Madness (Completed)

I'm Alright

I suddenly realize what I just witnessed. Jack flutters his eyes a few times, probably to wake himself up better. I almost jump out of me chair, but Marks arm catches me before I do. That's when I remember, I can't go running over there because my calf is injured.
"Wade." I just say his name, catching his attention instantly. I nod my head towards Jack, which causes Wade to turn his head in his direction. His eyes widen and Wade embraces Jack, even though he's still laying down.
"Oh, hey. What's up?" Jack chuckles weakly as he wraps his arm around Wade in return.
"You got shot, it was kinda worrying." Mark responds like the smart allec he is.
"Oh shit. That sucks, and I feel the pain now." Jack responds, letting go of Wade entirely and leaning his head on the couch. Wade releases Jack and kneals by him in a protective manner.
"How long was I out?" Jack asks, rubbing his head lightly.
"Probably about an hour, how do ya feel?" Wade asks, his eyes glancing at Maddie then back at Jack.
"Tired, in pain. The usual after you get shot." Jack chuckles. Well, his sense of humor never truly goes does it?
"I know how you feel." Emmet speaks up with a chuckle afterwards.
"Same here." I chuckle with them. Jacks eyes focus on me after I speak.
"So, he's awake. Now what?" Maddie asks impatiently.
"Can you walk Jack?" Bob asks, pulling Wade to his feet next to him.
"I'm not sure. Can I have a little test before I properly answer that?" Jack asks, sitting up on the couch. He seems eager to move around, I'm not sure why. All of my body just wants to rest, but that might be more from the pregnancy and less from the bullet wound.
"Sure thing." Bob responds taking s step back for Jack to get up. Jack slowly moves himself so his legs hang over the edge of the couch. He then proceeds to put both his arms next to him and push himself to his feet. Jack stands, his arm still acting as support for him to stand. He then slowly releases his hand from the couch and takes a step. Jack then stumbles in his action and collapses to the ground. Wade and Bob rush to help him back up.
"You okay?" They ask in unison. Jack chuckles weakly and nods as they help him back to the couch. Jack sits on the couch and places his hand where he had gotten shot.
"I think walking might have to wait." Jack sighs in annoyance.
"Well, its been over an hour. We're going, I'm sorry." Maddie says, pulling Emmet to his feet to join her.
"That was the deal, so don't apologize. Hope you find your fiancé, and that you stay alive long enough to see us again." I tell her, knowing that she is scared and will just get angrier the linger we make her stay.
"Thank you, it was nice to know you Violet. I hope we see you again, goodbye everyone." Maddie says, waving farewell to everyone as she and Emmet begin to walk outside. The guys wave goodbye and a few of them say good luck and bye in different forms.
"Nice meeting you, bye." Emmet says, walking out of the building behind Maddie who had already left. I wish I could've said more to them, and that Maddie wasn't as scared as she is about whatever it is that terrifies her so much. Maddie seemed so on edge and nervous whenever we stayed in one place, ad if she was running from someone...
"Maddie!" I shout to her, she couldn't have gone too far. I hear her footsteps come back inside and confusion placed on her face ad she approaches me.
"What are you so scared of?" I ask her curiously.
"What do you mean?" She questions me in return, as if she didn't know.
"Why were you in such a rush to get out of here? Unless you were running from someone. Who are you running from Maddie?" I ask, making myself more clear.
"No one... I just don't think it's safe here." She tries to explain to me, but it just sounds like lies to me.
"If it wasn't safe, that's one thing. But you wanted to leave as soon as you could, even though you had no reason to. We have a big group that can protect ourselves, but you just want to leave." I tell her, knowing every bit of my sentences were true. Maddie sighs heavily and looks towards the ceiling.
"I know, you're right I guess. I have been running." Maddie says, still not daring to look at anyone else in the group after he confession.
"From who?" Mark questions her before I have a chance to.
"Do I have to go into details? I just want to leave..." Maddie trails off, her eyes instantly locking on the front door. I suddenly get a revelation that I should have had from the very beginning.
"You don't have a missing fiancé... Do you? You just have some type of stalker that you've been running from..." I tell her my thoughts. Maddie's eyes flash with terror and then she stares at me in shock.
"Yes." Is all she says to me, her voice is full of terror. Maddie's face is pale and her eyes are full of complete horror as if what I said was disgusting.
"What did he do to you?" I question her, positioning myself better in my chair.
"Too much." Maddie responds, her eyes start to well up with tears just at heating my question. I guess this topic is very sensitive for her and that this guy did something awful, I can't imagine.
"Then don't leave. You're safer in numbers and we have more supplies and weapons than you both combined." I give my offer to her, knowing that being in our group would be better than on your own, I would know.
"We can't... What if he finds me... Or finds all of you?" Maddie questions me in pure terror.
"Then he should be the one worried." I smirk at her.
"No... You don't understand... He is strong , mercy less, and very dangerous. He has a bigger group than this, and your group is injured anyways. I appreciate your help and offer, but we are better off on our own. Come on Emmet." Maddie starts to walk out of the building. Emmet stays inside, just looking over everything we have and everyone in the group.
"No." He says sternly. Maddie walks back inside and stands in front of him in confused shock.
"What?" She hisses at him angrily. Emmet nods at her answer.
"You heard me." Emmet responds to her in the same, stern tone.
"We are leaving." Maddie tells him angrily.
"You can, I'm not." He says in a more calm voice this time.
"Emmet, you can't do this to me. You know what he did to us and you know why we can't be here. Let's go." Maddie says in a sweet voice, trying to bring Emmet to see things her way.
"And? How is being in the woods running away from our problems going to make it any better? We have a much better chance with people who can actually provide us. They can help with food, water, and give us tons if safety. I'm staying here Maddie." Emmet tells her angrily, as if she was being ridiculous not agreeing with him right away. But I understand, she is scared.

This passed year I have been terrified just to talk to people. I've seen what they are capable of. After all, when the apocalypse started, we tried to get shelter in a cabin. I slept by myself in the master bedroom. Little did we know that the cabin had an owner and he would be back soon. When he got back, he had a woman with his that was screaming in horror an pain. He was dragging her inside and to different rooms by her hair, she had little clothing on and looked like she was is extreme distress. The man took her to the room I was in and instantly work me up. As soon as he saw me, the man grinned and shot the woman in front of me. He started towards me, trying to do whatever he wanted, but before he could, Jack bolted inside the room and shot the man. Those were some of the first deaths I had witnessed, and ever since then I had been so quiet around strangers. That was, until recently. After what happened with Mark, I felt like I had so much more power and that I could truly do whatever I wanted. I understand how it is to be so terrified of every little action you make. I understand what it's like to wake up every morning just because you are too paranoid to sleep any longer. Paranoid that someone will come inside and kill you if you don't wake up right now. I know how it is to be so scared that you can't even look at your reflection. I also know how it is to feel in power. I have felt extreme power with every Eater I kill. Every person I threaten, it all fills me with a sense of power. It's a way to show myself that I don't have to be scared, that I am powerful and can beat anything I'm scared of.

I nudge Marks shoulder with my arm to get his attention, which he immediately gives to me.
"Can you bring her back over here? I need to tell her something." I tell Mark, which he gives me a nods to. Mark walks to Maddie and tells something I don't hear and points to me. Maddie's eyes lock with mine as she walks towards me and stops standing in front if the chair I sit in.
"He can't get you. No matter how strong he is, you can be stronger. No matter how bad you think he is, you can be worse to him. No matter how far you run, you can never run far or fast enough. So stop running, because you can beat him in every way you think he can beat you." I tell Maddie, still having images from my past leaking into my mind.
"Y-you don't understand." Maddie stammers nervously.
"Then make me understand." I state to her, just waiting for an explanation.
"I-I-I... I can't here. I-I will only tell you, and not in front of any of them." Maddie still is stammering and I see her hands quivering next to her hips.
"Hey guys! Can you leave Maddie and I alone for a bit? I'll call you back when we're done." I Call to the guys, never breaking eye contact with Maddie.
"It might take a second or two, considering I can't walk." Jack chuckles to me.
"Okay." I respond, completely serious at my request.
"Wait. Are you serious." Jack questions me in shock. I roll my eyes and look at him.
"Yes. Go." I tell him.
"Why?" Jack asks me.
"Because I said so."
Jack rolls his eyes and starts getting off the couch with Bob and Wade helping his out the door. The rest if them leave and close the door for us to talk.
"Go ahead. I'll listen to your entire story." I say once they all have left.
"It's gonna be a while." Maddie warns me, as if this is a problem I have to worry about.
"I have time. Go ahead." I respond.
"But I don't know where to start." She says before taking in another deep breath.
"Just... Start from the beginning." I suggest. Maddie takes in a deep, shaky breath and begins.