Jessalyn - Baton Rouge/Plaza - Trembley
Jess had no choice but to follow the man. He led her to a small store. Was this to be her cell? If he wouldn't let her go, what did he want or expect from her?
She looked at him fiercely. "One of those men tried to take my baby from me," she told him. "I do not want to cause trouble or conflict, but if you or anyone touches my son again I will kill them with my bare hands," she said the last words slowly, putting emphasis on each word. "I have never killed anyone before, living anyway, but I will if you try to take my baby from me."
Ben started fussing again so Jess found a chair to sit on and rock him gently. This man wanted to ask questions? What kind of questions?
"I will not betray my group to you, so save your time and breath," she told him. "They are not a threat and have nothing of value, so please leave them be."
She was so frustrated she wanted to scream. She had just wanted to help that man. And now she had been kidnapped, held captive once again, and she had lost all of those supplies for Ben. The clothes, the toys, the walker, the diapers, the powder, the baby tub, the soap, the lotion, the pacifiers, the teething rings... everything...
Tears filled her eyes, catching the light as they fell down her cheeks. She was a failure, as a mother and as a survivor. Gentle hearts and wanting to help people didn't work in this harsh world of the living dead. It only got you killed, or worse.
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Katie - Hotel - Scarlett, Tyler
Katie sat on the bed, biting her nails nervously. Was Scarlett mad at her? Would she tell her daddy on her and get Katie into trouble?
It was a few minutes later that Scarlett came back. She looked wrong. Something was wrong.
"Scarlett...?" Katie asked hesitantly, worriedly.
When Scarlett wanted her to leave Katie stood sadly. "Okay," she said in a small voice and left, dragging her feet.
Outside she saw her daddy right away. "Daddy," she said, just as worriedly and hesitantly, but looked down. "Never mind," she said in a quiet voice. She didn't know what had happened but she could tell it had been bad. Had what she asked Scarlett been so terrible? Was she a bad little girl when she had promised her daddy she wouldn't be? The little girl was sad and confused and wanted to cry but wasn't sure why, which confused her more which made her want to cry more.
She didn't understand... why was everything so wrong...?
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Heather - Road - Silence
Silence.
It was all that came from her, all that was in her mind, all that was in her heart. It was the breaking point she had fought so hard to come back from. She was there again. And this time, there would be no coming back.
Heather didn't care what they did to her anymore, these men that had captured them. These monsters disguised as men. All she could see was DeSean. All of the fights they had had, all of the name calling and shouting and all of the bad things she had thought about him.
Now she would give anything to take them all back, to have him walk in with his cocky as shit attitude.
Jennifer was inconsolable, so Heather didn't even attempt it. What could she say? She had lost her love, but he was still alive and well and chained beside her, not torn apart like an animal.
She might have been able to come back from seeing DeSean savaged in front of them, but she would never get over the looks on Seth and Aaliyah's faces as they were left behind.
Aaliyah... she had been a true friend... had given Heather a shoulder to lean on and an ear to listen. She had let Heather unburden herself and cry. And now... she was gone... would soon be dead like DeSean. The thought of her being torn apart by those animals was enough to make Heather want to pull her hair out and scream in agony.
It was wrong. It was all wrong.
None of this should be happening. It was a nightmare. She wanted to wake up...
As they were manhandled like cattle, Heather could feel the bastards feeling her up but didn't bother to react. They could do what they wanted and no one, not even Hank or Floyd, could stop them. DeSean's death had taught her that. They were powerless. If these men decided to pull over and rape her and Jennifer Heather wasn't likely to even fight back. Her eyes were blank like a doll's eyes, her will to live on snuffed out like a candle. There was no hope, no possibility of any of this being okay.
Silence...
It was deafening...
She hadn't opened her mouth in so long her lips felt like they were fused together. Even when one of the creatures shouted something at her, then smacked her for not responding, did she make a sound or even acknowledge he was there. One word she had comprehended was "retarded". They thought she was mentally challenged. She didn't care. Let them think what they wanted. She was tired of fighting, tired of screaming, tired of crying, tired of hoping...
She just wanted to lay down and die. Exisiting as a living corpse was preferable to this.