The Way the World is ¹ | the walking dead

| 13 | You should get an award

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍: 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐆𝐄𝐓 𝐀𝐍 𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃

Madalyn sat down on the fallen tree and stretched her legs out.

The group had been traveling for a lot of the day and decided to take a break. Glenn passed by her and handed her some water which she gratefully accepted. She took a long sip of it before setting it to the side.

It was strange traveling with so many people, Madalyn realized. She had grown used to moving around by herself or with just a couple of people. But now... there were sixteen of them, herself included. It was odd, but she liked it.

Daryl came up to her and sat down beside her. She gave him a quick smile before offering the water bottle to him. "Nah, I'm good," he said.

Madalyn frowned. "Well, it's there if you change your mind." Daryl hummed in acknowledgment.

"After that funeral home," Daryl started, "were you alone?" Madalyn rested her head in her hands.

"Yeah. Just for a little over a day, though."

"I'm sorry, kid."

"Don't apologize." She looked at him, her eyes softening. "You thought those people took me, too. It was a shitty night. I don't blame you."

Daryl shook his head. "I shouldn't have told you two to go out there."

"Daryl..."

"Should've had you wait upstairs or somethin'."

"Hey." Madalyn grabbed his arm. He turned his eyes to her, and she tried to give him an encouraging smile. Whether or not it was good... well... Madalyn wouldn't know. "We'll find Beth. We have to. I have to hope that we will. And... think of it this way. If we had never gotten separated, we probably would have never found the others."

Daryl stared at her for a moment before he chuckled sadly. "You're startin' to sound like Beth."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Daryl shook his head, the hint of a smile on his face while he looked back at the people around them. "Oh." He grabbed something from his pocket. "Got this for you." He held his hand out, and Madalyn saw a loaded magazine resting on his palm.

"Where'd you find more ammo?" she asked while carefully taking it from him.

"Rick had some. You remember how to reload it?"

Madalyn grabbed her gun from her holster and gave him a determined grin. She took the old magazine out of her gun and placed in the new one. It clicked into place, and she held it out to Daryl to inspect. He didn't even take it, just nodded his head.

"Yeah, good job," he said. She smiled brightly while putting her gun away. "We ain't stayin' here much longer." He rested his hand on her shoulder for just a moment before getting up and walking away. A smile lingered on Madalyn's face. She tried to bury away the slight pang in her heart. Beth should be here with them. She would be soon. She had to be.

Madalyn never got to thank her.

~*~*~*~

They traveled through the woods for the rest of the day which was only a couple of hours. They set up camp as the stars started shining in the sky. Madalyn occupied herself with helping pass around some food to the group. "Thanks, kid," Abraham―as Madalyn had learned was named―said right before she walked away and sat down near the edge of the camp.