The Ruins

Chapter 33

She lost track of how long or how far she drove. She had to avoid the tail of the trucks behind and made it out. She passed burned-out houses and houses where Infected stood in the yard. She drove so long to see more of the deepest foliage of the forest.

By the time the last of the day's light was melting into shadows, Mal realised that it had been more than an hour since the last time she see the Saviors. She takes the RV into the ditch where she can go into the place and a mile ahead will be the monk's station.

She left the keys in the cabinet and searched the place. The cabinets had a few can of food, cereal boxes, and five water bottles. She took three of them. There were no weapons or knives, but there were four .375 bullets, good for her Colt.

With the machete poised to thrust or strike, she moved outside, walked slowly and quietly along the forest. Darkness was closing its hands around her, and the last golden touch of sunlight was melting from the peaked canopy of the trees.

The night birds kept up their continuous chorus. Without a doubt Mal could hear a pack of monkeys calling and jumping through the trees, leaves falling on the forest ground. There was a silver moon and a splash of stars, and the light outlined her face and glimmered on the canopy of leaves. Mal walked for hours, a mile or two away the station will be there. She does need sleep yet she couldn't sleep well.

She tugged her leather pocket for the battered Famous Infected Card and looked at Negan. She didn't met Negan and she wished things were different, and that if she listened to Max she could come forward to Negan, may have warned him. And yet...

And yet she has been a murder to his people and she wants to be forgiven, if he is forgiven.

She studied the card for a long time. Mal looked from the forest to Negan and back to the forest.

"I'm sorry," she said.

Then she stretched out her other hand, and for the second time, she opened her fingers and let the wind take the card. It blew high in the air, tumbling over and over again, its pasteboard face flashing with silver starlight, and then it dropped into the darkness below.

And in the silence darkness a taunting whistle was heard.

Mal jerked at the sound of the whistle, another whistle in the same chorus but different tone called and another, and she ran deep between the trees and pass the bush. She didn't even follow the path of going the station. Heck she didn't know where to go.

But then a hand struck her, and Mal's reflexes reacted before she could control them and her flickered toward the movement. With lightening speed, a Calvary Boy grabs a gun until Mal slap the pistol out of his hand. With one step she was chest to chest with the boy, and Mal whipped her machete and barreled into his throat so hard it went through his spine. Mal drives her leg at his chest and pushing him the machete slides out.

A couple a whistles were called and were moving closer.

It didn't take all for the rest gang coming towards her. One grabbed her jacket with one hand and one hauled her legs up and the others pulled her arms back, slapping the machete off her hand. She kicked and kicked, the attack was so sudden and fierce the Calvary Boy Magnus reeled back, letting go of her her legs.

"You bitch." He growled. His lip on her ear as he was about to draw his knife with his free hand. She then fought, head butting him. They all kept backing away from her, startled and confused by her insane strength and speed.

"Slap some sene into that whore," demanded Magnus. "I'm gonna kill you till you beg for mercy-" That was all Mal could take. She dug one hand under his chin and punched his throat and ran but was caught by her hair.