CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

˚STITCHES˚

"Yellow lamps on blackened skies, duffel hoods and deep brown eyes."

THERE WAS a part of Reign that hated living behind the walls of Alexandria. The way they were so high, so opaque frankly scared her, and made her feel claustrophobic. It wasn't like the prison, when she could see past the wired fences, see what dangers lurked outside. Here it was like living in a fantasy, a dream almost, and to Reign that made her feel vulnerable.

She stood at the front gates, peering out with her sword in hand as she kept guard. Nicolas, one of the Alexandrian's there had left his post for a few minutes and asked Reign to watch out for him. She didn't mind however, as she would gladly take a position where she could clearly see what lurked outside the walls. She trusted herself more than anyone to keep danger away. She knew nothing about the people that lived in this community, nor did she know what kind of people there were. They seemed so protected, and in a world gone to chaos, a protected community could just be the worst. She couldn't shake the feeling that these people knew nothing about the real dangers that were outside these walls.

Reign gripped the lock of the gate, twisting it, wishing she could just walk outside again. She never thought she would miss walking around aimlessly, having no protection whatsoever. All this time the group had been struggling to find a place to live, and now that they've finally found one, Reign wanted to leave.

She licked her lips before opening the lock, not caring she had to stand and watch. If these people feel in danger, then they can do something about it. Not my fucking problem, Reign thought selfishly.

She opened the gate and pushed it open, wincing as it made a squealing, rustic sound. She used all her non-existing strength to push it open, just enough to slip her tiny body through. She hated how weak she was, physically. She use to be full of muscle, top of her gym class. Actually, that was the only class she got above an 80% in. Now she couldn't even push open a gate without having to wheeze.

"Hey!" a voice yelled, causing Reign to turn around just as she was squeezing out the gate. "You can't go out there!" It was Nicholas, returning to his post.

"I just need to go for a walk," Reign informed him, continuing to go.

"I can't let you do that," Nicholas said, running over to her.

Reign turned back around with an aggravated expression on her face, unable to believe this guy. If Nicolas wanted to test her, than he was going to have to feel her wrath. "Oh yeah?" She smiled. "Why the fuck not?"

"Well for one, it's dangerous out there, with the roamers and everything," Nicholas said, leaning against the gate casually, a smile on his face. "Wouldn't want you to get hurt."

Reign only smiled, a sly smirk forming on her face. She knew what Nicholas was trying to do; she had seen guys do this a million times before. She never fell for it then, and she wasn't about to fall for it now. "Nicky, the only thing that can hurt me, is myself," she said.

"Those cuts on your face say otherwise," Nicholas pointed out, staring at the scrapes and stitches on her face from her incident last night.

"Yeah, I had a bit of an incident last night," Reign sighed, twirling her hair around her finger as part of the act. "I had these voices in my head, telling me to do terrible things, such horrid things Nick." She plays with him, twisting with his emotions. She gets a thrill from watching the fear spread across his face as he realizes how mad she is. "To get them out of my head I had to run into the wall, smacking my skull against the cement until finally... BAM!" she shouted, "the voices were gone," she lied, making the whole thing up.

Nicholas only stood there, no longer leaning against the gate. Before his eyes were kind and seductive, but now they were wide with disgust and fear. "But no need to worry," Reign sighed, "I'm all better now." She assured him, reaching forwards to fix the collar of his shirt.

He stood there frozen, gulping as he stared at the girl in front of him. "So, am I free to go now?" Reign suddenly asked, so casual as if nothing has happened. That's what freaks Nicholas out even further; you know someone is crazy when they don't even realize what they're doing is abnormal. Such a sudden switch in personalities is what all the greatest serial killers possessed.

"Um..." he stuttered, closing his eyes as if trying to remember something.

"Good. See you later then," Reign smiled politely, continuing to slide out the door when suddenly Nicholas called her again.

"Wait!" he shouted, shaking his head as if trying to shake reality back into him. Reign only smiled knowing she's messed with his head. Reign wasn't always good in school, but she was able to pass through manipulation.

"Deanna, she ah, she wanted to see you," he stuttered, struggling to form his words right as he stared at Reign. "She sent me to get you," he explained.

Reign rolled her eyes, leaning her head against the gate as she thought of what do to. She could either follow instructions and talk to Deanna, or turn the other way and run into the forest, far, far away from there. The second option seemed much more pleasing.

"I think I'll pass." Reign shook her head, turning to walk out of the gate when suddenly she bumped into someone else.

She let out a small yelp, her hand going to her forehead where her stitches are, gently rubbing them to ease the pain. It's only when she looked up that she realized who it is she bumped into.

"Sorry Rey," her brother said, slightly concerned. Although Reign knew that he was more concerned with where she was off to rather than her cuts. "Where do you think you're going?"

"For a walk." She shrugged casually. "Where were you guys?" she asked, peering around her brother's shoulder to see who else is behind him. Stefan, Caroline, Bonnie and one of Deanna's other sons, Spencer, is all with him.

"Spencer was just showing us around a bit," Dylan explained. "Deanna assigned me as one of the leaders to guide groups during runs. I guess she thought with my military experience I would help be more cautious, so Spencer was just showing me where all the good scavenging places are," he said. "Has Deanna given you a job yet?" He raised a brow.

"Actually, that's what Deanna wanted to speak to you about," Nicholas spoke up. "She's waiting for you now."

Reign turned and glared at the curly haired prick before turning back to her brother. "I was going to see her after-"

"You're going to see her now," Dylan pressed, placing his hands on her shoulders and directing her back inside the compound. "Thanks Nick." Dylan said as they passed him.

"I can walk there myself," Reign growled against his grasp, wanting his hands off her shoulders.

"I know you can. It just a matter of it you're actually going to walk there," Dylan chuckled, knowing his sister all too well.

"I don't want a stupid job," she scowled, staring at her feet in defeat as she walked. She hated how she sounded like a whining child.

"I know Rey, but if we're going to stay here we need to help out. Everyone's been given a job except for you," Dylan said with a sigh.

Reign furrowed her brows together, confused as to what job Damon got. "What um," she cleared her throat to make it more casual. "What job did Damon get?" she asked, looking around to make it seemed like she didn't care. The truth was she was extremely curious as to what job Damon Salvatore was assigned to. Honestly she could't see him in any job, which made a smile form upon her lips.

"He works with Olivia, handling rations and sorting through the innovatory to make sure we're never low," Dylan said.

"What?" Reign laughed slightly. "Why did Deanna think that was a good idea?"

"Damon can surprisingly be quite organized and protective when it comes to survival, and I guess Deanna saw that he can be quite assertive too. When handling food, water and guns you kind of need someone like that to make sure nobody is stealing or abusing our rations," Dylan explained, making things clearer. "Plus, everyone is assigned weekly gate duty, so it's not like he'll be assigned indoors all the time."

"Is there some sort of board or something with a schedule?" Reign joked, but her brother surprisingly nodded.

"Yeah, outside Deanna's house there's a chalk board," Dylan said 'matter of factly'. "Things are pretty serious here Reign, they're keen on surviving."

Reign couldn't help but let out a snort, not believing a word that her brother just said. "No, they're pretty keen on staying in here- that's not surviving. They know jack shit about the real world and what it's like out there. Look at that, keeping a fucking schedule of who takes what job at what time? That's living in the past." She shakes her head, the anger for this place building inside her.

"Well it's working okay Rey, so zip your trap," her brother scolded her, stopping once they reached Deanna's house. "They have their ways, and we have ours, but for now we're still trying this place out, still guests here. For now we stick by their ways, and if need be we change them in the future, okay?" he said irritably before releasing Reign.

She pursed her lips but nodded, not saying anything else. "Reign!" Deanna greeted, opening her front door. "I was expecting you! Please, please, come in!" She waved Reign over.

The excitement in this woman killed Reign, and she found herself wanting so badly to run away. The only thing that got her up the steps and into Deanna's house was her brother. She hated disappointing him, hated making him mad. So for now, she did as she was told and went inside.

"Please have a seat," Deanna smiled, pointing to the chair in the living room, the same chair Reign sat when Deanna did her interviews of everyone.

"My, my, that doesn't look very comfortable." Deanna winced, looking at Reign's scrapes and stitches.

"I had an incident last night," Reign said quietly, placing her hands neatly in her lap.

Deanna doesn't question Reign any further about her incident, but instead gets right to the point of why she summoned Reign here. "I found a job for you," she smiled.

At that Reign poked her head up, interested in what Deanna had to say. "What?" she said, slightly fearful as to what job Deanna picked. "What kind of job?"

"Well," Deanna clapped her hands together. "I heard from someone that you are a very quick thinker, and have some experience with medicine,-"

"What?" Reign snapped. "That's not true at all, I-I have no training in medicine, I fuc-a," she corrected herself, trying to limit her profanities. She could practically hear Dylan's voice scolding her in her mind. "I freaking failed Bio and Chem!" Reign started to argue.

"That's not what I heard," Deanna said. "Besides, it doesn't matter if you failed whatever class. All that matters is that you have some experience. That's all we really need. Plus, your brother mentioned that you have a difficult time fitting in, and in the infirmary you get to meet lots of people." Deanna smiled, and although the smile was meant to be kind, Reign saw it as the smile of an evil witch.

Reign hated this, the fact that even in the middle of the apocalypse she was still an outsider. Every single day of elementary school and high school Reign Boyd was the outsider, the one that kept to herself in the back of the class, the one that sat in the cafeteria corner minding her own business. It felt like her whole life was a continuation of her worst days, and she just wanted out of that tedious routine. Sure she had a difficult time fitting in with a large group, but now she had her brother and Bonnie, hell even Damon- if only he would talk to her. Frankly that's all the people she needed.

"Who told you those things? Who said I had training in medicine?" Reign asked, letting everything else go flying over her head. All she cared about was finding out who said such bullshit about her knowing medicine.

"They asked me not to say," Deanna said quietly. "They said you would deny it and get mad."

"That's because it's not true!" Reign argued, sitting back in her chair in defeat.

"Well, whatever the case is Reign, we have a doctor there and other partially trained people like my son Aidan that can help you learn. It's good to have a few doctors on hand," Deanna smiled, reaching forwards and placing a hand on Reigns leg gently, as an act of kindness. "What do you say? Will you give it a try?"

"Do I have to stay there forever?" Reign glared at her.

"I'll tell you what: if you don't like it there after a week, I'll have you transferred to a job of your choosing. How about that?" Deanna offered, causing Reign to ponder.

"Okay," Reign finally agreed, standing up and shaking Deanna's hand. Just as she got up, the front door opened, and a familiar face walked through.

"Oh Aidan!" Deanna smiled. "Just in time dear. Would you please show Reign to the infirmary, show her around?"

Aidan turned to his mother and nodded, before locking eyes with Reign. He sent her a small nod and a kind smile, the kind that made Reign feel comfortable.

Maybe, just maybe this infirmary job wouldn't be so bad. Maybe making friends wouldn't be as hard as she thought it'd be.

_______________________

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tay

[EDITED: 08/02/18]