Locked Away [10k Z Nation]

26

"What do you want?" I demanded once I was sure 10k was completely gone.

"I just want to talk to you, Cody." He spoke softly, coming closer, closer. Too close.

"I missed you," He breathed, "I want to talk to you without you running away, screaming at me, or crying." he smiled, his face inches from mine.

My eyes remained glued to the ground.

"Stephen, this is over. No amount of blackmail or... anything for the matter, is going to change that." I hissed, I pulled my body away from his and he visibly recoiled.

"What did I do?!" He yelled, seemingly forgetting that the town would be awake soon, and that people could possibly hear.

"What did you do?" I repeated, bringing my eyes up from the ground to meet his gaze.

"What did you DO?!" I screamed, it was my turn to lose control now. I pulled up my top, displaying the scar that arched down the side of my torso.

"What did you DO?" I repeated, pulling back my hair to show where he has ripped my earring from my ear, leaving a long scar that left me emotionally unable to wear the jewelry again.

"What did you do?" I whispered, genuinely asking this time. I wasn't going to be kicked around. I'd survived zombies, Murphy's endless taunting, and a prostitution camp for Christ's sake. Stephen was nothing. Nothing. I wasn't some stupid girl in love with her boyfriend anymore. I didn't need his validation, I wasn't a prisoner to his words anymore, or ever again.

"If you come near me again," I growled slowly "What you did to me won't be 'our little secret'." I used his own words from long ago against him. "I won't hesitate to tell my dad, and you'll be gone, off to see how you fare against the zombies all by yourself." I sneered

"Cody," he repeated, but this time he didn't dare to move.

"Stay the fuck away from me." I turned on my heel and left him there, hopefully, for the last time.

-

I waited until I was safely inside the confines of my residential building before I let myself breath. But no matter how much I wanted to, I couldn't relax. I didn't want to relax. I had finally, finally quit Stephen.

What would I tell 10k? Should I tell him who Stephen really was... he would hurt him, but it didn't seem to matter to me what happened to Stephen now.

No, I shook my head at the thought. Stephen had to remain out of harm's way. If the city found out that he was hurt by one of the group, we would certainly be punished, if not killed.

Speaking of the group... where were Addy, Mack, Cassandra and Warren? I hadn't seen them since we'd arrived, only a few days ago. A pang of guilt ran in my stomach, how had I completely forgotten them like that? God, it feels like we've been here forever, the days were starting to bleed together, like a watercolor painting damaged by the rain.

I quickly pulled myself together and went in search for 10k. I clambered up the stairs, passing a sleeping Murphy in the hallway across from my room. I bent down to close one of the liquor bottles in his hand when I heard Doc's voice from inside the room.

"I sent her to bed, but it doesn't look good, kid." he sounded sad, and I could tell he was talking about Ellie.

"Cody and I were digging around in the kitchen, there's a locked freezer in there and we can't rule it out completely until we know for sure what's in there." 10k voice spoke out

"She was stopped by some guy when we got out." His voice tightened as he spoke "I think she knew him. She looked scared, and it took everything I had not to stay." his voice trailed off and got so quiet that I could barely hear the end.