𝙏hey set out the next morning, piled into the R.V. and a car with hardly any room to move. Adalyn, once more, had been forced into the R.V. with Rick, even after she'd begged to join him in the car.
Eric took the bed. They didn't want him moving around on his ankle. Eugene played cards with Tara at the table. Adalyn sat on the floor beside the couch, braiding loose strands of hair as they fell into her face. It needed to be trimmed. With her luck, a biter would get ahold of it, then she'd be done for.
"Abraham," Rosita said from the passenger's seat. "Look."
In the distance, the Washington monument stood tall, pristine white in an otherwise bleak world.
Rosita chuckled at Abraham's wide-eyed expression. "Eyes on the road, champ."
He nodded. "How much longer we got?" he asked.
"Looks like we're a little over halfway there," Rosita said. "Why?"
Abraham stared ahead. "We can make it." He smiled weakly. "We can make it."
They couldn't make it.
They pulled off to the side as Glenn and Abraham got to work on the R.V., all the others trying to occupy themselves whatever way they could think of. Adalyn sat on the grass, scratching at dried dirt that clung to her jeans. Her sneakers, once pristine white converse, had gone a dark shade of brown. The sides were worn, almost to the point of holes. The laces were frayed. She'd need to find new shoes, preferably sooner than later.
She glanced up at the sound of footsteps, offering a smile as she realized it was Carl, holding Judith in his arms. "Hey, kid," she greeted, scooching aside to allow him to sit beside her.
"Hey," he said.
"Almost there," she said. "How do you feel?"
Carl shook his head. "How do you feel?" he asked.
Adalyn bit her lip. "I don't know, kid," she said. "I'm excited. But I'm also scared. If this place isn't what Aaron says it is, I don't..." She shook her head, running her fingers through her hair. "I don't know what we'll do. But your dad will figure things out. I know he will."
"I know," Carl said. "He always figures it out."
"He's a smart guy," Adalyn said, smiling despite herself.
Carl seemed to hesitate. "You like him. I know that you do."
Tara started cheering when Abraham and Glenn got the R.V. started. Adalyn smiled, glad of the interruption. She got to her feet, reaching down to help Carl. "Let's get back on the road," she said, and that was, thankfully, the end of that conversation.
They loaded once more into the vehicles. Adalyn ignored Rick's prior statements, climbing into the back of the car beside Carl. Michonne took the passenger's seat. Rick drove. He didn't question Adalyn's presence.
Adalyn tensed slightly when they reached the community's gates.
Beyond the gates, Adalyn could hear voices speaking, children laughing and talking. She reached over the driver's seat, squeezing Rick's shoulder. Michonne smiled.
