"Getthe women into the big hall," Deacon shouted.
I jumped inmy horror at seeing a zombie like this. I had totally forgotten where I was. AsI turned I noted three guard posts on this side with one man in each and eventhough I couldn't see the weapons I assumed they had guns.
The menstarted to herd the women along by pushing them, some more forcefully thanothers into the building. One woman fought back and was pushed to the groundroughly. Will went to help her up and she spat in his face.
Deacon grabbedthe girl by her hair dragging her to her feet, she screamed in pain and fearbut nobody moved to help her. He dragged her towards the fence where morezombies now gathered and pressed her face against it. She screamed some more,exciting the zombies so that they were falling over each other to get at her. Iwalked forward, towards him, this guy was a piece of work, treating a womanthat way. Will looked at me and shook his head, no, just slightly. The look inhis eyes stopped me, I needed to keep my head down here and get back to myfamily.
"Letthis be a lesson to you other fine ladies. It's my way or the highway. Youfight back and so do we." Deacon laughed as if what he had said wasextremely funny. "Just do as I say and we will have lots of fun together."He pushed her face hard again into the fence, zombie’s fingers brushed herface, she began to sob and say the Lord’s prayer. Deacon turned around andwalked into the building, leaving her on the floor, crying, whilst his men wentand grabbed her.
The othermen were laughing and joking and continued to push the women in behind Deacon.As we got to the door I noticed my hands shook with anger and, if I’m honest,maybe a little fear.
"Tryto go along with what he asks ok? I'll explain more later, just keep quiet andnod along," Will warned me.
"Whyare you here?" I asked him, so far he didn't seem like such a bad guy.
He shookhis head slightly and continued through the door. It was then that I noticedall eyes were on us.
"Welcome,welcome all newcomers. My name is Deacon and I am the boss around here."He sat down on a big black leather chair on wheels and laughed as though he hadsaid something funny.
"Newguy, come here." He pointed at me and beckoned me with his hand.
I walkedover slowly, my instincts were telling me to run and get away as fast as Icould but I knew, with all the firepower against me, I would not get far.
As I got tohis side he stood up and gestured to the women in front of us. "Take yourpick," he said
I fearedthat it was a test that I would not be able to pass and was terrified of theconsequences, for the women and myself.
Ishook my head, "No thank you." I said quietly, through gritted teeth,my anger bubbling inside me.
He pulledout his gun and held it to my head. "Take your pick or I will splatteryour brains all over this floor and then I'll take your pick for you. I’m surethe ladies would prefer a real man anyway, but for now as a show of kindness toyou I'll let you have first pick," he said. "Once you have been withus a few days you will need to earn your keep before getting another girl sodon't wear this one out too fast." He chuckled.
Throughoutthe whole conversation everybody in the great hall was silent, even the womenseemed to be holding their breaths to see how it would play out. I saw Will offto my right and he gave me the slightest of head nods and discreetly pointed tothe left. I did feel like I could sort of trust this man so I nodded myhead and stepped forward towards the women. I looked at them one by one. Theywere of all ages and ethnicities. I saw a girl at the far left who seemed to bedoing worse than the rest. Tears stained her face and she was holding her leftarm up to her chest as if it was causing her pain. Her top was ripped down thefront so that her bra was visible and her jeans were dirty especially at theknees. This girl must have been in her early twenties and my heart was breakinglooking at her and thinking of Poppy. I felt a much stronger urge to get homeand ensure that Poppy would never fall into the hands of a man like that.
I pointedto her. "That one."
"Her?That whore? Are you sure? She's been round most of the men, in fact I justfinished with her myself last week before we headed out on the supply run wherewe found you. She’s not much of a goer," Deacon offered. Some of the menlaughed and made cat calls at her.
Shephysically flinched, I could see the look of horror on her face that she wastrying really hard not to show. My blood was boiling, I so wanted to grab thegun and put a bullet through Deacon’s eye but I would take my time and try toget out of here alive.
"Yesthat one," I confirmed. "I like the damaged goods type. Easier tocontrol," I said trying to sound convincing and dangerous. It must haveworked.
"Jimmy?Get her will you? Take her to the new guy’s room."
"It'sok I'll take them," Will said. "I miss this girl myself." Hegrabbed her roughly by the arm and pushed her out of the room.
Guess I waswrong by thinking he was the good guy.
Will walkedher out of a small door on the opposite side of the room that we had justentered through. I followed quickly, fearful that he might take out hisimpatience on the
