Chapter 2
“DO NOT TOUCH ME!” I scream but I sound weak and horse.
I feel his touch on my arm. This unwanted grasp sends shivers down my spine. I squirm in an attempt to free myself. However I am unsuccessful, I can feel his large rough hands move down my body.
I squeeze my eyes shut and continue to fight. I will not let him win. I cannot let him break me.
“Andrea,” he softly moans.
..
“Andrea,” the voice is soft and faint.
With all the force I can muster I slap his hand away. Only when I open my eyes it is not him. Hershel is standing in front of me with a stunned look on his face.
“Andrea, it’s okay. You are safe now. The governor is not here, you don’t need to be afraid.”
I look over at him not entirely sure if this is real or if I am imagining it.
“You had a massive cut on your upper arm. I stitched it up, you should be fine.”
Still not entirely sure if I am dreaming I answer Hershel, “How long?”
“We picked you up yesterday. You were coming in and out of consciousness until I gave you some pain pills. You lost a lot of blood, for a while there I thought we would lose you.”
This is real. It has to be. This cannot be a dream. I don’t even remember the last time I had a dream, a real dream. Nightmares plague my mind every time I rest. I think I am actually safe.
Hershel learns out the room and shouts “She is awake!”
First I see Michonne. Michonne. I wait for her to yell and tell me I got what I deserved. She was right I should have left with her. This is my fault, a result of my own stupidity.
However she walks in slowly I swear I can see tears in her eyes. She moves as quickly as a sloth over to my side. She sighs and picks up my hand holding it in her own.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?” I ask suddenly bursting out in tears. She cares. She still cares.
“You almost died. I should have never left you there alone,” she whispers the water building up in her eyes.
“There is nothing you could have done. It was my fault. I should have left with you. I am so sorry for ever doubting you.”
“No. It is not your fault. Never think that.”
That was the only thing Michonne said. She silently sat next to me cradling my arm, resting her head right beside me. We sat together still and comfortable until morning. The morning arrives slowly but surely. I have not slept this good since before Woodberry.
..
“Can we trust her?”
“Are you kidding me? Have you seen her? She looks horrible! We found her naked bleeding to death in the governor’s torture chamber, for god sakes!”
Tears fall down my cheeks as I over hear this morning’s conversation, obviously not meant for my ears. They all speak in a harsh whisper, discussing my nightmares as if I am not in the room. There are so many voices coming from all around. I cannot tell them apart.
“It could be a set up! The governor wants us to trust her, so she can tell him what is going on here!”
“Do not even talk like that! Do you not see that woman right next to us? Did you not hear her scream every time her eyes closed? Did you not hear her relive her nightmares? How can you stand here and tell me that, all of that was fake. She is in pain and needs out help. We are her friends, family, we cannot turn our backs on her now!”
Weak. They see me as weak. I guess I am. I couldn’t fight off the governor, I let him do all those horrible things to me. They know it. My friends all see it now. I can hear it in their voices. I have never felt more ashamed of myself.