Shattered

Chapter Thirty-Two: Truth

        I ran through the store and looked back at the walkers behind me. I jumped over a fence and finally took a minute to catch my breath. I put my hand on my stomach and felt it kicking up a storm. I slid down the wall and started to cry into my knees. A voice made me look up. I grabbed my knife and looked through a whole in the fence. When two men turned towards me I quickly looked away. I opened the door to a building and slipped inside. I looked around and saw a flashlight beam. I went behind a counter and prayed for them not to see me. "Miss? Are you in here? We aren't going to hurt you." I rolled my eyes at the thought. Everyone I come across always says that. I stabbed a walker in the head and it fell to the ground knocking over a clothes rack. I started running and almost made it out the door. Someone grabbed my arm and stopped me. "Dixon look at this." My heart stopped. Could it possibly be Daryl? Would he realize I went north? I heard boots on the floor and slowly a hand reached out. I looked up and my heart sank when it wasn't him. I couldn't stop the tears from falling. Remorse filled me and finally broke through at the mention of Dixon. "Get her in the truck. We'll get her some help." His raspy voice reminded me of Merle's. I broke out of their grip and pushed past the man. My heart was racing as I tried to find a way out. I made the mistake of stopping for a moment and was pushed to my knees.  My hands were bound and my weapons were taken. I was put in the back of the truck after trying to fight the best I could. The back of it was pulled down leaving me in darkness. 

         The light was almost blinding when the back opened. I was pulled out and dragged over to a table. I was roughly placed in a chair and a knife was thrown into the table. "You know I like this knife. I believe I've seen if before actually." He picked it up and threw it closer to me trying to scare me. He smiled when he saw that it didn't affect me. "Tough one. You're going to tell me where you got the knife." "Don't believe it's any of your business." "Oh it is. You see the end of that handle? Those initials are there for a reason baby." His hand collided with my face shocking me. I started scanning my brain trying to make connections. When it hit me I felt the need to throw up anything that was left in my stomach. He hit me again almost knocking me from the chair. He turned around and looked out the window. I stood up quietly and threw the chair into him. He fell to the ground holding his head and I tried making it out the door. A shot rang throughout the room stopping me. I leaned on the wall for support holding in a scream. I bit into my hand and looked down at my ankle. Two inches over he would've hit my other leg and it wouldn't have been a problem. The door opened and a woman came in looking worried. She saw me and her hands went to her mouth. "Come with me sweety. I'll get you taken care of." I looked over at Dixon but she ignored him. I leaned on her for support and past a room full of men cleaning guns. She helped me into the kitchen and sat me on the floor. "Bullet went through. It'll be a long time before you're on your feet. How long have you been pregnant?" "Six months." "Husband still alive?" I looked down at my ring and leaned my head on the wall. "God I hope so. He's one hell of a man so I don't doubt it."

        "Why are you alone then?" "Our group couldn't have me there anymore so I left to protect him. Its been four months and he doesn't know about the baby." I clenched my hands into fists and wanted to get back to him. She wrapped up my ankle and got me something to eat. "I'll let ya sleep but Dixon won't wait for long. I can't stop him." "Thanks for what you're doing." She smiled and looked down. She helped me down the hall into a bedroom. "Can I get your name?" "Grace." "Well I'm Mary." I stopped and slowly nodded. "Is something wrong?" "Its nothing. My twin sister's name was Mary. I lost her a while ago." "That pain doesn't fade. I understand." I laid on the bed and she shut the door behind her. Why is she with these people? I tried to ignore the extreme in my ankle and put my hands softly on my stomach. I needed it to make it out of here.

        I was pulled out of the room and put back in the room I was in first. "Morning Dixon. Wanna tell me your name?" "That's none of your business is it?" I shrugged and looked down at the knife in his hand. "How do you know that's not mine?" "Because I know." "Could've been a gift." He scoffed and kicked my wounded ankle. I bit my lip trying to stop a scream. I laughed slightly and looked up at him. "I can do this all day." "We'll see about that." 

        My breathing was heavy from pain. I was bleeding from multiple cuts made with Merle's knife. No way in hell I was giving Daryl up. A shot rang through the house making him hurry out. I stood up and started cutting the rope against his knife sticking out of the table. "I can't leave you for two damn seconds can I?" "Not really." I grabbed the knife and threw it. It hit his shoulder and he stumbled back. I broke the glass on the window and climbed through it. I limped to the front and opened a car door. I knocked off the panel and started hotwiring it. Someone grabbed my ankle and pulled me out of the truck. I hit my head on the ground making me groggy. "What did I say about running? Jess help me get this bitch back inside." I was carried to a basement and felt chains go around my wrists. I sat on the ground cussing under my breath. Mary came running down the stairs and wiped the blood off my face. "I can't believe you're doing this! She's pregnant!" "Not my problem that slut is knocked up." She stood up and pushed Dixon back. He rolled his eyes and shot her. I screamed and fought against the restraints. "You fucking asshole! I hope you fucking burn in hell!" "We're in hell and guess what I'm the devil." He spit in my face and walked up the stairs. I watched Mary bleed out and slowly die. I hung my head and started to cry. This shit is getting old. If you're nice in this world you end up dead. I spit out the blood in my mouth and tried to think of a way out.

*Daryl*

       "Can I talk to you?" I shrugged and put my bow down against the railing of the tower. "She didn't leave you for the Governor, Daryl. You probably knew that already though." "I ain't stupid." She nodded and ran a hand through her hair like Grace did when she was lost. "She was pregnant Daryl. Rick gave her the option to leave without you or she'll be an outcast here. She knew that if she stayed it would be worse for you." I stared at her for a long time taking this in. Pregnant? How could I not have known? That would explain why she stopped smoking and why she was wearing her jacket. I grabbed my bow and rushed down to the prison. I threw Rick into the wall and put up my bow. I shoved everyone off of me and kept my aim. "You made her leave!" "I gave her an option." "You knew she would leave! She's pregnant you piece of shit!" He looked at me shocked. He had no idea. Now my pregnant wife is on her own who knows where.. "Where would she have gone?" "How the hell am I supposed to know?" I walked outside and got on my motorcycle. I was going to find her even if I died trying. "I'm going with you." "If you would've told me to begin with she would be here!" "I know. Try going north Greene had a map focused around Missouri." I nodded and let her on. I should've went after her sooner but I just couldn't. If she's dead it's my fault and I don't know what I'll do without her.