Rise of the Dead

Chapter 2: The Daughter

"When I saw you I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew." ~ William Shakespeare

- - -

I wake up to the sound of crying and I shoot up straight, dizziness washes over me and I start to panic. The crying, so high pitched and repetitive, it has to be my baby. When I look around the room I see Josh sat in a rickety chair, a small bundle of cloth in his arms that he rocks gently. He's staring at me with a mixture of sympathy and anger in his eyes, causing a frown to tug at my features.

"Josh?" I croak out, "what's wrong?" I ask apprehensively, my heart racing and beating against my throbbing skull. He laughs bitterly, a cold tone which stands the hairs on the back of my neck on end.

"You're really going to ask me that? You were away for seven months and you've already replaced me. Seven months Madeline! I thought you said you'd changed- that I changed you. I thought you loved me, but clearly I meant nothing to you," he spits with a look of pure disgust. I gape in confusion at his words, and then reality hits because he doesn't know it's our baby. I start to giggle nervously, an old habit from my childhood and he shakes his head at me.

"Oh so now it's funny?" he questions bitterly and I shake my head, "God you really are a psychopath".

My eyes sting with hears and a devastating flash of hurt pierces through me, the air suddenly stifling and I'm struggling to breathe. I always knew there was a chance the group wouldn't forgive me, but deep down I'd thought Josh of all of them might have truly known me. 

"No, no," I cry, the tears leaking down my cheeks as I wipe at them harshly, "it's your baby, I do love you, I'd never hurt you," I sob. I see his eyes widen in shock and a mixture of embarrassment and guilt washes over him, his jaw tensing uneasily. 

"I-it's ours?" he stutters questioningly and I nod, my shoulder sagging in exhaustion. "Oh my god! Madeline, I'm so sorry. I just thought, I don't know, you've been away. I just assumed I'm so sorry, I didn't mean what I said," he apologises hurriedly. I shrug him off, hurt still stinging my throat as my eyes drop to the small bundle in his arms.

"Can I see our baby?" I ask and he nods, walking over to hand me the small bundle of warm cloth with the gentlest touch.

I look down and see a tiny baby girl wrapped in the woollen blanket, she stirs and her eyes open wide. She has my chocolate brown eyes, wide and alert- staring intriguingly at the world around her. She has Josh's tanned skin and I stroke her face gently, she's just beautiful. I feel a connection with her that I can't even put into words, I no longer put my safety before anyone else's and I would do anything for her. I would change the world for her.

"So," Josh says, his tone awkward in the silence that has settled, "what do we name her?"

I think about this for a while before a smile creeps onto my face, "What about Ashia?" I ask quietly. Josh smiles back, a look of adoration and affection flickering across his face.

"I love it. Named after the demi-god of life and hope, it's beautiful," Josh says gently and I smile at how apt our baby's name is. 

"Me too, it's so fitting. She symbolises a hope for the future of this world and new life," I say looking down at our daughter in my arms who breaths gently, her baby lips forming a soft pout as she yawns tiredly. I try to remember back to the days before her birth the memories are distorted and patchy, filled with bloodshed and infected.

"What day is it? How long have I been asleep?" I ask Josh, who's face stiffens at the slight panic in my tone.

"You got here on Saturday and it's Monday now," he replies uncertainly.

"So I've been out two days then?" I ask and he nods his head at me slowly, a calm look in his eyes.

"Oh," I say, "I should probably eat and drink then..." I trail off and Josh hands me some bread and water, I look at Josh with a look of distaste that asks why he's feeding me such bland food and he chuckles at my reaction.

"Madeline, you've just been knocked out for two days, not eaten or drunk anything and given birth yesterday. You should take it slowly!" he draws out the last word and I sigh in defeat.

I'm just about to start when I burst out, making Josh jump a little yet our daughter just sleeps on. 

"Where's Soph?" I ask hurriedly, I can't bare what I've put her through, the pain she must have felt when I disappeared.

"She's asleep," Josh reassures me quickly, "but she's been worried sick about you. Crying herself to sleep at night, it didn't get any better when you were knocked out either. She was convinced you weren't coming back to us, mind you so was I," he looks at me sadly and I nod slowly- I know what I've put them both through.

"SOPH?" I call out into the cold air and I hear feet padding along the hall towards me, the door swings open and Sophie comes running in- a look of pure elation in her eyes.

"Madeline?" she croaks out and I smile at her, my eyes glazing over and I feel my throat contract tightly. I reach out my free hand and squeeze hers tightly, bringing it to my lips and placing a gentle kiss on the back of her hand. 

"Meet your niece, Ashia," I say, tears almost threatening to fall. Her eyes fall on the baby in my arms and she gasps, her hand rising to cover her mouth.

"She's so beautiful," she whispers and beams at me. She wraps her arms around my neck squeezing me tightly, her scent of fire and fizzy sweets lingering as she pulls away. "I was so worried about you, Madeline. When you got separated from me and Josh I thought we'd never see you again," she says gently, her voice croaky with emotion. I nod sadly and she stares up at me, a disheartened look in her eyes. 

"I wish mum and dad were here to see their granddaughter. We don't even know if their alive, it hurts so much," Soph says with a pained expression, her eyes brimming with tears. 

"Yeah, me too," I reply, but I doubt I truly mean it. 

There's some things you just can't forgive.