In The Bird Song | TWD

chapter 15 - Ablaze

TW: attempted rape but not detailed

Carl Pov

I watch as Harlow is dragged into a small building separate from the larger ones we ran through to get here. I desperately try break free from the man holding me down but it's no use. Flashes of last night and the claimers similarly holding me down run through my head but I push them away as best I can.

My captor grabs me by the scruff of my neck and drags me into the empty train car then slams the door shut locking me in. "carl" dad shouts and I turn to see Michonne, Daryl and dad have all been chucked in here as well.

Dad tries to hug me but I pull away from his grip, Harlow was taken and I couldn't stop it. The man that took her wants to rape her and there will be nobody to save Harlow from him like there was last night. Fear and anger fuel me as I slam myself against the locked door desperately trying to force it open. The door doesn't budge so I start punching it with all my might desperate to get to Harlow. I'm screaming and the metallic smell of blood fills the train car as mu knuckles begin to bleed from the force of my punches but I ignore the pain and through myself harder at the door.

Someone pulls me away and restrains me to stop me from harming myself further but I wish they didn't, the pain feels good it feels right that I should be in pain when I let Harlow get taken. The person restraining me smells of nicotine and it's all too similar to how Harlow smells after she's had a smoke and it makes the pain of her not being here intensify.

Its Daryl that's holding me and no matter how hard I kick and punch he doesn't let me go. "Please we need to get to her we half to, let me go LET ME GO!" I scream at him but it's no use he doesn't listen. I can feel Daryl shaking slightly and there's a slight tremble in his voice that I've never heard before when he says "we can't, they have her and screaming won't do nothing for her." I shake my head and beg "please we have to try, we can't let this happen all over again." Daryl loosens his grip and lets me go now that I'm not trying to fight him because I suddenly don't have any fight left to give.

I'm finally quiet as I fall to the ground in defeat, I'm at a complete loss at what to do. There are footsteps coming from inside and I whip my head around to look at the other end of the train car that's obscured in shadow. A man emerges from the dark and cries "rick?" and to my shock its glen and behind him emerges Maggie, bob, Sasha and four other people I don't recognise.

Maggie motions towards the strangers and explains "these are our friends." Daryl nods and says "then their friends of ours." a ginger stranger who's tall and muscular adds "forever long that will be."

I have no room to feel relieved that some of the people I think of as family are here and alive because all my emotions are overshadowed by my fear for Harlow and the pain coursing through me in her absence like I'm missing a limb.

"Who do they have, who is carl talking about? Glen asks my dad but I speak before dad can reply "they have Harlow" i say bluntly and behind me I can hear a tiny supressed sob coming from Michonne. "Will they kill her" Maggie asks and I shake my head shakily loudly saying "no" to which Maggie looks confused and I take a breath before I elaborate "they're going to rape her."

glen and Sasha both cry "no" at the same time and Maggie panics "we can't let them; we have to stop them" she looks desperate and pale and every bit as ill looking as I feel. Dad stares at everyone in the train compartment and boldly states "we will, they're going to feel really stupid when the find out that there screwing with the wrong people."

***

Harlow Pov

I'm dragged towards a small building but before we the man takes me inside; he rips my bow out my hands and throws it onto the road then he does the same with my quiver of arrows. "You won't be needing those anymore" the man sneers then he drags me inside the building.