Hello everyone! Thank you for all the reviews and follows. Because of all of you, I get motivated to write. Here's the second chapter! Enjoy! Constructive criticism is always appreciated.
As the World Ends
Chapter 2
Michonne's mind was a prison. She locked memories and emotions in cages that could never be broken into. She had the keys, but chose not to free them. For her, it was a form of protection. It helped her focus on the world that was in front of her, the current situation. She held a deep pride in her ability to seal off. She discovered that it kept her sane.
The rotting smell of the dead lingered in the air. Michonne could feel them coming towards her. She held her katana in one hand, waiting and watching. The noise of clumsy footsteps mixed in with the rustling of leaves and branches came from all around her. Soon the walking dead emerged. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
Michonne began to stab and behead every walker that came at her. Adrenaline rushed through every vein in her body. A deep fire burned inside. At this moment, there was no Andre haunting her. Alexandria would still be there. Carl and Judith would be forever safe. Rick would still be sane. She found herself thinking about him more now. During their time in Alexandria there was a disconnection between her and him. They understood each other less and saw each other less. She wasn't sure what had caused it.
She breathed heavily. "I needed this," she said to herself, quietly. Blood, limbs and heads circled around her.
The group was exhausted. They circled around a small fire they had built out of fallen tree branches. It was warm and provided small relief to a disastrous day. Loss could never be avoided, especially in the world they lived in now. To deal with loss, one must face it and that was something the group had learned to do on multiple occasions. There was no running away when it came to loss.
Rick twirled his ring around his finger and stared at the fire. Reflections of flames in his blue eyes. Alexandria, their safe haven, was gone. Nothing could bring it back. The sudden realization of what the group—of what he had lost—plagued his mind. What was lost could never be returned. Lori's never coming back. She's dead. Gone. The world as it was now destroyed every piece of her, but she was still in his memory, constantly haunting his thoughts. He saw her in Jessie. He thought he had gotten past Lori. After Jessie, however, he realized that the memory of her was kept alive and well. She lurked even in the darkest corners of his mind. He was seeing her again, talking to her.
Rick's body ached as he stood up. "I'm gonna go take a walk."
Daryl looked up at him and nodded. Everyone else was silent.
He stopped near a small road near the edge of forest and looked up at the sky. The rustling of bushes was heard nearby. He placed his hand on his hip, slowly reaching for his knife.
"I thought you might need some company," said a familiar voice.
"Well, I don't think I do," he said, turning around. Michonne stood there with her arms crossed.
"Something's wrong," she said, stepping closer to him.
"I'm fine."
"No," she said, sternly, "you're not."
"I've just been thinking," Rick said, running his fingers through his hair.
"About what?"
Silence. Rick looked up at the sky again.
"I don't think I'm okay," he finally said. "I think I'm losin' it again. I'm seein' her again. I'm talkin' to her again."
"Rick…"
"How am I supposed to keep this group alive if I'm like this?" he said, pointing towards the direction where the group had built the fire.
"You can bring yourself back," Michonne said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You'll always do, Rick. You—"
Glen came out of the bushes, huffing and puffing.
"There's a herd of walkers coming are way. We have to go."
This story is starting a little slow, but I promise it will start to pick up. Also, I haven't written for the longest time, so my writing is rusty :/
