The Way the World is ¹ | the walking dead

| 17 | 17 days

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍: 𝟏𝟕 𝐃𝐀𝐘𝐒

(TW: self-harm)

It's been seventeen days since they left Atlanta for Virginia to find Noah's family.

It's been seventeen days since Beth died.

It's been seventeen days since Madalyn smiled.

Seventeen days... Two weeks and three days...

Seventeen days, yet it felt like years. Madalyn felt as if she had been feeling this grief and guilt her whole life. She was so tired, but peaceful dreams eluded her. She didn't deserve to feel peace anyway.

Madalyn fidgeted with the bracelets circled around her wrist. Beth's bracelets. The girl didn't get to go with them to Virginia, so Madalyn brought a part of her. Those bracelets haven't left her wrist for seventeen days.

A group consisting of Rick, Tyreese, Michonne, Glenn, and Noah were going ahead to check the community Noah had lived in. If this place was still like how Noah had described it, they might never have to move again. They could have a home again.

Madalyn couldn't find the joy in it. Besides... luck hadn't been on their side in a long time. This place was probably rubble now. Not that she would say that out loud.

The others had hope, some of them at least. Madalyn had been digging for hers for seventeen days, but she was pretty sure it was left with the blonde girl in Atlanta.

Madalyn watched while the van drove away, disappearing around a turn. She felt a hand rest on her shoulder and someone begin to guide her back to the rest of the group. She let them, her eyes turned to the ground as she walked.

Madalyn sat down in the open trunk of one of their vans. She rubbed at her eyes until she saw spots causing her to try to blink them away.

"Madalyn."

She looked up and saw Daryl standing in front of her, holding out one of the MREs they found. His face held no expression, but Madalyn noticed his reddened eyes. He looked awful, but Madalyn supposed she didn't look much better than him.

They had only talked a few times since... since she died. Their grief was controlling them. Daryl would stay quiet or go off on his own, and Madalyn would only give short responses to people.

She shook her head at Daryl. "Not hungry."

"You didn't eat yesterday."

Madalyn shrugged. "Wasn't hungry then either."

Daryl sighed then sat down next to her, the MRE placed between them. The group moved slowly around them. Carl was sitting on a log, Judith in his lap. Madalyn tensed when she remembered she lied to the poor baby.

Judith didn't get to see Beth again.

Madalyn shut her eyes and fell back into the bed of the van, her legs dangling over the edge. "Save the food for someone else," she muttered.

Daryl huffed. "You're eatin' something today. And if I gotta shove it down your throat, then so be it," he said while grabbing the MRE and walking away.

"Charming."

Madalyn knew Daryl was trying. Trying to be there for Madalyn. But he had been there when Beth died. He had seen it happen. So... how does someone be there for someone else when they're barely holding on as it is?