The Rocking Dead: A New Beginning

Chapter 28: X

Tom's POV: After I helped Blackie to his room, I went back in our bedroom and sat next to Eric on the bed.

"Sometimes I swear it's like we have four children here instead of three." I said, making Eric chuckle.

"Aww, c'mon, Blackie was just doing what he thought was right." Eric replied, wrapping his hand around my waist. I saw the look of confusion on his face out the corner of my eye. He started feeling my lower back, obviously noticing something different. "What's this?" He asked.

"Don't worry about it." I gently pushed his hand away. Of course, he wasn't giving up. He lifted the back of my shirt up, revealing the X scar on my lower back.

"When the hell did this happen?" He asked.

"I said don't worry about it!" I said, raising my voice.

"Tom." Eric was stern, "What the fuck happened to you? This isn't natural." I sighed.

"It was six years ago, not long after Rick died." I explained, "There are very specific lines you don't cross. Michonne and I crossed them."
•
Michonne introduced us to her old friend Jocelyn. Jocelyn brought a bunch of feral kids with her, and everything seemed to be going great. Judith has some friends as well as Jelly.

But the next morning, we went to grab them from a sleepover at Jocelyn's place, but no one was there. Michonne, myself, and the other parents split up. When I caught up with Michonne, we found tiny bloody footprints leading to the manhole, the now open manhole.

Michonne and I immediately went out looking for the kids. I'm very concerned for her since she's pregnant and shouldn't be risking her baby like this. But she's determined to find Judith. When we got to an abandoned school, I heard Michonne yell one of the kid's names. I quickly ran after her, but was knocked out the moment I got inside.

When I woke up, my hands were bound to a pipe above me and I was gagged. My hearing was muffled. Ever since I woke up from the accident I seem to have a hard time hearing right when I wake up. But I could see fine. And when I saw one of the kids coming at me with a heated rod with an X on the end, I was worried.

Then, he pressed it into my back, branding me.

I screamed and contorted in pain, my cries muffled by the gag. Stray tears fell down my face as I tried to make the horrendous burning sensation and smell of flesh go away. The scent immediately took me back to the Sanctuary when Negan burnt Dwight's face. Moments later, the same thing was done to Michonne.

When everyone left the room, I cut the rope that bound my hands before helping Michonne get out. We both ran out, only to be met by the kids. I stood behind Michonne, holding my gun out. Without warning, one of the kids shot an arrow at me, landing a hit on my shoulder. I fell to the ground in shock, but managed to crawl my way into the nearby room to remove it. When I eventually ran back out, Michonne was gone, but a small trail of blood led outside.

This can't be good.

When I got out, I was met by a horrifying sight. Bodies of some of the children were sprawled about. My eyes were wide at the sight, not wanting to believe it. I was frozen in fear, not knowing what to do. Then I noticed Michonne was covered in blood with a cut on her bulging stomach.

Dear god, she killed these kids.

Given, she did it to protect her baby who was obviously at risk judging by the cut. But I never pictured any of us doing something like this. When I looked back up, all the missing kids from Alexandria came running out of the trailer, Judith and Jelly included.

"Dada!" She exclaimed. I fell to my knees as I hugged her.

"Are you ok baby?" I asked, kissing her cheek.

"Yeah, I'm ok." She replied. I held her close to me as we left, Michonne not speaking the entire way back.

•
"Dear god." Eric said when I finished. "Does Jelly remember any of that?"

"Not that I know of. She's never brought it up." I answered. "God I hope she doesn't. The sight is burned into my memory."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" Eric asked.

"Because I didn't want you to know. Simple" I answered...