chapter six !
❪ welcome to terminus ❫

START OF THE APOCALYPSE

riley sat in her chair, at the dinner table. she was still shaken up from seeing those creatures. they had rotten skin, teeth and claws that can infect you.

"riles, you okay?" her dad snapped her out of her thoughts, causing the girl to look up.

"yeah..." her word came out as a mumble. the girl's eyes were red and puffy. her skin was pale and cold like the infected.

"i know this may seem scary but-"

"scary?" riley raised her eyebrows at her dad, "this isn't just scary. it's fucking terrifying." she had venom in her voice.

"i understand but we can get through this-" negan was yet again interrupted by the scoff that came from riley's mouth.

"we?" she repeated. "there's no 'we' anymore since you cheated on mom with janine." riley stared at her dad in disbelief before looking away.

"riley, please, i already apologized to you and your mom..."

"and i don't give a shit." she stated, getting up from her seat.

lucille came out of the bedroom, confused with the tension in the air, "what's going on?"

"ask dad." riley told her before going into her room and slamming the door.

the girl looked outside her window, it was empty and dark. nobody was caught outside.

it scared riley because this was only the start.

NOW

it quiet, deadly quiet.

riley sat on the leafs outside, it was now daytime. her knees buried into her chest and her arms wrapped around her body. her eyes were low and heavy, not getting sleep last night. she was shivering cold before daryl took off his jacket and placed it on the girl.

riley felt like her body didn't belong to her anymore. it was forcefully shared with an evil man who was lying on the ground, dead with twenty-five stab wounds that she caused.

she didn't like the feeling when her hands touched her legs, arms or even her body. riley couldn't believe what happened to her because it was so disturbing and uncomfortable.

her head of hair had some knots from where the man pulled on it and used it for his advantage. leafs were on the brunette due to riley laying there helplessly while he laughed at her.

she squeezed her eyes shut as her lips trembled, not trying to cry for the fifteenth time.

she felt violated and used.

daryl kept trying to talk to her but she didn't respond. michonne and rick tried to help but she didn't speak one word to them either.

carl was laying his head on michonne's lap in the car, trying to get rest but he couldn't.

riley slightly flinched when she heard the car door close and saw carl walking towards her.

he stood there before figuring out about what he was gonna say. "i'm sorry about what happened last night." carl sat beside her, trying to tell her that she wasn't alone on this.

she didn't respond, her eyes were glued to the ground.

the boy kept his eyes on her, "i watched you kill that man." riley turned her head towards him with no expression. "after daryl stopped you, you were looking at everyone like you were trying to tell us that you weren't crazy." carl paused before giving her a nod, "i get why you did that. i don't think you're crazy riley. you're a good person."

she gazed between his eyes for a moment, "thank you." riley whispered to the boy.

he placed his hand on top of hers, giving her goosebumps on how his warm hand made contact with her chilling one. "you're not alone, rye."

the corner of her lips turned a little upwards, "rye?" she repeated.

"yeah, i thought it sounded cool." carl felt proud of himself for coming up with that nickname.

riley let out a snort of laughter. it wasn't loud or hysterical. it was low and gentle. carl smiled at the girl, he liked the sight of her being happy and not sad.

she glanced down at the ground, still feeling his eyes on her. she looked back at carl who was staring, "what?"

"you just have a little blood on your cheek." he pulled on his sleeve before his flannel touched her cheekbone, "here."

riley bit the inside of her lip as carl wiped the spots of blood that was on her skin. "thanks." she murmured. "and i'm sorry about you too."

riley placed her head on his shoulder, the two of them enjoying each other's company.

THE GROUP was back on the train tracks, on their way to terminus. michonne and rick were ahead of the group, leading.

"you okay kid?" daryl asked riley. she walked between carl and him.

she nodded her head, "yeah, i'm fine." riley told him before looking straight ahead.

the five came across the terminus cardboard, brushing the leafs off. "we're getting close," daryl informed them. "be there before sundown."

"now we head through the woods." rick spoke up, "we don't know who they are."

"all right."

the adults and the two kids began making their way to the woods, slightly crouching. they walked up the hill and saw a gate ahead of them. the tall plants covered some of the view of terminus but still got an okay sight. "we all spread out, watch for a while, see what we see and get ready. we all stay close."

riley began walking into a different direction, same with the others. daryl raised his crossbow as he followed behind riley.

rick turned to carl, "you want to stick with me?"

"it's all right." carl told him before walking past him and going with michonne.

riley looked behind her and saw daryl, she huffed as she continued looking ahead. "you don't have to follow me."

"i do."

"why?"

riley turned her whole body around with furrowed eyebrows. daryl stopped in his spot, shrugging. the girl waited for him to answer and he grumbled, "just keep walking."

"yeah whatever." she rolled her eyes and began trailing again.

"how did you meet rick and the others?"

"they broke into my house. i attacked carl and rick body slammed me to the ground." riley simply answered.

she heard a light laugh from behind her, riley smiling. the pair didn't say anything after that and carried on with keeping a watch out.

the others caught up with them and led the way to another side of the fencing. riley went over the fence before hitting the ground and crouching low, following daryl and rick.

daryl went inside the door first and waved them in. they went into the dark hallways as they echoed, "terminus, those who arrive, survive."

riley entered the other open door, being met with a woman that was sitting in the middle of the room while she repeated all of her lines. the other members drew maps and banners for terminus.

"hello." the room went silent when rick's voice showed our presence.

"well, i bet albert is on perimeter watch." a man announced. "you here to rob us?"

"no." rick answered. "we wanted to see you before you saw us."

"makes sense, usually we do this where the tracks meet." the stranger cleared his throat, "welcome to terminus, i'm gareth." he introduced himself. "looks like you've been on the road for a good bit."

"we have." rick nodded his head. "rick, that's carl, riley, daryl, michonne."

gareth gave them a simple wave. "you're nervous, i get it, we were all the same way." he walked towards the survivors, "we came here for sanctuary. that what you're here for?"

"yes."

"good." he paused, "you found it."

riley narrowed her eyes at the man. he seemed to friendly and weird. "hey alex!" gareth called out. "this isn't as pretty as the front, we got nothing to hide, but the welcome wagon is a whole lot nicer."

"sure." riley spoke in sarcastic.

gareth looked at her with a smile before turning to his friend, "alex will take you, ask you a few questions. uh, but first, we need to see everyone's weapons."

riley rolled her eyes at the man's order. she was waiting for him to say that. "why?"

"because we don't want any incidents. if you could just lay them down in front of you, that'll be great."

the group shared glances, rick gave them a short nod. "alright." he placed his gun on the ground.

"i'm sure you understand."

"we don't." riley shrugged before placing her gun carefully on the floor. she didn't take out her knife, she left it hidden in her boot. gareth gave her a slight glare, the girl returning one back.

alex and gareth approached the group and began patting down rick and daryl.

"i'd hate to see the other guy." he spoke to daryl, referring to his bruises.

"you would." rick said, a threat hidden in his response.

alex moved to carl, patting his sweater pockets. "they deserve it?"

"yes." carl responded, glancing at riley before back at alex.

alex came to riley, about to pat her down until gareth stopped him. "i'll do this one. she seems like a feisty girl." riley rolled her eyes at the man's comment as he began patting her down. her body tensed a little, not getting over about what had happened.

he stopped at her boots and pulled out her knife, "i'll take this." gareth gave her a smile.

she glared at him, the brunette felt controlled and she hated it.

"just so you know, we aren't those kind of people but we aren't stupid either, and you shouldn't be stupid enough to try anything stupid." he eyed riley at the last part. "as long as everyone's clear on that, we shouldn't have any problems. just solutions."

alex handed back riley and the others their weapons. well, except for gareth who still had her knife.

she shoved her gun back in her holster. "follow me." he motioned everyone out the door and into the main alleyway.

"so how long's this place been here?" daryl asked him.

"since almost the start. when all the camps got overrun, people started finding this place. i think it was instinct, you know? follow a path."

riley carried on walking and noticed that the place had plants, flowers and some patio tables with large umbrellas attached to it. "some folks were heading to the coast, others out west or up north but they all wound up here."

alex led them to a lady who was standing behind the grill, "hi, heard you came in the back door. smart. you'll fit right in here." she said as she turned the meat on the grill.

"hey mary, would you fix each of these new folks a plate for me?" alex inquired.

"why do you do it? why do you let people in?" michonne asked him.

"the more people become a part of us, we get stronger. that's why we put up the signs, invite people in. it's how we survive."

"here." alex gave carl and riley a plate. she stared at the brown meat that was laying there.

riley didn't trust this place, what makes him think she'll eat the food from here?

all of a sudden, rick walked forward and threw the plate that alex had for himself on the ground before grabbing him in headlock as he pulled out his gun, aiming it at his head.

daryl raised his crossbow, riley snatching out her gun and pointing it to the others that raised theirs at her.

"where the hell did you get this watch?"

▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄

AUTHORS NOTE:

i'm at the pool rn but guess who still updated 🥰🥰

cliffhanger hehehe

the beginning of this chapter made me so sad ugh but the next chapter will be crazyyy so y'all better prepare ;))

please vote for this chapter and don't be a ghost reader <3