A Hard Lesson to Learn

Chapter 14

Pitch black darkness is what Kali woke up to. Her head was pounding as she lay prone on the hard cold floor. She did not know how long she had been knocked out for or who had taken her. Kali's shoulders were on burning with pain because her arms were tied together behind her back.

Her mind drifted back to when she was first captured by Rick. How she woke up in that cell the first time with Rick sitting right outside the door waiting for her to wake up. Kali might not have like the situation but deep in her core, she felt safe.

Now this time, she was literally afraid. She didn't know who had knocked her out in the woods or where she currently was being held prisoner once again. Kali rolled onto her side and pushed herself upright. On her knees, Kali shuffled across the floor trying to find a wall. She didn't have to move far before she bumped into the concrete wall. Kali rested her head against the cold concrete shutting her eyes behind the blindfold wrapped around her head.

Kali turned and pressed her back against the wall. She sat against the wall rolling her head against the wall. Kali tried to make herself comfortable given the situation, but she had a feeling this wouldn't go the same way it did in Alexandria. She sat against the hard wall blindfolded, hands bound behind her back, and settled in for the long haul. The waiting game was just beginning.

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Kali didn't know how much time had passed. She just sat in the darkness waiting. Waiting for someone to come for her because she knew they wouldn't take her then leave her to rot without coming to make sure she's suffering enough.

The door screeching open brought Kali back to reality. She had drifted off into her mind thinking about how Alexandria was doing. She wondered about Carl and Judith. If they were okay, if Alexandria was okay. Thoughts Rick and Michonne, the two people who had given her a second chance, drifted through her mind. If the people who took her attacked them too, were they okay? Were they in a situation like her now?

"Well.... well.... well...look what the boys brought me to play with," the female voice said. Kali sat in silence listening to the woman's footsteps walking around the cell and others whispers from the door. "You aren't dead are you," the woman asked her nudging Kali with her boot.

"What do you want," Kali asked the woman.

The woman's laughter filled the concrete cell. "What do I want? I want to make you pay for all the pain you caused us over the years. All that time with Negan and now you're all alone. A perfect opportunity if I do say so myself," the woman boasted.

"What are you going to do," Kali asked still sitting calmly against the wall. It wasn't like she could fight back with her hands bound behind her back.

The lady walked till she was standing in front of Kali on the ground. Kali heard the woman squat down in front of her. She flinched when the woman's hand brushed against her face. "We're going to make you pay," she whispered gently stroking Kali's cheek.

"What exactly did I do to you?"

"Years of walking around like you were our leader. Keeping Negan from doing what needed to be done just because you didn't agree with it. Stealing what we deserved from us just, so you could live all high and mighty. You distracted him from what he needed to do. He was too focused on you that day in the field, now Rick's got him. He can't lead us anymore because of you," the woman said still squatting in front of Kali.

Kali shook her head slightly. "It wasn't like that," she defended. "Negan was always looking out for the saviors. He was blinded by the fact that there are other communities out there trying to get by like the sanctuary was. I tried to help him understand that you can't just take and take from people. This world kills enough living already. We're supposed to adapt and help each other. Not kill each other over food when there are walkers just outside ready to tear into our flesh."

The lady's laughter once again filled the room. "That's really some philosophical shit right there Kali. If I didn't know better, I would say we had Rick Grimes in this cell instead of you."

"So, what are you going to do? Kill me? Wouldn't be the first time someone tried to kill me. Who are you?"

"I don't think you deserve to know that."

Kali cracked a small smirk as she laughed. "You're going to kill me without letting me see who you are? Maybe you are as weak as I think you are."

Kali felt hands twist the first of her shirt as the woman grabbed hold of her and hauled her to her feet. She slammed Kali's back against the wall causing her to grimace. "You think I'm weak? You think that we are weak," the woman yelled. A hand gripped the side the blindfold and yanked it off.

Once the blindfold was off, Kali immediately locked eyes with her captor. She started laughing tilting her head toward the ceiling. "You think this is funny," the woman asked gripping Kali's face making her look at her.

"Yeah. I do," Kali smirked looking at the woman. "What are you going to do Regina? Huh? I know you. I know everything Negan taught you. You and everyone involved are in over your heads. Don't you know that? You all are already dead."

The fist connected with Kali's face before she could prepare for it. It left her reeling. The hands still clutching the front of her shirt kept her upright against the wall. "I tried to kill you in the field that day, but Rick decided you needed saving. Remember that time when a lot of us went on a run and you fell in the walker pit? Or that time a herd attacked the building we were looting, and you got separated from us all and Negan made us save you," she paused looking at Kali who was still shaking off the effects of the punch. "I tried to kill you before, but you don't know how to die," she yelled pulling Kali away from the wall only to slam her back against it. "I guess I'll just have to beat you to it."

Regina pulled a dazed Kali away from the wall. Carelessly, she tossed her onto the hard ground. The sound of her shoulder popping caused the crowd around the door to groan and gasps. Kali immediately felt her arm go numb and pain flooded her body. She wanted to scream but found something within her did not want to give Regina the satisfaction of knowing she's in pain.

Kali heard Regina's footsteps get closer. "There isn't anyone around to save you this time," she said delivering a kick straight to Kali's ribs. "Negan is in prison," another kick. "Rick banished you his community," another kick. "There isn't anyone else that cares about you enough to save you," another kick. "You ruined everything," she yelled down at the semi-conscious woman. Regina then unleashed a long string of hard kicks into Kali's ribs.

Kali jolted with each contact of the foot to her torso. She was barely holding onto consciousness when Regina bent down and grabbed ahold of her hair.

Spitefully she jerked Kali's head back causing the girl to groan. "How are you feeling now? Huh? Still find it funny? You're going to wish you died that day in the field when I'm done with you," she seethed.

"Hey Reg," someone called from the door. "Sorry to interrupt, but we have a problem upstairs that needs your attention," the Savior said.

Regina smiled dropping Kali's hair and the woman doubled over in the middle of the concrete cell. "It's okay. She can wait. It isn't like she has somewhere to be anyways." Regina started walking away from the woman when she stopped turning back. The boot made contact with Kali's head sending her deep into unconsciousness laying facedown on the concrete floor. "Be back soon," she said looking down at the unconscious girl before walking to the door. Regina slammed the steel door closed leaving Kali in darkness once again.  

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I know this one is short, but I am really proud of this one. We now know who shot Kali and who took her. I am about to start on chapter 15. I'm really excited about how I have this story planned out! Thank you for reading this far! I appreciate all the votes and comments! See you in the next one!