I'll Keep You Safe If You Let Me

Chapter 8 - Found

"Nat!"

Natasha slowly opened her eyes. It was dark except for a faint glow of red.

"Natasha!"

She tried to get her bearings but it was difficult to move. Natasha grunted with frustration, confused as to how she got here.

A heavy, wood pallet had her trapped. She cleared her throat to shout for Clint but gunshots rang out overhead. Twisting round, Natasha pushed with all of her might, making enough room to scooch to a nearby corner.

Fury's voice sent a chill through her spine.

"I know you're there! There's still time, Sam. Hell, I'll sweeten the deal, tell the archer I have a better girl for him, younger and sweeter."

Natasha hated herself. They should've freed the other girls when they were in Woodbury. How many more had Loki broken since she left?

Shoes scuffing the ground broke her thoughts.

She cautiously peeked around the corner. Half of D block was destroyed. Small fires were scattered across the yard and walkers roamed everywhere. There was no sign of Clint, Sam or Steve.

"Shoulda gave me what I wanted."

Pent up hate bubbled in her stomach. She felt for her knife.

Gone.

Shit, she lost Clint's knife and the pistol was too loud.

Natasha flattened herself against the wall but did not see metal poles. The loud clamor attracted two biters.

She snatched a rod and bashed both of their heads in, spraying her face and chest with rotted brains and blood.

Gagging, she ducked back into her corner to wipe the disgusting mess off only to succeed in smearing it more. Natasha waited but no more walkers came.

What did Barney say about Okoye using walker blood?

Nat reached over and dragged one of the corpses and tore open the abdomen with the sharp part of the pipe.

Sticking her hands in the slimy ooze, she covered her arms and legs, slicked part of her hair back and smeared some on her cheeks. The putrid smell made her retch but she continued to slather her body with black slime.

Testing the theory, she scuffled out slowly, trying to mimic how the dead walked. An occasional biter took a passing interest but she kept moving until she stumbled over a wire that caught on her ankle and dragged with each step.

Not reacting, she tried to step out of the obstacle but froze when she lifted her foot.

Clint's bow!

Muffling a happy sound into a moan, Natasha hugged it as if it were Clint and pressed on.

One of his arrows was lodged in the fence that she easily swiped without incident.

She walked slower than she wanted, not knowing if Fury's people were watching. She was sure the biters could hear her pounding heart. Step by painfully slow step, Natasha made her way out of the prison yard.

Another arrow was sticking up out of the ground near the edge. Natasha did a quick step lunge to pick it up and avoid the walker coming at her.

She looked out as far as she could see. Nothing. The growing sense of dread gnawed at her insides. Where was he?

A smile spread across her face. He answered her. An arrow was stuck in a tree pointing towards the van. It gave her new strength. She snatched it and jogged into the woods.