Deadland

Chapter 116- Bug-a-boo

"Woah!" She suddenly shouts, holding her fist up and peering through binoculars. Beatrice looks at me but I make sure to keep my expression calm so she doesn't freak herself out.

"It's Ezekiel." Michonne finally says, lowering her binoculars. 

"Why's the King out here?" Judith asks. 

"I don't know." Michonne admits, sitting back down on her horse. "You guys keep riding to Hilltop." 

"Good luck, Mom." Judith says. 

"Thanks, baby. I'll be right behind you." Michonne replies as she sets off after Ezekiel.

Beatrice looks at me, "I forgot to show you." She says, grabbing something out of her pocket. When she does, she hands me an old Polaroid Damien secretly took of Cato and I sitting on the edge of a cliff, just talking. Our faces are calm and he's laughing at something I said while I'm rolling my eyes. The sun is in front of us, making our skin glow gold and the trees behind us are a dark, foresty green, contrasting to our dark attire. We both look genuinely happy, something I miss more than anything. 

I can feel my heart shatter as I grab the Polaroid. My chin quivers uncontrollably and I fight the tears that are begging to stream out of my eyes. "Bug...when did you get this?" 

She looks at the yellowing Polaroid before looking at me, "They gave it to me to show me what you look like." 

I sniff and hand Alyssa and Inejra the Polaroid so they can look at it, too. "I lost it," Beatrice admits, looking at her feet. "That's why I didn't give it to you sooner. I was super duper sad about it but I found it under my dresser in my room." 

I nod and gently squeeze her shoulder, "Thank you." The Polaroid comes in between Beatrice and I as Alyssa hands it back, her eyes red and glossy. I grab it and offer it back to Beatrice, but she shakes her head. 

"I have one of them both. You can keep that one. I'll show you mine but, "She furrows her brows and frowns. "I'm keeping mine." 

I scoff, "You can keep that one. I like mine." 

"Magna!" I yell, leaping off of the carriage before it stops moving. There's a wall down at the Hilltop next a a massive fallen tree. Walkers are beginning to make their way into the walls, posing a way bigger threat than that damn tree. I race over to her and quickly check her before kissing her quickly, "Are you alright?" 

"Yeah," She pants, looking behind me. 

I follow her gaze and see a terrified Beatrice backing away from two Walkers. "Beatrice!" I waste no time, I run straight to her, leaping, spinning in a circle, and cracking my whip on both Walkers' heads. "Go inside, now!" 

"I can't leave you out here, Adrian! It's not safe! I wanna be lethal!" 

I crouch in front of Beatrice, sweat already dotting on my skin from my nerves. "Bug, you cannot stay out here no matter how much you want to be dangerous. You have no weapons, no training, nothing. As soon as we get back to Alexandria," I say, speaking frantically. "I will train you but-" I grunt and fall to the ground as a Walker pushes me down. Beatrice gasps and freezes in front of me."Go inside!" I order, groaning and rolling on my back so I can face the Walker on top of me. The Walker snaps and growls on top of me, my fingers beginning to smush through the skin of its shoulder. I don't hear a response, so I assume Beatrice listened. 

Just then, blood splatters down on my face and the Walker stops snarling and moving. It drops dead on my stomach and I see Ezekiel standing before me, panting with his bloody sword in his hand. I nod as a thank you and he offers his hand to me to help me stand up. When I do, I quickly glance around to make sure Beatrice isn't still outside. "She went inside." Ezekiel assures me, killing a Walker. I release a sigh of relief and crack my whip on three Walkers' heads.