as the world caves in ◦ [rosita espinosa]

VI.

A/N: I am nowhere near done with chapter 7 but decided to post this chapter now anyway because i really enjoyed writing it and it's been a while since i put up ch 5 and i've had this one done for about a month now. this chapter is suuper long (a whopping 16 pages!!) and i'm just very happy with how it turned out and the direction this fic is going :)

trigger warning for this chapter for sexual assault, though it's nothing very graphic. if you wish to avoid this entirely, just skip the italicized part in the beginning and i'll put a small summary of it in the end notes so you know the gist of it.

The second person Janey ever killed was a stranger; they never even knew the man's name.

It wasn't long after they had gotten out of Atlanta. They stumbled upon a group that set up camp not too far outside of the city limits. In those early days, many had still believed that rescue was coming, that the military would come to find them if they stayed near the cities, just like Mary had. Janey knew better, but felt it was best not to destroy their hope- and they knew these people couldn't be persuaded with words.

The group, composed of six adults and two small children, welcomed them with open arms, offering up a spare tent for them. The group members all introduced themselves, but Janey didn't take note of their names, appreciating their kindness but knowing they would soon be moving on from them to get further away from the city. It wasn't safe for them to be with a group that hadn't accepted their new way of life, that wasn't prepared to protect themselves. Janey had loved Mary with all their heart, but it had only taken a few days of being on their own after her death to realize that someone like her was never meant to live in this new world, and sticking with people like that was too dangerous for them.

They stayed with the group for two days; they might've tricked themself into staying even longer if the peaceful haven they had found for themselves outside of Atlanta wasn't destroyed- not by walkers, but by people. A horde of men attacked the group on Janey's second night there, sneaking up on them in the middle of the night. One of the camp's members, a kind man with a soft smile, had been put on watch, but no one was expecting the enemy to be the living. They were too trusting, too willing to see the good in everyone. The man on watch never even saw the shot to the head coming.

The gunshot ringing out across the campsite had woken Janey up immediately, jolting them from the reprieve that sleep offered, and it was followed by the haunting screams of others within the camp. Before they could even slide out of their sleeping bag and exit the tent to help, the zipper of the entrance was undone quickly from the outside. They didn't even have time to react before a man they had never seen before was crawling inside, lips curling into a cruel smile when he saw the occupant of the tent.

Janey bolted into action immediately, scrambling to their knees on top of the sleeping bag as they tried to reach their gun that was set atop their backpack in the corner of the tent. The man was faster than them, crawling further inside the tent and pushing Janey back off their knees before they could reach their weapon. They fell on their back, but kept fighting the man off, trying to push him away as he crawled over them. They scratched at the man's face with one hand while they reached for the gun with the other. It was almost within reach, but they weren't able to grab it before the man on top of them pulled a switchblade out of his pocket, swiping the blade out and glowering menacingly at them. The sight stopped them dead in their tracks, eyes widening with fear.

"Don't move, darlin'," the man said, breath fanning over their face as he placed the switchblade tight against Janey's throat, causing a few droplets of blood to spring up from the delicate skin of their neck. The man's free hand went up to grab hold of Janey's wrists, grip tight as he forced their arms flat on the ground above their head.