The Way the World is ¹ | the walking dead

| 18 | I'll be with Daryl

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍: 𝐈'𝐋𝐋 𝐁𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐘𝐋

Madalyn was tired. And hungry. And on the verge of finding a hole to crawl into and wait to die.

It had been a few days now since Tyreese died. It was decided they'd go to D.C. after Noah's home turned out to be destroyed. D.C. could be their last chance at finding any sort of civilization. Eugene didn't have a cure, but D.C. was a big city that might have food, water, fuel, supplies.

Might...

It might have those things. Just like they might never make it there.

Madalyn watched while Daryl, Sasha, and Maggie came down the road toward the rest of the group. She didn't see any squirrels hanging from Daryl's shoulder. No water in any of the girl's hands. Great. They hadn't found anything either.

A day and a half without food and very little water. Her mom told her a person could survive three days without water; without food, it was a few months. But they had neither, so, those three days were looking pretty likely.

Madalyn leaned her head against the van and picked at Beth's bracelets. She wished Beth was here with them. She'd be able to keep the dying hope alive. But... then again... they probably wouldn't have left Georgia if Beth was still alive.

Daryl, Sasha, and Maggie joined the rest. Daryl gave a quick shake of the head to Rick who sighed. "We keep going. There's gotta be somethin' further down the road," he said.

Madalyn could see in her mind what awaited them down the road. Just death. One by one... all of them dying. Madalyn only hoped she wouldn't be the last one alive.

The group loaded into the van. It was a big van, but fifteen people plus a baby and a few bags took up a lot of space. Madalyn was squished against the window with Judith on her lap. Carl was on the floor at Madalyn's feet. She had offered to take the floor, but Carl, ever the gentleman, insisted that she take the seat.

Madalyn held onto Judith like a lifeline, the poor girl being one of the few things keeping Madalyn from drifting into an even darker part of her mind. Her palm ached, the scratches still hidden beneath her glove.

Judith began to play with Madalyn's left hand, pulling on her glove. She tensed and nearly burst into tears. She gently pried her hand from Judith's grip and offered her other hand instead. Judith accepted the hand, pulling at her glove and fingers.

Madalyn rested her left hand across Judith's stomach. This little girl had no idea the horrors that played in Madalyn's mind.

Hershel getting his head chopped off. Her mother screaming as Madalyn ran. Beth's body. Her damn hand.

She was at fault for her palm, but every time she looked at her hand or thought about it... she felt like she deserved more than that. Her palm was practically covered in scratches and scabs now. But it would never be enough.

It could never be enough. It would be enough when Beth came back to life, and that was never going to happen.

So... it was a reminder of how Madalyn failed. And that haunted her every moment.

The engine began to sputter before eventually, the van stopped completely. "You've gotta be shitting me," Madalyn muttered to herself.

"We're out, just like the other one," Abraham informed from the driver's seat.