𝙏erminus. That was where they were headed. Or, at least, that was where they were dropping Glenn and Tara. The signs were everywhere, boldly making their promise. THOSE WHO ARRIVE, SURVIVE. Alongside one of these signs had been a note, written in biter blood across the front of a generator. GLENN go to Terminus MAGGIE. That was the first of the notes. There were the others. Mostly as they ventured nearer to the train tracks.
Adalyn wasn't sure what was waiting for them at Terminus. Maybe safety, a home after so long being out there. Maybe nothing. Destroyed remnants of a place that once was. She didn't let herself think about that. Not when safety seemed to be so close.
Adalyn hoped they had booze. She wanted to get drunk. Forget everything for a minute. Have a moment where she could just... act like things were back to normal. Even if it was just for a day, because no way Abraham would want to stay very long. For now, however, she was stuck with this group, listening to Eugene blabber on about one thing or another.
"I'm well aware it sounds bananas," he was saying to Tara. "But looking at the fossil record, knowing what I know about this infection, you cannot say for certain it isn't what killed off the dinosaurs. Now, do I believe that's what happened? No. But it's enjoyable to think about an undead ankylosaur going after a diplodocus. That there is a video game worth a preorder."
Tara stopped to pick a quarter off the ground. "Oh, hell yeah. Score," Eugene said. "A few more of those, a little aluminum foil and some bleach, you got yourself some volts, sister." At Tara's expression, he explained. "Homemade battery."
She handed it over. "Here," she said.
"For reals?" he asked. "You don't want it?"
"For reals," she said, flashing a smile.
Eugene gave a nod. "Much obliged."
The kept walking, and Eugene just kept talking to Tara. "Speaking of video games, what kind of gamer were you? RPGs, shmup, sim racing?"
Adalyn rolled her eyes, falling back to whisper to Rosita. "I think he's flirting."
"Or trying his best," Rosita answered just as quietly, holding back laughter.
"She's not having it."
"Would you be?"
They dissolved into soft laughter, earning a sideways look from Abraham. "What's so funny?" he asked.
Adalyn waved a hand at him. "Girl talk," she said, and that was the end of it.
Night fell quickly enough. They settled on the side of the road, just at the start of the forest, hidden among the trees. Adalyn set her things up on the side of the tracks, resting her head on her bag and crossing her ankles. She fell asleep pretty fast.
Morning brought more chatter from Eugene. Adalyn was on the verge of snapping at him every time he opened his mouth. "Been rubbing me wrong, is all," Eugene was saying, once more talking to Tara, who just looked so god damn tired. "I'm an even-Steven type gentleman. You help me find the supplies, we'll share the battery and whatever juice we scare up, minimal as it may be. Deal?"
No response from Tara. She glanced up. Something caught her attention, and then she was moving ahead of the others with wide eyes. Glenn followed suit.
A note.
GLENN go to Terminus MAGGIE SASHA BOB. Glenn looked stunned. He started running ahead, not looking back for the others, who stared after him.
They followed after a minute. Didn't take them long to realize that he wasn't going to turn back to look for them. Adalyn had to admit, for a man who had been passed out not three days prior, he had some speed to his walk. A man on a mission. They had reached a concrete tower that stood tall beside the tracks. "Hold up!" Abraham called when Glenn began to run ahead once more. "We're stopping here. Tired is slow. Slow is dead."
"It's barely noon," Glenn said, looking up at the sky.
"I don't give a monkey's left nut," Abraham replied. "None of us has slept more than a couple hours straight since we went all Casey Jones. This place looks safe. We need to rest."
Glenn stared down the road. Abraham continued. "I get it. You have to find her. Well, Rosita, Addy, and me, we got a mission, too." He pointed at Eugene. "It's keeping that man alive, getting him to Washington, and saving the whole damn world. So we're going in that tower and we're going now."
Biters. Growling. Coming from above.
"Oh, crap," Abraham stated as they all looked up.
Glenn realized before any of them. "Hey, hey, hey, watch out!" he urged, running forward.
A biter came into view, just above Eugene. Abraham processed as well; if Eugene didn't get out of the way, he was done for. "Go, go!" he urged.
In his haste to get ahold of Eugene and get him away, Abraham shoved Tara to the ground. He narrowly avoided the falling biter, which hit the ground with a splat. Adalyn winced, stepping away from the blood that pooled around it.
"Are you okay?" Rosita asked Tara, who clutched her knee, face screwed up with pain.
"I'm fine," Tara replied.
Rosita shook her head. "We gotta stay here. Who's gonna help me carry her up?"
Glenn moved to Tara, helping her off the ground. "You okay?" he asked.
She nodded. "Yeah."
"You wanna stop or you wanna keep going?"
"No, keep going. I'm good."
"You sure?"
"Yeah. Yeah."
Glenn looked up at the others. "Look, if she can keep going, we can all keeping going," he said. "Or you guys can stay here. You don't need us, we don't need you. It's okay."
"Wow, you're an ass," Rosita stated.
Adalyn shoved her, but Rosita just kept talking, pointing at Tara. "She will do whatever you say because she thinks she owes you. Man up. Stay here for a few hours."
Glenn sighed. He turned to Abraham, trying to plead his case. "You just care about keeping Eugene safe, right? It's the only reason you want to stop?" When Abraham said nothing, Glenn continued. "We go until sundown, I give Eugene my riot gear, right here, right now. Everybody wins."
"Except her," Rosita said, giving a nod toward Tara.
"You're not her mama," Abraham said. His eyes drifted to Tara. "She says she can walk, she can walk." He nodded at Glenn. "You got yourself a deal."
"Okay," Glenn said. He started to take off his riot gear.
Adalyn stepped over to Tara, keeping her voice low. "You sure you're okay?"
Tara nodded. "Yeah," she said. "I'm fine."
