The Way the World is ¹ | the walking dead

| 09 | We have each other

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄: 𝐖𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇 𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑

"Are you sure we haven't at least passed each other on the road?"

"I'm sure," Madalyn answered Carl. "Here. You said you lived in King County, which is right here." She pointed southwest of Atlanta on the map in front of her. She trailed her finger across the paper and stopped north of Atlanta. "I lived here in Dawson County. A shitty part of it, too."

Carl sighed and crossed his arms. "Maybe we saw each other in Atlanta but didn't know it."

"We didn't."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I've never been into the city."

Carl frowned at her. Madalyn realized what she said and turned her face away from him. "You've never been into Atlanta? Even before?" he asked. She slowly shook her head, keeping her face from his view. "Not even on a field trip for school?"

"Never had anyone sign any permission slips. So, I never got to go on any," Madalyn said quietly. She really didn't want to be having this conversation right now. She didn't want to have this conversation ever. Because it would start simple, but then Carl would ask something about her family. And just... "I don't want to talk about it, Carl." She turned back to look at him. "Please."

Carl's gaze didn't leave her while he nodded. "Okay. Michonne got me some new comic books today. Want to read them?" A small smile found its way onto Madalyn's face.

"Yeah."

"A motorcycle mechanic," Beth said, snapping Madalyn back to reality.

"Huh?" Daryl asked.

"That's my guess. For what you were doing before the turn. Did Zach ever guess that?" Beth questioned.

"Don't matter. Hasn't mattered for a long time."

"It's just... what people talk about. You know, to feel normal."

"Yeah, well, never felt normal to me."

Madalyn trailed behind Beth and Daryl as they walked through the forest... again. Madalyn thought after that country club they'd be done with forests for a long time. She was wrong. She had no idea where the hell Daryl was taking them. Beth was still deadset on getting a drink, and Daryl was probably leading her straight to some. He certainly knew where he was going.

They ducked under some branches and came face-to-face with a run-down house. There was foliage around the house, blocking most of it from view. But Madalyn still felt nauseous at the sight. Besides being in the middle of a forest, this type of house seemed way too familiar.

"Found this place with Michonne," Daryl said.

"I was expecting a liquor store," Beth stated. Madalyn couldn't resist the urge to roll her eyes.

"No. This is better."

For you, maybe. Not for me.

They went up to the house, circling around the back. There was a shed connected to the back wall of the house. Daryl peeked through the window of the house before opening the door to the shed. He set his crossbow to the side and started piling jars of clear liquid into a crate.