HEART OF GLASS¹ ━━ the walking dead ✓

[ 044 ] target practice

"I just worry about Judith, y'know?" she admitted apprehensively, twiddling her thumbs together, "Carl and Sage . . . they're just little kids. Even if we survive this, if this Governor does come and we manage to beat him, it'll impact 'em long term."

Marley gave a steady nod of agreement, "Yeah. I think it's already impacted Sage. I hardly know who she is anymore, Beth." Fiercely, she wiped her eyes before any tears had the chance to fall, "She's like a shell of who she used to be."

"My Daddy said she'll come around," Beth assured softly. Her voice itself was soothing, like a balm smoothed over sunburn or aching skin. It provided temporary relief, "You just gotta give her time. Things always get better."

"Do they? Feels like everything is just getting worse."

"You have to believe. I know God ain't you're kind of thing, Marley, but there are things to believe in beyond Him. Like hope."

Hope. It felt like such an unreliable concept these days. An untouchable entity, way beyond the grasps of human touch.

Marley hadn't believed in it for a long time ━ since Sophia crept out of the Greene's barn, decomposed and snarling. Everything since then felt like a never ending series of unfortunate events; like a farce. They were surviving . . . but for what? To avoid death out of fear? And for who? Marley lived for Sage, and Rick lived for Carl and Judith, and Maggie lived for Beth and Hershel and Glenn; but who did Carol live for, and who did Daryl breathe for? They suffered at the hands of the dead, and they kept living despite it. For what? There was no hope anymore. It was gone.

How could Beth still believe in something that was proven unreliable?

Marley's eyes drifted across the prison, landing on her sister. She was sitting on the steps. That was her permanent spot of residence as of late ━ out of the way of everyone else. One of her colouring books was splayed on her lap, and she was scratching a near-blunt green crayon across the page, her nose scrunchied in concentration. The bandage around her neck was spotted with blood; it was due a change today. 

Beth noticed Marley watching Sage, and she leaned over, gently knocking their shoulders together, "Hey, I know what you saw at Woodbury was awful, but you gotta stop worryin.' If my Daddy said she'll come around . . . then I have full faith she will."

"I trust your faith," Marley murmured. Her hand instinctively gravitated to her mouth, and she started chewing on the hangnail around her thumb, "This world changes people for the worst, and I think I just assumed Sage was untouchable as long as I was around. But then Woodbury happened, and she got hurt, and I realised I was wrong."

Beth squeezed Marley's shoulder reassuringly, "It's not all on you. As you said, the world changes people. Can't avoid it. Can't stop it."

"I wish I could," Marley griped.

"But you can't," Beth insisted, "Nobody can. We're all victims of it ━ this world. If we're patient, we might just see the light at the end of the tunnel. It can't be bad forever."

Marley cocked an unconvinced brow, "Can't it?"

"Were you always this pessimistic?"

A small laugh reverberated in Marley's chest, "Yeah, I guess so."

"No, not always. When you were at my bedside, encouragin' me to keep goin,' that was optimism," Beth recalled forlornly, "Do you remember that?"