The Secrets We Keep

The Poppy Fields

6 months ago
I met Carol at the vehicle garage. It was 4am, but I was wide awake. I'd had earth shattering sex followed by a deep sleep; I was ready for my mission.

"So, you understand your objective? Make contact, figure out why we haven't received our shipments, remain diplomatic." She handed me keys to a Jeep, rations, first aid, and weapons. I holstered the weapons and packed my bag.

"And what if I find them hostile? What are my orders?" She tucked loose hair behind her ear, lips pulled into a straight line.

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," she smoothed her jacket with her hands, "but if it does, use your best judgement. I trust you."

I nodded. "Got it."

I climbed in the Jeep but before I could leave Carol came to the window. "Be careful. I'll be in deep shit if anything's happens to you." She rubbed my shoulder.

"Love you, too." I grinned at her.

The poppy fields were about an hour and a half north. My plan was to drive most of the way then hide the vehicle and go on foot the rest. If something wasn't right, I wanted to see them before they saw me.

I drove for an hour then turned down an overgrown side road and hid the Jeep. I surveyed the map and found my best route. Checking my weapons again, I set out. Quietly moving through the forest hiding from walkers when I could, only taking them out when needed.

After walking for another hour, I was getting close, I could see the fields. The poppies just about to bloom. It was quiet. No one in sight. An eerie feeling swept over me. Something was wrong. Sticking to the shadows and along buildings, I crept through the village. I was about to round a corner of a building when I heard a twig snap.

I spun around just in time to see a large man swing a giant fist at me. I jumped back, pulling my second knife from its sheath. I stumbled a little on the uneven ground. No matter how much training you do it doesn't prepare you for the real thing. My senses were on high alert, but all I could hear was my heartbeat pounding. I tried to center myself by examining the man. He was wearing all black, his cargo pants tucked into boots that looked like military issued, maybe. Who is this guy? An all black handkerchief covered the lower half of his face. But there was something about his eyes. Had I met this man before? I stared at him for minutes but couldn't be more than five seconds. He looked at me and scoffed under the fabric. He flipped knife in his hand, ready for a fight.

"This should be easy," he flipped it once more, holding the handle again. He took a quick step forward, but before he could go in for contact, I dropped on my left leg and swung my right. He dropped to the ground but recovered quickly. It was my turn to attack. I knew I had my gun, but we were too close. By the time I could unholster it, take off the safety, aim, and shoot I'd have a knife in my chest. I took advantage of the space I created after I dropped him. I ran at him with full speed. His confusion gave me just enough to get close, and when I did, I kicked his arm holding the knife. The knife flew from his hand and landed a few feet away in the tall grass. But he was fast. With his uninjured hand, he grabbed my foot and twisted. I fell to the ground hard, my left hip breaking the fall. I kept my cries to myself, I didn't want him to see any weakness.

I was lying on my side, trying to take stock of the injury. He kicked my ribs hard, all the air rushed from lungs, and I gasped for air. "Is that all you got?" He kicked me again. What was bruised before was definitely now cracked. Every breath hurt. "Poor, weak, little girl. My favorite." He grabbed a fist full of my hair and drug me to my feet. I winced at the pain in my hip and ribs. A knife had reappeared in his hands, and I was suddenly conscious of the fact I dropped both knives after I fell. I'm an idiot. "Let's have a little fun, shall we?" He pressed the knife to my neck just hard enough I could feel the sharp tip, but not hard enough to break the skin. He trailed the knife down to my collar bone. "Looks like you've been having fun without me," he stopped at the bruises left by Daryl. Daryl. Think like Daryl. I remembered I had the third knife tucked in my boot, but how do I get to it?

He was still holding my hair tight, he hooked the tip of the knife at my neckline and sliced the fabric halfway down. I was exposed, his breathing picking up. I was disgusted and holding back tears. He brought the knife back to my skin, this time he pushed harder and sliced the skin just between my breasts. I stiffened at the pain, exciting him. With all the rage in my body I spit in his face then drove my knee between his legs. He cried out in pain then back-handed me in the nose with the butt of the knife before falling to his knees. I dropped to the ground, blood filling my mouth and pouring from my nose. But it gave me the opening I needed. I grabbed the blade from my boot and shoved it upwards into his gut. He slashed wildly with his own knife and caught me on my right arm just below my shoulder. I stood to run, but my pain slowed me. He took one more slash at me and the knife stuck in my thigh. Fuck. I had to get out of there. I spun to face him, his handkerchief had fallen and a sickening grin rose on his lips. "So, you can fight," he licked his lips. "Just like I remember."

Then I remembered. I remembered where I recognized him from. But we were sure we'd found and killed them all at Meridian. Reapers. My stomach tied in knots. How many others had we missed? Are there more here? He was on his hands and knees trying to catch his breath. "Don't worry, darling. It's just me here." He read my mind. He pushed himself up to one knee and without hesitation I kicked my boot into the side of his head. He fell to the ground with a thud, and I ran. Well, half ran, half limped. My bruised hip and the knife sticking out of my thigh were really slowing me down. When I had enough distance between us, I drew my weapon and ran until my leg could barely hold me up. I sunk down against a large tree. My head hurt and my vision was getting progressively worse. With a moment to breathe I looked at the knife in my leg. My pant leg was soaked with blood from the wound. If it was bleeding that much with the blade still in, there was no way I could pull it out.

I looked back in the direction I came from. I couldn't stay here, I'd left trail of blood like a wounded deer. But my leg could no longer support my weight. This was it. Either he'd find me, or the dead would. I put my gun beside me and pulled off my pack. I found the radio and tried to call home.

"Queen," Carol and I have code names when we do rogue missions. We aren't fooling anyone, but it's habit at this point. "It's Scout. Do you copy?" The radio clicked.

Silence.

"Queen, if you can hear me, they are all gone. I was attacked by a Reaper. Queen?" My vision was becoming double, and the radio was almost too heavy to hold.

Silence.

"Queen, I don't think I'll make it back this time. Tell," words were hard to form. "Tell my family I love them." The radio dropped from my hand and my eyes closed. I let the darkness take over.

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OOOOHHHHH!!! This was fun to write!! I can't wait to write the rest.