𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬, 𝐁𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 | TWD [Book 1]

LIX. The Hilltop at the End of the Road

"How the hell did you get in?" Madeleine demands, her voice sharp and accusatory, the gun unwaveringly pointed at Jesus.

The urgency of the situation draws more witnesses as Rick and Michonne emerge from their room. On the other side of the hallway, Esperanza appears, holding a knife, with Freya following suit, both of them wearing their shirts inside out. Madeleine raises an eyebrow at the sight of them, and a hint of disgust creeps into her expression as she notices their haphazard attire. Her dad cringes in acknowledgment, well aware of all of them had been up to.

"I'm not going to say it..." Esperanza mutters under her breath, attempting to downplay the awkwardness of the moment.

Madeleine, with a slight groan, shuts her eyes momentarily, as if attempting to erase the unsettling image from her mind. "I'm going to have nightmares for the rest of my life," she mumbles.

The creak of the front door signals the, and with guns drawn, Maggie, Glenn, and Abraham rush up the stairs, their faces etched with a mix of urgency and concern. The realization that the captive man has somehow managed to elude their grasp tightens the air.

Michonne, stepping forward with a calming demeanor, raises her hands. "It's- it's okay," she reassures, her eyes scanning the room for any signs of hostility.

The Grimes man catching sight of his daughter, observes her poised stance, a silent communication passing between them. She places her gun down, prompting the rest of their group to follow suit.

Turning his attention back to Jesus, Rick places a hand casually resting on his hip. "You said we should talk. So let's talk."

Madeleine narrows her eyes at Jesus, suspicion lingering in her gaze. "How in the heavens did you get out, Jesus?" she demands, a hint of incredulity coloring her tone.

"One guard can't cover two exits or third-floor windows. Knots untie and locks get picked," Jesus explains, his words carrying an air of detached rationale before his gaze shifts to Daryl, who shoots him a piercing glare. "Entropy comes from order, right?"

Daryl scoffs, "Right."

"I checked out your arsenal," Jesus confesses, prompting Madeleine to exchange a subtle glance with Daryl. Notably, Jesus isn't wielding any weapons, a fact that doesn't go unnoticed by the observant pair. "I haven't seen anything like that in a long time. You're well-equipped, but your provisions are low. Very low for the amount of people you have. 54?"

Freya, not one to shy away, crosses her arms and glares at the man. "More than that."

"Well, I appreciate the cookie. My compliments to the chef," Jesus adds, offering a nod in acknowledgment of the earlier gesture when Madeleine brought him cookies before retreating to her room with her husband.

Daryl interjects, his gruff voice cutting through the tension. "Yeah, she ain't here."

Jesus sighs, standing up from the stairs to face him directly. "Look, we got off to a bad start." He pauses for a beat, surveying the hallway. "But we're on the same side—the living side. You had every reason to leave me out there, but you didn't. I'm from a place that's a lot like this one. Part of my job is searching out other settlements to trade with. I took your truck because my community needs things, and you three looked like trouble."

"You weren't wrong about that," Madeleine states, her tone laced with a sarcastic smile.

"I was wrong," Jesus corrects her, causing Rick to narrow his eyes at him. "You're good people. And this is a good place. I think our communities may be in a position to help each other."

Glenn, standing behind Jesus on the steps, chimes in. "Do you have food?"

"We've started to raise livestock. We scavenge, we grow. Everything from tomatoes to sorghum," he shares, his words conveying a glimpse into the self-sufficient community he represents.