Fall in Love or Fall Apart

Chapter 31

Third person POV

"I was weak." Enid said.

What Enid didn't know was that everyone, not including the Woodbury citizens, had trickled back into the Cellblock and could hear everything that Enid and Beth were saying. Beth gave Enid some more pain medication then looked away as she saw how much pain Enid was in.

However, Beth turned back to Enid to show that she was listening. Enid took in a shaky breath and blinked a couple times getting rid of any tears that showed up. Enid couldn't take this anymore. She couldn't bottle it all up anymore or she would explode. She had to tell someone her story.

"Before shit hit the fan, before I was even four. I was abused by my father. It wasn't bad when I was young. I'd get slapped a couple times or pushed around a bit. Nothing to horrible. As I got older the punishments got worse and worse. At seven, he pushed me down the stairs and would go as far as throwing bottles at me. Then at 9 it really got bad. He would whip me with his belt, shove me into walls, throw me outside onto the pavement... But that wasn't even the worst part. It wasn't even the worst part." Enid started crying a little bit and choked on her last words. Everyone outside the cell stared at Daryl with sympathy and listened intently.

"Some nights, when I was 11 and my dad was gone and Merle and Daryl were off somewhere, these men that were "friends" of my dad would sneak into the house. They- they would take advantage of me." Everyone cringed at this. Carl sat down next to Hershel in shock at what he was hearing, Maggie clung to Glenn as her heart broke for this young child, Rick, regretting his words to Enid, leaned against the wall with his hands on his knees, Daryl's eyes grew angry and a few tears slipped, and as always Carol came to Daryl's rescue. Michonne glided over to Carl and put her arm around him as he let a few tears slide down his cheek.

"I didn't know what to do. They'd just come out of no where and use me. They would swear at me, curse my name, and hurt me. But the one thing that was consistent was them saying I was only useful for fucking," Enid started to really cry now. "I couldn't take it anymore. I ran away. I ran as far as I could then. I was too young to get far and they found me. I was hiding out in this biker bar and the waitress there was nice to me. Two of them came in and started punching me and dragging me out. I was screaming at the others to help me, no one did. Except this one man. My best friends dad. He was kind of a deadbeat after his wife died. But... He saved me. And the he drove me all the way home. But there was no escape. The men came back even more angry. Swearing at me as they kicked me and yelled crude things at me. Repeating 'you're nothing more than something to fuck' over and over multiple ways and 'you're weak! You're weak.' Then my dad and Merle walked in. Oh you should've seen it. Merle and I might've not gotten along all the time, but he was protective. What really surprised me was," Enid's voice changed into a sick laugh,"That, my dad, my abusive dick of a dad flipped his shit. He started going at them with Merle while I crawled away. Merle was beyond pissed and my dad, well he was fucking loosing it. However, it was two against four. My side was slowly losing. And then one of the guys got on top of my dad and yelled in his face 'You're weak! Just like you daughter! Your daughter is nothing, cept' a piece of meat that is only good for fucking!' Finally, that's when I snapped." Enid's voice turned shaky. Beth's eyes welled up and squeezed her.

Everyone held their breath as they awaited Enid's story ending.

"I took my crossbow and shot the one on Merle's back in the head, and shot the one about to punch him. The third guy was already knocked out. Then. Oh god. I grabbed a bat and smashed it into the head of the guy on top of my dad. I just kept hitting him and hitting him. My dad and Merle just watched me. They didn't even attempt to stop me! Merle was probably too shocked to comprehend it. While my dad just watched in awe. The sick bastard. I was just so mad. I wanted to kill him. And I did. Afterwards my dad sent me to take a shower and him and Merle I guess took care of the bodies. When I got out my dad told us not to say a word to Daryl. After that the beatings happened less often. But that day I vowed to never show any weakness to anyone ever. I vowed to be the strong one." Enid's tears started to flow again. She stuttered on her words as she blubbered. "I wanted to have no emotions. I wanted to be able to be a stone. That no one could get to. I wanted to live, not as fearful, but as feared. I didn't want to be weak anymore." Enid's voice got quieter and quieter, but everyone downstairs listened so intently they heard every word.

No one knew what to do. Glenn and Maggie both looked so defeated. Enid was now sobbing into Beth's shirt. All eyes turned to Daryl as his breathing got faster and he paced the floor, obviously furious.

"Those fucking pricks!" Daryl yelled. Rick and Glenn immediately went to try and calm him down but Daryl wouldn't have it. While everyone was arguing Enid's soft little footsteps came from the stairs. Beth came running down after her, but she was too late. Enid stared in horror at the people in front of her. Her family had just heard her darkest secret. The one she swore she would take to the grave. She felt so gross and wanted to puke. When she made eye contact with Daryl his heart broke. Enid didn't even pause for a moment. She spun around and ran to the hallways and into the tombs crying.

"Not again!" Hershel muttered.

As soon as she was out of sight Daryl angrily stormed out towards the Woodbury cell blocks. Rick went right into leader mode and started telling everyone what to do.

"Glenn, Maggie, and Carol come with me. We need to stop Daryl before he does something. Michonne, Carl, and Beth go after Enid. Hershel stay here in case she comes back or needs medical attention. Or if anyone else does." Rick mumbled the last part and everyone was off.

By the time Rick and his small group got to the Woodbury cellblocks Daryl was holding Johnny against the wall by his neck.

"Don't ever go near Enid! Don't ever make another comment like that again! Or I will stomp your ass!" Daryl yelled in the boy's face. Rick and Glenn peeled Daryl off of Johnny and Maggie went to help him. Carol looked Daryl in the eye and he stopped struggling and just stormed out mumbling "I'm going hunting." Rick and Glenn then told the Woodbury the gist of what happened between Enid and Johnny and told them behavior like that was not tolerated. They got into some screaming matches between some of the adults and kids. About the consequences for Daryl and shit. Of course they didn't listen to them.

While that was happening Maggie was wrapping up Johnny's wounds. His face turned gentle.

"Than-" Johnny was cut off by Maggie. Her voice was low and she meant business.

"You listen to me. If I ever hear that you say, do, or want to do, or anything to Enid. I will not hesitate to kill you. Do you understand me?" Maggie whisper yelled at him. Johnny shook his head yes. Maggie stood up glaring at him and walked out to help deal with the Woodbury citizens.

Carl, Michonne, and Beth ran through the halls, tombs, and catacombs searching for Enid.

"This isn't working. We need to split up." Carl almost begged out of breath.

"Okay. I'll go with Beth. Yell if you need anything. Meet back here in 30 minutes." Michonne told Carl. Carl nodded his head and ran off in the opposite direction. He knew exactly where Enid would be. He didn't tell Michonne since he knew Enid wouldn't want to be found. He ran through the halls and out to a small clearing through a door near the cafeteria. He had stumbled across it when he went to get supplies for Hershel. He knew that if Enid found it she would stay there.

Hey survivors! This was an intense chapter. Remember to vote, comment, and suggest this book to others. Poor Enid. What do you think will happen when Carl confronts her? You'll have to wait and find out.