𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬, 𝐁𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 | TWD [Book 1]

LXXVI. The Doom of Death

A solitary tear traces its path down her cheek, a silent testament to the pain that grips her soul. She tenderly wipes the beads of sweat from his forehead, her touch gentle yet desperate, a silent prayer for strength and solace.

Carl's voice breaks through the somber silence, his raspy words tinged with admiration. "You're the warrior Dad used to tell me stories about, aren't you?"

Madeleine nods, her throat tight as she feels her father's hand land on her shoulder. "Yeah... I think so," she murmurs, her voice barely above a whisper.

"You keep fighting, okay?" Carl's words are a plea, his eyes flickering with a fierce determination that belies his fragile state.

Madeleine's heart constricts with anguish at the realization of what lies ahead, but she nods nonetheless, a silent vow etched in her soul.

His gaze shifts to Daryl, who stands stalwart against the wall. "Take care of them, Daryl," Carl urges, his voice a whisper carried on the wind.

Daryl's nod is resolute, his eyes softening with a rare tenderness as he meets Carl's gaze. "I will," he vows, his words a solemn promise that echoes in the hushed confines of the sewer, a pledge to honor Carl.

"Dad..." Carl's voice wavers, his gaze meeting Rick's teary eyes, and his heart clenches with unbearable pain as he watches his son's life slip away before his very eyes. "It's all right. It's gotta be," Carl continues, his words a brave facade masking the turmoil within. "I wasn't sure if you'd make it back before... But just in case, you know... I wanted to make sure I was able to say goodbye."

Rick's trembling hand reaches out to accept the letters from Carl, his breath catching in his throat as he sees Madeleine's name scrawled on the first one. Tears spill from Madeleine's eyes as she watches, her heart breaking at the sight of her dying brother and the fear of her sister's whereabouts weighing heavily on her mind.

As explosions and the sound of crumbling rocks echo in the distance, Rick's anguish is palpable as he shakes his head, tears streaming down his face in a torrent of raw emotion.

"No. It's them," Rick whispers hoarsely, his voice choked with grief. "It's them. They... They don't... It wasn't..."

Michonne's voice breaks as she cries out, her own pain mirroring Rick's. "Carl."

"No. I got bit," he corrects, his voice steady despite the gravity of his words. "I was bringing someone back. His name's Siddiq. We saw him at that gas station, before..." He shakes his head slowly, the reality of his fate sinking in. "It wasn't the Saviors. It just happened. I got bit."

Carl's coughing fits wrack his frame, and Madeleine wastes no time, shedding her jacket and draping it over him with gentle care. Her hand rests reassuringly on his shoulder, their eyes meeting in a silent exchange of understanding and sibling love.

"You don't have to do that anymore," Carl observes, a bittersweet smile gracing his lips as Madeleine runs her fingers through his hair.

"You'll always be my baby brother," she murmurs softly, her gaze lingering on him before she shifts her attention to her husband, a silent request in her eyes.