Daughter of a Dixon {Book Two}

08: Keeping You Quiet

I didn't sleep that night, despite how exhausted I was. Instead, I spent the entire night silently trying to writhe my hands out from the knotted ropes. Only my hands had been wrapped around a tree that night, in a very uncomfortable position, I might add. My back was to the tree, and my arms were wrapped behind me, my hands bound by a rope on the other side of the tree. Not even five minutes in that position and I felt like my arms might fall clean off.

I don't know how long I spent working that rope, writhing my hands around until my skin was rubbed raw. I do know that by the time I got one hand free, I had been at it for so long I didn't even notice it was free. When I did finally notice though, I jolted with the realization.

I looked around me to see that everyone else was peacefully asleep - no one nearby was watching me. I stayed still for a little while longer, making sure I was safe, before bringing my hands out in front of me. I quietly untied my other hand from the bonds, taking a moment to rub them afterwards - they stung and ached worse than they ever had.

After that, I stood up silently, and began tiptoeing towards the pen where the walkers were secured. Whisperers were sleeping all around me, so I had to navigate each step to make sure I didn't accidentally snap a twig or crunch a leaf that would cause them to wake. I also had to be on the lookout for stray limbs, even though I would've loved to crush each of their extremities one by one.

I got around to the back of the walker pen, where no guards were stationed, without a hitch. No walkers were in that direct area, which was also good for me. Carefully, I took two sides of the string in my hands and pulled as hard as I could, snapping them in two. I set the edges down on the ground, being careful not to rattle the cans as I did so.

I looked up, seeing the walkers still being oblivious to it all. As quietly as I could, I stepped an a nearby twig, snapping it in half.

One walker turned to look at me, and others immediately followed. I know I didn't have much time after that before my act was discovered by the guards, but I knew I had a small window. And that was enough.

I let the walkers wander a little closer before I took off running, but slowly enough that they could keep up and not get distracted. I knew I wouldn't get far, but hopefully it would show Alpha that I had no intentions of following orders. I didn't care what consequences were in it for me - what more could she do to me?

By the time I was caught, I had led a good amount of walkers a fair distance away from camp. I even managed to escape capture the first time when a single Whisperer found me, but I managed to shove him into the walker horde. His screaming was what let the other Whisperers know something was wrong.

Of course Beta had to be the one to catch me. I was running one moment, then being lifted up into the air and slammed against a tree by him the next. He looked the most angry I'd ever seen him at me, which was really saying something considering he'd had nothing but pure hatred in his eyes every time he looked at me.

I wasn't afraid - I was too angry at him, at Alpha, at all the Whisperers to be afraid. So, as he held me up against that tree, I once again spat directly in his face.

He groaned, filled with disgust, and slammed my body up against the tree trunk as hard as he possibly could. As a quick rebuttal, I kicked him as hard as I possibly could in his groin.

Due to the momentary shock, he dropped me to the ground, and I knew I had to make a quick escape.

"Walkers, walkers, follow me!" I yelled as loud as I could, beginning to sprint away. "This way, this way! Come on!"