❛ YOU PROMISED. ❜
24. A Madman's Town
SEASON 03 EPISODE 12
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It was uncomfortable, the silence between us. Not a word had been said yet; the only sound that was made is the wheels rolling on the concrete road. Though, it's pleasant to sit in silence sometimes because of all the noise, this one had deep rooted anger and hate within it— you could just feel it.
"Hey!" The man's shout reached my ears just moments before his figure did. There was a large orange pack strapped onto his shoulders and it became more noticeable when he tried to chase the car. "Hey! Hey! Slow down! I'm begging you!" We went right by him, his screams fading.
The entire time I had my eyes closed— I couldn't watch.
And still, not a word was shared between us; just a quick glances that's only lasted seconds.
The road ahead of us, moments later, was blocked by other cars. The idea was to go around the cars and continue driving but the wheels had gotten stuck in mud which wasn't noted until we were stuck. Another idea from her was to slam her foot against the acceleration but it only worsened; now we were dug deeper into the mud.
The tense environment between everyone in the car, beside myself, had only gotten tenser. The two men seemed to be glaring at her— hard and it had become pretty obvious of how much they didn't like her.
Then, bam! Walkers were all around us. I flinched back when their dirty hands slam against the glass; scraping and clawing on the window as if it was going to get them inside.
Finally, a sentence was spoken.
"Cover your ears." Rick glances over his shoulder, speaking lowly to both of us. As he told as to do, we did, placing our open palms over our ears. He rolls his window down just a bit, pushing his gun through the crack before covering his right ear and pulling the trigger. It wasn't long until all of them were dead, spread across the ground.
Afterwards, it had become a teaching moment between father and son— which left Michonne and I in the car, watching and listening. It was as if the two of them had forgotten that the window was rolled down and we could hear them.
"Put something under the car like this with a little gravel and sticks." Rick says, kneeling to the ground and giving his son a visual. "It gives you traction."
"Wouldn't have to do it if she didn't get us stuck." Carl mumbles, a frown twisting on my lips because of it.
"It was an honest mistake." Rick stood up again, both of them walking back toward the car and kneeling in front of the wheel.
"Why'd you let her come?" Carl wouldn't let it go, another question fleeing pass his lips. "She took you to Woodbury and you said she just split on you. And Kendall got shot, Oscar died and you guys—"
"It wasn't that simple." Rick interrupted hun before he could go any further. "I asked her to come today. I didn't want to leave her at the prison if I wasn't there— not with Merle. That and we got common interests. For right now, we have the same problems. So maybe we can work on them together."
"Just for right now?" He asks his dad.
I could see the look on her face from my seat behind her. It was deadpanned, sour, and it made me frown. The frown on her lips was deep and unmoving, like always, yet this time it seemed more annoyed.
"Yeah, just for right now."
"Hey!" The man from earlier screams for us again. "Help me!" He was running and from where we sat, he didn't seem to be very far. "I'm begging you! Don't leave! Please! Hey!"
Rick slammed his hand onto the side of the car, causing the both of us to flinch at the sudden sound. Michonne starts the car and tested it, moving forward slowly. It worked.
And again, we left the stranger behind.
The town looked awful, trash everywhere, many buildings were burned down, and there was nothing and nobody— a ghost town. Not even a single walker in sight. In hindsight, it was safe enough to search the town without any problems. Although it is a ghost town, it still seemed to be eerie.
Walking through town was just as eerie as being in it. Arrows pointing a certain way, boarded up doors and windows, old papers everywhere; I was glad when we finally stepped into the police station. It was trashy but still better than the feeling of being watched.
Inside, the guns were missing. All of them including the ammo, which is a bad thing.
Rick let out a deep and irritated sigh, his hands touching the nape of his neck with frustration. "Damn it!" He shouts, kicking one of the empty shelves.
Michonne's eyes search the ground before bending down and picking up one of the stray bullets, fiddling with in between her fingers. "You got any other police stations in town?"
"I was the police here." Rick spoke, anger radiating from his figure. "Me and a few other guys. Ain't a big town." He sighs, a
frown dipping on his lips after running his hand down his face. "There's other places to check. May not have as many guns as were in here, but—"
"We need as many guys as were in here." Michonne cut him off, still not looking at him. "Ammo, too."
"Yeah, we do. But right now, I only got a line on a couple. There's a few places out on the main street— bars, a liquor store." He explains, placing his hands over his hips. "Owners had a gun or two behind the counter that people didn't know about. I did. I signed the permits. They might still be there." A silence fell over the two of them; Rick was looking at her skeptically before questioning her. "Do you have a problem with that approach?"
"No, Rick. I don't have a problem." She says, speaking lowly while locking eyes with him so he know that she meant it. A bullet was raised between them, Michonne holding it up and waiting to him to take it. And he did.
I felt uncomfortable and scared, it only worsened as we strolled through town, all of the buildings looked terrible and as we got deeper into town, this smell only got stronger; it was like burning flesh. It was the kind of stench you have never smelled before yet you could pinpoint it exactly. It only got stronger when we strolled pass a brick wall with two openings, it looked as if it could've been a garden— a church right across from it which was ironic. In the could've been garden was a pile of burned bodies, to a crisp; the bodies were molded together.
I couldn't even look at it. I pushed out a deep exhale, looking down at the ground and narrowing my eyes at the arrows that pointed ahead. The rest of them caught up and did the exact same, following the arrows into town.
In the middle of town, the main road were traps and because of this we all pulled out our weapons. It meant that someone was here and that someone could be unstable. The gun on my hip stayed covered as my hatchet wrapped around my fingers. This was going to become my favorite weapon.
"What is it?" Michonne asks, keeping her hand on the handle of her katana.
"I don't know." Rick responds, narrowing his eyes at it.
No guilt. You know that. Was sprayed in the color yellow on the brick wall behind us and I made sure to keep that in mind as we continue to approach the handmade traps. Turn around and live. Sprayed in orange right under our feet, but they didn't stop walking, no, they just kept on. Just listen. Spray on a white sheet with pink, waving in the air for us to see. But again, we ignored it.
I moved cautiously, examining the traps and cringing. A birds and rats in cages, a loose rope, blood everywhere.
"It looks like someone's already made this theirs." Michonne says, as if that wasn't obvious.
"Doesn't mean they found what we're looking for." Rick replies, stepping under one of the traps.
"Or it could mean, I don't know, that we should turn around?" I shrug, scratching the inside of my hand.
"Are you being a 'fraidy cat?" Carl teased before bumping his arm against mine. The weary frown on my lips dipped deeper as I shoved him away with a scoff.
"Shut up, Charles."
"Don't call me that, Kennedy."
"Carl, Kendall." Rick gave us both one of those looks, eyebrows pinched together— this was our warning. "Couple of the places are just up ahead. Let's get in and get the hell out of here."
"Charles." I whisper under my breathe while maneuvering through another trap; neon barbed wire.
"There." Rick points with his gun, a restaurant up ahead. "Tyrell's. A shotgun and two handguns. License issued to Tyrell Debbs."
The sound of mangled moaning stopped us— the children. A frown turned on my lips as it got caught onto one of the traps, barbed wire. The moaning and growling had gotten louder when we all watched it. Michonne was ready to slice it into pieces but before she could do so Rick stopped her with a gesture toward the traps and a wait. As soon as the walker made another move, shaking the traps along with it and ringing bells, it was shot in the head. There was a gunman that stood tall at the top of one of the buildings, aiming his assault rifle at us.
"Hands!" We did as told; stretching our hands into the air. "Now, drop what you got and you go. Your guns, your shoes, and that sword. All of it. Ten seconds."
"Run to the car now." Rick muttered to Carl and I.
"Ten..."
"Dad."
"We need that rifle." Michonne hissed in a whisper.
"Nine... Eight..."
"I think I can get up there."
"Seven... Six."
"Carl, Kendall, go." Rick orders us just seconds before shooting at the man up on the roof.
I was anxious, letting out a shuddered and shaky breath while ducking behind the car that was closest. I shut my eyes, clenching my fingers around the gun pressed against my chest; it was hard to breathe, to think, to even open my eyes. Each sound echoed through my ears causing me to clench my eyes tighter and tighter until I was able to see a flash of white. I wasn't able to move— I wasn't able to do anything.
Hot tears build in my eyes, blurring over my vision and slipping down my cheeks. I tried my best to hold them in, to just focus on my breathing but it wasn't working. It made my stitches itch.
I just wanted it all to stop.
A gasp escaped my lips, straight through my teeth when the gunfire got closer. The gun was hugged closer to my chest, a soft sob trembling up my throat; burning.
I was just glad when the last shot finally went off.
"Kendall." A woman's voice calls for me causing me to stand slowly with my arms raised in the air, weapon swinging loosely in my hand.
"Is it done?" I ask, sniffling and dropping my hands once realizing the gunman was down.
"Yes, come on."
This man had traps everywhere and they were all around his home base, too. The entrance to the building, the stairs all the way up to the top of them. Knives were taped and roped around the top of sticks, aiming at anyone who tried to enter. The welcome mat had a hole under it, sharp weapons pointing upwards and ready for anyone to step upon it. Not Shitting You was written on a sheet at the top of the stairs along with a thin string waiting to be tripped. Behind the sheet were chains and an axe mid air— this was the trap for the string.
I just kept my arms crossed and hugged to my chest.
The room we had been waiting for was filled completely; guns, piles and piles of guns and food, and water, grenades, bombs, and tons of ammo let's not forget hygienic equipment. It was filled with all the things we needed.
"I showed him that weapons locker last year." Rick explains with surprise lacing his voice.
"And it had all of this in it?" Michonne asks in return.
"No, no even half. He's been busy." Rick says before pointing over to the corner of the room. "The cot." Michonne and him dragged his body over to the cot and sat him down, softly.
In the seconds he was laid down, Carl and Michonne had began tossing his guns and ammo into bags. It made me feel horrible for him, a frown dipping onto my lips as I watched them. Instead of stealing, I walk throughout his hideout and read the words written on the walls.
we weren't supposed to be there— clear— the doorknob had the knife you had g— the cellar— clear— there's— clear— no kia's on bef no kia's on bef— clear— hardcore in route— sometimes interrlift with the start— clear— sixteen hours in nineteen— clear— DUANE TURNED— CLEAR.
It just made me feel worse. It was clear just how unstable he was, lonely, sad. I was sick.
"No." Rick spoke all of a sudden, facing us with a frown. "We're gonna wait for him to wake up. Make sure he's okay."
"He tried to kill us."
"Can you blame him?" I ask, shrugging lightly. "We stepped into his zone when the man has like a zillion signs telling us to go away."
"He told us to go." Rick nods, agreeing with me. He didn't know who we were."
"He tried to kill us and we didn't leave him for the walkers." Michonne reminds him, sassily. "He's had a good day. He doesn't need half of these guns. We do."
"We're waiting for him to wake up. That's it." Rick says again, wishing for this to end.
"Have you taken a look around this place? The axe, the spikes, the walls."
"You think he's crazy?"
"No. I think he's dangerous." Michonne spoke honestly, keeping her eyes locked with his.
"I know him."
"He wasn't like this then."
"We're gonna wait for him to wake up." Rick repeats and this conversation had finally ended; like always he is the leader and there was no talking back.
A map had caught Carl's attention; it was of the entire neighborhood. It was drawn with chalk, mapping out homes and all the buildings in town. The man made sure to showcase homes and buildings that have been burned down, the parts of the town that have been invaded with walkers. All the people that have died in their homes. And still Carl's attention was stuck, his eyes glued to the wall.
"What do you see?" His dad questions.
"It's our neighborhood.." Carl breathes.
Ricks house. Taken— now crossed off. Burnt out.
"It's gone."
"Is that why you wanted to come?" Rick asks. "To see the house? Carl." He spoke his sons name when he didn't get an answer.
"I... I— I just wanted to come."
Crunching was heard from the other side of the room, it was loud and kind of hard to miss. Michonne was shoving one of his bars into her mouth, crunching deliciously on it.
"We're eating his food now?" Rick faces her slowly, a hint of amusement playing on his features. Michonne shrugs at him, uncaring.
"The mat said welcome."
After a while of staring at the map on the wall, Carl approached the two adults and looks at his dad seriously. "I'm going on a run."
"Where?" His dad asks him, narrowing his eyes.
"I thought maybe the one thing people didn't loot was cribs— " Carl explains, his eye contact unwavering. I just knew something else was up. "and there's that baby place that Mom's friend Sara ran. It's just around the corner."
"Carl."
"Dad, it's just around the corner. And there's all those walker traps."
"You're gonna need some help carrying the box." Michonne mutters.
"What?" Carl glares at her with a tone of confusion.
"If you're gonna get a crib, you have to get the box. It's big and heavy. You're gonna need help carrying the box. You are getting a crib, right?"
"That's what I said..."
"Then I'll go with him."
"Right there." Rick breathes, standing from his spot. "That's the deal. You get into trouble, you holler, okay? I'll hear it from here."
"Okay." Carl mumbles.
"And Kendall, why don't you go with them?"
"Yeah, sure, yeah."
It was warmer outside than before— more sunnier. It felt nice upon skin; making me shut my eyes and actually feel it. I follow the sound of his footsteps without opening my eyes nor listening to anything around me, which in hindsight is a bad idea but it made me feel better about being out here. I liked this much better than reality, walkers and death all around us, the sound of them whispering in our ears as we hope for them to just pass without any trouble. This seemed like the perfect time and place to just loosen up and shake away all the anxiety that clawed at me.
I loved it, up until I had to open my eyes and focus on the world ahead of me.
A restaurant is where we went instead— King County. I just sat at one of the tables outside with my head in my hands and my elbows leaning against the rough surface.
The restaurant was filled with walkers and as soon as Carl tried to open the doors, he was stopped by Michonne. I wasn't really wanting to get up, so when he stormed off with her following, I just watched them. I knew that they'd probably hash out their feelings and come right back over so I just watched.
In the end, I was right. It was a short, little argument between them and that was it. A trap was brought from the gunmans place, stolen and pushed into the restaurant with the intent of distraction. The two followed one other inside, shuffling pass the walkers and letting the door slam behind them. This was where I wasn't able to watch anymore.
Only able to sit and think, alone. I could hear them from the outside but I couldn't worry about the two until it was time to. While waiting, I crossed my arms on the table and laying my head on them while humming to myself quietly.
I miss my music.
As soon as they came out, they had to go back in, but not Carl this time, only her. I yawn, my eyes fluttering close, when my friend sat down beside me, by her orders.
"Wait here." She told him.
"Carl... I'm scared."
"Why?" He asks, mimicking my position and turning his head to stare at me.
"What if the governor comes back...? I don't want to see him again." Before he could answer, heaving breathing along with a soft voice saying hey interrupted us. A picture in Michonne's hand was held out for Carl to take; and he did, with a bright smile.
"Shouldn't we go get the crib now?" I ask, standing from the chair sluggishly, crossing my arms and dragging myself back the way we came from.
It was different. Something was different especially with me. It was difficult to see what changed specifically but something did; emotionally, physically, mentally. I was drained, this painful throbbing in my heart thumping against my chest and as I screamed for help in my mind, my mouth was unable to move. I couldn't speak a word. It hurt. Everything hurt. I couldn't possibly be able to go back to the person I was before. Somethings were meant to happen and it seemed to me that this new world wanted me to become this person. Someone much more quiet.
I wanted to be stronger.
But I am nothing but weak.
does this feel rushed to you guys? i'm just trying to shift gears with kendall and turn her into someone different, that's the way it's supposed to go, especially in the world she's in now. she will be a much stronger person but what strong person doesn't go through a bit of a rough patch?
please, comment & vote, i'll update on saturday!! i love you guys.