𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬, 𝐁𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 | TWD [Book 1]

XXII. The Echoes of Heartache

"I knew he'd reach out eventually, but you needed a friend yesterday," Daryl responds, trailing behind her. As they stop in a room, surveying for breaches, he halts beside her, his watchful eyes never leaving her. "You know, my mom, she liked her wine." He starts, the women not liking the idea of him opening up to her. "She liked to smoke in bed. Virginia Slims. I was playing out with the kids in the neighborhood. I could do that with Merle gone. They had bikes, I didn't. We heard sirens getting louder. They jumped on their bikes, ran after it, you know, hoping to see something worth seeing. I ran after them, but I couldn't keep up. I ran around a corner and saw my friends looking at me. Hell, I saw everybody looking at me. Fire trucks everywhere. People from the neighborhood. It was my house they were there for. It was my mom in bed burnt down to nothing. That was the hard part. You know, she was just gone. Erased. Nothing left of her. People said it was better that way." He sighs, slightly shaking his head. "I don't know. Just made it seem like it wasn't real, you know?"

"Grief's a strange thing," Madeleine muses, her eyes distant. "It makes you feel the unexplainable. You have to feel it until it passes. Or it stays, and you learn to live with it."

"I understand," Daryl responds quietly.

"I can't help but grow colder," Madeleine confesses, their eyes locked. "It's how I cope."

"I know, Mads."

"Come on. This way!" Interrupted by Oscar storming through her room, cutting off the tension slowly forming in the room. Daryl and Madeleine share one last glance, before they follow after Oscar, entering another cell, the prisoner running over to grab the slippers. "Oh, that's what I'm talking about."

Daryl narrows his eyes at him, "What the hell you need slippers for?"

"You know, end of the day, relaxing." Oscar smiles, the women raising an eyebrow at his words.

All of the sudden a walker appears out of nowhere, the man attempt to shoot at it, but Madeleine grabs the sword from her back and with a swift motion, she decapitates it.

"Nice, but I always liked the bow on you better," Daryl comments, observing her returning the sword to its place on her back.

"Must have been in the cell at the end. We checked everywhere else." Oscar remarks, diverting their attention to a peculiar object on the walker's body.

"That's Carol's knife," Daryl recognizes, retrieving the blade.

Madeleine's head snaps toward him, a glimmer of hope in her eyes which he has never seen dance in her eyes. "Could she be alive?"

"Only one way to find out."

Daryl and Madeleine traverse the corridors of the prison, their hearts racing with anticipation as they seek any sign of Carol. After a frantic search, they finally stumble upon her confined in one of the cells. Relief floods through Madeleine as she rushes forward, engulfing Carol in a warm, unexpected hug.

Carol, taken aback by the sudden display of emotion from Madeleine, looks on in mild surprise. Her confusion momentarily lingers before a glimmer of recognition and appreciation fills her eyes.

Daryl, witnessing the unexpected but heartfelt gesture from Madeleine, offers a gentle smile, silently conveying his relief at finding Carol safe. Together, they assist Carol out of the cell, exchanging glances that speak volumes of the relief and gratitude they share in that moment. Madeleine's smile, genuine and rare, reflects her profound relief at finding Carol alive and safe. Daryl, equally relieved, returns the smile, grateful to see a glimpse of warmth in her expression.

☠︎☠︎☠︎☠︎☠︎☠︎☠︎☠︎☠︎☠︎☠︎

Daryl finds himself in his secluded corner, a rare moment of solitude amidst the commotion outside. He noticed Madeleine entering the cell block, her presence almost intrusive in its ability to draw attention.