#twwk

Many of her college friends all had plans and ideas and yet most of them now roam the streets looking for the next person to chomp on. Ironic isn’t it? She never believed she’d live this long hell many times the conversation of “Quick a zombie apocalypse happens! What do you do?!” She’d laugh and says she’d die in the next month or two. To which her friends would moan and groan because surely “You wouldn’t give up so easily?? Come onnnn what would you actually do.” She’d think it over and before putting much thought, she said.

“I’d kill myself.” Her friends went silent before laughing at how serious she sounded and even she laughed. A good banter back and forth as her college friends sipped on cheap booze. “No, no, but in all seriousness. I’d stay with my parents. My dads a police Captain after all. He’s taught me how to shoot before I could write and my ma… well she’ll probably teach me something.” Snorting a chuckle since her moms a teacher. One of her friends asks what she’d do if her parents became zombies.

“Well I guess I’d try to find groups to stay in. What do y’all think? I guess I’d put up with y’all.” Nudging her friend playfully on the shoulder. Laughter in the room as the music starts playing and the cheep booze starts kicking in. As her friends dance and sing to “Only Girl in the World” by Rihanna she sits on the couch in deep thought. Her drink in hand as she thinks bout her life. Thinks about her finals coming up and how she’s gotta take all the tests to become a nurse. Both her parents were exceptionally happy that she didn’t follow in their footsteps.

“I love kids but please… do not become a teacher.” Her mother sounded so exhausted when they spoke early on the phone. “And don’t become a police officer!” Her father yells in the background. The running joke for every phone call even though her parents are well aware that she’s going to be a nurse. She’s been deadset on it since she was a kid. She doesn’t plan on telling her ma that she’s gonna try and apply to be the school nurse where her ma works. Sipping her booze some more as the apple news on her phone pings “Reports of a New Virus, Scientists say… ”

She huffs, reading the first couple of paragraphs before getting bored and exiting out of the article. “Probably another variant of COVID. Great another shot I’m gonna have to take.” Turning her phone off and chugging her drink before she starts dancing with her giggly and much too drunk friends.

————————————————————

Oh how life turned so fast and so quickly the following week. Nearly half of the friends in the room became the first percentages of “Turned” and the other half “Missing, have you seen them?” She barely made it out herself. But that’s life. Cruel and beautiful and so, so lonely in the world she now knows. She stays too long thinking about it and she’ll drown. She doesn’t want to think about her friends, her home, her… family. It’s still too much even after all this time. Even with it being well over a year it still hurts.

Shaking her head of those thoughts as she gets situated. Glad that she triple checked the ‘room’ she’s in. Her anxiety has been through the roof these last couple days and every lil noise is having her jump. At least she can put her mind at ease since she’s checked and barricaded the exit. A couple deads outside that she handled quickly. Who knew that she’s be so proficient with a bat and knife? She’s a good shot but before a to keep her rifle hidden. Not many bullets being made anyways..

She turns her radio on as she waits for it to come to life. For months she been speaking on it. Using it as a dairy of sorts, it helps her when she feels the loneliest. Helps when the days feel colder than what it typically does in Texas. She spoke and spoke until one day it started speaking back. The man on the radio commented how he’s been hearing her speak and at first, he and his group thought it was a hoax since they couldn’t get the radio to work. She didn’t speak on it for days, but the men would still speak back and call out to her.

Finally, she worked up the courage to speak back and from then on, they’ve become a part of her routine. Once a day around noon they’d speak. She has her rules, No names, no locations, no descriptions. She doesn’t want to get attached only to one day not hear them speak back again. She doesn’t need another name added to her list of grief. That, and as much as she wants to trust them, she knows that humans can be just as dangerous if not more so.

“Static, come in Static.” She grins as she sits in the office room that she’s been sleeping in. Stretching her legs as she’s never gotten used to the floors even after all this time. Her legs stiff as her other hand rubs her knee. The radio crinkles and scratches until finally.

“Must you keep calling me that?” The man speaks, the heavy Scottish accent shining through, and she can just tell he’s grinning. “I’ve told ya, mah name is Joh- “

“No,” she cuts him off as she clicks on the button. “No names. I don’t... I don’t want to hear it, please.” She’s told him before that she doesn’t want to hear his name. He’s been understanding but sometimes he’ll still try it... The thought that there is an actual person behind the radio scares her and intrigues her. Hearing someone even through all this mess makes it all bearable even if it’s just by a little bit. “Don’t make me ‘hang up’.” A lighthearted threat. She wouldn’t actually do that. She needs her daily talks with them.

“I know, Bonnie, I know,” the voice speaks with understanding. The man knows all too well on why it’s easier to stay nameless, easier to not be attached incase the voice one day doesn’t speak back. “But one day I would love ta hear my name from your pretty voice.” The voice chuckles, “Where are ya now?” A hopeful tinged to his voice.

“You know I don’t give locations, Static.” Singing back her words with a furrow of her brow. “But… I’m in an office building.”

“Ah, I see that’s become a fan favorite of yours.” A tease in the man’s voice. “Oh, it seems my friend wants to speak to ya.” Her eyes perk up as she knows who is about to speak.

“Electricity!” She smiles big and she just knows Static is rolling his eyes.

“Sunshine haven’t heard from you since, Static,” emphasizing the other man’s nickname and she can practically hear the glare. “has been hogging you.” Electricity, as she’s been calling him even though he’s also tried to get her to call him by his name, has a much softer voice. Calmer and levelheaded compared to Static who's more outgoing and louder. She’s called them the duo 1 and duo 2 before she called them Static and Electricity. Much to their annoyance and amusement, much better than her other idea of calling them Thing 1 and Thing 2.

“Well next time hit him or something.” She smiles as she can hear Static mouthing off something. Probably Static telling him where she’s been in for a bit. “In an office building again? That seems to be your usual, yeah?” The man speaks lowly. His words concerned and yet with the subtleness of memorizing something.

“Am I that predictable, Electricity? She stands up from where she was sitting. “Static said something similar.”

“Not predictable just doing what you always do, Sunshine.”

“That’s… That means I’m being predictable.” She teases as he stammers.

“No, no, I meant that you are more comfortable with what you know to be safe.”

“Soooo predictable with my safety?” She teases as she can hear him muttering “bollocks” like he always does when, she assumes, he is flustered. “I’m pulling your leg, Electricity. Just messing around and being a brat.”

He laughs and sighs in relief. His voice cool like the summer breeze after a rainy day. “So where are you?” His voice sounding slightly insistent.

“No where near you.” Rolling her eyes as they always ask the same questions everytime they talk. “Quit askin, I’m fine on my own. I don’t do groups and you know why.” She’s told them about her run in with the only group she’s been with. Handmaidens Tale meet zombie apocalypse and she barely got out.

“I know, I know, you’ve done well on your own, but a little help goes a long way, Sunny.” Sometimes she wishes she would hate the nicknames that they give her but it does give a warm fuzziness in her stomach whenever they say it. Sighing as she speaks back. “Oh yes because you’re military right?” A bit of sarcasm in her voice as this is one of her questions that she always asks.

“Taskforce 141, Special Operation Forces, you already know this, Lass.” The other man speaks making her jolt. Guess he was listening in when she was speaking to Electricity.

“Yeah, yeah, just making sure you’re not lying and trying to sound more badass than you both already do.” Remarking quickly as a light blush spread on her face. The way he’s speaking sounds deeper. Like she’s in trouble somehow and he’s going to correct her.

“We know, Sunshine, we know you just want to be safe. It’s hard to trust especially with the dead around.” Electricity’s speaks softly, the cool to Static’s heat, “But to say it again; Joh— I mean, Static, is a Sergeant and I am also a Sergeant. Static is an expert in demolitions and trained as a sniper. I myself am an expert with prime target eliminations and covert surveillance.” He says it so sincerely and she has half a mind to believe him.

“And why are you all the way in Texas then?” They’ve told her how they moved up here and she knows the reason, but she wants them to say it again.

“We received word that a base, Fort Sam Houston, was working on a cure for the zombie virus. The BAMC is a hospital within that fort that was conducting research.” Electricity sites off the very thing that they’ve repeated for the last month.

“And?” She makes a go on motion that they can’t see but she knows that they can imagine that’s what she’s doing.

“But when we got there it was already over run and Kyl— I mean Electricity almost got killed in the process.” Static says, he sounds upset. “We’ve been over this, Lass. We tell you about the same things over and over again.” A hushed murmur from Electricity is heard and she starts feels bad.

“I know… I’m sorry, I just...” she starts off as she tries to not sound upset. “I just want to make sure that I can trust you. Last time I did...”

“Handmaidens tale, you’ve told us about it. The leader, Abraham, is a far-right Christian, yes?” Static says the man’s name and she shivers as she gives a tiny yes in reply. “He tried to keep you. To force you to stay with his group and be treated as a... how did you say it?”

“A breading cow.”

“Yes, that,” he sighs deeply on the radio, and she wonders what he and Electricity looks like. Wonders if they are as comforting as their warm voices. Wonders if they have beards or stubbles but her self-imposed rules keep her from asking. “I know it’s a lot, learnin ta trust when it's hard to. We’ve promised since the beginnin ta be honest and if I ever see him.” The threat is laced in his voice but he clears his throat. “Enough of that. We are finally moving to Houston. We acquired a car. A Jeep to be more precise. Any chance we’ll be near ya?”

“You might be…” she says softly as she bites her tongue. The urge to let them come to her gets harder and harder to say no to everyday they speak. “I don’t give locations, Static.”

“I know but can’t blame a man for trying. Oh?” She can hear his eyebrows furrowing as voices in the background speak. They’ve told her that they are a group of 4 in total. She’s never heard the other 2 speak but she can sometimes hear them… they sound funny. “It seems we have to cut this shorter, Bonnie.”

“We’ll speak again tomorrow, Sunshine, we promise.” The other man promises, and she knows they will. They’ve never broken a promise. Never did more than what they couldn’t do from the month that they’ve talked.

“I’ll see you both tomorrow and please,” she stresses the word as she hopes and prays that one day they can meet. That she’ll be brave enough to let them in and find her. “Please be safe. Please don’t get hurt, okay? I’ll metaphorically hit you, I swear I will.”

“Always, Bonnie, we will always be safe. Take care and check corners and windows. Make sure you can quickly get’n and out. Don’t go’n if your gut tells ya not to.” Static says, listing off his advice like he would to a fresh-faced recruit. “Don’t play fair and don’t play kind. Everyone’s an enemy until proven otherwise.” He waits a couple seconds before he passes it to the other man.

“Make sure to pack light and that you can easily grasp your weapon.” Electricity warns. A deep sigh from him before he speaks, “And if you ever… if you ever need help, just... please just tell us. We’ll do whatever we can to come for you, okay?” He waits and waits for her to speak but when she doesn’t, he sighs. He waits another minute and then the radio turns to static signaling the end of their conversation.

“I know,” she says softly as she hears the static of the radio. “Be safe, please be safe.” She murmurs the bits of name that she has overheard them say. Going against her own rules of not saying their names even though she knows it’s half of what their names are. She’s gotten too attached and now… now she’s worried. Worried for men she’s never met and probably never will.

“One can dream,” she rolls her shoulders and bends to stretch. Her stomach growling as she knows it’s about time to eat. Pulling her backpack on the office desk and opening it. A couple cans of food and jerky from gas stations. 2 water bottles and a simple medkit along with an extra shirt and pants. “Okay… raviolis or beans….” Humming as sits and pops open the beans. “I’ll save the raviolis for a special day.”

Chapter 1: Radioheart

Chapter 2: Take a Trip Down The Lane

Chapter 3: Past Catching Up

Chapter 4: Snakes in The Garden

Chapter 5: The Catalyst on The Dinner Plate

Chapter 6: The Timing of Violence

Chapter 7: The Nights Eve

Chapter 8: Your Loving Arms

Chapter 9: Keep Me From Harm

Chapter 10: Fire and Smoke

“Just my fucking luck.” She sighs heavily as she wipes her sweat. Packs of zombies roaming the streets and on top of that she’s running out of food preserves. “I should’ve saved them raviolis…” her stomach grumbling as she presses her back against a brick wall of the library. God what she would give to read a hard back book again. Grumbling to herself about how she almost finished the Percy Jackson series.

Her thoughts momentarily stopped when she hears the groans of the dead and that’s her cue to get a move on. Carefully looking around and noticing how run down most of it is. Most likely when the virus really took hold of this town it became a buffet. Considering the dried bloody marks on the streets, broken windows, ripped doors, “Jesus,” she murmurs as she ducks behind a car.

A rasping growl snaps her attention as a lil kid stumbles and twitches down the sidewalk. Eyes milky and searching aimlessly, half their face bitten into that she can see the inside of their mouth. She shivers as she moves her rifle to the side and grabs her knife.

She’s noticed that the Z’s don’t see that well. They rely more on their other senses which normally isn’t a problem for her. But… she doesn’t like being out in the open like this. Usually she’d be in a building by now but most have broken down doors. Not safe enough. Maybe she should go find an office building.

She pauses and grumbles lowly “Okay maybe I am predictable.” Snorting as she thinks back to what Electricity was saying and the kid snaps their head towards the noise she made.

“Shit.”

The kid runs limply at her, their blood encrusted nails reaching out to swipe at her as she steps back. Her back against the abandoned car as she waits for the kid to get closer. “I’m sorry,” she murmurs as she kicks her boot against the kids stomach. The dead kid falls down and she’s quick to get on top and stab her knife into the kids head. The kid shakes on the ground for maybe a second before stilling. Her eyes soften as she breathes out slowly. Kneeling down and closing the kids eyes, “I’m sorry you got turned kid… I hope you can rest easier now.” Wiping the blood of the kids from her knife on the kids pants.

Standing back up and dusting herself off as she looks to her side when suddenly she hears a massive BOOM!! The sound making some of the cars blare their emergency sound.

“Fatherfucker!” She yells as another explosion goes off. The sounds riling up every zombie in the area their snarls heard as they immediately start searching in a frenzy. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” she curses as she runs towards a building. Artys Arts and Crafts is what she barely saw before she runs in. Ducking behind the shelves as she almost didn’t see the 4 zombies in the room. She stills fast as her eyes widen. Her hand slamming against her mouth as she tries to control her breathing.

They groan and shove against the wall to get to the noise. Mindlessly moving and twitching at every sound. Yells are heard outside and whoever is out there is just attracting more and more attention. She knows she can’t just stay here unless she clears the building. At least the noise will make it easier for her to work around getting to them one by one.

Moving to the one that’s closest she slams the sharp point of her knife to the skull. Pulling her arm back as the sound of the body falling alerts the other 3. Their heads twisting towards the sound. Their arms reaching out as she ducks under one’s arm. Swiping a leg causing that one to fall. Sheathing her knife and grabbing her bat that’s attached to the strap of her backpack. She knows she’ll need range considering the three are coming at her. She can’t risk a bullet or the noise that comes with a bullet.

Yanking her bat free and swinging it hard at the small one that runs to her. “Asshole!” Slamming the bat on head like she would a baseball. Kicking at it as zombie doesn’t go down with that hit. It snarls at her and she pulls back and swings— THUNK!! She has to run back as the other one tries to lunge at her. She curses as it almost grabs her ankle. It crawls on the ground and she stomps her boot on it’s face. She repeats that again as she tries to keep and eye on the fourth that’s staggering to her slamming her bat down on the zombie and once satisfied she pays attention to the last one.

“3 down.” She murmurs as the last one swipes at her. Their veiny hands grasping at her bat and she yells as it snaps it’s teeth towards her. She jerks her bat back making it lean forward and punches the zombie. It lets go of her bat and she slams her bat upwards with her right hand gripping the handle. Breaking the jaw of the zombie as she wails on it again and again once it stumbles to the ground. Swiping her bat to the side to force the black blood off. Walking back to the other three, slamming the blunt of the bat against their heads to make sure they’re dead before she starts checking the rooms.

“Corners and windows.” She murmurs as she checks. Thankfully it’s clear. With a heavy sigh she sits on the table in what looks like the breakroom. She already has the door shut and barricaded. “Those four must’ve been a group.” She notices as some moldy food and wrappers are thrown haphazardly on the floor. Water bottles, some snacks, and some unused toiletries, “Thank god,” she laughs as she sits in the corner. Grabbing her backpack and pulling out a granola bar. Another explosion goes off and she flinches. More noises outside and it might be a fight that’s going off.

“Rival gangs probably,” she’s seen her fair share of warring gangs. Territory claims and all that jazz. “I’ve never been caught in the crossfire of it.” She huffs out as she munches. She pulls her backpack to her. “It’s been longer than 3 days…” she swallows thickly as she knows she’ll get an earful from the guys. Taking time to count and she realizes that it’s been 5 days in total… sighing, “let’s hope they won’t be mad.

Unknown to her as someone watches her closely through the scope of their rifle. Watching as she sits completely unaware that she’s being watched. “Well, well, well,” A grin stretching back as they mark where she is on the map before taking off. “He’s gonna love this.”

————————————————————

“It’s been 5 days!” Soap yells as he hovers over the radio. He and Gaz have been more stressed the last two days. “She said 3. What if she’s hurt or worse?!” His hand slams on the wall of the room he that everyone is hunkering in.

“That’s not helpin, Johnny.” Ghost snaps as his arms are crossed over his chest. Everyone’s been on edge since their girl hasn’t been talking on the radio. It’s become increasingly harder to deal with Soap’s outbursts and Gaz’s quiet glares and clenched hands. “She’s probably trying to get somewhere safe.”

He paces back and forth muttering words in Gaelic and he glared when Ghost tells him to speak English. “And that’s the problem! We told’er to tell us when she needed help!” The Scott growls out in frustration. Eyeing Gaz as he keeps staring at the radio. His thick hands gripping it as he mutters something. “What was that?” Soaps eyes narrows.

“I said..” Gaz flickers to him hesitantly. Biting his lip before he lets out a shaky response. “I said… She might not be al-“

“Don’t!”

“Johnny there’s a very real possibility that she mi-“

“Kyle.” Price cuts through the tension when he sees the radio’s dot blinking. “Look,” He says and Kyle immediately looks at it. His heart pounding as it buzzes.

“..yone hear me? Static? Electricity? Hello?” She calls out through the line. She sounds nervous and scared. Ghost and Price share a glance as they catch the tone of her voice.

“Sunshine? Hey, hey, it’s me,” he speaks back urgently. “We thought… god, love, we thought you were hurt or worse!”

“I… I know, I’m sorry. Is Static okay?” She asks and god love her Soap stumbles to him and he answers quickly. His hand on Kyle’s back as he unconsciously moves his thumb up and down. He speaks, letting her know that he’s there as well. “I’m glad you're both okay. I got into a couple rough patches. There are too many packs roaming.” The men freeze and Soap speaks first.

“You okay? Swear we’ll come for you, Bonnie. Are you hurt?”

“No, no, I’m fine, Static. Promise.”

“What’s going on, Sunshine? It’s not like you to miss out on our daily talks even with packs roaming.” Gaz says softly, all the men huddle around him as they listen for her reply. She takes a bit to respond so he says again, “Sunshine?”

The static from the radio crinkles and finally she speaks, “Got caught in a bit of a crossfire between gangs. At least I think they’re gangs.” She says and then says quickly right after “Nothing to worry about though!”

“Gangs? Oh lass,” The Scott says worriedly, “Are you safe? I thought you said you didn’t do groups?” A tease in his voice.

“Pft, I’m a free-range roamer, Static” joking back, the radio gets loud again, “I’m hunkered down in an arts and crafts store. Killed a couple Z’s but I’m safe. Promise.” Her voice is murmured into the radio like she’s trying to be quiet. “I can hear them outside. There’s been at least 3 explosions.”

Explosions? When Ghost was out checking the perimeter, he noticed an explosion a couple miles out… could they be close to her? “You need to stay in cover, Sunshine. Don’t go out unless you have to.” Kyle says urgently. His thumb cracking and popping the air between the bones. A tale tall sign that he’s nervous. Relaxing just a bit when John places a hand on his shoulder. “Listen… we uh… we saw an explosion from where we are a couple minutes ago. Estimate about 20 minutes ago. Are we?” He bites his lip before he speaks, “Are we close to you?”

The static gets loud as she doesn’t speak for a minute. Price looks a Ghost, a worried twitch of his eyes as Ghost tilts his head slowly. “I… Maybe I don’t know?” Her voice sounds nervous again. “I can’t give a location you kno-“

“Sunny,” Kyle says, his voice warm and understanding. His hand gripping the radio as he wishes he could ease her fear. He and the team speculated on why she’s so intent on hiding her name and location. Probably has something to do with her first group.

“I’m not gonna ask for your location. You know I wouldn’t but if they are using explosives along with fighting… you might get hurt.” She could get hurt, she could die, she could get burned from the explosive. When Ghost was describing it to them earlier when he saw the explosion in the distance Soap looked worried. Soap knows his bombs, he’s a demolitions expert Goddamnit. “Please… darling, you gotta tell us if it gets too hard and you’re not safe.” He says softly, using that pleading voice that gets even Price to stumble sometimes.

“I… Well, I’m safe for now, I guess. There’s a couple building near me that has some insignias on it. Most likely to mark territories.”

“What do they look like?”

“One has what looks like a black bird and the other looks like cross.”

“Bird and cross” Ghost murmurs beside Soap. They tense when she’s about to speak but they hear a faint crash on the line. It doesn’t sound like a radio crashing but something akin to glass. “Bonnie! What’s goin on?!”

————————————————————

Voices outside causes her to freeze. The hairs on her back standing up as she listens in to what they are saying. She… she recognizes those voices. Her focused snapped back to her radio as the Scott is still speaking to her. “Bonnie!” Static yells into the radio. She curses as she zips up her backpack and putting the sling of her rifle over her shoulder. “I’m fine, Static!” She tries to say more but the sound of something slamming against wood is heard from outside the breakroom she’s barricaded in.

There’s a voice yelling outside and they’re calling out to her. Calling out a name. A name that he gave her. A name that isn’t her own but forced on her. “No, no, no,” stammering as the men on the radio are still trying to figure out what’s wrong.

“I-I think I’ve been found.” She says weakly. That voice outside making her skin crawl, memories flashing through her as her heart pounds. She put so much space between her and that group. How did they find her? She’s been so careful and cautious these last 4 months. She needs to move; she needs to leave and go. God, why can’t she move?

“Sunny, wait, darling please.” Electricity says, he sounds nervous, scared even and her heart clenches at the sound. “What does that mean? Who found you?”

————————————————————

“Handmaidens Tale.” The men all tense when she says the name. She has only ever mentioned them briefly, Soap tried to get her to speak a bit more on it the second week in, but she shut it down fast. She’s more scared, more scared than shes ever sounded. Gaz and Soap look to Price as they don’t know what to do.

The man sighs and takes the radio. “Can you get somewhere safe? Do you have a weapon?” Price says, he was planning to speak to her when the time was right but now? Now he doesn’t have a choice. “Breath, love.”

A pregnant pause that has them all on edge, fearing the worst until she speaks. “Y-You're with Static and Electricity, right? The uh Captain?” She has overheard him before, faintly but she recognized him since Soap has said it before that the voice is owned by their Captain.

“Yes, love. Listen to me.” Experience in his voice, “Estimate up to 6 people, assume guns and weapons on hand with them. They’re most likely surveying the perimeter. You can hide or you can fight.” His eyebrows crease as he speaks.

He doesn’t like this. Doesn’t like the clench in his chest when he tries to imagine her, scared and fearful. He knows all too well what fear can do to a soldier, but she isn’t a soldier. A regular civilian and that makes this situation ten times worst. At least with soldiers they are trained to compartmentalize. To work through the adrenaline and fear. She doesn’t know how to.

“Okay, okay, I-I might be ab-” She gasps when they hear something breaking. Something loud enough that the radio catches it for all the men to hear.

————————————————————

“No, no, no, please,” The window in the room she’s barricaded in is shattered as her scream alerted the people that’s looking for her. The brick thrown in has a note attached that says in scrawled-out words. Found You, My Eve.

She can hear them just outside. “T-They found me. He found me. They broke the window.” She says to the radio as she clambers to get the barricade away from the door. Maybe she can run and get away? “Oh god, oh god, I-I can’t go back. I don’t want to go back.” Her blood runs cold as she tries to breathe deeply. The radio shaking as she talks to the Captain. “I-I don’t know what to do.”

The weapons she has are momentarily forgotten as she gets the barricades off and runs down the hall. Her backpack on as her bat swings back and forth almost like it’s trying to remind her that she has it. Her fathers rifle slung to her side from the strap on her shoulder as her hand grips her radio. She can hear the Captain speaking again. Trying to calm her down to get her to think but she’s in a blind panic. The fear of what she went through and what she’ll go through if that group takes her. She hears the shoutings. “Found her! She’s on the run!” And “Don’t let her escape! Grab her!”

Panting as she runs down the street. Weaving between cars and narrowly passing the dead as her heart pounds and slams against her chest. Running into a bank as she goes behind the couches there. Not even bothering to look for any deads that could be in there as she strains to hear for the voices outside. His voice.

The Captain on the radio still speaking. “We need a description, sweetheart. Can you give us a description? Look around you. Try to think. Don’t be scared, being scared is going to cause you to make mistakes.” Too late, far too late for that.

“Look…” the man pauses, “you’re going to get caught,” she whimpers and hits her head against the couch. Her knees tensing at the statement because as much as she wants to deny it, but she knows it’s going to happen. “I need you to focus and I need you to describe them to me. I need you to describe where you are? Can you do that for me?”

“Y-Yes, I.. I can,” She whispers as she speaks between breathes. Her eyes shut tight when the front door to the bank jingles open from the bell. Alerting her to the very real situation that is going to happen. So many memories flooding her brain as her boot taps nervously on the floor.

“I-I ran into a bank near Humble. There are birds and crosses spray painted on buildings and I-“ she bites her lip when she can hear the desks being tossed. She should’ve tried to hide somewhere else. Why didn’t she think to hide in one of the rooms? Why is it so hard for her to think straight? “I’m scared. I’m sorry, I’m sorry I never got to see you.”

“Don’t say that. You’re going to see us. I swear you will.”

She’s about to respond, her mouth parted when she hears a cruel laugh from where she’s hiding. Her hands shake as she finally grabs her knife. She knows that laugh, she hates it. Hates the man that laughs like that. Her hand grips her radio as she readies herself to try and work through the fear and describe the man to the Captain. The couch is forced aside as she screams and lurches forward.

Scrambling to get up as she clutches her knife and radio. “B-Brown hair, white skin, eye patch on left eye, green eye, tall,” she words off the man’s description as the man grins and licks his lips like a wolf would a cornered rabbit. “His name is Issac.” She breathes out shakily as she takes one last glance and speaks. “Don’t let him keep me again. Come find me.”

Holding her radio in hand as she backs up. She knows she’s cornered from the way the man is so calm. Someone breaking the glass window with the note was most likely to flush her out. Most likely to cause her to panic. She curses under her breath as she has to assume that there’s others around the building. A tilt of his head as he shows his teeth in his smile. “There you are, my Eve. I’ve missed you. Had me so, so worried.” He takes a step forward as she backs away. “Who were you talking to?” His voice colder as his eyes lock on the radio she has on hand.

The Captain talking urgently on the radio that she can’t even hear since she’s focusing on the man in front of her. He extends his hand, “You won’t be needing that anywhere. Give it.” Flight or fight kicks in as she bolts down the hall of the bank. The man follows after her with a yell. Rounding a corner as a hand grips the back of her shirt as she screams.

Swiping her knife at him as she turns and aims for his arm. He curses loudly, “You little!” His arm bleeding as he slams his hand against her head. Her head hitting the wall causing the wall to crack on impact. Head-shaped crater in the wall as she feels dizzy. Distorted as she stumbles back and crumbles to the floor.

The sound of the man on the radio still trying to talk, promising to find her, is just out of reach from when she fell. Issac walks to her, nearly infront of her as he’s speaking and saying something. Her ears still buzzing as she blinks. Her breath catching as she looks up at him. Scooting back as her blood is pumping fast, her pulse nearly jumping out her skin.

She looks to her radio, then towards her knife that fell out of her grip when she was slammed against the wall. She makes a split-second decision and lunges for her knife. He laughs at her feeble attempt. His boot slamming on her hand as she tries to grab her knife and she cries out.

He makes a disappointed tut, “A good husband never hurts his wife but…” he stares down at her as she tries to shove his boot off and he only presses more on her hand making her whimper. “A good husband also shows his wife her wrongs and how to be a good help meet again.” He lifts his boot and slams it on her face.

Turning on her side with a groan. Her hand covering her now bruising face as tears spill down her face. Coughing and hiccuping as she tries to think past the pain. The pain in her face throbbing as her nose bleeds. “N-No,” she begs as the man bends as he grabs the radio. The Captain getting louder and angrier as he tries to speak to her. Cruelly only able to listen and do nothing but hear what happened. A listening witness to the assault.

“And who has been keeping my wife company?” Issac speaks coldly, a possessiveness in his tone as he stares at the woman that looks up fearfully. A bruise already growing on her face.

“Captain John Price. Where is she? If you hur-“

“That’s none of your concern. She’s mine and she’ll stay mine, Captain.” He mocks. He looks down at her and then at the radio.

“You’ll never find her.” He laughs and throws the radio away. She yells “No!” as she watches as her radio thumps hard against the wall and breaks when it hits the floor. He goes to grab her but she kicks and tries to get up. Grabbing at her collar as her hands push and scratch against his face. Her fingers digging into his eye patch as he growls in pain. Finally having enough of her antics as he balls his fist and punches her hard at the side of her head.

Going limp at the impact, her hands falling to the side of her head. A tear rolling down her face as she tries to hear what he’s saying before blacking out. Dragging her body a lil before he finally picks her up. Whistling to his men and tossing her in a car.

Her arms and legs bound tightly with rope when she finally came to. Screaming and yelling as she tried to get out of the car and away. The rope digging into her skin almost as painfully as the throb from her face. Trying to bite until someone hits her in the back of the head with the butt of his gun. “Finally,” one of Issac’s men says as she’s now easier to handle with her being knocked out again.

————————————————————

“Fuck!” Price slams his fist against the wall. All of his boys are ready, Ghost already jumped up and started packing their car as soon as that Issac spoke to them. Gaz and Soap are standing up as Price looks at them. Both of them have murder on their mind and an itch to have blood spilled. For once Soap is quiet and Gaz looks volatile.

“Weapons free from this point on. Find any that are involved and get information out of them.” Price’s voice is rough, “Whatever means necessary.” Staring down at the radio, their only lifeline to their girl and now they won’t even be able to reach her. His hands fisted as he sees that it’s bloody from when he punched the wall. What he would give to have punched this Issac fellow. His chest heaving with anger as he steels himself. His men already moving with urgency to head out. Gaz grabbing the map so they can find Humble. And hopefully… find her.

“Where’s Eve,” he doesn’t ask as he pushes her aside and steps in. Angelica protests, tries to shove him back with a glare but he walks in like he already owns the place. He looks around and then spots her. “Oh! My sweet Eve, I’ve come to ask you a very important question.” The woman in question tense as they both know what he’s going to ask.

The nails in the coffin about to hammered in. He takes a long step, up close and personal as he grabs her hands the same way he did when she was 10 and he 22.

“I’ve known since the moment I saw you that day in the garden that you are mine. Beautiful Eve,” his skin stretches as he smiles wide. “Marry me.” Looking intently into her eyes as he fully expects her to say yes. His goal finally within grasp, within reach as he’s been begging his father to make it so. To make it where the woman will be forced to marry. He waited, knew she’d say no, somewhere in his obsession made him believe that she was just too shy to accept his advances. Especially with Angelica, in his mind at least, always hovering and poisoning her against him. But now… now she’ll have no choice but to marry him.

She looks to Angelica, the woman that she cares about. The woman that they just barely confessed feelings for each other. One nod from her and that’s all it takes. Rips her hands from him and out of his grip, taking a step back. She steels her voice, “No.”

“No?” The man says with a tilt of his head. He steps back as the feeling in the room drops. Something colder, chilling the growing summer heat that’s outside. His hands ball into fists as it shakes. “It’s because of her, isn’t it? She’s been in the way of us since she joined our group!” He turns and starts walking to Angelica.

Knuckles turning white from the force of his own grip, “Don’t think I don’t know of the sin you committed. Ruining my Eve with your filth!” He raises his hand and Angelica tenses and gets in a stance.

Rushing in front of Angelica, putting herself in the way and Issac is forced to pause. “My name isn’t Eve.” Being stern with him for once. “Don’t talk about Angelica like that.” Glaring at him as she finally shows how annoyed by his very being she is. Emboldened by how much she cares about Angelica. Her hand reaching behind behind her back and Angelica interlaces her fingers with her hand. A silent encouragement that she’ll have her back.

“I’m not marrying you and that’s final.” The silence that follows is deafening. Suffocating in the way he doesn’t even blink as he looks into her that she can feel her soul shiver. Cogs in his head turning as he licks his dry lips.

Narrowing green eyes while his hands flex. “You’re just confused,” he offers as if trying to convince himself. “You don’t know what you’re saying. She’s poisoned your brain with her sin.” A misguided understanding as that must be why his Eve doesn’t want to marry him.

His smile doesn’t reach his eyes as he backs away and moves towards the door. “Don’t worry. I’m very understanding, it’s not your fault, my beloved Eve.” His eyes hold a glint that makes her hands clammy, hairs sticking up on her neck. A silent warning that something ain’t right. That something can happen at any second. Her chest tightening as she braces for the worse. His hand gripping on the doorknob as he slowly opens it.

He steps outside the door, a forced exhale as she tries to regain her ground. Eyes watching his like a hawk as he leaves without even a word. A hard slam of her door that makes the hinges screech.

The seconds go by as they both stand tenses, fully expecting him to round back. Seconds feels like minutes, minutes feels like hours until Angelica speaks. “This is going to make this harder to leave.” Resting her head against the woman’s shoulder. “I knew it. I knew he was creepy as hell, but this just takes the cake.” Sighing and muttering a curse. She can feel Angelica’s mind rushing a mile a minute.

“You need to leave.”

“What? You can’t be serious.” Angelica nearly yells as she shakes her head. Taking a step around her to look at her. Angelica is dumbfounded as she can’t believe she’s even saying that to her. “I’m not leaving you with that fucker. I’m not leaving you. No way—“

“Ange.”

“No way in hell. I’d rather fucking die. I’m being so—“

“Ange!” Her hands cup her face to make her stop talking. Angelica’s brown eyes stare and open more as she leans closer to her. “He’s going to hurt you. He was willing to raise his hand to you infront of me. If I wasn’t here… he could’ve..” her voice breaks as she doesn’t want to think about it.

“Wouldn’t be the first time a man put their hands on me.”

“Ange,” her tone serious as she knows Ange is just trying to be playful. But they can’t be playful right now, they can afford to be. “You leave tonight, I’ll cover for you tomorrow and then we’ll be on our way. No more Issac.” She starts.

“And no more town.” Angelica finishes with a grin. “Alright, alright, I’m only doing this because you’re so convincingly cute.” The woman leans forward and kisses her softly. Angelica’s hands flinch at the suddenness before they start moving from the side to grasp the woman’s waist. Pulling Angelica closer, deepening the kiss as her hands entangle in Angelica’s hair. Biting on her bottom lip and she parts her lips as Angelica pushes her tongue into her mouth. Angelica’s hands more insistent and moving under her shirt.

“W-Wait, wait, wait,” she breaks the kiss and Angelica steps back worried, fearful that she overstepped. “I want more. Believe me,” she laughs and presses her head to to the woman she’s growing to love more and more. “God, I want more but you need to get your stuff and leave tonight.” Brushing her thumb against Angelica’s cheek.

“Alright, alright,” grinning at her, “I’ll let you breathe for now, but I can’t promise I’ll keep my hands to myself when we’re out of this fucking town.” A tease in Angelica’s voice but a very real need on her eyes. Night rolls around quickly and they say their quick goodbyes.

Angelica tells her in a hushed whisper as they step outside their place together. Hiding behind the corner to evade the nightly patrols. “Right next to that old mom and pop shop. Called like Oliver’s or is it Olive’s? There’s a barbecue place right next to it. Can’t miss it, that’s where I’ll be. Okay?” That one is right near the edge of the town, from there they’ll move past it and they’ll be ‘home’ free. No one goes near that area anyways. It’s clear enough instruction that she’ll know what to look for. A quick kiss goodbye as she watches Angelica leave.

The next day she knew she was being watched. Eyes on her as she went about her day. Telling the ladies that asked about Angelica that she’s feeling sick so she stayed home. Issac, who normally finds her, hasn’t showed up. A limp in his walk as he shakes his hand a bit. Shrugging her shoulders as maybe he fell and finally had some sense knocked into him. She wasn’t about to ask why he hasn’t talked to her and if anything, she’s happier to not worry about him sneaking up to her. Scrubbing the dishes clean and listening to the woman chatter and gossip about their day.

“Clark has asked me to marry him.” A woman says with a controlled sigh, the other women telling her their congratulations under a happy guise. A quiet understanding to the situation that they are all in. It’s been a lot of mixed feelings about what happen yesterday with the priest. Some of the woman agree to it and few don’t. Though she can’t help but wonder if they agree because it’s safer. Or because they’ll just have to be pretty housewives and be content for the men. Glaring at the dishes as the woman continue speaking and talking.

Once her shift ends, she goes to grab her ration for the day. The woman handing it to her with a hard smile, another woman that was forced into a marriage. Asking for Angelica’s ration under the guise that she’s sick and the woman tells her that she can’t. “It wasn’t a problem a week ago when Karen was sick?” Her arms crossed as the woman tells her that it’s “New rules.” And that she “can’t give rations unless the person is there.” Sighing to herself as she thanks her and then takes a seat. She hopes Angelica is safe. She knows she can handle herself, a spitfire of a woman she has.

“What’s got you smiling, Eve?”

Her hands tense and he sits in front of her. “Where’s your friend?” She goes to speak, “doesn’t matter,” he winced slightly as he scoots the chair forward. Was there always scratches on his neck? “I heard that she’s sick. Poor thing but it must be divine timing by God. Even our Heavenly Father knows that she isn’t right for you.”

“That isn—“

“I haven’t told anyone about you and her.” He says and she stiffens, “My father would never allow it. Never allow us together if he knew about what she did to convince you to sin. Just like my mother did my father.” His hands move and grip her hand. She remembers when she was ten. She remembers her parents talking about his mother. Her father wouldn’t lie. “She seduced my father just like Angelica is seducing you.”

She tugs her hand back but he grips her hand tightly, refusing to let go of her. “Let go.” She pulls back, “Issac let fucking go of me.”

“You never talked to me like that. Always so sweet and kind.” He says, fully believing in the fantasy that he has of her. A beautiful Eve in a garden. “It’s because of her. You’ll understand why she’s wrong for you, I had to...” He starts but stops like he’s catching himself.

“Had to what?”

He doesn’t answer and she glares, her heart starting to jump. “Had to what Issac?” He stares at her, beady green eyes as he doesn’t speak. He licks his lips and let’s go of her hand. Smiling as he eyes her up and down. Snickering like he’s aware of something that she won’t know, an inside joke that only he’s privy to. He gets up and leaves. Leaving her for once, more confused than nervous.

Walking out to remain calm and then speed walking to her room. Packing her things in a bag and pulling out her father’s rifle that she’s hidden. They tried to take it from her months ago when they started these whole men and woman job. Staying in her room until night rolls around, quietly stepping out the fire escape and carefully moving down the street. Her breath catching in her throat as she nearly got caught a couple times. Panting quietly as she finally makes it pass the guards and the patrols.

“Barbecue place near mom and pop shop.” She whispers over and over again as she shoulders her rifle. Being careful of the dead that roam on the streets. Her lip being bitten as she hides behind some cars as the dead pass by. Her eyes raking over the street signs, and she wonders if she’s in the right place. “Ah!” Her eyes perk up as she finally spots the mom and pop shop when the moonlight illuminates the way. “Barbecue, barbecue, barbecue,” she murmurs as her eyes flicker back and forth and finally she spots it.

“Angelica!” She whisper yells as she walks forward. “Ange!” Cupping a hand to her mouth as her other keeps a good hold on her rifle. Stepping into the barbecue place. She would’ve loved this place before the zombies. Still has a homey feel to it even after a bit of time. The barbecue place is large and even has its own smokehouse!

Looking around and seeing the western décor, her eyebrows furrowing as she sees some blood on the floor. Bending down and touching it, “that doesn’t look old…” she curses and shoulders her rifle. “I swear if you became zombie chow I’m gonna smack you Ange.” Pointing her rifle at ever sound. Teeth clattering as her nerves are getting the better of her.

Moving deeper into the place as she calls out to Ange again and again. “No sign of her…” sighing sadly as she moves to the back of the shop where it would be holding meat from cows and pigs if it was a normal less zombiefied-year. “Last room.” Steeling herself as she walks forward towards the smokehouse. Pushing the door open slowly as she prepares for a zombie grunt but it’s quiet and smells funny. Barely any fire going but the ash tells her that this smokehouse has and is being used.

Moving inside and she gasps. “Holy shit.”

This must be where the town is keeping the meat. No wonder no one goes here. Makes more sense now. “Why is it wrapped though…” Doesn’t make since to have the meat wrapped in a smokehouse. Unless it’s already prepared maybe? Moving to the one closest to her as she starts to peel it back.

“Oh my god.”

Her hand hovers over the meat and she’s still remembers the anatomy classes she took to know what it is. She was the best in her class. She recognizes that this ain’t animal. “This isn’t a deer. This is… oh…” her hand cups her mouth as feels the ration she ate earlier pushing up her throat. She moves and starts unwrapping them as she recognizes them. “Cody, Arianna, Davin, Lucas!” Her shoulders rising and falling as she breathes in and out fast. Fear courses through her heart. How long has this been going on? How long have they been unknowingly eating humans? How long?

Finally, the last one and this one looks upside down, like it’s still being drained. Unwrapping the person and she screams as she sees the brown eyes first. “No!” Tugging the body off the hook and ripping the the wrap off as her hand shakes even more. “No, no, no, no,” vision blurring in tears as she cups Angelica’s face. “No, baby, no, wake up.”

Shaking her face. The deep cut in her throat, the lifeless look in her eyes, the bruises and cuts on the body. “Ange! Please!” Crying as she pulls her close and hugs her tight.

“Not you,” the body limp and cold in her arms as she doesn’t hear the door open. “Why you? Why you?” Crying and burying her face into Angelica’s cold neck. Her arms lifeless and not moving as she screams into her neck. A hand grips her shoulder and she curses angrily at whoever it is. A blind rage when they try to pull her away from Angelica.

“Let go! Let me go!” Her eyes shut as she grips tighter to Angelica. Something hard hits her in the back of the head as she feels like she’s slipping deeper into a darkness. The last thing she remembers is Angelica’s cold brown eyes staring back at her. Lifeless and unmoving.

Coming too in anger as she’s placed on a bed in a room that’s not her own. Getting up and grabbing the bedside desk and throwing it as she screams. Her hands digging into her skull as she bends forward. Finally throwing up as she coughs, her knees buckling under the growing agony and pressure. Tears blurring her vision as her hands grip and claw at the floor. Misery and anguish flooding her heart as she wraps her arms around herself. The door opening catches her attention and Issac walks in.

“Oh, Eve,” he murmurs, “you poor thi—“

Getting up and running at him, her hands balled as she throws a clumsy punch that he catches. “Now, now, is that any way to treat your fiancé?” He glares and she yells profanity’s as she kicks and punches him. Clawing at his face as he tries to settle her into the chair. “Calm down!” He yells.

“Calm down! You want me to calm down?!” Pulling her leg up towards her and tries to kick him as hard as she can. The impact to his thigh makes him growl in anger. Raising his hand and slapping her harshly. She locks up, stiffening from the blow. The stinging in her cheek and her lip split open as she settles from the shock of being hit.

“There we go.” He says and presses a kiss to her face. Her eyes shut tight as she whimpers and breathes in shakily. “Next time don’t make me hurt you. I don’t wanna hurt my precious Eve. All shaken up over that filthy woman.” His hands gripping her arms and forcing her down even more on the chair. “Don’t worry I’ll wash the sins of her touch off your body in due time.”

He’s too close. Far too close to her. Close enough that she sees the cuts on his neck and her mind starts running a mile a minute as she thinks back to their conversation earlier. I had to. Repeats over and over again in her head as she finally looks at him. Tears down her face as she speaks, “Y-You killed her. You killed her! You son of a—“

His hand raises again and she flinches. He smirks and instead he cups her face and forces her to look at him. “I had to.” Confirming what she’s thinking, “After I told my father what happened he said that I couldn’t marry you. He said that the sin will be on you as long as Angelica breathed. I told him,” he leans forward and his green eyes stare at her and then her lips, her lip that still bleeds. “Told him that I’d get rid of the sin for you. You should be thanking me.”

Her heart slams against her chest, “We’ll be married in 4 days. Four days and I’ll be able to throughly cleanse your body.” Jerking in his grip, squirming on the chair. She can only begin to imagine what he has planned for her.

A defiance gathering in her eyes, she spits at his face. His thumb digging into her jaw as she cries out. “I’ll train you to be better. You’ll be so beautiful as my wife and as the mother of my children. So enticing even right now,” his other hand moves from her arm and down her stomach as her muscles tense and seizes. “I could cleanse you now but then we’d be committing sin.” He huffs and steps back.

Her hands rub her jaw as she quickly gets off the chair and steps back. He leaves, the door shutting and locking with a hard ‘click’ noise. She thinks that’s the end of it until he come back with a plate. Her eyes widen, “Don’t worry it’s just meat.” He grins and she doesn’t trust him, not one bit.

“How long?”

“Sit down,” he motions to the chair.

“How. Long.” Balling her fist as she refuses to even touch the plate of food. Thinking back to when people were getting sick. Thinking back to when people thought the rations were getting spoiled from the ‘animals’ they found. Chalking it up to the ‘animals’ being sick. Her stomach is empty even as she can feel the growing need to throw up.

“Long enough that everyone’s eaten someone here. Tasty, no?”

The amusement in his voice, the way he enjoys her suffering, enjoys seeing her so distraught. Almost as beautiful as her happiness. The smile she never gave him but always to Angelica, the happiness in her eyes when Angelica walked in the room, his hands grip the plate as he breathes in and out. He places the plate on the table as he watches her contemplate everything from the start.

Staring down at the plate and then at him. “I’m not going to touch any of that. You’ll have to force it down my throat.” Defiance in her voice as she won’t eat a lick of food from him or anyone else in this town. He snickers as he nods fast at her.

“Sure, sure, Eve,” he smirks, “I’ll be patient. I prepped a special dinner for our wedding night. You’ll just love it.” Leaving her alone with her thoughts as he takes his leave again. Shutting the door behind himself. The windows barred and no real way out. Stuck in this room with a plate of food that most likely is more human than animal.

The days pass and he tries to make her eat but she refused. He even forced her mouth open as she kicked and cried, forcing the meat down her throat as her throat constricted and she threw up on him. Making him yell and beat his fists into her. Her bruised body shaking as he realized what he did and told her off for making him hurt her. For making him be a monster when all he does is love her.

The day of the wedding came far too fast and she was forced into a white dressed. Too weak to fight back, too emotionally and physically exhausted as she nodded and barely spoke as the priest wedded them. Issac looking happier and happier as the reception was creeping up.

Her heart beating fast in her chest as the plates were being served at the reception. Issac in the middle with her to his right and the Father on the left. Her hand shaking as she grips on the fork. Her stomach growling and rumbling as she nearly gives in to eating.

Issac leans to his side, her hands grip the table as his lips brush against her ear. He whispers, “Hope you love her. I prepared her just for you.” His voice bouncing and echoing in her mind.

Her whole body tensing. Her eyes widening as she stares down at the plate and all she can image is Angelica. Angelica as the meal. Angelica as the meal the townsfolk are greedily eating. Tearing into her flesh to feed their sick bellys. The laughter, the glee, the sickening smile from Issac as she turns her head to him.

Mouth parted as a white-hot anger grips into her, burning the embers that were almost snuffed out. Warm brown eyes flash before her eyes, a distance of the woman she loved now prepared on a white plate and she knows what she needs to do. Blood demands blood.

Her hand grips on the fork and without thinking stabs it into his hand. He yells in pain and she takes the knife and stabs it into one of his eyes. For fully digging it into the socket as the blood seeps out. Staining the once white dress as she yanks the knife out and Issac falls head forward on the table. Father Abraham comes around and she’s quicker than the old man and swipes it at his neck. The knife itself is dull but she put enough force into it to slice the skin.

Everything blurs from then on. Last thing she remembered grabbing is her fathers rifle from the armory and bolting into the streets. The men yelling to find her as she runs and runs. She doesn’t stop running not even for the dead that try and grab her. She just runs. Runs farther and farther.

Forcing herself to keep moving, to not give her name, to sleep in random buildings and move on the next day. To never look back and keep as much distance between the hell she escaped into the hell that is everyone’s reality. The zombies would love her more gently than Issac can. That thought alone made her nights colder until she found that radio. The radio that changed it all. Made her open her carefully guarded heart to the men on it.

The sound of fingers snapping, and a voice forced her out of her memories. Brought into the present and she doesn’t know if she’s rather stay in her past. “Eve? Hello? Earth to Eve. Oh poor thing still distorted from when you hit the wall,” he laughs that stupid noise. He waves a hand in front of her face and she jolts a bit.

Nearly 4 months. 4 months she’s been away from this hell hole. Away from him and everyone in this godforsaken town. “That’s not my fucking name.” She finally gets a good look at him. Her face pulling into a grin as she eyes that stupid eyepatch. “Should’ve stabbed your other eye out. Never liked the color green.”

His hand ball into a fist. She continues speaking, “Thought you were dead. Hoped you were considering I stabbed that knife into your eye.” She grins at him, “Is your daddy dead? Hoped he was after I sliced his thro—“ a harsh slap against her cheek as her eyes widen. Her arms jerk in the binds as she turns her face to glare as her chest rises and falls from the anger.

“You will learn to respect me, wife.” She can’t help but grin as she knows she hit her mark. At least one of them is dead. Good riddance.

“I’m not your fuk-“ another backhanded slap and this time she cries out in pain. His hand grips her jaw hard like he did those months ago but this time. This time she has more fire in her eyes. More than enough anger to hold her over. “Fuck you.” She says and pulls on the moisture in her mouth to spit at him.

His other hand wipes his face clean. “Oh, but you are. My father married us before God and the church. Making you, my wife.” Jerking his hand back harshly as her neck stretches back. Her back arching as she tries to accommodate to the forceful stretch. “You’ll be my perfect wife by the next couple of days. You’ll give me a son and I’ll name him after my father.” Like hell she will. She’s rather die than give him anything.

Tilting his head back as he laughs at how helpless she is in this moment and all she can do is grit her teeth and bare it. For now at least until she can find a way out. Or maybe the Captain will make do on his promise to get her.