Apocalypse Now

Chapter 6: After

I felt cold.

I slowly opened my eyes. Fuck, that was a bad idea, my head throbbed. What the hell happened? My side ached too. I felt my side expecting an open wound, there wasn't an arrow. That's a good sign. Wait. Why the fuck was my shirt and bra missing...What the hell happened?

My mind was racing, then I started getting flashes from earlier. My mind instantly thought rape. I shakily felt down to my pants, they were still on, belt was undone though. I felt the tiniest bit of relief. They obviously got interrupted.

I opened my eyes again, it looked to be late afternoon. I needed to get up. I took a deep breath and forced myself to sit up. I now noticed the blood on my hand, looked like I had popped a few stitches. My bra and top were beside me. I struggled to put my bra on, thankfully it did up in the front and pulled my shirt on, the buttons ripped off, I pulled it closed. Another flash going through my mind, him groping me, I shuddered and wanted to throw up.

Was it a outsider passing through and saw me or was it someone from the group? If I stayed where I was I would certainly die or become a meat sacks lunch. I grabbed my ipod and shoved it into my pocket. I gritted my teeth and tears silently falling down my cheeks pushed myself up, it was excruciating. It was starting to get darker, I needed to hurry up. I finally made it shakily to my feet. Must have landed on my knee funny, it wasn't twisted but it hurt like a bitch.

As I looked around now I realised I was out the back of the stables. I grabbed my bow and half dragged it on the ground. I was too weak to pull it over my shoulder. With my remaining strength I slowly started back to the camp. I could see the fire in the distance .

As I got closer only a few people were there. I clutched at my top and at my bow with the other hand.

“Is that...” Dale gasped.

“Is she..a walker?” Carol spluttered out.

“Help” I managed to say faintly, stumbling a little.

Andrea and T-dog came rushing over, Andrea grabbed my bow and T-dog put my arm over his shoulder helping me over to the fire. I was seated on a bench.

“A...man...he attacked me... I think he tried to...” I said before the tears started flowing.

“Carl, go to the tent now!” Lori barked.

Someone wrapped a blanket round me.

“Did you get bit?” Andrea asked a bit defensively, pointing to my bloody hand.

“He hit me with something hard, knocked me out cold. It gets blurry after that. Some of my stitches are broken, I think when I struggled...I don't think he...” I trailed off, not wanting to say the word.

“Oh my god” Andrea said shocked. She sat beside me and reached out to grab my hand. I flinched, she held on to my hand and rubbed it. “Its alright you're safe now.”

Lori knelt in front of me, a bucket and a few cloths in her hand. She started washing away the dirt, blood and tears from my face. I completely zoned out, my mind continually playing it over in my head. I was pulled back when the water hit a fresh cut on the top of my forehead. She poured a little of the left over moonshine on to a cloth and looked up at me.

“This is gonna sting a little.”

“Fuck” I cursed quietly.

“Sorry” she muttered.