SURVIVE.
❝ Let the end of the world be
inside you, then you don't
need to fear the end
of the world out there. ❞
THE WALKING DEAD.
DARYL DIXON.
BOOK ONE of the LANCASTER SAGA.
[ SEASONS 1 - 3 ]
******
I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its...
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[ xxix. clash of the titans ]
november 13th, 2010
➸➸➸
ASTRID LANCASTER HAD A bad feeling about today. And yet she chose to tag along on the mission, anyway.
Her apprehension was not unfounded, for today certainly held the potential for danger and mayhem. Regardless, despite the sinister undercurrents, Astrid pushed aside her reservations and remained silent as she watched Rick and Shane climb back into the front seats of the SUV. There was an air of tension enveloping them, both men seeming to surge with anger and hostility—as if it suddenly killed them to even be sharing such a close space.
Minutes prior, the two of them had been standing in the middle of the road, engaged in a conversation beyond Astrid's hearing that left her feeling like an outsider, isolated in the backseat of the vehicle. While Rick and Shane had discussed matters unknown, she had found herself alone with her thoughts and the muffled sounds of Randall's restrained movements from the trunk. Over a week had passed since the shootout at the bar, and Randall's capture had added another layer of complexity to their already difficult existence.
Hershel's declaration from the previous evening had marked a new turning point—Randall's ability to walk unaided signified a new chapter in their predicament. With an air of finality, they were now faced with the necessity of releasing him, a decision that loomed heavily over their heads.
Astrid had initially hesitated to join this expedition, yet upon learning that only Rick and Shane would accompany Randall, her concerns for their safety had overridden her backing. Shane's previous outbursts, his vehement skepticism toward Rick's leadership, and his unabashed disdain for the sheriff's decisions had planted seeds of distrust and fear within Astrid. She was acutely aware of the rift that had formed between the two men, and the potential for rash actions in the heat of the moment was a disconcerting possibility today.
Now, Astrid could not help but harbor qualms about leaving Shane alone in situations that bore such weighty consequences for the rest of the group.
The hum of the engine snapped Astrid back to the present as Rick started the car again. Their surroundings blurred as they drove onward. "We've got to start using our knives more," Rick insisted idly. "If there's just one walker, we use a knife. We keep things quiet, save the ammunition." A beat passed on before he added, "We also need dry goods for winter. Warm clothes. Fuel. Hell—maybe we will get a break. You've got to think the cold affects the walkers."
Astrid's response was immediate. "If it doesn't kill them, it should at least slow them down," She agreed. "By December or January, it should be safer. We'll find ways to make more runs into town . . ." As the landscape outside shifted, Astrid's gaze followed Shane's line of sight out the passenger's side window, drawn to a solitary walker navigating the tall grass in the distant fields. Soon, it was gone again.
