𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐇 𝐎𝐅 𝐆𝐎𝐃
Madalyn watched while Sasha exited the church to look for Bob. She had said he went to get air or something but was taking longer than she thought.
Madalyn tried not to think of the worst scenario. He was probably fine. He had to be. ...right?
She turned to where Daryl was but found him gone. She frowned and looked around the church quickly. When she didn't see him anywhere, she started to panic. "Daryl?" she called out while standing up.
The people around her picked up on her distress. Rick placed his hand on her shoulder while looking around the church, too. "Did anyone see him leave?" he asked.
"No. Carol's gone, too," Glenn answered. Madalyn started picking around her nails.
What if the people from Terminus took them? What if they just left? Daryl wouldn't leave without saying goodbye to her, right? What if they were in trouble? What if... what if... what if...
Madalyn felt her heart quicken. All the laughter and chatter was dead. The whole group was on high alert again. Can't they just have one night?
"We need to get Sasha," Rick stated. He placed both of his hands on Madalyn's shoulders and turned her to face him. "We'll find Daryl, okay? He can handle himself, you know that. I'm sure he's fine." Madalyn nodded, trying to show more courage than she felt.
Rick left her and picked up his gun and flashlight. He gestured to Tyreese, and the both of them left the church. Madalyn sucked in a sharp breath, her eyes planted on the door.
Rick was right. Daryl knew how to handle himself. Wherever he was, he would be okay. So... why was Madalyn so scared of him being gone? Why was she so scared of anything happening to him?
'Ain't nothing gonna happen to me, kid.'
He would be okay. 'Just for her.' He'd said it himself.
Madalyn looked to the right at Carl and joined him on the pew. He gave her an encouraging nod that she tried to copy. This time... it felt like she did better than she usually did.
The group inside the church was silent until the doors squeaked open. Madalyn shot her head around to look and saw Sasha, Rick, and Tyreese walk in. Sasha walked down the aisle, straight to Gabriel.
"Stop," she said. Gabriel froze and looked at her in confusion. "What are you doing?" Gabriel frowned while looking around the room briefly. "What are you doing?" Sasha repeated. "This is all connected. You show up,―" She pointed her finger against his chest. "―we're being watched, and now three of us are gone."
Gabriel looked downright horrified. Madalyn didn't think he had anything to do with that. Yes, he was hiding something, but he looked far too scared to have done anything that was happening to them now.
Or he was just a very good actor.
"I..." Gabriel tried to say. "I don't... I don't have anything to do with this."
Sasha pulled out her knife, causing Gabriel to back up in fear. Madalyn sat up straighter while placing her hand on her own knife, just in case. Tyreese shouted. Abraham had to hold back Rosita who tried to rush forward. Carl placed his hand over the top of Madalyn's.
She glanced down before looking at him. He carefully eased her hand away from her knife and held it in his.
And oh, god, Carl was going to be the death of her.
"Who's out there?" Sasha asked Gabriel as he held his hands up, his eyes bouncing between Sasha's face and the knife getting closer to him.
"I- I don't have anything to do with this..." Gabriel babbled.
"Where are our people? "
"I don't have anything to do―"
"What are our people?!" Sasha shouted in his face.
"Please, I don't have anything to do with this," he begged. Rick grabbed Sasha's arm and pulled her back before she could do anything else. He stepped in front of Gabriel.
"Why'd you bring us here?" Rick asked.
Gabriel shook his head. "Please, I- I..."
"You working with someone?" Rick added.
"I'm alone. I'm alone. I was always alone."
"What about that woman in the food bank, Gabriel? What did you do to her? 'You'll burn for this.' That was for you. Why? What are you gonna burn for, Gabriel?" Rick lunged forward and grabbed Gabriel by the front of his shirt. He pushed him against the railing causing Gabriel to grunt. "What? What did you do? What did you do?!" Rick let go of Gabriel.
Madalyn had never heard Rick mad. But damn... he was scary when he wanted to be. Another reason she was glad to be a part of this group and not against it.
Gabriel looked around the group. "I lock the doors at night," he started. "I always lock the doors at night. I always lock the doors at night. I always―" His voice grew shaky as he started to cry. "They started coming, my congregation. Atlanta was bombed the night before, and they were scared. They were- they were looking for a safe place, a place where they felt safe.
"And it was so early. It was so early. And the doors were still locked." Gabriel was silent for a beat while he shook his head quickly. Madalyn did not like where this story was going. "You see... it was my choice. There were so many of them, and they were trying to pry the shutters and banging on the sides, screaming at me."
The scratches by the window...
"And so the dead came for them," Gabriel continued. Madalyn's free hand went up to her mouth while she stared at the man in horror. "Women... children." Carl's hand tensed in Madalyn's. The two of them glanced at each other, the same horror-stricken look on their faces. "Entire families calling my name as they were torn apart, begging me for mercy. Begging me for mercy. Damning me to hell. I buried their bones. I buried it all." He looked straight at Rick. "The Lord sent you here to finally punish me."
Gabriel was full-on sobbing as he fell down to lean against the railing. He held his hands close to his chest as his eyes closed. "I'm damned," Gabriel cried. He looked up at Rick like he was waiting for him to strike him down. "I was damned before. I always lock the doors. I always lock the doors."
Gabriel was hysterical at this point, his eyes far away. Madalyn shuddered at what he did to those people. He didn't directly kill them, but he still killed them.
A faint whistle from outside drew all of their attention away from Gabriel. Glenn looked out the window before saying, "There's something― there's someone outside lying in the grass."
Madalyn was on her feet quickly, still holding Carl's hand, as Sasha rushed to the doors. Rick turned to Madalyn and Carl, holding his hand out for them to stay. Carl listened, but Madalyn didn't. She heard Carl call after her as her hand slipped from his, and she ran after her friends.
The group of adults rushed outside. Madalyn stopped just outside the doors. "Oh, my god," she muttered while Sasha cried out and ran forward to Bob. He seemed unconscious, maybe, but that wasn't even the worrying part.
He was missing half of his leg.
Madalyn's head shot to the side when she heard walker growls. Glenn ordered them to get inside while he hit a walker in the head with his gun. Sasha and Tara started to lift Bob from the ground while the others dealt with the walkers.
Madalyn placed her hand on her gun, her sword left inside the church. She looked around frantically for any sign of Daryl. But it seemed Bob was the only missing person now found. She felt her heart rate quicken again.
A gunshot directed at them rang through the air that had Madalyn reaching her arms to cover her head. Rick shot into the woods and shouted, "Get inside!" Abraham pushed Madalyn into the building. She stumbled away from the door as the group rushed in, carrying Bob.
~*~*~*~
Madalyn knelt on the ground next to Carl as the group gathered around a now-conscious Bob.
"I was in the graveyard," Bob started to explain through strained breaths. "Somebody knocked me out. I woke up outside this place. It looked like uh... a school. It was that guy, Gareth. And five other ones. They were eating my leg right in front of me. Like it was nothing."
Madalyn bit her tongue to keep the bile at bay. The people from Terminus... were cannibals? Her blood grew cold at the idea that if she never found Carol and Tyreese, she might have ended up somebody's meal. An alive somebody.
"All proud like they had it all figured out," Bob continued.
"Did they have Daryl and Carol?" Rick asked.
Bob frowned. "Gareth said they drove off."
Madalyn's heart dropped. "They left?" she muttered. The group looked at her, varying forms of worry and pity on their faces. Madalyn stared at the floor.
Daryl wouldn't just... leave her like that, right? There had to be a reason. Glenn seemed to agree.
"They probably left for a reason. Maybe they saw something," he offered. Rick nodded in agreement. Carl rested his hand on Madalyn's shoulder while Bob groaned in pain.
Sasha turned to look back at Rosita. "He's in pain. Do we have anything?"
"I think there are pill packets in the first aid kid," Rosita said. Sasha nodded her head for Rosita to go.
"Save 'em," Bob argued.
"No," Sasha stated.
"Really." Bob sat up fully and slowly moved the collar of his shirt. The room grew still when they saw the walker bite on his shoulder. Madalyn slumped down while she sighed softly.
Sasha stared at the bite, teary-eyed. "It happened at the food bank," Bob said. Sasha's lip quivered before she gave him a forced smile.
"It's okay," she whispered while he hissed in pain. The group looked at Bob, knowing he would be dead soon. It was strange to see someone and know that there was nothing they could do to save them. Madalyn found she didn't like that. "Bob," Sasha said while he fell back against the floor.
"There's a sofa in my office," Gabriel offered from where he stood away from everyone. "I know it's not much but..."
Sasha looked back at Gabriel. "Thank you."
"I got him," Tyreese said. The group lifted themselves from the floor while some of them picked up Bob. Madalyn stepped to the side next to Carl while Rick went up to talk to Gabriel.
Madalyn ran her hand across her face. "Is it so hard to just have one night?" she muttered. Carl sighed beside her.
"Seems that way," he said just as Judith started to cry. He went up to her in the basket and lifted her up while hushing her. Carl looked back at Madalyn expectantly in the doorframe of the back room. She thought about joining them, but she wanted to be there when the adults talked. She shook her head lightly, and Carl disappeared from her sight.
"Time for a reality check," Abraham called. The group turned to face the man, Madalyn's eyes landing on the gun in his hands. "We all need to leave for D.C. right now."
Madalyn stepped forward. "I am not going anywhere without Daryl." They looked at her for a moment before Rick turned back to Abraham.
"Daryl and Carol are gonna be back," Rick said. "Madalyn's right. We're not goin' anywhere without 'em."
"I respect that," Abraham stated, "but there's a clear threat here to Eugene. I need to extract his ass before things get any uglier. So, if y'all won't come, good luck to you. We'll go our separate ways." He turned around and, he and Rosita started to walk away.
"You leaving on foot?" Rick questioned.
"We fixed that damn bus ourselves," Abraham sighed while looking back at Rick.
Rick stalked forward. "There are a lot more of us."
"You want to keep it that way? You should come."
"Carol saved your life. We saved your life."
"Well, I am tryin' to save yours," Abraham raised his voice causing Madalyn to flinch back. "Save everyone's!"
"We're not going anywhere without our people."
"Your people took off!"
Rick sent a quick glance to Madalyn over his shoulder before he gritted his teeth. "They're coming back."
"To what, picked-over bones?!" Abraham shouted. Madalyn flinched again. Maggie noticed and wrapped her arm around Madalyn, bringing her against her side.
"You're not taking―" Rick tried to grab Abraham which he did not like.
"Do not lay hands!"
Yep, Madalyn still did not like fighting.
Glenn rushed forward, shouting at them to stop while standing in between the two men with his hands against their chests. "Stop! Now!" Glenn waited a moment for Rick and Abraham to take a breath before he turned to Abraham. "Do you really think that you're gonna be any safer leaving right now in the middle of the night?"
"Yeah," Abraham answered, his eyes burning with anger. "Yeah."
"What about tomorrow?" Glenn offered. "We need each other for this. We need each other to get to D.C.! We can get through all of it together."
"I have an idea," Tara said while stepping forward. They looked at her expectantly before she took a deep breath. "If you stay just one more day and help, I'll go with you to D.C. no matter what." Tara looked back at Rick. "Okay?"
Abraham thought over Tara's offer for a minute before he added, "Glenn and Maggie, too." Madalyn looked up at Maggie, frowning. They couldn't leave. They were supposed to stick together. All of them.
Beth could still be out there. Didn't Maggie want to find her?
"No," Rick stated.
"Good luck, then," Abraham concluded. "I'm not interested in breakin' up what you have here. Rosita, grab your gear."
Rosita shook her head briefly. "Abraham―"
"Now. Eugene, let's go." Eugene stayed seated where he was on the pew, looking away from Abraham. "Eugene. Move it." Eugene didn't move, barely acknowledged Abraham.
"I don't want to," Eugene tried to say.
"Now," Abraham gritted his teeth. It was like talking to a toddler.
"Okay." Eugene got up and walked over to Abraham and Rosita. The three of them started down the aisle before Rick spoke up.
"You're not taking the bus."
"Try to stop me," Abraham warned. They were at a standstill for a moment before Rick marched over to Abraham, looking like he was going to punch the larger man.
"Wait, wait, wait, wait!" Glenn rushed between them again. "Hey, hey, hey! You stay... you stay and help us," he told Abraham. "And we will go with you." He gestured between himself and Maggie.
"No," Rick repeated.
"It's not your call," Glenn stated. He looked back at Abraham. "You stay, help us."
Abraham thought over that before he nodded briefly. "Half a day. Come high noon, we're taillights. I'm not waiting for the other damn shoe to drop."
"And we will leave with you," Maggie added. Madalyn sighed softly beside her causing Maggie to give her shoulder a quick squeeze.
"Twelve hours," Abraham said. "Then we go."
~*~*~*~
Madalyn was told to join Carl while the adults came up with a plan. She argued to stay, but they insisted.
Madalyn sat with Carl in one of the two back rooms of the church. Bob was in the other one currently. Madalyn rested her hands on the side of Judith's basket, tapping her fingers against it. Carl sat down in the seat opposite her.
"Hey," Carl said causing Madalyn to look up at him. "I'm sure it's like Glenn said. Daryl and Carol must have left for a reason." He gave her an encouraging smile.
"I know. It's just... so much has happened in one night now. It's a lot," she sighed.
"Well... we have each other. We'll be okay."
Madalyn chuckled quietly, her mind bouncing to Beth when she said almost the same thing. "Why is it you're always the one comfortin' me?"
"Because I'm strong. I don't need to be comforted," Carl joked making Madalyn grin.
"You keep telling yourself that, and I won't be there when you need me."
"Liar."
"You don't know that, Carl Grimes. I could be heartless."
"Heartless people don't act like you do, Madalyn Taylor."
Madalyn smiled at the boy in front of her. How had she gotten so lucky to meet him?
The door to the room swung open, and Rick stepped in. Both Madalyn and Carl stood up to face him. He walked up to them and placed his hands on their shoulders, leaning down so he was eye level with them.
"We have a plan," he started. "Now... it's risky. We're betting a lot on those people comin' back here." Madalyn frowned. "Do you trust us, Madalyn?"
"Of course," she said quickly. He nodded and continued.
"You two will be staying here with Tyreese, Rosita, Eugene, Bob, and Gabriel. The rest of us will be leaving."
"We'll be okay, Dad," Carl said. Rick looked at his son and sighed softly.
"You keep each other safe, all right?" Madalyn and Carl both nodded. Rick leaned forward and kissed the top of Carl's head. Madalyn smiled softly at the gesture.
A deep part of her heart wished she had a father like Rick. Scratch that... most of her heart wished for that.
Rick's gaze moved to Madalyn, and he smiled softly at her. She went forward and wrapped her arms around his back. He chuckled quietly and hugged her back.
"Why'd she get the hug?" Carl complained. Madalyn laughed against Rick's chest then blindly reached her hand out. She grabbed Carl by the arm and yanked him forward. Rick wrapped his arms around both of the kids, a soft smile on his face.
"Okay, time to go," Rick said. He gently pushed Madalyn and Carl away from him. "You guys gotta move over to the other room." They both nodded before Carl went and picked up Judith in her basket. Madalyn walked beside Carl as they exited the room and crossed in front of the pews.
The church had an eerie feel. It was quiet. The candles were snuffed out leaving the place in almost complete darkness.
Rick went to join the others at the doors of the church. Madalyn picked up her sword from the pew as she passed it and tied it around her waist. She and Carl went inside the room, and Gabriel locked the door behind them.
Carl set Judith down, and he stood next to Madalyn. Madalyn placed her hand on her gun, running her finger along it. She kept her eyes on the door of the room. Gabriel and Eugene seemed relatively useless when it came to fighting walkers, definitely fighting people. Bob was in no condition to do anything. Tyreese was a strong fighter. Rosita looked scary enough. If she's been hanging around Abraham, Madalyn was sure the woman knew how to handle her shit.
And well... Madalyn and Carl had the size disadvantage, but Madalyn knew Carl could fight. She only hoped she'd be able to. Worse comes to worst, she and Carl would be the last line of defense for Judith.
I am not afraid...
The room was silent, the only noise coming from their breaths. It was silent until the doors of the church broke open.
I am not afraid...
Madalyn pulled her gun from the holster and raised it to point at the door, Carl doing the same.
"Well, I guess you know we're here," a man called out. Madalyn assumed it was Gareth. "And we know you're here. And we're armed. So there's really no point in hiding anymore."
Gareth stopped talking for a few moments. The air grew tense in Gabriel's office. Madalyn placed her finger against the trigger of her gun.
"We've been watching you," Gareth continued. Yeah, not creepy at all. "We know who's here. There's Bob... unless you put him out of his misery already." Madalyn noticed his voice grow closer and closer. "And Eugene. Rosita. Martin's good friends Tyreese and Madalyn."
Madalyn's eyes widened while she shared a look with Tyreese. She should have killed Martin when she had the chance.
"Carl. Judith," Gareth finished. Madalyn clenched her jaw while tightening her hold on the gun. "Rick and the rest walked out with a lot of your guns. Listen, we don't know where you all are, but this isn't a big place. So, let's just stop this now before things get more painful than they need to be."
It was silent again while the people moved around outside the room, Madalyn assumed. After a beat, the door handle to Gabriel's office started rattling. Madalyn sucked in a breath, making sure it was quiet enough for only her to hear.
I am not afraid...
"Look, you're behind one of these two doors, and we have more than enough firepower to take down both," Gareth warned, sounding exasperated. "Can't imagine that's what you all want." Someone cocked their gun, sending a shiver down Madalyn's spine. "How about the priest? Father, you help us wrap this up, we'll let you walk away from this."
Madalyn sent a warning look to Gabriel. He was cowering behind his desk, his hands clasped together. If he did anything, anything to give away their position... she'd kill him herself.
"Just open the door, and you can go," Gareth offered. "You can take the baby with you. What do you say?" Gabriel remained silent―luckily―with his eyes shut in prayer most likely.
Madalyn knew they didn't stand much of a chance. It was six versus four because two were useless in the fighting area and one was on the verge of death. Oh, and don't forget the baby.
The baby who was now crying.
Madalyn looked down at Judith in fear while Carl went up to her and tried to quiet her. Madalyn trained her eyes on the door, straightening her gun out.
I am not afraid... I am not afraid...
Madalyn heard guns being cocked right outside the door. "It's your last chance right now to tell us you're coming out." To end up being eaten by you? Yeah, no thanks. Gareth waited for them to respond.
"Are we done?" Madalyn heard Martin ask. And oh, boy, did her blood start boiling. She kept that asshole alive, and this is how he repays her. If she got the chance, she was going to shoot a bullet through his brain.
She thought she heard Gareth say something, but she knew she heard silenced gunshots and two loud thuds.
"Put your guns on the floor," Rick ordered. Madalyn sighed in relief. They were back. She went up to the door of Gabriel's office and listened right after she slid her gun away.
"Rick, we'll fire right into that office. So you lower your gun―" Gareth tried to say. Madalyn heard another silenced gunshot then Gareth yelping in pain.
"Put your guns on the floor and kneel," Rick repeated.
"Do what he says," Gareth said through strained breaths. Madalyn assumed they all listened. "Martin, there's no choice here." Why was she not surprised that prick didn't listen?
"Yeah, there is," Martin argued.
"Want to bet?" Madalyn heard Abraham's low voice. That must have gotten him to kneel. She heard movement outside, Gareth gasping. She really wished she could see what was happening.
"No point in begging, right?" Gareth said.
"No," Rick answered bluntly.
"Still, you could have killed us when you came in. There had to be a reason for that." Gareth sounded like a man who was staring death in the face and was afraid. Madalyn hoped he was.
"We didn't want to waste the bullets," Rick stated.
"We used to help people," Gareth started to say. "We saved people. Things changed. They came in, and―" He gasped and groaned in pain. "After that... I know that you've been out there, but I can see it. You don't know what it is to be hungry. You don't have to do this. We can walk away. And we will never cross paths again. I promise you."
Madalyn didn't believe that. She would never believe that.
"But you'll cross someone's path," Rick added. "You'd do this to anyone, right? Besides, I already made you a promise."
That was when Madalyn was grateful she couldn't see what was happening.
There were screams, and she could hear them getting killed out there. Then she made the mistake of unlocking the door and stepping out of the room. Tyreese called after her and stopped in the doorway.
Madalyn watched her people kill the people of Terminus brutally. Her eyes landed on Sasha as she stabbed Martin over and over again. Rick hit Gareth over the head with his machete. Abraham bashed his gun into the heads of two people, Michonne doing the same.
There was blood everywhere when it was over. Madalyn clamped her mouth shut and gagged. She placed her hand against the wall, leaning against it, her other hand covering her mouth. She really tried to think of herself as not a particularly squeamish person. But when there was blood and probably brains and guts painting the floor, it was hard.
She tried to ignore the voice in her head that said she didn't feel bad about the people.
They were killed brutally without a chance to fight back. It's what they deserved. They were going to walk away. They threatened your friends. They threatened Judith. They were still people. They're dead now, and you don't feel any remorse for it.
I should have been the one to kill Martin...
"It could have been us," Rick said, breaking Madalyn away from her thoughts. She looked at the man and the blood staining his face. She noticed Gabriel step out of his office and survey the scene around him. Rick and Sasha walked past Gabriel into the office.
Madalyn noticed Rick look at her as he passed. Did he see the war playing in her mind?
Gabriel went to the center of his church, where he would preach from. "This is the Lord's house," he said.
"No," Maggie said. "It's just four walls and a roof."
Madalyn trailed her fingers across some blood splattered on the wall. "We reap what we sow. They killed―" She made eye contact with Gabriel. "―so... they were killed."
"But... you all have killed," Gabriel argued. "If you reap what you have sown, will you not also be killed?"
"When the time comes... Father." Madalyn shrugged. "I suppose we'll all face the wrath of God."
~*~*~*~
The sun had risen, and they were saying goodbye to Bob.
Maggie was talking with him while the rest stood back. Madalyn barely knew the man, so she only briefly said goodbye to him. Others deserved longer to talk with him.
Once Maggie was done saying goodbye, she kissed his hand and stood. The rest of them began to file out of the room, leaving Sasha to say her goodbye. Tyreese grabbed Madalyn's shoulders and guided her out of the room.
She hadn't said much since they killed the people from Terminus. The bodies had been cleared from the building but the blood remained.
Tyreese's hands stayed on her shoulders as he guided her to sit on the pew. He sat down next to her and sighed. "I heard what you said. To Gabriel," he started.
Madalyn picked at the skin around her nails. "Yeah. What about it?"
"You really believe that?"
Madalyn sighed and continued to stare at the floor. Why did they have to talk about this? "The wrath of God part, no. There's no god. The reaping what you sow part... yeah, I guess I do."
"So... we're all damned?" Tyreese asked. Madalyn looked to the side at him.
"The Governor's dead, is he not?" Tyreese frowned. "The people who attacked our home, they're dead. The people who tried to attack me and my mother are dead. The people from Terminus are dead. Martin is dead. They killed or tried to kill, and now they're dead."
"You killed someone, Madalyn. Does this apply to you as well?"
Madalyn sighed. "We're all gonna die one day, Tyreese. And in this world... most times it's sooner rather than later." Tyreese shut his eyes briefly before he placed his arm around her shoulders and brought her against his side. She tensed for a moment before relaxing against him.
"You're not damned to die, Madalyn. You're good. Yes, we're all gonna die. But we're gonna live first. And we're gonna live a long time, you hear me?" Madalyn looked up at the man, her eyes soft.
"You can't promise that," she whispered.
Tyreese smiled weakly. "I wasn't going to. But I look at you... and I see a girl who's going to survive this world. She's gonna survive it, and she'll be happy."
Madalyn sniffled, tears welling up in her eyes. She leaned on his shoulder, a soft smile on her face. She watched while Rick stepped out of the room, holding Judith in his arms. Madalyn pulled away from Tyreese, wiping under her eyes.
"Go on. Be there for your sister," she told him. Tyreese nodded and rested his hand on her shoulder before standing up and leaving.
~*~*~*~
Abraham had stayed true to his word. He, Rosita, Eugene, Glenn, Maggie, and Tara were gone halfway through the day.
There was an agreement that those who were staying behind would follow them to D.C. once they had the rest of their people. Madalyn tried not to cry while she watched her friends drive away. Luckily, she succeeded. She'd see them again soon.
Once they had Daryl, Carol, and Beth back, they'd follow them.
The rest of the day passed quickly, the moon taking over the sky. Madalyn rubbed her eyes while she walked down the aisle of the church. Most of the group was asleep, and some simply laying there. Madalyn quietly opened the doors of the church and stepped outside.
She found Michonne sitting on the steps of the church. "Oh, sorry," Madalyn muttered. Michonne shook her head. "Is it all right if I join you?" Michonne shrugged, and Madalyn assumed that was a 'yes'.
The two were quiet for a while, Michonne looking at her katana in her hand. Madalyn knew the people from Terminus had taken it. She also knew one of the people they killed the night before had been holding it.
"Michonne, you're very good with your sword," Madalyn started, "and, truthfully, I'm not very good with mine. Do you think... you could teach me how to fight better?"
Michonne looked at her and grinned. "Of course. I had a feelin' you'd like swords." Madalyn smiled and looked up at the stars. There was still the voice in her head that told her she felt no remorse for what happened. She didn't want that to be true. She couldn't let that be true. She'd be disappointing Beth if she thought that way.
But why... why was it so hard to feel bad about what happened?
"Can I ask you something else?" Madalyn whispered.
"What's wrong, Madalyn?" Michone asked, worry lacing her words.
Madalyn took a deep breath while she tried to articulate her thoughts. "Am I... would I be a bad person if I didn't feel bad about what happened last night? It sounds horrible, and I feel horrible. But a part of me... a part of me says they deserved it." She picked around her nails. The skin was raw and bleeding with how often she's been doing it. "And an even darker part of me wishes... wishes I had been the one to kill Martin."
Michonne sighed deeply beside her. Madalyn felt a bit better saying it out loud, but not a lot better.
"It's not wrong to feel that way. Not in this world. Not anymore," Michonne started. "Those people... did awful things. Now, I don't know what Martin did to you specifically, but it couldn't have been good. But... you're still you, Madalyn." Michonne looked at her causing Madalyn to look as well. "This world will change you. That I know for sure. Doesn't mean it's gonna make you a horrible person."
"I wanted to kill Martin, though. Does that not make me a horrible person for wishing death upon someone?"
Michonne shook her head. "No, it doesn't. Killing him wouldn't have made you a bad person either. Now, letting the urge to kill someone control you over and over again... that can make you a bad person. That can lead you down a dark path."
Madalyn thought over Michonne's words. She was hoping for longer, but the door to the church opened, disrupting her. Michonne slid her sword into the sheath as Gabriel stepped out of the church.
"I can't sleep," he said. Madalyn rested her head in her hands and stared off into the woods. Gabriel carefully sat down on the steps next to Madalyn. She shivered when she remembered what Gabriel did. "Sitting in there... quiet. It isn't just what happened last night. Saying what happened before... out loud... I see it all again."
Madalyn felt bad for Michonne. The poor woman probably didn't expect to become a therapist tonight.
"I hear them," Gabriel continued.
"Yeah," Michonne muttered. "That won't stop." Madalyn could still hear the screams at the prison. The screams from her mom. Her dad yelling at her mom. The gunshots at the prison. The ringing in her ears after those men shot her mom's foot.
She heard it all every night.
Michonne looked at Gabriel. "But it won't be all the time."
A rustle drew all of their attention to the forest. Michonne gestured for Madalyn and Gabriel to go inside while they stood. Gabriel did, but Madalyn stayed on the steps, resting her hands on the railing.
Michonne had her hand on the hilt of her katana, ready to strike, as she walked toward the noise. She slowly pulled it out of its sheath as she got closer. Madalyn placed her hand on her knife while she went down the steps, following after Michonne slowly.
I am not afraid...
The leaves rustled more as someone got closer. A figure emerged from the forest, and Madalyn nearly cried.
"Daryl," she said with a smile on her face. She ran forward and passed Michonne before crashing into Daryl with a hug. He stumbled but barely hugged her back. She pulled away, a frown on her face.
"Where's Carol?" Michonne asked. Madalyn looked around, realizing the woman was nowhere to be found. She looked back at Daryl and noticed he looked awful.
He turned back toward the forest and called out to someone. "Come on out." His eyes landed back on Madalyn. As someone approached them, Daryl told Madalyn, "Beth's alive."
~*~*~*~
𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞
do you guys like the long chapters? they just keep ending up over 5k for each episode but i feel like i shouldn't split one episode into multiple chapters unless one episode ends up super long. but if you guys would prefer shorter chapters i can do that. just let me know
there's only like two chapters until beth's death. i am not ready to write that. because then the chapter after that is tyreese's death. madalyn has an awful couple weeks
thank you for reading!