western nights ( shane walsh )

2.16 ; broken shed

The vehicle cruised down the desolate street, its engine humming as it journeyed back to the farm after an extensive search for Sophia. The once lively road now echoed with the solemnity of the quest, tyres rolling over the pavement with a subtle resonance that mirrored the weight of the unsuccessful pursuit.

The air inside the car hung heavy with a mix of exhaustion, disappointment, and the unspoken hope that lingered for the lost girl.

The landscape, devoid of the anticipated celebration, stretched around them in silent acknowledgement of the unresolved mystery that now accompanied their return. Shane had one hand on the wheel looking forward, with Andrea in the passenger seat. His only focus seemed to be on the road in front of him.

Andrea turned to the man with a sly smirk on her mouth. Putting her hand forward and grabbing onto the crotch of his pants. Turning his head and eyeing her; the only thought in his head was that Natalie had something going on with Glenn.

𓇻

Back at the farm, Natalie found herself in the confines of the bathroom, a sanctuary she sought after obtaining Hershel's reluctant permission. Her gaze fixated on the morning-after pill, her leg jittery as the weight of the decision bore down on her.

Natalie, guided by her respect for Hershel's rules, had reluctantly allowed her access. Yet, amidst the quiet walls, all Natalie could hear were the echoes of Shane's unwavering focus on survival.

Fearing the grim fate that befell Sophia, Natalie reached out, fingers trembling, and grasped the pills.

Red and blue capsules, nearly five of them, met her anxious palm. Lacking a water bottle, she leaned over the sink, letting the cold water from the faucet aid her in swallowing the pills. As she stared into the mirror, the reflection staring back at her revealed a myriad of emotions.

Her once blonde hair, now a faded brown, marked the passage of time and turmoil. Panic-stricken eyes, inherited from her mother, held a torrent of unshed tears. Natalie's gaze traced the contours of her body, uncertainty shrouding her as she questioned the efficacy of the pills.

Reality crashed down, and in a moment of desperation, Natalie hurriedly approached the toilet. Sobs erupted from her core as she inserted both fingers, attempting to trigger a reversal of the decision. Amid her anguish, she grappled with the weight of betrayal – betrayal to herself, to Carl, and the imagined betrayal she might feel if Lori were to make such a decision.

Bent over the toilet, sobs wracked Natalie's body. The world seemed to tremble with her, and she stared at her reflection in the toilet water. A knock at the door cut through her isolation, causing her body to shudder in response. Maggie's voice, concerned and curious, slipped through the door, reaching Natalie's ears.

"Everything okay in there?" Maggie's inquiry hung in the air, and Natalie felt the weight of her vulnerability.

"Ye- Yea," Natalie stammered, hastily flushing the evidence away and discarding the packaging in the trash. Seeking to cleanse herself from the pills, she hurriedly rinsed her mouth under the sink faucet.

As the door creaked open, Maggie's eyes scrutinized the dishevelled woman before her. "Sounded like you were throwin' up," she observed, stating the obvious.

Natalie, attempting composure, placed her hands on her hips. "I'm fine," she asserted, sniffling and panting heavily.

Maggie's gaze shifted to the discarded packaging in the trashcan. Both women recognized the truth simultaneously. In a swift move, they reached for it, but Maggie was quicker. "You're the reason we went out there... for your abortion pills," Maggie accused, her tone filled with a mix of frustration and fear. "Almost got us killed."