𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬, 𝐁𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 | TWD [Book 1]

II. The Weight of Resentment

In the early morning light, the pursuit for the buck continues. The adrenaline of the hunt heightening their senses, both of them not having spoke since last night's conversation. Suddenly, Madeleine shoots at the buck who runs at the distant sound which catches their attention, Daryl cursing quietly, frustrated by the missed opportunity.

"You heard that?"

"Yeah, you haven't gone crazy just yet." Madeleine replies, their gazes lock for a moment, a silent understanding passing between them.

They move swiftly toward the source of the sound, instinctively walking closer to each other. Their well-coordinated actions spoke of a silent camaraderie forged through countless trials. However, another abrupt interruption shifts their focus elsewhere, piercing screams echoing through the woods. Madeleine's heart skips a beat, recognizing the distinctive scream that had haunted her dreams for too long.

"Carl." She mutters under her breath, fear surging through her veins, and without a moment's hesitation, she turns and sprints in the direction of the agonizing cries.

The man rolls his eyes before he runs off after her, knowing she's heading toward the wrong direction of the camp until she takes a corner and he recognises the path, impressed by her sense of direction. Madeleine clenches her fists, steadying herself for whatever awaits them, her determination to reach Carl and ensure his safety grows.

Meanwhile, the group comes upon a walker who is eating the carcass of the deer Madeleine and Daryl had been tracking. The blonde sisters come up behind the rest of the group and cringe in disgust at the walker devouring the buck. When the walker snaps out of his trance and they gain its attention, it attempts to attack them but the man start to beat it with their weapons until they think the walker is dead, Dale finishing it off by chopping its head off with an axe.

"It's the first one we've had up here. They never come this far up the mountain." Dale speaks up as the group exchanges slightly concerned looks in between them.

"Well, they're running out of food in the city, that's what." Jim points out as they hear a branch snap and footsteps following which causes for them to raise their weapons, and they get ready to fight it off.

Daryl Dixon comes out of the woods, having lost Madeleine who ran faster than he could keep up, and he looks around to notice she isn't anywhere in sight, instead he sees the walker and the half eaten deer they spent the night tracking down.

"Son of a bitch. That's my deer! Look at it. All gnawed on by this... filthy, disease-bearing, motherless poxy bastard!" He stomps the carcass of the walker, kicking it with each word.

"Calm down, son. That's not helping." Dale suggests, causing for Daryl to grind his teeth as he glares at him.

"What do you know about it, old man? Why don't you take that stupid hat and go back to "on golden pond"? We've been tracking this deer for miles. Gonna drag it back to camp, cook us up some venison. What do you think?" Daryl points at the area the walker was munching on and he wonders, "Do you think we can cut around this chewed up part right here?"