Chapter 38 - The Devil Returns

Warning: This chapter contains a substantial amount of course language and extremely graphic violence

I drink some of my water, the blasting Georgian sun burning my skin through the window. I have my jacket in my bag, it being too hot to have the warm fabric over me. I drive along the road, my eyes not really focused on anything. This last day and a half has been a nightmare. I miss them all so much, what I wouldn't give to be in the prison right now.

I've been battling with myself, wanting to go back there and face Tyreese and the consequences of my decision. But I stop myself, knowing that I can't do that. So instead I've been driving, looking for anywhere that I can settle down and begin a new life for myself. I close my eyes for a second and open them and my heart stops in my chest. I slam the breaks and barely come to a stop in front of the motionless body lying in the middle of the road.

I stare at it in shock, trying to process what's just happened. The woman lies in the middle of the road unmoving. However I do see her chest moving steadily, meaning that she is breathing. I glance around and see nothing else around and I wonder how she got here. I leave the car running as I open the door and walk out, gripping my knife in my hand in case something goes wrong.

I slowly make my way towards the woman and call out cautiously, "Hello?"

She doesn't respond and I try again a little louder, "Are you okay?"

She still doesn't move and I assume she's passed out, taking in her dirty clothing and skinny frame I'd say possibly from exhaustion or dehydration. I reach her side and slowly kneel down, my knife still at the ready. I gently shake her shoulder and she remains unconscious. I glance around one more time before I decide I'm going to help her. I get to my feet and walk back to the car, opening the trunk and searching through until I find some rope.

I walk back towards her and kneel down, grabbing her wrists and tie them together in case she wakes up and ends up being crazy. I begin to do the same to her legs before I lift her and try my best to carry her over to the car. Once I reach the back I open it up and lay her across the backseat. I step back and shut the door in time to see a figure behind me in the window. I go to turn and attack when I'm knocked over the back of the head and everything goes black.

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My head throbs and I feel like I'm going to be sick as my eyelids flutter open briefly. However I am met with the sun filtering in through a black cloth and the feel of a gag in my mouth. I turn my head at the sound of the talking in the front.

"You did good babe." I hear a male voice say.

"Anything for you." The woman replies in a sultry voice.

I hear the sound of kissing as I drift back into a sleep. This continues on and off for I'm not sure how long. Every time I open my eyes, something different is happening. The second time I felt myself being carried and the third time I felt myself being tied to something.

I open my eyes now and am still met with the black cloth, though there is a small muted light off to the side. I am slightly groggy until I feel the rope cutting into my sensitive raw wrists. I instantly wake up and try to look around, though it is useless due to the blindfold.

"Looks like she's awake." I hear the woman from before say and the sound of footsteps walking towards me.

I hear a man grunt in appreciation as she speaks again, "You want me to handle it or you?"

"I got this one." He says and I freeze at the sound of his voice.

I feel the panic begin to really set in as his loud, thumping footsteps come closer and I see the outline of a figure kneeling down in front of me, "We got some catching up we need to do."

The man reaches forward and undoes the blindfold, moving it away so that everything becomes clearer. I blink, trying to adjust to the light when he speaks again, "Hello Bree."

Absolute fear comes over me as I slowly lift my eyes and look into the devil himself. He hasn't changed at all, looking like the same evil man from so long ago. However he looks like this world has affected him, his clothes are dirty and torn up, a lot of wear and tear from the apocalypse. That once handsome face is covered in cuts and bruises, dirt and mud. He smells awful, the stench nearly causing me to be sick all over him. And his hair is a disgusting rats nest of long shaggy hair.

"What? You haven't got a hello for an old boyfriend huh?"

I glare at Dean, all my hatred and fury filtering through my eyes. He looks at me before he chuckles, "Hold on, maybe if I take the gag out it might make it easier."

He reaches for my head and I move away from him, causing him to smirk, "Don't be afraid Bree, I'm just reaching around to get the gag off of you that's all."

He continues to reach and my breathing increases as he reaches around and undies the knot on the gag. He pulls it away and I take a deep breath through my mouth, leaning back as far away from him as I can.

"There, isn't that better?" He asks with a sinister smile.

I don't say anything, instead just glaring at him. The woman walks over, her ratty brown hair spilling into her eyes that sneer at me, "So this is the one that's the love of your life huh? Ha, I thought she'd be prettier." She says.

"Hey shut up!" He yells, turning around and glaring at her.

The woman looks taken aback, fear in her eyes. A look that I had trademarked in my younger years with him. He glares at her before turning back and looking at me.

"We found you out there, all alone in the woods. It's funny, I thought your precious Daryl would have been by your side. You know, the one that broke my arm and basically made it useless to me?" He says, looking me in the eyes.

My heart speeds at up at the mention of his name and his catches the look in my eye, "So he is still around huh? Well I'll be damned. I mean it doesn't surprise me, those redneck boys and their redneck toys, of course they're still alive. I just can't help but wonder why they ain't with you?"

I don't say anything and he smiles, "You know where they are don't you?"

My breathing becomes shaky and he chuckles, "I tell you what, you're gonna take me Daryl and we're gonna have a little conversation. One where I end up beating the living shit out of him and ruin his arm. I don't know, maybe I'll cut them off? Maybe I'll start with an eye? Doesn't matter because by the end of it he'll be walking around with the rest of the undead freaks."

I throw my head forward and connect with with his nose, hearing a breaking sound. He cries out and the woman runs towards him, kneeling by his side and fawning over him. He backhands her and she stumbles back, falling to the ground as he gets up and glares at me. He throws his arm forward and his fist connects with my left eye socket, the force causing my head to swing back and connect with the wooden poles behind me. He gets to his feet and kicks me in the ribs, the ribs that he broke so long ago.

"You stupid, dumb, redneck bitch!" He yells, another kick connecting to my side.

He kicks me one more time before my head slumps down and I cough, trying my best to get my breath back.

"You better fucking watch what you do Bree, this time round there ain't no redneck inbred trash coming to save you." He says.

I try to catch my breath as he turns and walks away and I hear him got to the woman, "Get up."

I glance up and see her scramble to her feet, her body frail and shaking, "Get into bed." He says.

She stares at him before a sickening loving smile comes to her face. She nods and leans up to kiss him on the lips. His arms wrap tightly around her and he begins to grope her. I look away in disgust as I hear them make their way to the bedroom, the door slamming behind them. My eye begins to swell and I feel the all too familiar pain in my ribs.

I let out a cough and slowly regain my breath as I look around, hoping to figure out some way to get out of this. However as I look around the small cabin, I see that there is nothing. The place is disgusting, rubbish everywhere. Unfortunately it reminds a lot of my home when my father still lived there. It's almost an exact copy of the homes and Daryl and I grew up in.

Daryl. I shake away the thought and the threat from earlier, I'd never tell them where the prison is. And besides, before anything even happened the others would kill him. But as I think of the place I once called my home I can't help the tears that come to my face. Everyone would be there now, they would have been back with medicine and everyone would be getting better.

Thinking about it hurts to much. I'm in a hopeless situation with a slim chance of getting out of it alive. Suddenly an idea comes to my mind, it's a long shot. But if I pull it off, I can be out of here before I know it. I think the plan through and nod to myself, it's going to work. I close my eyes and lean back against the log. I drown out the sound of the other two in the bedroom and really plan out the plan. It's going to work, it'll have to. Otherwise, I'm going to die in this cabin and that's not how I'm going to go out.

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Cold water splashes over me and I open my eyes and take in deep breaths, wondering what the hell is going on. My eyes land on the wretched brunette woman in front of me who has a sinister smile on her face, her lip cut from the slap yesterday.

"Rise and shine bitch."

She smirks and throws the bucket down beside me, it rolling away. The door to the bedroom opens and I look up to see Dean walk out, his shirt off and his pants undone. I notice that he stretches, one of his arm barely moves from his side. A small smile comes to my face as to why he can't move his arm.

He turns and looks at me, "Damn Bree, you look like a mess."

"Better than looking like that skanky whore, you've definitely lowered your standards since being with me." I say, taunting the woman.

She turns and glares at me, a snarl on her face. She goes to rush for me but he grabs her wrist, "Knock it off." He says, glaring into her eyes.

She looks at him and I decide to push it further, "Also someone that's obedient, will do everything you say in order to get screwed. Kind of like a bitch in heat."

She turns and goes to lunge for me again when he pulls her back and yells louder, "Knock it off Celeste!"

He pushes her back against the counter and turns to me, "What does it matter who I am with. You got with the dick less redneck, the one who had to get his dope ass retard brother to fight all of his battles."

He kneels down in front of me, his face inches from mine, "Tell me Bree, does he fuck you like I used too?"

I turn away and his lips brush against my skin and his hand slides up my body and comes to a rest on my cheek, "Does he make the earth tremble like I used too? Does he make you weak at the knees?"

"The earth tremble? You barely even made the headboard rock? I had better sex with Rich Timbler in tenth grade then I did with you. At least I felt him inside of me." I say.

His hand grasps my throat tightly and he slams my head back against the pole and I clench my jaw, letting out a breath through my nose at the pain. He looks at me before he chuckles and let's me go. He gets to his feet and turns around to face Celeste, "I'm going to head out and get some firewood. Don't you dare touch her while I'm gone." He says as he grabs a shirt from the ground and slips it on.

She nods her head and he walks over and pulls her into his arm, lifting her onto the edge of the counter. His lips lock with hers and she wraps her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. He glances at me out of the corner of his eyes and I turn my head away. I hear him pull back and walk off towards the door. He slips on his boots before grabbing a gun and an axe by the front door.

He opens the door and slams it behind him and like that he is gone. I watch the door for a moment before I turn and see Celeste glaring at me. She turns and makes her way to the little kitchenette beside the door and grabs a can of of my food as well as some my fruit off the counter. She picks up a knife and begins to cut up the fruit and I see this as my chance.

I sit up and look at her, "Why are you with a douchebag like Dean?" I ask.

She ignores me and continues to cut up the fruit and I continue to bait her, hoping she'll take it, "I mean it's not like you've got anything to offer him. You said so yourself, I'm the love of his life. What makes you think he's gonna keep you around now that I'm back?"

I see her shoulders tense and I know it's getting to her and she just needs that little extra nudge, "I suppose he's only keeping you around to screw. But from what I heard last night, you can't even do that properly."

She turns around and her eyes are full of fury, the kitchen knife clutched tightly in her hand, "You wanna say that again bitch?"

I smirk and look her right in the eyes, "You can't even fuck."

She lets out a yell and runs at me and I prepare myself. As soon as she's close enough I kick her legs out from underneath her and she falls to the ground, the knife clattering to the floor. I move my foot over it towards my direction, hoping she doesn't notice. She scrambles to her knees and goes for me again and I kick her square in the middle of her face, her nose breaking under my foot. She flies back and her head connects with the leg of the table. She falls motionless to the ground and I look at her for a moment. It seems to last a second but her chest begins moving once more.

I grimace at it not working out exactly right but I'll work with what I got. I turn my leg back to the knife and move it towards me with my foot. I push it back as far as I can go, which is fairly close. I kick it just a little bit further and I knocks against the wooden pole. I turn my body on the pole and my fingertips touch the stickiness from the fruit on the blade. I turn it around until I'm able to grasp the handle.

I pull it up and position it until I am able to begin moving the blade over the rope. It's not as sharp as I hoped it would be but it works. I feel the rope begin to fray and I keep pushing on despite the fact that the knife knicks my wrist. I keep my eye on Celeste, hoping she doesn't wake up before I am free. As I move it faster, the rope continues to fray until I feel it holding on by a thread. Suddenly it breaks apart and the knife clatters to the ground.

I move my wrists apart and the rope unwinds with it. I pull them around. There is a significant amount of rope dangling from one wrist. They are red, blistered and bleeding from the rope burn. I hiss at their sensitivity and I know it may go infected if it doesn't get treated. I lean forward onto my knees and take a deep breath before getting to my feet.

I quickly grab the knife and go to look around for a spare gun or something. As I look, I can't find anything. I go to open up a cupboard when I'm rammed into the kitchen bench, the knife knocking out of my hand. I grunt before I push back and I turn to see Celeste stumble back.

"You should have killed me while you had the chance bitch."

She runs at me again and punch her in the gut, causing her to fall to the floor. She looks at me before kicking my feet out and I fall down, my head hitting against the cupboard. I look over dazedly and see her reaching for the knife not too far away and I scramble over to her and pull her back by her legs. She is about two inches away from the knife now and I rush forward and grab the other end of the rope at my wrist. I quickly wrap it around her neck and pull it as hard as I can.

She fights against me but adrenaline runs through my body and I don't give up. I hear her cough and splutter, trying to speak but the rope it too tight around her neck. Slowly and surely, her attempts to escape become weaker until finally she just slumps in my arms, the life gone out of her.

I stare at her in a mixture of shock and relief. I regain my breath before I look over at the knife and I know what needs to be done. I place the knife up on the counter and pull myself up before looking around, beginning to plan the next part of my plan.

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I hear his sadistic whistle as he walks back towards the cabin and I grip the knife tightly in my hand as I try to keep my breathing quiet. The sound of his entrance spikes my adrenaline and I wait for him to come inside and for my plan to be set in motion.

"Celeste, come help me you stu-" He trails off as he sees that I'm not on the pole anymore.

"Celeste?" He calls out, dropping the wood to the floor and pulling off his gun.

No one responds and I him curse, "Stupid fucking bitch."

I hold my breath as I hide, looking through the slats of the door as he looks around. He turns and notices the door closed and he sneaks over towards it. He cocks the gun before firing through it three times. He then slowly pushes the door open and walks through. I suddenly hear a yelling and the sound of a walkers growl before a gunshot going off.

I rush out of the cupboard with my knife raised and stab him in the shoulder. He screams out, throwing his bad arm in the air that displays a walker bite. I push the gun out of his hand, it sliding across the wooden floor. I turn in time to see him grab his knife and swing his arm out, the blade slicing across my cheek. I hiss out before I take a swing at him again, but he dodges it this time.

He charges at me head on and I dodge out of the way, which causes him to slam into the chest of draws. I quickly rush over the bed and put it between us. He turns and his hateful eyes land on me, "You stupid bitch, I'm going to kill you."

"Do it, you'd be doing me favour." I spit.

He rushes at me, going to run around the bed and I run around the front o dodge him. However he grasps me around the waist and throws me on the bed, causing the knife to fall out of my hand down to the ground. He pins my arms above me and straddles me as his eyes sparkle with a mad mans glow. He laughs as he pushes an inch of the knife into my stomach and I scream out, the pain almost being too much bare.

He laughs manically and throws his head back and I take my last chance to fight him. I throw my body forward and slip my arm out of his grasp, my hand grabbing the blade from my stomach. In a movement like a flash, the blade slices across his throat and his blood spurts all over me. To finish him off as his wide eyes look into mine from above, I thrust the blade into his temple and kill him instantly. I push his body off of mine and it falls onto the bed beside me.

Loud, heavy breathing comes from my mouth as I stare at the ceiling, trying to calm my heart rate. For a split second there, I was completely terrified. That it was my last moment and that I was going to die at his hands. And in that moment the only face I saw was Daryl's. He gave me that last bit of strength to fight for my life.

As the blood from my stomach soaks into my shirt and Dean's blood seeps into the bed I know one thing. I can't stay here. I'm going back to the prison and I'm going to spend the rest of my life with Daryl. I will take on Tyreese if I have to but Daryl is my everything and I'm not wasting another second out here when I can be with the man I love. I'm not leaving him, not this time. It's me and him. Always.