Undead

Emotions aren't real. (318)

MADISON'S POV.

"You must be a special kind of stupid to come back here miss Smith." Clover taunts.
I beg my body to come out of it's frozen state. I force myself to take a deep breath and shake my head, forcing the fear from my body but some of it sticks to me like glue.

She looks like a mad woman, I mean, more than usual. Her usual sleek hair tied back into a bun is now a mess. It hangs lazily to the side of her head while strands of escaped hair sticks out firmly in every direction. Her perfect lipstick is smeared across her face and under her eyes are stained purple, I assume from exhaustion. Sweat covers her body from the heat in the hot box and it's evident as the sweat marks spot her clothes.

"Desperate times." I shrug.
She hums as if she's interested in what I have to say.
"I'm trying to decide if I should write in your report that you're brave or just plain stupid, subject 20399."
She walks over to her desk, kicking Rosita out of her way. I feel fury stir in my stomach. When I look around everybody has their weapons aimed at her but nobody shoots, not yet. We need to find the key.

When I glance back to her I squint, focusing around her neck, and sure enough there it is clinging closely around her neck. I look back to my family and lock eyes with Carl. He tilts his head in the direction of her neck and I nod. He's caught on. I wonder have the rest of them.

Clover sits down on her chair and pulls open one of her drawers. I lift my bow and the same time everybody clicks their ammo into place, ready to fire.
"Relax, I just wanna smoke." She teases, pulling out a box of cigarettes from her drawer. She holds them out as if to offer us one.

Fangs steps out from behind me and growls loudly, showing his teeth before barking loudly. Clover freezes and her eyes bulge only momentarily before she regains her cool and acts as if she isn't petrified.
"Shhh!" I warn Fangs but I pet him anyway. He can tear her to shreds if he wants, I'd actually invite him to.

The door starts to bang from the outside. The dead have found us.
I sigh.
I turn slightly to see Rick's jaw set and he glares at me as if to say 'I told you so'
I look back to Clover.

"Now that's a plot-twist I didn't expect, you found star shine."
"Huh?"
She nods towards fangs.
"Star shine? What kind of stripper name is that? No wonder he hated you." I scoff.
She grinds her teeth in frustration and takes a long drag from her cigarette.

Then, she decides to take a different approach.
"Who's Carl?" Clover asks.
We all look at each other in confusion.
Carl steps forward, with a perfect poker face, showing no sign of either fear or confidence. I watch as Clovers nostrils flare, that would bother her. Her whole purpose is to figure people out and tear them apart but how can you do that if you show no emotion. That was my mistake.

"Rick?" She asks.
He also steps forward.
"Hm." She hums.
"How do you know them?" I ask. I was carefully not to mention any names to her. She knew about Kara but that's because of Dr. kingsworth and his brother.

She shrugs. "I heard you call their names whilst you were spending some deserved time in the hallucination rooms."
"Maggie?" She looks to Michonne but she shakes her head.
"Glenn?" She looks to Daryl.
Oof, that one stings.

"It seems you don't have everybody figured out." Rick teases her.
She shrugs. "I'm just curious. It's in my nature."
"Why are you still here?" Daryl asks the question I was begging to know.
She ignores his question but simply smiles.
"The better question is why are you here?" She replies softly as she puffs on her cigarette.

Neither of us answer the question.
"So... you've found your family, 20399."
I stare at her. Where is she going with this ?
"And your bastard child?" She taunts.
I watch as Carl lifts his gun and starts towards her but Kai flings his hand out to hold him back. Kai looks at Carl and shakes his head. Carl relaxes only slightly.