it perfect for spending the night in.

The door opened with ease, and I climbed inside, shutting the door firmly behind me. The car had an old, musty smell, almost like your hands when you handle change for too long. Blood splattered the driver's side and stained the wheel, but there wasn't a body. What had happened here? I searched inside the abandoned vehicle for a bit, hoping for something useful. Coming up empty, I sighed and tucked myself into a ball on the back seats, settling for the night. Sleep didn't come to me easily. Instead, my mind was racing.

Did Rick make it out okay? Did Daryl? What about Carl and Selena? Are they okay? Did they find some of the group, and they're huddled somewhere? If there is a God out there, then how could he allow a baby to die? Judith hadn't even lived, and yet she still died. What kind of heartless monster would allow that? Tears pricked my eyes as I realized how lonely I was. I have no friends, no family—biological or adopted. I'm alone all over again—something I feared from the moment I found the group. Sobs escaped my lips, and I placed a dirty hand over my mouth as I cried myself to sleep.

~*~

A hand clamped onto my mouth roughly, waking me from my uneasy slumber. I screamed, the sound muted against the rough hand, and struggled to reach for my knife. Another hand gripped my wrist tightly, preventing me from grabbing my weapons. I squirmed and yelped, my body leaving the confines of the car and slapped with the chill of the night air. A deep chuckle hit my ears, and the hand against my mouth tightened, squeezing my jaw tightly. My back hit the cold road, and I screamed again, disheartened by how muffled it sounded. My nails clawed away at the hands holding me down, tears escaped my eyes, and my heart raced painfully in my chest as I focused on my attacker. The man hovered over me, a wicked grin across his thin lips. Even against the moonlight, I can see faint hues of green in his squinty eyes. A dark beard decorated his chin, and his hair hit me on the face as he leaned towards me.

"What'd you find, Derek?" A voice called out in the silence, making the man on top of me pause. Derek smirked at me and gripped my upper arm with one hand, hoisting me up with him. He pressed one hand firmly to my mouth as he pushed me to walk, making me stumble. A group of men emerged from the woods with their weapons drawn. A reasonably built man stepped forward, easily standing at six feet. His hair was short and gray, and like Derek, he had a beard. The men behind him looked dirty and worn, ranging from bulky, muscular, skinny, and chubby. There were at least ten of them. The man stepped forward and smirked at me, his brown eyes scanning me up and down as I fidgeted against Derek. "Ah, nice find,"

"I claim her," Derek said with a hint of pride in his voice, "I found her, so she's mine." I struggled against him once more and felt tears slip from my eyes. A muffled scream escaped my lips once more as his disgustingly warm hand caressed my arm and trailed upwards so he could stroke the side of my neck. His breath hit my face, and he scanned me again, making me cringe.