CHAPTER ONE-
'Retrograde'
You're on your own, in a world you've grown
Few more years to go,
Don't let the hurdle fall
Her feet felt like metal as they pounded against the hard…hot pavement, the pain and aches were almost unbearable but she couldn't stop, she had to keep moving -she had to get home. She needed to see his face...his little beautiful face, she needed to feel his strong arms around her, holding her. She had to make sure that they were alright… that they were okay and nothing or no one would stop her from achieving that. The groans behind her grew louder but she kept on going, not daring to look back. Michonne quickly scanned over her surroundings: soot and ash filled the air as homes and powerlines burned to a crisp, streets littered with trash, abandoned cars and corpses...CORPSES; she had stumbled into a nightmare and had no clue how to escape from it. Michonne made a quick dash into the side entrance of her Georgetown penthouse located right across the Potomac River from Arlington Virginia, she shut the door behind her quietly as she hurriedly locked it; scanning the narrow hallway for something she could use to bombard the door with…her eyes landing on the large dark wood console table nestled against the wall, she quickly ran towards it-kicking off her pumps as she went to the far end of it, using all of her strength she pushed the table against the door and stood back. Not a moment later banging and loud groaning poured in from the other side of the door, she scrambled to get her heels off of the floor before making a bee line down the hall way and up the stairwell heading towards the 5th floor. Michonne crept down the hallway, an eerie silence filling the atmosphere as she cautiously walked towards the door to her home: her chest heaving up and down as she scanned her surrounding…her eyes finally landing on the slightly ajar front door. In an instant her heart dropped down to her knees as she forcefully pushed inside the threshold, "M-Mike...Andre?...ANDRE!"
-PRESENT-
So be the girl you loved,
Be the girl you loved
Michonne jolted forward, her heart pounding in her chest as her eyes darted around the dark storage room frantically.
"MOM!-Are you okay?" a voice called out from across the room
Her breathing began to even out, his voice bringing a much-needed comfort to her soul, "I'm fine baby…" she responded softly as she rubbed her tired eyes with the back of her thumb
"You don't seem fine to me" he probed
"Andre-I'm fine…" she assured as she sat up fully, "…Where's your Uncle?"
"Scavenging-said he'd be back before dawn" he informed through a furrowed brow
"Alright…" she nodded in response as she studied him,"...come get some sleep baby. We have to be on the move soon and I need you rested- I'll take watch" she informed as she threw the sleeping bag off of her body and stood up; strapping her katana securely to her back.
"I'm not tired" he countered as he watched his mother head towards him
"It wasn't a question…" she responded sternly as she watched the 13-year old stand up from the wooden stool with a loud huff and drag himself across the room to remove his weapon and lay down in the spot she previously inhabited. Michonne headed back in his direction, crouching down beside the pre-teen, she adjusted the sleeping bag so that it fit snugly around him before kissing his forehead gently, "…I love you" she cooed out warmly
"I love you too" he mumbled out as he buried himself deeper into the sleeping bag and closed his eyes tightly
Michonne chuckled to herself, his stubbornness reminiscent to someone that she knew long ago, a lifetime ago. As Andre grew she took notice of so many similarities between the two-how he walked, talked, his facial expressions, even his soul piercing eyes. It was so many things about Andre that forced her to think about his father...so many times she wanted to pick up the phone and call him throughout the years but so much time had passed; it was far too many hidden truths and unscathed lies that uncovering them all would do more bad then good so she consciously turned it off... hoping that one day she had the courage to rediscover it. But, nights like this when she was surrounded by nothing but darkness and stillness she did think of him, wondering… Where he was? What became of him? If she crossed his mind? If he even made it out?
Suddenly I'm hit
It's the starkness of the dawn
Frantic banging pulled Michonne from her thoughts, she stood up cautiously, her eyes darting between a now sleeping Andre and the source of the noise, her hand rested on her katana handle; preparing to strike at any moment as she slowly made her way to the front of the building, where she saw her younger brother urgently yanking and pulling at the glass door, she ran towards it-unlocking and unchaining it immediately as she pushed it open for him.
"Are you okay? -What's going on Noah?" she questioned worriedly
Noah rushed inside, pushing his sister to the side as he quickly closed and locked the door, "I-It's a herd...anywhere from 50 to 100 deep. We gotta go...it's not safe here anymore" he informed breathlessly as he re-chained the door
"Fuck..." Michonne hissed as she stalked towards the office that they had been held up in for the last three days, "...Andre baby you gotta get up...we have to move" she blurted out hurriedly as she nudged the teenager out of his sleep. He sat forward, pushing the sleeping bag off of him as he groggily wiped at his eyes before taking note of his mother and Uncle quickly packing and securing their weapons. Andre stood up, securing his weapons as well before hastily rolling up and securing the sleeping bag to his black rucksack.
"How much time do we have?" she whispered
" I don't know…ten-fifteen minutes, maybe? " he responded as he zipped up his backpack
"Okay..." she breathed out as she looked towards Andre, who stood on the other side of the room waiting
direction. She gestured for him to come towards her, once there she rested her hand on his shoulder, "It's a really big herd on their way here so you know what to do. Stay behind me and stay close...okay?"
"Okay" he nodded out
"Okay" she responded softly as she placed a kiss on his forehead before turning and ensuring Noah was in position as well. He was, with a quick wave of her hand they were off, heading hastily down a back hallway that they had cleared upon arrival as a means of escape if things did go left field. She led them towards the emergency exit at the rear of the building. "On a count of three we go...", they nodded in agreement as she placed her hand on the doorknob and began to count, "...1...2...3" she whispered out as she flung the door open, it was luckily clear. They sprinted out of the building heading straight for the wooded area that enclosed the facility.
All of your friends are gone
All your friends won't come
So show me where you fit
"Where are we?" Andre inquired as he looked over to his mother, who stood with her back and shoulders straight- never sloping or round, her right hand rested securely around the handle of her katana as she studied their surroundings
"Well-based on the last sign we seen we are about 5 miles outside of Alexandria" she responded as she looked in the direction Noah went off into about 20 minutes prior
Andre furrowed his brow as he bit at his lip; a habit he inherited from his mother, "Are we going to go?" he inquired
"I don't know…" she breathed out as she looked towards him, "It's a chance that something is there but it's also a chance that there isn't… I haven't decided whether or not it's worth taking that risk- I can't take chances anymore" she explained as she graced his cheek with her thumb. The answer would be easier if it was just her, she would be more willing to take a gamble of her life if it paid off in the end but she had a son now-she had Andre and she wasn't going to risk his life for anyone or anything. He was the priority-her priority and his protection would always come before her own. Michonne huffed as she dropped her hand, her eyes wondering back over the area her younger brother disappeared into.
"Unc's been gone a long time" Andre quipped as he shook his head, his locs swiping against his shoulders as a result of the sudden movement
"Yeah-he has…" she responded softly as she contemplated her next move, immediate fear of the unknown leaving her a bit shaky "…let's go-" she huffed out as her and Andre headed off in that same direction.
A wide smile was plastered across Noah's face as he adjusted the gray backpack against his shoulder blade, what started out as a bathroom run turned into him hitting the jackpot in the convenient store he ended up ransacking, the bag was filled to its brim with crackers, energy bars, water, granola, canned soups and vegetables. The almost 18-year-old beamed proudly to himself, the fact that he was able to gather up something to bring back to his famished sister and nephew meant everything to him. He was the eldest man in their family now, he knew he needed to set an example-an expectation of what a man is and what they do for Andre: he had to show him that no matter what- you take care of yours. One of the many lessons he tried to teach the youngster as they grew up together. Even though he was only about five years older than Andre, he was his elder and he wanted the family values that were instilled into him and Michonne since childhood to always shine through despite whatever mistakes that will be made along the road. Noah was only four but he still remembered clearly when Michonne became pregnant, it was a massive situation that shook their family to its core. His family literally picked up everything and moved to be with the 17-year-old College freshmen, it was a big adjustment to go from being the youngest child to becoming an uncle to a newborn in less than a year's time but looking back he wouldn't have wanted it any other way-he honestly couldn't imagine life without that boy.
Noah glanced down at his watch, he had about ten more minutes before Michonne would naturally come looking for him, as much as he wanted to look some more he knew that she would be worried so he decided to head back, chuckling to himself at the thought of her swatting him on the back of the head for 'scaring her'. He quickly exited out of the back of the abandoned store, heading back in the direction he had come. Noah scanned the area as he walked, immediately taking notice of a 1985 Coachmen Senator RV parked outside a neighboring building, he looked around and saw no one in sight. He stopped and turned towards the parked vehicle, they had been walking for miles upon miles in the dead of summer's heat. He was TIRED and he knew that Michonne and Andre were tired as well, this RV could be a game changer for them. It would provide not only a means of transportation but also a means of safety, rest and protection from DC's current heatwave and also from the dead.
"Fuck it" he whispered through a smile as he ran towards the vehicle
Noah knocked on the tail end of the camper, ensuring that no walkers where inside or in the vicinity of the vehicle. He chuckled when he received no response, the string of good luck he had today evident once again. He crept up the side of the vehicle towards the door, as soon as he reached towards the handle a tall, dark shadow casted over him.
"You pissed your pants yet" a voice boosted from behind him
Noah stopped immediately and turned to look in the direction the voice came, he was met with the barrel of a gun.
"This is the fruit of some off-the-chart stupidity-Some Grade-A, butt steak idiocy man" the mystery person quipped as he cocked the berretta airsoft pistol
"Bruh-I'm not looking for no problems…I was just looking man, it wasn't what it looked like" Noah explained hurriedly as he raised his hands in the air to show he meant no harm
The man snorted as he leaned into him, "I don't give a monkey's left nut what it looked like. You've fucked up son-now prepare to meet your maker" he responded as he pressed the gun against Noah's left temple
I'll wait, so, show me why you're strong
Ignore everybody else,
We're alone now
A sudden kick to the back of the knee sent the man crashing down to the ground, Noah looked back shook as he saw his sister pointing her unsheathed sword at the burly man's neck while Andre aimed the man's fallen firearm directly at his head.
"DON'T" she informed coldly, as she peered down at the man angrily
"Son of a DICK" the man blurted out as he accessed the bullshit of a situation at hand
"Come on Noah" Michonne directed her brother as she continued to point her sword at the man. Noah hurriedly ran towards his family as he scowled at the man from behind his sister. "Don't move…" she instructed the man as she began to walk backwards away from him
"Pretty lady, I need my gun back-that's my favorite o- "he tried to explain
"Too bad" she responded harshly as she lowered her sword and began turning towards Noah and Andre
"Michonne?" a gentle voice called out to her
She stopped dead in her tracks turning towards the direction where the voice had come. Her eyes lit up instantly, "Glenn?" she breathed out as she took in the sight of her childhood friend
A broad smile formed against his lips as he rushed towards her, pulling her into a tight embrace, "I can't believe you're here" he beamed out
"You as well" she responded as she fought back tears, she could have never imagined crossing paths with one of her best friend's from before. If Glenn had managed to make it out she wondered if he could have- No it just didn't seem possible.
"Who's this?" he asked as he parted from the hug, looking towards the two men standing protectively at either side of her; ready to strike at any given moment.
She looked over her shoulder, towards her left side "That's Noah-my little brother…" she responded softly before looking across her right, "…and that's my son Andre" she breathed out with a soft smile before looking back towards her friend
His eyes lingered on the young man, his uncanny alikeness to his friend left him a tad flabbergasted, he quickly shook it off before he adjusted his gaze over to Noah, "Hi-I'm Glenn" he greeted the two. Noah acknowledged him with a simple head nod as Andre peered stoically at the man with his jaw clenched, brow furrowed and gun finally lowered.
"Who the hell is Michonne?" the boisterous man belted from behind Glenn as he finally stood and walked up to his side.
Glenn looked towards the man, "She's someone that I've known since before-she's my family and I am bringing her back" he responded as he looked back towards Michonne
"The hell you are! You know that R-" the orange headed man attempted to counter as he held out his hands towards Andre for his gun. Andre raised his eyebrow in response before tucking the gun into the back of his jeans with a smirk.
"I am not leaving them out here-" Glenn responded sternly, cutting off the man mid-sentence
"I never agreed to go anywhere" Michonne informed as she looked between the two pensively
"You have too…Where else are you going to go?" he questioned as he looked towards her, "I'm not leaving without you Michonne, you have a kid-a brother. You all need to be somewhere safe…somewhere with food, water and shelter. You are my family- so you are coming back with us" he reasoned
"Shit ain't going to fly with chief" the other man mumbled out as he peered wide eyed at the little smart-ass she called a son.
Glenn shook his head, "Shut up Abraham" he exasperated as he turned back towards her, "So, what's it going to be Michonne?" he asked softly
Michonne bit down her lip as she mused over what Glenn had just explained, he was right-She knew that he was right but she was scared. She didn't know what she was about to walk her and her family into. That fear of change-of the unknown left a bitter taste in her mouth but she had to swallow it, this wasn't about her. This was for Noah, for Andre…deep down she knew that Glenn would never put her or her family in danger. So, she rolled back her shoulders and looked towards him somberly, "We'll come" she huffed out. Glenn smiled warmly at his friend as he nodded towards the RV, he quickly escorted everyone inside and packed up what they had scavenged. Abraham cranked up the RV and began to drive off; their next destination being HOME.
I'll wait
-SD
Song credit/lyrics: James Blake'Retrograde'
