MADISON'S POV.
My eyes open to glittering, colored light shining in through the stain glass Windows above the alter. I sit up and rub out the dull ache in my neck from the uncomfortable position I slept in. I smooth out the braid in my hair as I look around the church. Most people are already awake, others lie flat on the benches still in their food coma from last nights feast.
"Mornin'."
I look up to see Maggie, a friendly smile printed on her face and a hand outstretched for me to take. I grasp her hand and she pulls me to my feet. She doesn't let go of my hand, instead, she leads me towards the group who are already awake and ready for the day.
I spot Abbie across the room laughing with Tara and Carol. The sound is like high pitched bells and it echoes through the church. Her happiness is contagious, I barely notice that I'm smiling myself until Maggie laughs along too.
"She's a good kid. Very funny." She chuckles as we sit down on a free bench.
"Yeah, she is."
"Sassy too. I bet she gets that from you."
"Probably." I smile.
"At least it's not your temper she has. You'd have killed each other by now."
I roll my eyes even though she's right. Abbie and so balance each other out.
"I'm glad she has you to talk to. You've gotten close I see."
Maggie nods. "And Michonne too. There's something about Abbie, she already has everyone wrapped around her little finger." She shakes her head in amusement and when I look back over to Abbie she now has Tara and Carol in fits of laughter. Maggie is right.
"How dangerous she will be when she discovers her little power." I smirk.
Maggie shakes her head. "Nah, she's a good kid, not a bad bone in her body. I think the reason why everyone is enchanted by her is because she's unlike anyone we've ever met. She kind and brave, witty and pure... she takes our minds off of the evil in this world."
I grow silent, uncomfortable by the sudden deep turn the conversation has taken. Maggie must sense my unease and smoothly move along with the conversation.
"She's also very chatty but yesterday she was abnormally quiet and when we asked why she said she couldn't tell us. You would happen to know why that is?" She taunts.
I shake my head. "No idea."
"C'mon Madison. I've been dying to ask." She smirks.
I watch as her features light up and her eyes twinkle with a devilish excitement.
I raise my brow suspiciously.
"Whats going on between you and Carl?Because either you've got in a fight or something really good happened between you guys." She says.
"Why would you think that?"
"Well, number 1, you have been avoiding each other ever since you left the church together. Number 2, you didn't deny my accusation. So, which is it?"
I sigh. "Maggie... why are you like this? Why do you care?"
"Because! We deserve some good news. Things have been too dark in this group. I need something positive to keep me going."
"It's gossip Maggie, not oxygen."
She rolls her eyes. "So?"
I guess they're gonna find out eventually. Abbie can only hold her tongue for so long.
"We didn't have a fight." I admit.
"Yes! Okay, tell me everything!" She demands, jumping slightly in her seat, excitement clear in her eyes.
I groan. "How did Abbie tip you off?"
"Well, whenever Michonne or I asked about the two of you Abbie would squirm and shrug. Not like her at all. She's been vocal too. She's routing for you two."
I scoff, unaware of the chit chat that's been going on behind our backs.
"Oh come on, don't be mad. We don't have TV anymore. This is the closest we'll get to a bad reality show, no offense."
Now that I'm aware of the extent of gossip behind our backs o choose it to tell Maggie what happened. I'm sure Abbie will fill her in anyways.
"Maggie, you can't tell anyone. Okay? You're obviously going to tell Michonne and unfortunately I can't stop that, but please, let's just keep this between us girls. Okay?"
Maggie's smile widens even more than I thought possible.
"Deal."
"NO! You don't understand! This isn't like him. He doesn't just leave." Sashas voice can be heard from the back of the church, near to the door. Her panic catches my attention and suddenly it's hard to ignore the tense conversation.
Both Maggie and I turn our heads to hear more.
"Sasha, we get that but it'll take us a few minutes to get ready. Even then, where do we start looking?"
"I...I don't know but-"
"Isn't it possible he just went out for air or something." Another voice chimes in.
I relax, remember last night when he slipped through the door, practically unnoticed. I thought nothing of it.
"No. He wasn't there when we went to sleep and he wasn't there when I woke up. I'm telling you, something has happened to him."
"Okay, okay! We believe you. We'll get ready to look for him." Rick assures her.
A bad feeling settles in the base of my stomach.
So Bob never came back last night?
Maggie and I don't seem to be the only ones listening in.
"What's going on?" Rosita asks from the alter, her voice loud and clear.
"Bob is missing." Sasha croaks.
Anybody who wasn't awake before, is awake now.
"I've been out all morning trying to find him but..."
Therese sets his hand on his sisters shoulder. "We'll find him."
"Everyone get ready." Daryl grunts.
I stand to my feet and grab my bow and arrows, which are never more than an arms length away from me.
"I'll help you look." I follow her to the door but before I can get any closer Ricks hand shoots out, blocking my exit and nearly decapitating me.
"No." Rick chimes.
"I wasn't asking."
"You're not coming."
"You can't stop me." I retort.
"You can't come you're just a chil..."
"-Finish that sentence, I dare you." I threaten.
His nostrils flare with his usual hatred towards me.
"You still don't trust me?" I scoff.
"Look, I don't really like you either but this isn't about us. And by the way, if ever call me a child again, I'll give you something to worry about."
I wait for him to remove his hand but he doesn't budge.
"We need as much help as we can get to find Bob. Isn't that right Sasha?"
She doesn't disagree but she doesn't open her mouth to support me either.
"I seen Bob leave last night?" I tell her.
"What?" She gasps.
"That long ago?" Michonne frowns, a new tension sets into the air and new possibilities unfold. A realization has hit us. He hasn't come back all night but not because he couldn't find his way back.
Sasha paces towards me.
"And you didn't stop him?" She screeches. Rick finally removes his hand to block her from me. In fact, he moves his whole body in front of me, protectively.
Odd.
"How was I to know he wasn't coming back? I thought he was going out for air." I tell her honestly.
Her hands wonder to her hair, tugging anxiously. I don't know her all that well but I do want to help her.
I step around Rick so that he's next to me again and I turn to him.
"Well then, there you go. So, if you'll just-"
Rick shocks me by leaning in close, his lips next to my ear.
"If you go then that means Carl will want to go." He whispers so low that only I can hear.
"Oh..."
So he has noticed Carl and I. This has nothing to do with trusting me.
"So what if he goes? He's not a child either." My voice mimics the same level of quietness his had but mine wasn't as determined as it was before. The shock has thrown me off.
"You don't trust him?" I ask quietly.
"I do."
"He'll be okay. If he didn't know how to survive then he wouldn't be here, but he is. He can take care of himself and so can I."
He leans away again and sighs loudly.
"Okay, fine." He nods his head.
"We'll split into groups to find him. I doubt he's gone too far." Rick shouts to everybody. The change of volume in his voice is almost staggering.
I look over to Daryl and see him roll his eyes, and I know exactly why.
"For god sake Rick!" I sigh.
"Jesus Madison! What now? You want to share something?" He snaps at me but I'm hardly surprised. I'm used to Rick by now.
"Yeah, actually, I do. Don't you think if Bob just strolled out of here he would be back by now."
"What are you proposing?" Rick asks.
"Bob is gone and it's not because he couldn't find his way back. Think about it. Bob isn't missing, he's been taken."