Undead

The Kara Lily. (307)

MADISON'S POV.

"You sure you're allowed outside ?" Tobin asks at the gate. I don't know him well, I just know him to see around Alexandrea.
Fangs sits patiently at my side like always.
"Sure I am." I reply with a simple shrug.

Carl slides the gate open for us and I take a step toward only for Tobin to reach out and stop me with a stern hand on my shoulder.
I don't even look at him, I keep my eyes locked ahead and grit my teeth.
A bark rips out of Fangs mouth so loud that even I jump a little and Tobin releases me instantly.
"If Rick finds out I let you two-"
"Rick isn't the boss of us." Thats kinda a lie.
"But his son-"
"Carl's a big boy now. I think he'll be okay." I remark.

When he doesn't move I turn my head and stare at him dead in the eye.
"Tell them we'll be back in an hour. If you follow it'll be the last thing you do. I'm in a mood today." I warm.
"Yikes." I hear Carl mutter under his breath.

Carl reaches forward and grabs my hand, hauling me forward.
"Best not mess with her if she's in a mood, trust me."
I slide the gate closed and walk down the narrow path, taking the usual off track into the trees.

Fangs trots along beside us. He's probably excited to be out here, instead of trapped behind those gates. Poor guy, all he's ever known is entrapment.
"So will you tell me where you're taking me now."
I smile and shrug. "I told you, it's a surprise."
I grip my bow a little tighter. It's the first I've had to use it since I got back.

"Are you showing me where you were? We could've taken the car." He perks up.
"No." I answer irritably.
His face falls and I feel bad for being so snappy at him lately. So much guilt, and not just because him but because if others too. It makes it so much harder because that other person is someone I've been dying to talk to, but I'm too ashamed to look at them in the eye.

"We're going somewhere happier. Somewhere I've literally been dreaming of coming back to."
"Where?"
"Patience."
"Wow, that's rich coming from you." He teases, I just smile and roll my eyes.
I follow the familiar path but notice how icy the grass is, stuck up into straight lines, like picks on a comb, and how the usual summery green has turned dark and off color. The ground is now damp yet rock solid from the freezing cool air. The trees have lost their leaves and stand lonely and vulnerable. Nothing is how it was. Everything has changed.

"What's wrong?"
"Nothings wrong, just different."
"A lot has changed since you left Mads."
"No kidding." I mutter under my breath.

I pause, stopping dead in my tracks.
"Not one walker."
We both look around and listen but all that's heard is the crisp breeze that nips at our noses.
"Isn't that a little odd to you ?" I ponder.
"I wouldn't read to much into it, Mads."
"It's never this quiet." I note.
Carl shrugs. "Maybe they went into hibernation. Maybe walkers hate the cold too."
I stare at him blankly. "That was an awful joke."
He just laughs and grabs my hand again, pulling me along. Except this time he doesn't let go.

We walk tighter as I silently guided us to where I wanted to go, until we reached the a wall of bushes that formed in a rounded structure.
"We have to go through the bushes. It's not as bad as it looks, honest." I promise him and he gestured for me to guide the way.
I push the branches out of the way as I push through the bushes until I reach the other side. I wait for Carl there.

"Jesus Mads, half my face just got scratched off," he complains as he pushes through to stand next to me.
I laugh. "I must have gotten used to it."
I turn around to look at the flowers but when I turn around it looks different. It makes me shudder.

My small little meadow by the river sprinkled with every color under the sun has vanished, as if it never existed. The ground is too damp to lie down on and the Lillys are dead, colorless and dead. They slump down as if their stems are too weak to hold them up anymore. I look at the river which is almost completely frozen.
How silly was I to think it would look the same in the middle of winter. It's been months since I was here. The Lilly's also went through trauma, the trauma of winter as the cold took over them, ice setting in their leaves and shriveling them up, killing them.