BACKFIRE ² ✶ the walking dead

⠀⠀⠀ 𝟏𝟕. slipknot

⠀⠀⠀That was her most basic dream. Maybe she couldn't be a great inventor or master engineer, but she could be someone to people. She could be a friend, sister, wife to those close to her. There would be times when it would get hard again. Someone would try to destroy everything they worked so hard for, but they would be ready this time. They would learn from their mistakes.

⠀⠀⠀But for now, she could only stare into the fire with a smile.

⠀⠀⠀"Why are you smiling?" Carl asked, bumping his shoulder against hers.

⠀⠀⠀"We're close. I can feel it," Bianca whispered. Her hands curled into fists where they rested on her lap.

⠀⠀⠀"Yeah, a few miles off," Carl agreed.

⠀⠀⠀"No, no, our friends, Judith... they're close. I can feel it, and don't ever question my gut," Bianca told him with a narrow of her eyes and a pointed finger in his face.

⠀⠀⠀Carl chuckled and rolled his eyes.

⠀⠀⠀"Hey, don't be sassy with her," Michonne chastised him with a fond smile. "She's right. From what I heard, you had a feeling about Cal."

⠀⠀⠀After their conversation in the house, Bianca appreciated that Michonne was open to trusting her feelings. At first, it sounded like she just admired her for holding out on hope. A pitying thing when you have nothing to base it on. But Bianca could feel it. She could feel that Cal was still alive, and Michonne agreeing made her feel less crazy.

⠀⠀⠀"Still do," Bianca said.

⠀⠀⠀"Well, I have a feeling we're all hungry, huh?" Rick asked with a smile as well. They could all feel it. How close they were to finding everyone. Their spirits were high, and smiles ran through all of them. "How hungry are you on a scale of one to ten?" he asked Carl.

⠀⠀⠀"Fifteen," Carl sighed.

⠀⠀⠀"Twenty-eight," Michonne upped him.

⠀⠀⠀They laughed.

⠀⠀⠀"Well, it's been a while. I'm gonna go check the snares," Rick said.

⠀⠀⠀"Can I go with you?" Carl asked, scrambling to his feet.

⠀⠀⠀Rick grinned. "Well, how else are you gonna learn?" He looked at Michonne and Bianca, then pointed at them. "Hey, you, too."

⠀⠀⠀Carl stomped out the fire as they gathered their weapons and headed toward the snares.

⠀⠀⠀"We'll stay another day or two. Get some more rest," Rick explained along their walk.

⠀⠀⠀"Finish healing up?" Michonne asked.

⠀⠀⠀"I'm almost there," he said. "How you feelin', Bianca?"

⠀⠀⠀"Still sore, but it'll only get better from here," she sighed.

⠀⠀⠀"We're close now, right?" Carl asked.

⠀⠀⠀"To Terminus?" Rick asked.

⠀⠀⠀"Yeah."

⠀⠀⠀"We are."

⠀⠀⠀"When we get there, are we gonna tell them?"

⠀⠀⠀"Tell them what?" Michonne asked, her brows knit together.

⠀⠀⠀"Everything that's happened to us. All the stuff we've done," Carl explained. He stared at his dad before he continued. "Are we gonna tell them the truth?"

⠀⠀⠀"Is it considered lying if we omit?" Bianca asked, raising her brows curiously.

⠀⠀⠀"Under the law it is," Rick chuckled.