Survive ( twd carlgrimes)

Chapter 103

MADISONS POV.
I walk along the ground, listening to the crunching twigs beneath my feet. My back aches from carrying Judith around all the time, but I'd much rather a painful back for the rest of my life than have her burn to death in that hospital. I shiver at the thought. I keep walking until I hear a rustling sound. I lift my bow up towards the sound, ready for my arrow to fly at the walker. It comes staggering out, it finds me and picks up its pace with its arms out ready to rip me apart.
"You freaking wish." I say as I release the string and the arrow flies. I collect the arrow from its skull and keep walking. Judith makes those cute baby noises but it's kinda hard to think its cute when there are walkers around literally every corner. I hear another noise as I sigh for the second walker to come out. It staggers out with its head down. Looking at its feet. Its hair is jet black, short and slightly muddy. It limps when it walks but it doesnt make those moaning sounds. I squint at the sight infront of me not really sure what to make of this strange walker. Its tracksuit bottoms are slightly ripped and it wears a dark blue backpack. I need it. I need whatever is in it. Something falls from its hand. A bone?..... No, its a knife. Why was the walker holding a knife?
"Damn it!" I mumbles.
Thats when I realise its not a walker. I quickly hide behind a tree, watching this person, silently begging Judith not to make a sound. My foot accidently snaps a twig and the person quickly spins around to inspect the sound while I duck down so i'm not seen. I quickly glance around my surroundings checking for nearby walkers or people. This person could have friends. I wait and listen until the person moves on. When I hear them move I peak around the tree to see they have continued walking south. I quietly creep after them to the next tree, peering around at them. Then I move to the next tree and then again. I followed the person, inspecting their every move. Something about the person was familar even if I havn't properly seen them yet, not even their face. I moved to the next tree and another twig snapped.
Shit!
Judith mumbles one of her nonsence words and I shush her while my heart beats at 100 miles per hour.
"Who's there?" The deep voice asks.
Its a man, definately a man.
I don't respond I just quietly load my bow. My heart beats so loud i'm suprised the man couldn't hear it. I try to slow it by breathing slowly in through my nose and out through my mouth.
"I know someones there. Come out, your only making it harder for yourself. I'm looking for someone and if anyone gets in the way of that, they will lose." He speaks low, threatening and sincerely. I'm not someone who listens to threats or gives in to anybody, but the mans voice sends a shudder down my back and a cold warning shiver to my brain. Something tells me to listen to him. If you walk out now, he mightn't hurt you. If you ignore him he will kill you and Judith, but not without a fight. I wait scrambling for a productive idea to go along with. Nothing does and I hear a click of a gun.
"OKAY!! Okay, put down the gun i'm coming out!" I yell in a strangled voice, it didn't even sound like me.
I tighten my grip on my bow and swirl around the tree in view of the man with my bow facing him. I look at his familar green eyes and full lips. His tanned skin, sharp jawline and muscular stance rings an alarming bell.
"MADISON?" He yells limping fastly towards me. I run to him, practically jumping on him as my arms wrap around him in absolute shock. Tears flow down my face without permission and I can't help but let the sobs escape me. I've been alone for too long and now someone I love is finally here.
"Luke... How, what...when... you okay?" Too many questions flood my mouth at once that barely anything makes sence. He laughs and brushes away the tears on my face with his thumb and his hand cradles my face. He nods.
"Its a really long story." He whispers.
"I've got time." I whisper.
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Luke and I set up a camp. He makes a fire as I grab a long roll of string that was in Lukes blue bag. He piles tins of food on the ground and I put some of the dried fruit from some tins onto lukes jacket on the ground. I use the tins to tie around the string. That way if a walker comes at night it will trip and the tins will clatter together making enough noise to wake us and kill the walker. He continues to tell me the story of how he found me.
"So like I said I was with the group and then a massive herd came along, the biggest one i've ever seen. Maggie was nearly killed. This guy called Will and a girl were killed by them." He tells me.
"Will and Corey." I say. He looks at me confused and then understanding floods his beautiful features.
"Thats right, you knew them." He says while feeding Judith her bottle, once the fire was lit.
"Anyways, they were on our tail, too close. We were as good as dead and I did the only thing I could do. I sacrificed myself. I never in a million years thought I was gonna get away." He informs me.
"But I heard a man scream.... It must have been you." I say.
"Yeah, it was me. They were so close to me but I got up and ran. I got a few paces until I tripped and I fell on my leg. I think I broke it, hence the limp. I'm not sure though I havn't gotten the chance to look at it. I've been on the move looking for you since I got away. I had to climb up and dangle from a tree until the herd passed. When they did I finally started to search for you.
"I thought you were dead" I admit.
"So did I." He whispers hugging a now sleeping Judith.
Its quiet for a minute and I listen to the crackle of the fire as sparks jump out and look at the sky nearly as dark as Lukes hair. I finally pluck up the courage to the question i've been busting to ask since I hugged him first, but I was too afraid for the answer.
"Is she alive?" I whisper.
"What?"
"Is Abbie alive?" I say clutching my mothers necklace waiting for the answer. He's quiet until I look into his eyes. He smiles warmly.
"Yes, she's alive..... So is Carl, they're together with everyone." He tells me. I can't help the smile that breaks out over my face. I feel giddy inside. Tears spill over.
"Whats wrong?" Luke asks alarmed.
"I'm just so happy. You don't know what its like to feel so alone for months, to be terrified that you can't help the one person keeping you going. Keeping you alive." I say looking to Judith.
"Maybe not the first part, but I know the feeling of the second." He mumbles next to me.
"Who couldn't you help? Who was keeping you going?" I ask
"You." He whisper as we looked at each other.
"Oh" I say, too shocked to understand my feelings right now. Luke just admitted feelings to me and I don't know how to respond or how to react. Do I like Luke in that way? Do I actually like him more than just my friend? My love for Carl overpowers the love for Luke, but that doesn't mean I don't love Luke too.
Before I can even figure out what i'm thinking his lips touch mine softly at first and then more passionately. I sit there frozen for a minute until I realise what has happened. I begin to push away until his hand touches the small of my back and pulls me closer and suddenly I find myself kissing him back.
Stop Madison! Stop! You love Carl!
With that I pushed him back gentally, knowing that is exactly right. I love Carl. My stomach knots and I get up to stand away from Luke. I pretend to be intrested in putting a log in the fire, which is pretty stupid but I was desperate to get away from the kiss, the tension. I quickly take Judith off of Luke. She calms me down and now I need her badly in my arms even if she is asleep. My moving her wakes her and she begins to cry. I have to admit i'm glad that she does just so I have something to do. I rock her back and forth and shush her until I give up and start a new strategy that is to quietly hum a song that my dad used to sing to me. I used to sing it to Abbie in the Carts when she was afraid. Which was nearly everyday. Judith doesn't go back to sleep but she stops crying. I sit her on the ground and prop Lukes bag behind her to keep her from falling, I place Carls hat on her head and she looks so cute. I look over to Luke who has been watching me the whole time. I shift uncomfortably infront of him.
He sighs.
"I had to Mads, I love you...You needed to know that. I know you love me back, just not in the same way. We don't need to talk about it ever again. I just needed you to know." He whispers and I nod along.
"Ummm, why don't I take a look at that." I say pointing to his hurt leg, trying to change the subject.
"Sure." He mumbles, rolling up the tracksuit bottom. I push my fingers against different places on his leg, watching his reaction. When he winces at his knee cap I realise thats where the damage had been done. I gentally push at it and examine it like Dr.Alex showed me to. I find myself wondering if she ever made it out alive.
"I don't think it's broken, but I think you might have dislocated it." I tell him. He pulls a face knowing whats coming next. I have to pop it back into place.
He groans "ughhh.... Just do it. But make it quick." He warns.
I feel awkward placing my hand on his thigh and another under his calf muscle, but I had no other choice. I hand him a sock from his bag and he puts it in his mouth to keep from screaming. With one quick jerk his knee pops into place and his scream is muffled by the sock in his mouth. Its awful to say, but knowing I caused him a bit of pain after he kissed me makes me feel a little better. We hear footsteps coming from the surrounding trees and Luke and I quickly grab Judith and out things. We hide seperately behind trees. We hear footsteps emerge from the trees and into where our camp is. Judith is in Lukes arms and Lukes bag is on the ground beside my feet. I'm busy loading my bow with an arrow.
"This is it. She's here.... Hiding somewhere." A voice says and anyone could recognise that voice from anywhere.
Daryl.
Another voice speaks.
"Mads! Its us! We found you." Rick whisper-shouts. I come out from behind the tree followed by Luke with Judith in his arms. Everyone looks blown away with shock.
"MADDIE!!" My favourite voice screams. She runs towards me and I throw my bow and arrows on the ground. She runs into me, knocking me onto my ass, but I don't care. The tears keep streaming down my face and I can't stop them.
"Abbie, I love you so much." I whisper to her. I can't force my arms away from Abbie. I want to hug her forever and it reminds me of the polaride picture we took on her birthday when we hugged. My sobs are just as loud as hers.
"I love you too.. I,I m,missed you s,so much." She stutters between sobs. I pull back so I can just take in her face. Her brown- blond hair is longer and sticks in all directions. She traced the stitches on my fave and I push the hair out of her face. I look up to see Judith in Ricks arms and he looks as if he's trying not to cry, because he's a leader, but he's also a father. I hope i'm as brave as him someday. Abbie helps me to my feet while we laugh. I look up and my breath catches in my throat as the god like man that is my boyfriend stands infront of me. I run towards him and jump on him, literally jump on him. I sit on his waist and I waste no time as I smash my lips against his. At this point I don't care who's around or who's watching. The woods could be on fire right now and I still wouldn't know, i'm too connected to Carl to even care. Our tounges move in sync as the firey feeling comes in the pit of my stomach. His hand moves up my back to cup the back of my neck and then my cheek as he deepens the kiss. I struggle to restrain myself from going further as people are still here but I cant help it. My blood crackles like fire under my skin. All I can think about is how his body is pressed against mine and how his hand slides back down my neck and down my back, brushing over my ass and then under my thighs to hold me up. I finally pull back gasping for air.
"I love you so much." I whisper to him.
"You have no idea how much I missed you... I love you too.... So much." He smiles into the next kiss.
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