Found Book One

Suffer in Silence

"Come on," Jessie says motioning for me to follow her, I follow her up the stairs and into the bathroom.

The sink is already full of water, "Jessie, Rick needs you." Michonne leans against the door frame with Judith in her arms.

Jessie nods and stands up, she looks back, "I've got her," Michonne says. The blonde woman gives a nod before walking out of the room.

Michonne steps in and closes the door behind her, she lays a blanket in the bathtub. Judith babbles as Michonne places her in the tub.

Michonne hands her some toys, "Hands," she commands holding out her own. I lift my palms up. She leads me to the sink, I flinch as she dips my left hand into the warm water. "There's still glass in the wound," she says.

Michonne pulls out the shards of glass one by one, I bite my lip until I draw blood. "You always do that," she says looking up at me from her seat on the ground.

"What do you mean?" I ask her, she smiles lightly like she understands. "Suffer in silence. Your dad does it too," she whispers the last part.

"My husband used to hit me and if I made any noise he'd just hit harder," Michonne says, "Did Daryl hit you?"

A laugh escapes my throat, "No it was um. It was my step mom, my real mom's wife."

I move my one hand to lift up my shirt to reveal the moon shaped scars on the left side of my waist and hip.

"I'm sorry," she says, I shake my head, "It wasn't that bad," I say dropping my shirt. "Well lets get your hand and knees bandaged," she says.

"You should check up on Deanna," Michonne says when we step into the hallway. I nod and take Judith from her arms.

"Hey," I whisper to the woman lying in Jessie's bed. "Elaine," she says motioning me closer to her.

I abide and kneel next to her bed. "What happened?" I ask as I place Judith on the floor.

"Nothing that you can't fix right?" she asks. I smile weakly and pull up her shirt. "I fell on a saw blade. Outside."

I rip pieces of a clean sheet to use as bandages, when Deanna sits up I can't help but gasp.

"Wh-what is it?" she asks me. "Nothing. I just think you might need stitches and I can't give them to you," I whisper.

"I'll be right back," I say before leaving the room. I run into someone in the hall, "Watch where you're going," Ron growls as he grabs my shoulders.

"Let go," I say pushing him away from me. "Michonne," I call out. The woman rushes up the stairs, Ron turns away and goes into one of the bedrooms.

"Deanna I think she's bit," I whisper. "Why didn't you just tell me?" Deanna's voice sounds from behind me.

I turn to her, she's standing against the wall with her hand pressed to her wound. "I'm sorry," I say before I rush over to her.

I put her arm over my shoulders to help her back into the bedroom. "Can I hold Judith," she questions I nod and hand her the toddler. Judith sits on the bed next to the woman as I bandage her bleeding wounds tightly.

Jessie yells and footsteps rush up the stairs there's a loud bang and it draws me from my place with Deanna and Judith.

Michonne and Rick pull the couch so it's blocking the stairs from the walkers that are all through the house.

"Everyone get back," Rick says. Carl pushes me back into the room with Deanna.

"Jessie get all the sheets you can," Rick says from the hallway, I walk out and help Jessie raid the closets for bed sheets.

Rick and Michonne come up with two dead ones. "Cut holes in the sheets and cover them with the guts. It'll mask your scent and make them think you're one of them."

"What's gonna happen to Deanna and this place," I ask Carl, he shrugs, "Dad's talking to her right now,"

I move to grab a handful of guts but Carl shakes his head, "You can't get it in your cuts," he says grabbing a handful.

I close my eyes as he drags his hands over my body, "Mom?" Sam asks walking into the room. Jessie looks at the people around the room before bending down at eye level with the boy.

"It's not safe here, that's why we need to leave and do to that we need the monsters," she says, he shakes his head tears falling from his eyes.

I stand next to Jessie, "Sam we need to do this but as long as we stay together we'll be safe. Okay, but we need to leave," I whisper.

Rick lifts my sheet and I take a sleepy Judith into my arms. She doesn't even whine under the disgusting fabric. It's like she knows any noise she makes could kill us.

Carl grabs my free hand and Rick takes hold of my arm, "Don't let go, and stay tight," Rick says walking down the stairs and into the sea of walkers.

I watch as Carl urges Ron to take his hand, Ron nods and grabs Carl's hand. Jessie and Sam are behind them and Michonne is on the end.

Carl's lips brush my cheek as we walk, Judith shifts under the sheet I hold her tighter against me as we start down the street.

Rick pulls us over to the lake, I look up at the lavender sky. "Change of plans we need to get our cars from the quarry. So we can draw them away," he says.

Everyone nods, "But Judith. I don't think we'll be able to make it that far with her," I say rocking back and forth.

Jessie agrees, "I can take her," Gabriel whispers. Carl steps in front of me and Judith. I hold her closer and look to Rick.

"I swear that I will protect her. We'll go to the church, it's safe there," he says, Rick nods and helps me get Judith out from under the blanket and under Gabriel's.

The now smaller group stays there to watch as Gabriel snakes through the walkers, "He'll make it," Jessie says.

It's dark now, but the air is still hot, sweat drips down the back of my neck, suddenly I'm pulled to a halt. Sam stops in the middle of the street, I look back at him and his mother.

"Mom," he says a little too loudly. Rick and I get separated from the rest of the group by a cluster of walkers in the way. He keeps a tight grip on my arm and I stare at Carl and the others.

"Mom! I can't," Sam yells drawing walkers toward us, I look at Rick and he's panicking. He pushes me slightly behind him, I grab his hand and squeeze tightly.