Surviving As One {A TWD fanfic}

26. So Close

My eyes grew wide as I read the blood written note smeared onto the side of a power control box.

Glenn go to terminus
Maggie.

I looked to Daryl, before walking toward it and lightly touching the fresh blood. "If we run we could probably catch up to her" I said, glancing at the rest of the group before taking off running. I was determined to find her, Maggie. The daughter of Hershel. At the thought of Hershel I sped up, I could hear the thump-thud rhythm of the group behind me, I was never a fast runner but I managed to keep in front. Not only was I never a fast runner, I was never fit enough to run long distances. But no matter how much I lost my breath I wasn't giving up, I needed to keep going. I needed to find Maggie.

And just like I thought, slowly Maggie's figure began to form in my view, but not just hers. Sasha and Bob stood either said of her. The closer I got the more real they became. "Maggie!" I called out but my breath caught in my throat and it barely came out, luckily enough they could hear the pounding of our feet on the ground and spun. A small smile forming on each of their faces, Bobs was most noticeable because it was wide. I stopped in front of them, leaning down and panting a moment before catching my breath enough to speak "Hi" is all I managed out. The rest of the group caught up and I saw the disappointment on Maggie's face as she failed to locate Glenn. "I'm sorry Maggie"

"No, I'm glad you all are okay." She said, and smiled again before pulling me into a hug. "Honestly"

"He's out there, Glenn's strong and he'll see your message just like we did" I whispered to her, hugging her back tightly.

"I know, thank you Bella" she whispered back before turning to the rest, smiling. 

"C'mon we should keep moving before dark comes" Sasha says.

We all walk together, our group slowly coming back together. I thought it was magical. To think that we all have found each other, it only gave me more hope that we would soon find others that were once apart of our life at the prison. The thought made me smile, I dropped to the back of our growing group, taking my place beside Daryl.

"Hey" I whispered, lightly nudging him.

I heard his chuckle "Hey" he nudged me slightly back.

"What do you think of this place?" I asked curiously.

"I don't know.. What have we got to lose?" He asked, slipping his arms over my shoulders and pulling me closer as we walked.

"I suppose." I mumbled, even if I knew I could argue against that. We had a lot to lose. Our lives? Each other? Hope, faith and love. But in the end he was right, we didn't know whether this place was real. Whether it had been overrun by walkers. Or if it still stood strong and tall even this long into the apocalypse. I can hear the small murmur throughout the group, the silent foot steps we tried to take. I watched my own feet, I watched every step I took and how easy it all seemed. Each step was a step closer to whatever awaited us at the end of these tracks. The day grew colder as the sun went down, we stopped just after sunset and set up a camp but tonight's sleep was restless and scarcely. I think I got an hour of actual sleep, the rest was just laying awake and staring into the darkness. It was amazing how alive the world was at night, how every noise seemed so much louder then it was or maybe it was that loud. Maybe the daylight made things seem quiet? The moon was high in the sky, a full moon. I thought back to Hershel and the conversation we had.

"Look at the moon" Hershel had said quietly staring at the moon, my gaze followed his up to it.
"What about the moon?" I asked staring at it.
"It's still beautiful. It still comes up and goes down, that hasn't changed" Hershel finally glanced down to me.
I glanced over toward him "I'm not following you on this" I lightly chuckled, a confused chuckle.
"Because you're not listening hard enough. The sun still raises and falls, that hasn't changed" He told me, his gaze not moving from mine.
I thought for a moment until my lips tugged into a small smile "Even though the world has turned into this endless hell and it's changing us into something we feared, things are still the same and we don't have to let what we've done change who we are as a person. As a human"
"Exactly" Hershel smiled and gave me a small pat on my shoulder.

I closed my eyes and replayed that moment over and over in my head, it seems like such a little thing but it means so much. I'll forever hold onto that, hold onto everything Hershel had taught me. My eyes fluttered open and I looked back at the moon, letting a small smile mark my face "Thank you, Hershel" I whispered into the wind and let my words blow away before I slowly stood, letting out a small yawn. I moved slowly trying not to wake anyone, which I thought I succeeded in as I stepped out of the camp area and went to a large tree, sliding myself down and leaning my back against it as I sat alone in the silence that fell over the earth.

"Can't sleep?" Maggie asked, startling me as she sat herself down beside me.

"No, sadly" I half smile, glancing toward her a short moment before looking back at the moon "You?"

She shook her head "I don't sleep much lately."

"I'm sorry.. About Hershel" I slowly looked at her, my smile gone.

"He's in a better place now, hopefully." She looked down at her hands.

"I owe him a lot, I wouldn't be here if it weren't for him. He was an amazing man, and if there's ever anything I can do for you jus-"

"Bella, can you hear that?" Maggie was already on her feet and looking around, I jumped up and stood beside her, reaching down for my knife as I nodded slowly, wondering how I hadn't before.