Have Mercy {Z Nation AU}

Cold Night

As I followed 10k through the mess hall doors, Garnett saw us and beckoned us to sit down. Jermiah and a few others wheeled a hot food cart in through the blank door next to the window. Everyody stood up and slowly approached the cart.
"Friends! You must be hungry, yes? As we have welcomed you into our sanctuary, we must ask that you eat, to keep your strengths."
Warren and Garnett went first, and passed plates to the rest of us. We shuffled in a single line as we each got something from each section; Corn, rice, soup with chunks of beef and potatoes and macaroni and cheese. I held my plate patiently, and waited for Warren, Garnett and Doc to serve themselves. I started to serve myself, and suddenly couldn't decide on what I wanted. I stared at the macaroni and cheese, rice and corn and scooped large amounts of everything onto my plate. I put down the serving spoon that was in the mac and cheese, and elbowed 10k slightly.
What's that?" He asked, poking the serving spoon.

"What? Mac and cheese?" I looked at him, and he seemed genuinely confused. I reached into a bucket I hadn't seen before and grabbed a fork. "It's just pasta tubes and cheese." I told him, and followed Garnett to the table Addy was sitting at earlier. Addy, Mack, Cassandra and 10k joined us soon after and everybody dug in. Murphy was surprisingly quiet as he stood looking into the food cart. He walked to where the plates where, and started serving himself. By the time he sat down, Gartnett and Mack had gone back for more. I scraped up the last of my mac and cheese, using the prongs on the fork to hold the last 4 little pieces in place. Cassandra looked up from her plate, and saw that I was staring at the four pieces of pasta on my fork.

"I used to do that, it tastes better like that, or maybe its the satisfaction." She smiled slightly and shoveled a spoonful of rice into her mouth. We continued to eat in silence.

After dark came, we were still in the mess hall. Except all of Jeremiahs people were too. I had my arms folded on the table, with my head resting in the crook of my elbow. Everybody was sprawled out across the chairs we had pulled closer to the table, practically half dead. I looked up and blinked a few times; trying to get my vision to come into focus.

"Garnett, can I go sleep in the truck?" I mumbled, and waited for the reply but didn't expect to get one, as his face was pressed into his palms.

"I dont want to take-" I stopped midway to yawn, and felt my jaw crack. "Any chances with these people." I said as I rubbed my eyes. Warren looked at me, and grunted a bit. I stood up quickly, and almost lost my balance, but quickly regained it by grabbing the back of a chair. I wiped the sleep out of my eyes, and stumbled out of the mess hall - passing all of Jeremiahs people, who opened one eye each as I walked past- and across the pavement, and under the tin roof that protected the truck. I shuddered as I walked outside into the cold air, and felt the goosebumps come up on my arms. I hoisted myself into the truck, and dug around for a large coat we had, but nobody ever wore. I laid down in the back, with the coat on like a protective blanket, and tried to get some sleep.
It felt like seconds later, there was a banging on the door. I sat up and leant over to the handle, and unlocked the door.
That, was a mistake.
One of Jeremiah's people, a man, was standing outside. He opened the door before I could lock it back up, and climbed inside. He grabbed both of my wrists with one hand, and undid his pants with the other, I screamed as loud as I could until my throat burned, but the man wouldn't stop. I started to cry between screams, but eventually found that I had a hand over my mouth.
The man left, eventually. He did his pants up, left the back of the car, and slammed the door shut as he walked away. I slowly sat up, and gripped the flashlight that I had found on the floor, I found myself shaking in the back seat, even though it was as warm as summer inside, and slowly pulled my jeans up.
I sat there, in the same position until just before dawn, when there was another knock on the door. I screamed and slid off the seat onto the floor, taking the coat down with me, and covering myself with it.
"Please, please don't do it again, please." I said, over and over, quietly. Whoever it was climbed inside the truck, and I felt large hands wrap around my shoulders.
"Emma, Emma what happened? Are you okay?" Garnett's voice reached me through the coat, I looked up into his eyes, and wrapped my arms around his neck, without realising I was crying. 
I knew everyone had joined is outside, but I couldn't seem to let go. I felt my breathing even out, and my face dry. I slowly leaned away from Garnett, and tried to get out the words, to tell him what happened.
"The man..he wouldn't stop..." I moved away from Garnett, into the corner of the seat, as he looked down in front of my feet and saw blood on the seat, I looked down at my pants, and saw more. He moved out of the truck, and I saw Warren and the others, looking more than concerned.
"Emma, I'll be back, don't worry, okay?" He said, his blue eyes full of panic.
I nodded and he closed the truck door. I heard everybody talking, but I couldn't make out the words, until I heard what sounded like someone punch metal. Which is exactly what had happened. 10k was - what looked like - storming off, towards the front gates, and the tears started to come again. I didn't notice the door open until Warren slid in beside me, and put her arm around my shoulders. I heard her speak, but it was like hearing through glasses on your ears, and the world went numb. Addy slid in the other side of me, pushing me into the middle as I stared at my feet. I felt dirty, and used.
Murphy got into the front, with Doc, who reached around to hold my hand briefly. Mack, Cassandra, and 10k were in the back. We all sat there, waiting.
I didn't know what was happening until I heard the shrieking of the rusty front gate opening, I felt my stomach twist, and leant over to rest my head on Addys shoulder. I stared at the back of the seat for longer than I care to admit, and even Murphy's one liners failed to make me laugh. Everything felt wrong.