damnation → the walking dead ⁴

[ 034 ] hell hath no fury.

DAMNATION.

chapter thirty-four, hell hath no fury.
[ season eight, episode thirteen ]

HORNS BLARE IN THE distance.

All of the Hilltop prepares for a battle against the Saviors. They aren't sure how it's going to play out. It'll either go their way or the Saviors way.

Some pray. Others don't.

The Saviors are on their way no matter what God they pray to.

The children are moved inside Barrington House. Brielle, Judith, Flynn, Gracie. All of them under the age of fourteen are inside a room that's locked. Two adults remain inside the room with the kids, promising to protect them until their lungs give out and their hearts stop beating.

Theo Hawthorne-Grimes is a mourning brother. He lost one and now he's lost another. He blames himself for both. Just as he still blames himself for Penny's death. But now is not the time to dwell on ghosts.

As he preps his weapons in the highest point of Barrington House, a voice speaks up over his radio, "you good, Thee?"

He reaches for the walkie. "Yep," he responds. "How's it going down there, Des?"

"Everyone's gettin' ready," she replies. "Are you good for what you're gonna have to do tonight?"

He takes a deep breath. Just a few weeks ago he hesitated every time he had to kill someone. He hesitated with his father several times and the last time it got Hershel killed. After Glenn and Abraham, he learned. There is no time for hesitation in this new world. You have to be fast. It's kill or be killed. "Gotta be," he finally says. "Go, Des. Get ready. Over."

"Over," she says.

As the sun sets, the combined people from all three communities wait for what's to come.

Some people aren't gonna make it. Everyone knows that. People are going to die tonight. Saviors, Alexandrians, Hilltoppers, people of the Kingdom. People will die. There's no stopping it.

Odessa will not be one of those people.

Not tonight, it's not her time. Maybe one day she'll be the one being buried. She'll be the one being mourned. But not tonight and not tomorrow. Not anytime soon.

Not until Negan and Kathleen are both dead.

She hopes Kathleen is here tonight. She's going to make her hurt. Especially after what she did to her the night they attacked Alexandria.

"Hey," a voice speaks up. Odessa turns to face Rosita. "You up for this? You're still recovering from that stab wound."

"I'm fine, Ro. I promise," she tells the woman with a fake smile.

"Don't pull that fake smile bullshit on my Des, I know better than to fall for it," Rosita rolls her eyes. "Don't pull that shit on me."

Odessa shrugs in defeat. "Fake it til you make it."

"You aren't going to make it if you don't stop," Rosita grimly informs the girl. "Carl was right, Des. The killing has to stop."