MADISON'S POV.
Kara's screams substitute for the ringing in my ears and pain in my heart as it tenses. I scramble in my hands and knees to pick her up off the grass. Judith stares at Kai with curious and worried eyes but she remains silent, as do I.
"Kai." My voice is weak with fear and it's barely audible.
Finally, he groans and twitches slightly and my body aches as I relax my muscles that were tensed, still as a statue.
I grab Judith's hand and pull her forward with me as I kneel on the ground next to Kai.
"Ugh." He groans.
"I need your help Judith." Murmur as I place my screaming baby in Judith's tiny arms. "She's just a baby, so hold her tightly. Don't drop her. Can you do that for me?" I fumble with Kai's Jacket as I speak, tearing it away from the wound.
"I can do it." She promises.
Finally, the fabric tears away and I swipe gently at the wound, removing traces of blood to see the gun shot better, only to be replaced with more blood.
I take a deep breath as my fingers shake around the wound. I squint, wanting to see better.
It's only then that I realize the bullet wound isn't my main concern, it's the blood seeping from the back of his head. He must have landed pretty harshly on his head. It would explain his lack of consciousness.
"Maddieee." Judith cries and when I look up I find two walkers moving towards us. I quickly wrap and knot Kai's ripped jacket around the wound, creating pressure and minimizing the blood flow as much as possible.
I pick up my bow and stand to my feet, my shaking hands struggle to load the bow. I can't remember when I've been this much of a mess but my baby is outside the gates. And my ... Kai is bleeding out on the ground.
We're not safe.
I lift my bow up high and pull back the loaded string, taking less than a second for my hands to release the arrow into the walkers head. It drops to the ground like dead weight in what seems like the same second.
The other walker gets closer than I want. I race forward, keeping it as far from Judith, Kara and Kai as I can help it. The walker is taller and bulkier than I expect it to be and as I wrestle it, I'm not fully prepared for it to fight back. It towers over me and the pressure of holding up it's weight while its teeth snap at me only inches away make my knees buckle and we both fall to the ground.
"Madison!" I hear Kai groan from behind me.
I grab ahold of the walkers shoulders and try hard to push it off me but it's rotted skin starts to peel and break as I resist against it, my hands tear straight through to it's bones. My arrows are being crushed against my back and it's impossible to reach back and grab them to help me without getting bitten.
"No! Mads!" Kai shout in fear which only makes Judith cry with Kara, making this situation even worse.
Suddenly, the weight is removed and I breathe in fully as I look around the walker has disappointed. I find it lying next to me with somebody's foot nervously standing on it, keeping it in place with a firm grip.
I grab an arrow from behind me and finally drive it into the walkers skull and it immediately stops fighting.
I have no time to relax as I look up to see an unexpected face above me.
"Eugene?" I blink twice, wondering if my eyes were playing tricks.
"Correct." He approves in his thick accent.
Another pair of hands help me to my feet and I look up to see Kai finally on his feet.
I look between Kai and Eugene, I sure who to address first. My eyes land on the gun in between Eugene's shaking hands.
"I'm surprised to see you out here alone." I note.
"I seen Kai fall from the fence. I reckoned wherever he is, you are. I didn't know you had the children with you."
"They weren't safe in there."
"They're no safer out here." He inputs.
"I had to do something, we couldn't just stay there."
We stand there in an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes. Even Kara has finally fallen silent.
"So, are you gonna shoot?" I practically mock. This isn't him. He's never been out here by himself. He relied on us to keep him alive.
"I was ordered to shoot on sight."
"But you didn't."
"I still can."
I shake my head. "No, you can't and you won't. Deep down, and I mean, deep, deep down you know we're still family. I know I was a bitch to you in the sanctuary, but I was angry at you. You need to understand that and I know you don't owe me anything but please... think about who's side you're on. We've fought so hard for this."
"They notice me. They acknowledge me." He argues.
"They use you." Kai corrects him.
"Here, you are family. To them, you're a threat, an outsider who they'll never trust because once you were one of us. Once you're no use to them they'll put a bullet in your head. And as much as you wreck my head, I don't want that." I add.
Eugene shakes his head and looks away before quickly turning back and lowering his gun.
"You need to go now. I'm with Negan. There are more saviors in the forest, you should know that and if you go now then... I've never seen you. I didn't come across anybody in part of the woods. Stick west. If I were you, I wouldn't come back." He confirms.
I sigh in frustration. I don't know how to get through to him. We were never close but we survived together once, that has to stand for something. Doesn't it?
I take Kara from Judith and unwrap the scarf swaddle and quickly make a sling for Kai's shoulder. He uses his good arm to carry Judith. Now, we're both vulnerable but what else can we do. We've got Eugene's advice to stick west away from the saviors.
Just as we're about to leave I turn back.
"Eugene?"
He looks at me curiously.
"...Rosita's dead. I just thought you should know. Help us, don't let her die in vain."
His eyes become glossy and I notice his shoulders stop moving, as if holding in a breath. I know the feeling.
He begins to look up at the sky and I take this as my queue to leave.
We move as fast as we can, not quite a sprint but not walking either. I hear Kai's groan as his shoulder continues to pump blood. It even manages to get into Judith's clothes which makes me sick to even look at, I can't imagine her hurt like that.
We travel far enough into the forest that the shooting becomes less and less audible and the sky begins to darken.
"We need to find somewhere safe for the night. We won't make it back to Alexandria tonight. We need to looks after your shoulder too." I explain and when I look back at Kai his face has paled to a shade I've never seen on him. His tanned completion is nowhere to be seen as beads of sweat gather on his forehead and neck and his eyes begin to droop.
Judith sleep in his arms as is Kara in my own. I sigh.
"Okay, okay, let's sit down."
Kai shakes his head. "It's not safe." He breathes.
"And you're hurt. Let me take care of you and then we can keep moving."
"Mads, we have no idea where we are, it's dark and the dead are out, so are the saviors..."
"Shh." I kneel next to him and use one hand to remove the blood soaked sling from his arm. He winces and gasps.
"I'm sorry." I ignore the dampness and odor of blood from the scarf and strap Kara to me again, like a swaddle.
This way my hands are free.
Judith remains snuggled up against Kai who's now perched up against a large tree.
I take the bag that Carl gave me off my back and hope for the best.
"Please Carl, give us something to work with." I pray as I unzip the bag.
I feel around the bag, unable to see I. The darkness until I feel something long and cylinder like. I press a switch and light explodes around us. A flashlight. Thank god.
Using it to peer inside the bag I find bottles of water, canned food, baby formula, diapers, knives, a blanket and a small first aid kit. I sigh in relief.
I reach for the first aid kit first and open it up. I have anti-biotic, pain killers, stitching equipment, numbing cream, plasters, disinfectant spray and other things inside that I don't understand. I have what I need and that's all that matters.
I free the wound of any material near it and when I inspect it, I find that it's turned a dark shade of purple. That can't be good. I grab the numbing cream and squeeze the ointment into my hand before applying it as gently as I can but Kai still grabs my arm and squeezes trying to distract himself from the pain. He screams through his teeth.
"Ahh, Kai we need to be quiet. I know it hurts." I coo.
I look around nervously and grab one of the knives from the bag, keeping it close by. Without thinking I swipe one of the water bottles and open it, tilting it back against Kai's lips.
"Drink." I whisper, my voice getting lost in the harsh wind.
I grab the needle and thread the wire through it, preparing to sew the wound shut. He takes he bottle from my hand and allows me to work at the wound. The bullet is still in there but I can't get it now, I don't have the right equipment. Kai's in too much pain his screams would give away our hiding spot.
"Okay, this is gonna hurt a little." I prepare him as I pierce the needle into his skin. He bites down on his lip to keep from screaming. His heavy breathing along with his body tensing wakes Judith.
"I want my daddy." She mumbles.
"I know. We'll be home soon. We just have to stay quiet. Okay?" She nods and leans into Kai again, wrapping her arms around his neck. He holds her close and my heart swells.
His skin pulls at the edges as I tug at the wire, moving as quickly as I can. Slowly but surely the small hole in his shoulder starts to shut and the bleeding stops. Once I finish I hand him the bottle of antibiotics.
"You okay?" I ask him. I use his shirt to wipe away the beads of sweat off him.
"Keep hydrated. I'll find us somewhere safe." I promise him. His eyes are closed and he looks half dead already. I don't know what else I can do except lean forward and place my lips on his. It's quick but sweet. I just need to do it once because part of me is afraid I won't be able to do it again.
"Thank you." He slurs.
I smile. "See, it's all about timing."
He chuckles but immediately winces front he pain.
I look up at the tree. He needs to stay somewhere safe, out of sight while I find somewhere safe to stay the night because right now we're exposed to every danger of the night.
"You need to climb."
"What? I though we already done that? It didn't end too well either. What did you think of my landing ? Pretty good, right?"
"Oh yeah, I'd give it a 10/10." I roll my eyes which causes him to smile.
I grab his good arm and help him go his feet.
"I can't take them both." He thinks logically, opening his eyes slightly.
I nod, looking down at both Kara and Judith. "I know." I sigh. I take Judith from Kai and lift the swaddle off of me and gently placing it over Kai's head. He holds Kara against his chest.
"I'll take Judith. If something goes wrong, she can run, Kara can't." I whisper.
"You don't need to leav-"
"Like you said, we're not safe out here. And this isn't about us." I say.
He nods before placing a kiss on my cheek and pulling back slowly. I look into his green eyes and almost get lost in them. In all the darkness of tonight they are the brightest color I've seen.
I place the bag over his good shoulder, taking a water bottle and the other knives from it, leaving him with the rest. He turns and begins to climb the tree. He groans in pain each step upwards. I wait until he's the full way up and I can barely see him. He sits on a thick branch that supports the man both.
"Use the blanket to strap yourself in." I call up.
I take a deep breath before turning to Judith.
"You ready?"
She nods and takes my hand.
"That's a lot of knives." Judith notes as I tuck them into my belt.
"It sure is."
"Do I need one?"
"No, because I'm not gonna let anything happen to you."
"Promise?"
"Cross my heart..."
I pull out an arrow from behind me and hand it to her.
"That's not a toy. It's dangerous but if you really need it, use it." I say, knowing she'll never actually need it. She's only three years old.
"It's yours now."
"Forever?"
"Only if you keep it safe and don't mess around with it. You're gonna have to ask Rick too though." I add.
She nods excitedly and holds the arrow tightly in her little fist.
We continue to walk for a long time, the sky gets darker to the point that our only source of light is from both the flashlight and the stars above us.
"Maddie, what are we looking for?"
I sigh in frustration. "I'm not sure exactly, just somewhere safe." I explain.
In the distance I hear a twig snap and I stop in my tracks.
"Judith, get behind me." I warn as I lift my bow high, aiming into the trees. I hold the flashlight between my fingers as I balance it next to the bow.
My heart pounds unevenly and my eyes scan our surroundings frantically.
Another twig snaps and my head jolts in the direction of the sound.
"Who's there?" I call out.
From a distance I see a dark shadow move behind the trees and I lift my bow, sending an arrow towards them only for them to dodge it.
"Missed me." A deep voice mocks.
I load my bow a second time and keep it aimed at the voice.
There's a stillness on both sides and if hatred was visible in the air it'd be a deep, alarming shade, the same coloring that clouds my vision in moments like this when anger flows through me.
"Im showing my face. Maybe you should do the same, unless you think a girl with a bow and a three year old could take you." I threaten.
A deep chuckle responds and then steps out from behind the trees.
I flash the light in the direction of the voice and immediately recognize the man. I seen him everyday inside the sanctuary. He smirks devilishly.
"Fancy seeing you out here." He teases.
"I could say the same. Haven't you all scrambled away home by now."
"On the contrary. We just left Alexandria in flames back there. We were just looking for stragglers like yourself. We were told to shoot on sight."
"That's funny, cause I'm still standing." I torment.
Her raises an eyebrow.
"Yeah, something about killing a three year old isn't so appealing. I mean, look at her little face." He smirks.
Judith hugs tighter onto my leg, behind me.
"Hell, maybe I'll kill you and take her home with us. She'd be ruthless, growing up in this, she'd be powerful, invincible and she wouldn't even remember you." He plots.
I remain silent.
"Speaking of kids, I can't imagine you'd only drag this little tot out. Where is the little one? What's her name? Kara, is it?" He sighs dramatically. "Doesn't matter, we'll find her soon enough."
I release the arrow without even thinking twice. The bow thinks for me as it launches the arrow straight for my target. My target isn't as trustworthy though as he dives to the side, the arrow barely skimming him.
He throws himself at me instead, knocking both Judith and I to the ground. I push her away from his flying fists which come down hard and fast onto my face. He pounds me relentlessly as if trying to smash me into the very core of the earth.
All the while I hear Judith's cries. I reach out for something, anything and when my hand finds the familiar stick like weapon I wrap my fingers around it and force it up into his arm causing him to yell out in pain and tumble off me.
I only see spots in my vision from the collision and my face throbs but surprisingly, after a while, the screaming pain turns into heat as my face becomes warmer and warmer with each feeling of my own heart beating in my face. My eyes and lips have already began to swell like a balloon.
I pick myself up off the ground to find the savior yelling on the ground with the arrow stuck in his arm. Judith must have dropped it when we fell. I feel myself sway dangerously and my body screams for me to lie down but I force myself forward, grabbing the arrow from the mans arm and heaving it out. His fist swings out and punches me unexpectedly, catching me on the jaw. I stagger backwards and fall again.
Laying flat on my back, I look up at the night sky. The stars blur in the sky as I struggle to stay conscious. My lids feel heavy and they threaten to droop until I hear Judith scream, pulling me back to reality.
In the time I was on the floor he managed to pick up his gun again. Once more, I heave myself off the ground and dive for Judith who struggles against the savior who tries to pick her up. He's faces away from me as he wrestles with her and I use this distraction to load my bow and shoot, first catching him on his back, then the back of his leg. He screams loudly and turns to me.
In the same time I reach back for another arrow and load my bow he points his gun at me and I watch in slow motion as I release my arrow, hitting him in the neck while the loud bang of his gun goes off, the light from the gun flashing momentarily in the dark.
And then, pain.