Madison Grimes

29

I turn back to my brother and notice the group getting out of their cars. I look to the sky and see it's because the sun is a little over the horizon. Nothing like an early start.

"Good luck, brother." I pat him on his shoulder and open Lori's door since she's awake. "I'm going to go get Belle, let me know if you need anything." He just nods.

"Thank you." I send him a smile and walk away. There's going to be a new me. Lori can turn to me when she needs me because I need to keep Rick, Carl, and the new baby safe. I can't do that if she's mad, so I'll just tough it out. I stop at the limo and quietly open the door. Hershel immediately leaves and stretches.

"Thank god, I didn't think he'd ever stop talking." I laugh as I get in and carefully pick Belle up.

"I was just talking to him about the prom." I shake my head with a smile as I step out of the limo as well.

"I know what to get you for your birthday!" He looks at me confused.

"What?"

"Duck tape." He slams the door shut and walks beside me.

"Haha, very funny Nichole."

"Don't make me beat your ass, pretty boy."

"You couldn't if you tried." I send him a glare that sends him running ahead of me.

"Yeah! Run away!" I shake my head with a laugh as I stop at the car Daryl and I were in during the storm. I open the door and find it empty, not even my backpack's in here. Maybe Daryl grabbed it. I walk to the car Rick and I were at and find everyone here.

"You mean to tell us that you've known this long and you didn't tell anyone?" T-Dog asks, anger clear in his voice. He never gets angry, this must be what Jenner said. I stop next to Daryl and grab my bag from him. I sit Belle in the car Carl's in and let them talk.

"I told one person and the two of us decided that it was best we stayed quiet about it." Everyone looks at me as I close the door and stand closer to the group.

"You knew?" Glenn asks. I nod and watch faces grow angry with me.

"We didn't know if what Jenner said was true." Rick trails off.

"Not until Shane." I look at Randell and he looks down too.

"What did you do to Shane?" Lori asks with tears in her eyes. Rick turns to me.

"You'll have to hear Madison's version first." To my surprise, Lori stays quiet. Thank god.

"I went to the barn to speak to Randell and I noticed he was gone. I looked at the chains and noticed the key still in one of the cuffs. That's how I knew it was staged. I grabbed my flashlight and followed the trail of three different sets of footprints. I thought it was strange to have three instead of one. When I found Randell, he was taken as prisoner by Shane and Blair. I don't know what their intentions were exactly but Randell does, he was there longer than I was." I look at Randell and he looks at me like I shot his dog. "Go ahead." He nods and looks around the group.

"Blair was with the same group I was with. Their plan was to bring Madison and me as bargaining chips to show they were apart of their group. They were going to bring the group back to do awful things, some of which I can't say because there's children ears present." Everyone nods and stands starring at him for a while. Daryl's the one to break it as he grabs Rick arm and the two of them head past the tree line. As people start dispersing, I follow Lori.