In The Bird Song | TWD

chapter 32 - the cost of love

Fading blues and dusted sky's,

I watch the light leave your eyes.

And as your colour drains away,

I live to greet another day.

The price I pay for those I love,

Is a pool of your own blood.

The air is stale with your demise,

But despite it all the sun shall continue to rise.

And with it beaming warm and bright,

I will move on past this night.

***

Harlow pov

The wind whips through my hair that has came loose from its tangled braid and I cringe at the bitter cold nipping at my skin. I take a shaky breath in then out, staring down the end of my gun at the cowering man before me. He's young maybe twenty if I was to guess, his blond hair is matted with dirt and his icy blue eyes stair up pleadingly at me disconcertingly reminding me of another, much younger, pale eyed boy.

the jeering of the men behind me is loud in the quiet night egging me on like there watching their favourite sport. I keep my expression neutral as I wonder if this is how the gladiators in room felt a million years ago.

"please" the man whimpers softly and he's so quiet I almost miss it. I ignore the twinge in my chest at the man's unintentional last words, I shake my head sadly and tell him "I'm sorry" before pulling the trigger.

The mans body falls limp to the ground like a marionette that has had its strings cut off and I sigh staring at the blood pooling around my boot. I mentally change my kill count from at least 10 to minimum 11. I feel sick knowing I've increased my kills by three in the last 12 days and absolutely none of them were justified.

Everything started upon me and Eliza's release when we were escorted to a room on the third floor belonging to Katherine Bennett, a younger women in her mid to late 30s with flaming red locks not dissimilar to what my own hair colour would have been if my hair wasn't caked with dirt.

She was a member of the army but unlike her cruel sadistic counterparts she seemed relatively normal. She was loud mouthed and abrasive but not particularly brutal or rough. Once we arrived at her room, I was tackled almost instantly by an overexcited posy and my face was given an impromptu bath. My back was in agony as a result of being pushed to the floor but I was so relived to see my best friend I hardly cared.

Izzy immediately ran into her mothers' arms and once I got back to my feet I spotted Annette cradled in Katherines arms. I immediately ran over to her and scooped her in my arms kissing every inch of her face in relief at her being okay. She giggled happily in my arms and cuddled herself tightly into my chest wrapping her small arms around my neck. After a week apart I was looking at her with fresh eyes and I realised just how big she had gotten since arriving at the unit.

I was so overwhelmed with joy at having my family back I went nonverbal for the following two hours but that didn't stop me reciprocating Izzy's crushing hug after she finished with her mother.

Katherines room looked to be a converted classroom judging by its size however rather than being filled with desks as one would expect it was instead occupied by a large double bed draped with a thick comforter and an array of colourful pillows. There was also a pair of two-seater couches parallel from one another. The walls were painted a light lavender colour and there was framed pictures scattered across a desk and walls.