𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬, 𝐁𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 | TWD [Book 1]

LXXVIII. The Unspoken Words

The woman move cautiously through the dense woods, their steps careful and deliberate as they scan their surroundings. When Madeleine halts abruptly, Carol stands close behind her, her gaze following Madeleine's line of sight to where a group of walkers looms in the distance. Without hesitation, Madeleine reaches for an arrow strapped to her back, swiftly fitting it to her bow and taking aim with practiced precision. With a release of tension, the arrow flies, finding its mark and felling the walkers with ease.

As the undead creatures fall, memories flood Madeleine's mind, a bittersweet reminder of the past and all they've lost. She lowers her bow, her fingers tracing over the carved names etched into the wood.

Madeleine

Carl

Esperanza

Carol's hand rests gently on her shoulder, but Madeleine doesn't meet her gaze as she continues deeper into the woods, retrieving her arrow from the walker. Carol follows closely behind, their senses heightened as they remain vigilant against the lurking threat of the Saviors. With the Reapers prowling elsewhere in the woods, they tread cautiously, their every move calculated and deliberate in the fight for survival.

Carol observes silently as Madeleine's gaze flickers past her, catching sight of Adanna in the distance. A silent exchange passes between the two women, a nod of understanding that speaks volumes.

With a shared signal, Madeleine turns back to Carol. "I'm sorry I left the way I did," Carol breaks the tense silence, her voice carrying a hint of regret. Madeleine offers a slight shrug in response, her expression guarded as she listens to Carol's words. "I think a lot of things would've been different. I should've been there."

Madeleine remains stoic, her silence speaking volumes as she wrestles with her own inner demons. Since burying her sister, she's found solace in action rather than words, her focus consumed by the demands of leadership.

"We're worried about you," Carol's voice cuts through the silence, a note of concern lacing her words. "I'm worried about you. Last time I saw you this way, so... lost, distraught, empty... it was when Lori died."

Madeleine's expression remains unreadable as she meets Carol's gaze, a flicker of defiance in her eyes. "You think I'm going back to how I was when I met you, but the truth is..." She trails off, taking a deliberate step closer to Carol, her presence looming like a silent threat. "I've never changed, Carol." With a dismissive wave of her hand, she turns away, her words hanging in the air like a lingering echo. "You should go back."

"We're supposed to patrol in teams," Carol points out, her footsteps echoing closely behind Madeleine as they trek through the dense foliage.

"Just go, Carol," Madeleine replies tersely, her tone brooking no argument as she forges ahead.

Carol lets out a deep sigh, frustration evident in her posture as she watches Madeleine disappear into the shadows of the forest. Left alone, she continues on her assigned route, her thoughts swirling with unease.