𝑩𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝑺𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒔 | ᵀᵂᴰ

24: New Identity

I was locked in a room by myself. It was like an office but there was no desk. I sat in the chair in the middle of the room as shelves with random trinkets were on it.

There were two bookshelves. One on both sides of the door. There was a window on my left with an open brown paper bag covering the glass from the outside.

The door swung open with a low creek.

"Haven't seen ya in a year. How's the big one eight?" Merle asked, shutting the door behind him. He had fresh blood on the metal that held his blade.

I scrunched my eyebrows slightly. "What? Ya didn't think I'd remember ya birthday?" He asked. "Who'd ya think reminded Daryl about ya parties?" I looked down at my lap, ignoring him.

"I care about you, Izzy. Don't think I don't." He doesn't care. He just wants me to tell him where we are. Merle wouldn't care about me. Right? "So, how's my baby brother doin'?"

"Alive." I mumbled, looking back up at him."Still a little smartass, I see." He said. "Izzy, if you don't talk to me, you're gonna have to talk to ol' jefe." Boss. "And he won't be as nice as me. So, tell me where home is. We can go back together, pick up Daryl, head out on the road ourselves. It was always better that way." He said.

I didn't say anything as I continued to look at him. "Fine, just know that I'm playin' good cop." Merle turned around and put his hand on the doorknob.

"Why are you so nice to me?" I asked. "Cause yer daddy was a prick just like mine. Thought if I was nice ta ya, you wouldn't end up like me." He answered, looking back at me over his shoulder. "Yer turnin' out alright, Izzy." He opened the door and walked out.

After a few minutes, another man walked through the door. He had short brown hair and looked very put together. He sighed and leaned against the closed door.

"So, what's your name?" He asked. "Isabela Dixon." I answered. "Merle's niece, right?" He asked. "He keeps talking about you and his younger brother- Daryl's his name, correct?" I didn't give him an answer.

"He said you're a natural with a bow. We could use good soldiers like you around here." I'm not staying in this place any longer than I have to.

"Where'd you come from?" "Atlanta." "No, I mean currently. Where are you staying?" Him and Merle both aren't going anywhere near Beth and babygirl.

He walked behind me, and I heard him grab something off the shelf. He walked back around in front of me with the object behind his hand.

"Don't try anything stupid, and just tell me where you call home." He said in a low tone, leaning down so we were face to face. "Never." I replied in the same tone.

He leaned back up and quickly lifted his hand, and brought the object in his hand down hard across my face. I fell out of the chair and onto the floor.

"Should've tied you down, but Merle said "No, give her the nice room." I looked up at him and saw the object was a candlestick.

He hit me in the face with it again and again and again. I could taste the blood from my lip, and the ringing in my ears only increased as he hit my nose.

I felt his boot make hard, sudden contact with my ribs and back. He dropped the candlestick and grabbed the collar of my shirt. "Where's home?" I spit the blood that filled my mouth in his face.

He threw me to the ground and grabbed the top of the bookshelf, letting it fall down. I rolled to the side and against the door, reaching for the knob as the loud crashing of the shelf filled and shook the room.

"Where do you think you're going?" He grabbed a chunk of my hair and dragged me back to the middle of the room. He kicked the chair into the corner and let go of my hair.

I grabbed one of the book ends and stood up. I went to hit him with it when he grabbed my arm and twisted it. I dropped the book end and groaned in pain. He kicked me in my stomach, and I stumbled back.

"What did I say? Don't try anything stupid." He said, walking closer to me. The back of my heels hit the fallen bookshelf. I untied my flannel from around my waist and wrapped the sleeves around my hands.

"I see how it is." He said, running at me. We both fell back onto the book shelf. I wrapped my flannel around his neck and pulled tight. He grabbed at it before elbowing me in my injured ribs.

I lost grip of the flannel, and he broke free. I still had one sleeve around my hand. I looked at the window behind him and put the flannel on.

"What are you planning, kid?" He asked. I ran towards the window. I turned to the side as I made contact with it. I landed on the grass covered ground hard. I heard someone run over to me and grabbed the back of my shirt, pulling me to my feet.

"The hell 're ya doin', Izzy?" Merle exclaimed. "Come with me." He grabbed me back into the building through a side door and into a room with a severely beaten Glenn. "Wait here." He said before walking away.

"Bela." Glenn said, hugging me. "You alright?" He asked, pulling away. "I've been better." I replied. "I'd ask you the same, but I can clearly tell how you're doing." "Looks worse than it feels." "Don't lie. I feel your pain." I said.

"What is that?" I asked, looking at what Glenn held in his hand. "Broken chair leg." He said. "Creative." We stood around the room in silence. Merle came back with another man who held a gun.

"Uh-uh." Merle said as Glenn pushed me behind him, raising his handmade weapon. He lowered it as Maggie was brought in with the man who beat me. She didn't have her top or bra on. Glenn ran towards the men.

"Hey, drop it!" The one with the gun said, pointing it at Maggie. He did, and it clattered as it hit the ground. "We're through with games." The man next to Maggie said. He pulled out a gun.

"Now one of you is gonna give up your camp." He pointed the gun at Maggie's head before over at Glenn and I.

"The prison." Maggie caved. "The one near Nunez?" Merle asked. "That place is overrun." The other man said. "We took it." Maggie said. "How many are you?" The man standing in front of Glenn and I asked.

"Eleven." She answered. "We have eleven now." "Eleven people cleared that whole prison of biters? Huh?" The man dropped the gun and walked towards the door.

Maggie was scared, and I could tell she felt dehumanized. "Hey, hey." The man said, touching the side of her face. "Shh, shh, shh. It's alright." He said, grabbing her and pulling her close. He kissed her hair, and I balled up my fists.

He pushed her over to Glenn and I. She immediately wrapped her arms around Glenn. I took off my flannel to give to her once she was calm enough to break away from Glenn.