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Jo

I sat in my cell staring down at my bloodied knuckles. I had fought two of The Governor's prize fighter's tonight and had won both fights. I hadn't meant to, in fact I normally threw one of my fights of the night. I ended up sore and with a beating but it usually lessened some The Governor's interest in me. The only other time I had won all my fights he had come down to my cell after.

I closed my hand into a fist, relishing the pain of the skin stretching and pulling where it had broke over the points of my knuckles. The pain kept me grounded.

I had fully intended to throw the second fight and let the new girl kick my ass, but then I saw her making out with the Governor right before she stepped into the ring. Something in my brain switched off...or maybe it switched on. I didn't know anymore. But she had come strutting into the ring, preening and blowing him kisses and I decided then and there to break his new toy.

And I did.

I toyed with her first, letting her get in a couple good shots and boost her ego. I waited until she was strutting around the ring, raising her arms and urging the crowd to cheer for her. Then I turned to The Governor, met his eyes and smiled. I saw him flinch, saw his eyes widen as he yelled her name but it was lost with the roar of the rest of the crowd. I slammed my foot into the side of her knee, destroying the joint. She fell to the sand and I was on her before she realized what happened. I beat her beautiful face until she was unrecognizable and it took both Martinez and Merle to pull me off. They dragged me back by my arms as I swore and fought until they finally had to pick me up. And when they put me in the cell Martinez's eyes shone with fear. It made me smile as he hurried away to get the next spectacle ready for the crowd.

Merle hung around a minute longer. He stood outside my cell watching me, his face strangely grim. I ignored him until he went away, shaking his head.

I leaned back against the bars and closed my eyes while I fought to regain control of my breathing and myself. I don't know how long I sat there, it sounded like two or three more fights went by. I heard Martinez and some of the other men come down and pull Biters out of the cage next to mine, but I didn't open my eyes.

Finally, the cheers died down and I heard the loud click as the outside lights were turned out. Still I didn't move. I didn't move when I heard the light tread of feet outside my cell and the groan as the man dropped down to sit outside the bars.

"You still with me Barbie?" Merle's voice called through the bars. I still didn't know why he called me that. I looked nothing like a Barbie doll, too short and with dark hair. When I pointed it out to Merle he only laughed at me.

I grunted but didn't open my eyes. "He coming down here tonight?" I asked. My voice sounded angry, but if I was honest I was terrified at the thought. He didn't have the balls to come in the cell with me, but he could torment me plenty when he had the threat of violence against my sister hanging over my head.

Merle scoffed. "Naw, not after what you did in that ring." I heard him reach through the bars with his one good hand.

I opened my eyes and looked up to see him holding out a flask. I never understood why Merle was nice to me. Or rather, as nice as he was capable of being in his capacity of henchman to the man holding me captive.

I reached through the bars and took the flask. I knocked it back first, then poured a little bit of it over my knuckles. I hissed as the alcohol made contact with the cuts.

"Thought we lost you on that one Barbie." he commented, keeping his back to me.

I looked up at him sharply. "She was nothing." I replied. "I was just playing with her."

"I know," Merle agreed grimly. "Not what I meant. You were like a wild animal out there. Looked like you went rabid for a minute."

I ran a hand through my short hair. "Yeah," I agreed holding the flask back out to him.

"He's pissed. The old Governor is going to be gunning for you now. I'd start sleeping with one eye open."

"Because I've been living in a spa up until now," I snapped back angrily.

Merle chuckled. He never seemed to get riled up. Anytime I lost my temper and yelled at him or was mean he would simply laugh it off.

We sat in silence for a few minutes, I pressed my lips together in a tight line wondering if I had waited long enough to ask. "How's Katie?" I asked in a small voice.

Merle nodded. "She's good, dat'in some kid works in the garage."

"Thanks," one of the things Merle did was keep an eye out for Kate for me. She didn't like him, which made me smile, but he kept pestering her regardless and kept me updated about her life. It sounded like she was doing as well as could be expected.

"She thinks you're out on a long run. He convinced her you were after some medicine or something for Milton up at one of the Universities...fight'in to save everyone from the disease or some such nonsense." Merle chuckled and shook his head as though it were the most ridiculous thing he ever heard.

I nodded, it was as good of an excuse as any. The Governor tried to keep up the facade at first, letting me see Kate a few times every week. But as the weeks crept by, no matter how hard I tried to act like everything was fine and normal, Kate had started to see the changes. It had been over a month and half since I had seen her now. I couldn't imagine what she would think of me had she been in that crowd tonight. Lucky for me Kate had shown no interest what so ever in seeing the fights.

Merle and I sat in silence for a long while, passing the flask back and forth. He never asked me about my past and I never bothered him about his. Somehow he ended up with The Governor and now, as far as I could see, he was just as much a captive to the governor's psychotic whims as I was. The only difference was I got to stare the bars to my cell in the face every day.

"One more week," I observed taking another pull off the flask.

Merle snorted. "You say that every week Barbie, and you just keep getting tougher and tougher."

I looked down at my hands and started picking the blood out from my nails.

"You still keeping track?" He asked turning towards me.

I shook my head, though I think we both knew it was a lie.

I fought every week, fight night in the compound was Saturday nights. I had fought fifteen times. Usually I faced other female prize fighters, but after my little display tonight I wasn't sure what he would have in store for me.

Merle nodded, though he didn't call me on it. He stood, groaning as he pulled himself to his feet. "Well, 'ol Merle is going to shuffle his self off to bed." He said. He held out the flask for me to down the last of it, which I did happily. It might help me sleep. While I had won both fights I had taken a few good licks from my first opponent. And the whiskey would help dull both the pain in my ribs and the groaning of the few remaining Biters in the cage next door. I almost never slept more than an hour anymore except on the nights when Merle brought down his flask.

I walked over to the bars to hand him back his flask. "Thanks Merle." I said sincerely, putting the flask in his hand.

Merle nodded, looking uncomfortable. "You keep your chin up there Barbie." and he sauntered off. There had always been something vaguely familiar about Merle but I couldn't for the life of me place it. Even after all this time, it was like I had known him in a previous life or something. I shook it off and shuffled over to my cot. I laid down and tried to pretend I was someone else, somewhere else.

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Jo

I rested the day after the fight and the day before the next one but the rest of the week I trained. My cell was small, twelve by twelve with a cot and a toilet, but I made the most of the space. Every week I worked my body until I couldn't go any more, then I rested, ate and went again. Day in and day out I honed myself while I waited for my chance. That was part of the reason I allowed myself the friendship with Merle. I told myself I might be able to use him one day. Or, more likely, one day old Merle would decide he had had enough and might consider me an ally.

It was Saturday again when Merle came swaggering down with Martinez trailing behind. He was always a jackass when Martinez was there and I was not disappointed.

He sneered as he approached the bars. I was in the middle of stretching, trying to prepare myself for whatever the Governor had thought up to use to punish me.

He threw a pile of clothes in the bars at me and tossed in my boots. I only ever got new clothes on fight night, so I would look like he took care of me. Shorts, new underwear, bra and a tank top. Same thing every week. I climbed to my feet and pulled up the clothes. Shorts, underwear and a sports bra.

"Hey asshole, you forget something?" I called to Merle.

He smirked at my words but his eyes were serious and spoke volumes. "Sorry Barbie, The Governor changed your costume."

I ground my teeth and gave a curt nod. "Now you be a good little Barbie doll and change your clothes."

Martinez was hanging back, but watching over Merle's shoulder. Merle leaned into the bars so he looked like he was leering at me just like he did every week. I sighed angrily and pulled off my tank top throwing it at his face before turning my back to him and changing the rest of my clothes. Normally The Governor was present to witness this little hoop he made me jump through every week, it surprised me that he missed it. Maybe he had finally grown sick of me. I could certainly hope. Merle put on the show for Martinez though, just like he normally would have if The Governor were standing beside him. He made rude comments and cat calls which all seemed terribly over the top and I ignored.

When I was done I turned around the threw the clothes at Merle's face, glaring daggers at him. I heard Martinez chuckle behind him.

"Guess you not as good with ladies as you thought? Eh, ese?" Martinez asked.

Merle scooped up my clothes and made a show of smelling them. "Guess not." He laughed as the two of them headed for the door. "You're the main event tonight sweet cheeks," Merle called over his shoulder.

"Who am I facing?" I called back.

Martinez started chuckling and a bad feeling went through me.

"Not who," Merle corrected. "What."

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Jo

Merle and Martinez were the ones to escort me into the ring tonight. Which surprised me, normally I only had one guard. I guess The Governor was taking this seriously. As we approach the ring I could see two of his soldiers facing one another. Nothing serious, just a friendly brawl. The crowd was loving it however, they were laughing and cheering. And when it was done the two men stood up and clapped each other on the back, laughing.

Then the man himself stepped down from the bleachers."We have a special event tonight." He called, the crowd hooted and hollered, already excited. Most could see me standing between Merle and Martinez and I heard a few whistles. I rolled my eyes. "The darling of Woodbury has faced every female fighter we have and come out on top." The crowd began to cheer and stamp their feet. I was very popular, of course most didn't know I was also here against my will. "She and I were talking over dinner this week and I asked what she had left to prove. I begged her to step down as the undefeated female champion, but she refused. Instead she said that wasn't good enough!" He was working the crowd up into a frenzy now. "And I asked her what was left for her to face."

Merle stepped towards me as Martinez left to follow a few of the other guards. "I'm sorry about this Barbie," he said under his breath and he handed me two knives. I looked down at them in surprise. I had never been given weapons before.

"And she said, the same threat we all face every day!"

And three guards came up with Them on leashes. I felt my eyes widen and turned to Merle but he was already stepping back, confirming my fear. I took a slim blade in each of my hands and turned to face the guards. I glanced down at the blades and it took me a moment to realize I recognized them. They were the steak knives from my catastrophic dinner with The Governor now months ago. I turned to face him and he smiled at me, it was that sick, sadistic smile that made my skin crawl.

The crowd was cheering so loudly I couldn't even hear my heart pounding in my ears as I turned to face the three the guards set loose.

I think I would have been fine in the end of they had turned them all loose facing me, but I was surrounded, and while I managed to make short work of the first one the truth of the matter was I had never fought with knives.

I slammed the knife through the temple of the first but didn't manage to pull the blade free before the other two were on top of me. I kicked the second one back and made a move towards the third but it has been closer than I thought and it grabbed me, leaning in, it's teeth snapping. I fought to hold it back, but it was stronger than I thought and it managed to throw me off balance and I went down with it on top of me. It landed on top of me on its knees and I had the wind knocked out of me as its knees pushed into my rib cage.

My arm with the knife was pinned and my other one was holding back the one on top of me as its jaws snapped and it groaned. The second one flopped on top of us, and I felt my ribs give way beneath the weight of both walkers. I screamed in pain and jerked my pinned arm up not caring that I ripped away some skin. I shoved the blade up through the eye socket of the one on top of me and ripped it back out, spilling its blood down across my chest. It collapsed, relieving the pressure on my ribs. And I was finally able to gasp for breath.

I tried wiggling out from underneath it but the last one was still coming for me and my legs were still trapped. I leaned forward, crying out at the pain caused by my ribs and grabbed the last one by its hair, actually pulling it closer. I was shaking front the pain now and black spots danced across the corners of my vision. I knew I was going to pass out and if I did it before I killed this one I was done for and He would win.

I pulled the things head towards me and then slammed the knife down through the top of its skull. I cried out at the motion and just as I completed it I let the darkness take me.

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Jo

"Jo," a voice called. "Jo, are you awake?"

I was dreaming of Daryl. Of shoving a granola bar in his mouth and giggling in the dark as he tries to glare at me. Of waking up with my head in his lap after one of the best nights sleep I had ever had on the floor of an abandoned nursing home.

I blinked my eyes open not surprised to see his blue eyes hovering over me.

"You with me Barbie?"

I blinked a few more times before I realized it was Merle leaning over me not Daryl, and I was not in the stairwell of a nursing home, but laying on the dirt floor of my cell.

I looked around uncertain how I got here. I tried to sit up and a cry ripped its way up my throat at the motion. Merle immediately pushed me back down.

"You're hurt real bad Barbie, you need to stay down. Here," he said and he handed me a couple pills. It took a few tries but I managed to swallow them dry.

"Milton says if you ain't coughing up blood yet your lungs are probably okay." Merle observed rocking back on his heels.

I nodded, fighting back tears. I don't think I had ever hurt this badly before. Every breath I took was like fire racing through my chest.

"Well you did it, you survived another week." He said with forced cheer.

A single tear rolled down my cheek.

"I gotta tell you Barbie, just so's you know. You facing those Biter's wasn't his only trick tonight."

A bad feeling went through me and I turned tear filled eyes to meet Merle's steely blue gaze. He looked away then, as though my tears made him uncomfortable, but he continued. "You remember that boy I told you about? The one your sister been dating. Well, The Governor had him bring your sister to the fights tonight."

"What?!" I gasped, trying to sit up once more. Liquid fire burned through my body, but I had to get up, I had to do something. Kate would flip out and do something stupid. "Merle," I gasped. I grabbed onto his arm. He stiffened at the contact but didn't pull away. "You have to find her. You have to tell her...something." I gasped past the pain. My brain was tripping over itself, moving too damn slowly. I couldn't think of anything but the burning in my chest."You gotta," I gasped.

Merle looked grim. "If I leave you The Governor gonna send Martinez down to take over. You want that?"

I grabbed his hand, pulling him towards me. "Please Merle, Kate will get herself killed trying to save me."

Merle did pull away from me then but he gave me a short, sharp nod. "Alrigh' Barbie."

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Jo

I don't know how much I was sleeping versus drifting in and out of consciousness when a sharp, urgent voice dragged me back to reality.

"Jo! Jo! Please wake up!"

I blinked blearily towards my cell door, and my heart dropped to my feet. Crouched down in front of me was Kate. Her face was covered in dirt smudges and there were tear tracts running down her cheeks. I didn't know how long it had been since I sent Merle after her, but he had obviously failed.

"Don't worry Jo," she whispered. "I'm going to get you out of here."

I fought to sit up, but ended up having to pull myself up along the side of my cot. The pain in my chest was excruciating, but it was nothing compared to the fear.

"Kate you have to get out of here. Run. Far away." I gasped. Every breath was agony, and tears began to form in my eyes.

At the sight of my tears, my soft hearted sister began to weep. "You're hurt," she gasped. "I can't believe what they are making you do. I'm going to get you out of here and we will leave. Together. Tonight." she promised.

"Merle," I gasped, my head was still foggy and I didn't know that I was for sure making sense.

"Don't worry about him," Kate flashed me a brilliant smile. "I slipped past him, we don't have to worry." she assured me. She turned her back to me and began searching the surrounding area for a key.

"It's not here." I whispered to her. "You need to go find M-"

"Well, what do we have here?"

I froze. No no no no no no no no.

The Governor prowled out of the stairwell, flanked by Martinez.

"You let her go right now," Kate demanded her voice shaking.

The Governor glanced over at me. "But she's my favorite." He said with a smile.

Kate recoiled, and I knew this was the first time she was witnessing this side of him.

"But..." The Governor drew the word out. "We can't have you running back topside and telling everyone what you've seen down here."

"Phillip!" I called his name. "You don't need to do this. I'll do anything you want." I gasped around my words. "Please, anything!" I shouted, but he had already motioned for Martinez to grab my sister.

Kate screamed and tried to hold him off, but Martinez back handed her.

"Now," The Governor stepped close to Kate. "I want you to know that your sister is being punished. She did something very bad. And then she broke something of mine..." he reached out and stroked the side of Kate's face.

"Phillip!" I bellowed his name. Something was happening and I was powerless to stop it.

"And so now, I'm going to break something of hers." He motioned to Martinez.

Martinez held Kate in one hand and and pulled up her arm in the other, holding it out like an offering towards the cage to my left.

I screamed and went nuts, throwing myself against the bars of the cell, no longer caring what kind of pain I was experiencing. I didn't even know if there was anything but pain anymore. I screamed until my voice cracked and broke and I tasted blood. I screamed and screamed as I watched Martinez hold my sisters arm into the cage of Them and let Them sink their teeth into her arm. Kate cried out in pain over her arm and wailed as a huge chunk of her arm was pulled away, spraying herself and Martinez in blood. The Governor stalked up to my sister, ran a hand gently down the side of her face, then took her face in both hands and snapped her neck in front of me.

I fell to the ground. My face smashed against the bars but I didn't care. I screamed and screamed as tears fell down my face. Soon I couldn't feel anything, nothing at all. I must have been at it for hours while The Governor's last words echoed around through my brain.

"Put her in the other cage. The Darling of Woodbury will face her next week."

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Don't worry I haven't forgotten the hero of our story! He's going to make an appearance next chapter. Thanks for reading! Please vote/ comment. It really helps!!!