Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: NOTHING YOU CAN TAKE FROM ME
( tw! mentions of assault, suicidal thoughts, & self-harm )
🥀🖤
MELANIE WALKED FOR what felt like twenty minutes before they were put into a car. Her flannel was over her head so she could only see her feet and the shoving along with that didn't help her balance. Thankfully, when they were put into the car she was able to sit. They drove for what felt like another twenty minutes before the car stopped and Melanie and the others were gagged and their hands were duct-taped together.
Melanie couldn't stop shaking as the car stopped and they were dragged into a building, the metal door scraping against the floor. Melanie looked at the floor and it reminded her so much of the basement. She could feel her mind going back there as they entered the room. The women were talking, something about the building being a safe house and how it was going to save them. Melanie was half listening, too focused on her memories coming back to her.
As her flannel was ripped off her head, Melanie took a look around the room. It looked eerily similar to the basement. It was dirty and empty with dried blood on the ground. There were a couple of windows but they were so dirty that she could barely see through them. Melanie closed her eyes, practically feeling the pressure of their bodies on hers again and the way they held her down so forcefully like she wasn't even a person.
"Get on the ground," Paula ordered. She pointed to a wall on the right and put Maggie there then about five feet away from Maggie, Melanie was shoved to the ground, and then across from them, Carol was shoved to the ground.
Paula took out more duct tape and tied up their ankles as well so even if they got up, they wouldn't be able to get far. Melanie couldn't stop shaking. She couldn't stop thinking about that fucking basement. Paula furrowed her brows at the sight of Melanie shaking, "You scared, little one? You should be." Paula stood up and looked at all three of them. "You're wondering if there's a way out of this. There isn't. Not unless I say so."
The Asian woman called out from the hallway as they were clearing out walkers. She said she needed backup and Paula started to back out of the room as she warned, "I want to kill all of you right now. It's taking all I have not to, so go ahead, I dare you, try something. Just see what happens."
As Paula left the room, Maggie stood up as best as she could and tried to cut the duct tape on her hands using a sink beside her. When that didn't work, she sat back down and tried to use the wall. Carol grabbed a rosary from the ground and started using that. Melanie, however, was too frozen in fear to do anything. All Melanie could do was close her eyes and think about Joe.
